Check out this week's updates, information, and upcoming events at Goochland High School. The Bulldog Bulletin is your weekly look into the great things happening at GHS. Go Bulldogs!
💥💥Bulldog Recognitions💥💥
Athletic Trainers - In honor of National Athletic Training Month, our Athletic Trainer, Mrs. Black would like to thank the many students who support her and the athletes of Goochland High School. 18 students completed their CPR/AED Certification to volunteer in this role. These students sometimes work hundreds of hours supporting Mrs. Black. In this role, they are learning the ins and outs of Athletic Training including the following: injury evaluation, emergency response, injury treatment, rehabilitation, and so much more. Thank you for your commitment to Goochland Athletics!
Class of 2025 College Acceptances - Attention seniors! We would love to acknowledge your college acceptances as you have gotten in. Please fill out this form. You must be logged in to your GLND email to access to submit. Please let us know so we can recognize YOU for your accomplishments! Be sure to contact your counselor with any questions. HERE is a map of where our seniors have been accepted so far.
Get to Know Some of our Amazing Bulldogs - Throughout the remainder of the school year, we will be highlighting our “teacher-recognized” students each week.
Alison Croker is a senior, nominated for her kindness by Ms. McMullin! Alison's favorite class is Unified PE. She loves to play softball in her free time - look for her on the field as number 1! One day, she wants to own a miniature long-haired dachshund. Great job being kind, Alison!
M3 Challenge (Math Competition) - On Friday, February 28th, Dustin Brown, Elena Dewey, Matthew Frago, William Geyer, and John Tsengas competed in the national M3 Challenge, a scholarship challenge presented by the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). This is a prestigious internet-based competition that challenges high school students in the U.S. and U.K. to use mathematical modeling to solve a real-world problem. Teams have 14 consecutive hours to analyze the issue, develop a solution, and submit a well-structured report. Top-performing teams earn scholarships, national recognition, and opportunities to present their work to experts in the field. It was a long day. With the exception of a 40-minute lunch break, they worked continuously through the day in the counseling conference room. Hats off to these five Bulldogs, along with Mr. Smith for his guidance!
State Indoor Track Results - Congratulations to our track team for their performances at the state meet at Liberty University. Jerry Fry brought home a state medal with a 7th-place finish in the high jump with a leap of 5’10”. Way to go, Jerry!
State Swimming Results - It was a great day in the pool for the swim team on Tuesday. The biggest highlight was turned in by senior, Bill Belcher, who brought home the state title in the 500-yard freestyle. Bill also placed third in the 200-yard freestyle. Olivia Spooner led the girls' squad with podium finishes in both the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. In addition to the individual results, several Bulldogs were part of medal-winning relays. Connor Davis, Alex Horst, Zach Cheatham, Ford Reams, and Bill Belcher all swam legs of medal-winning relay teams. On the girls' side, Alexandra Reid, Anneliese Reid, Annika Rogerson, Sylvia Wirsing, Andrea Rogerson, and Olivia Spooner all brought home medals in their relay events. Overall the boys finished in 9th place while the girls brought home a 7th place overall finish. Congratulations to the swim teams on an amazing season!
State Wrestling Results - Congratulations to the wrestling teams on their performances at the state tournament. Patrick Harlow was crowned State Champion in the 285 lb weight class. This is Patrick’s 2nd state title after winning last year as a junior. Patrick ended his career with a record of 109 wins and just 15 losses. Cannen Harlow finished 4th in the 190 lb weight classes and Camron Hardy finished on the podium in 6th place at 113 lbs. Congratulations to these hardworking wrestlers on an amazing season!
Unified Bowling National Tournament in Baton Rouge, LA - Congratulations to our Unified Bowling teams that competed on February 25th and 26th in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Girl's team was made up of Jayda Hope, Rachelle Hope (alumni), Ella Pillsbury, and Ava Freeman. They proudly took home 5th place in the team division, and they also received 5th place finishes in their doubles competition. The Boys team was made up of Owen Powers, Dymontrie Hopkins, Charlie Darr, and Sam Farkas. They placed 4th in the team division and 5th and 6th place in the doubles competition. This amazing team represented GHS, Goochland County, and the entire state of Virginia well during this National Special Olympics Event. A Big Thank You to Special Olympics Virginia and Area 6 for helping our outstanding Bulldogs have this amazing opportunity!
THIS WEEK at GHS
GCPS Textbook Adoption - The public review period for textbooks being considered by the school division, including K-8 history and high school math, continues through Friday, March 14 for any interested citizens. The textbooks are available for review at the school division administration building at 2938-I River Road West from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by appointment outside of those hours.
GPOW - The Goochland Portfolio of Writing will be given during English classes between March 4th and 11th. Students in English 9 will complete a persuasive essay. Students in English 10 will complete an analytical essay. These essays will be added to their portfolio of work which will be used as a student's attempt to earn their verified credit in Writing needed for graduation. Please make sure your student gets plenty of rest and comes prepared to give their best effort!
Workplace Readiness Skills (WRS) Assessments NEW DATE - Due to recent weather closures, the Workplace Readiness Skills test for CTE students has been postponed. The new testing dates are March 10th - March 11th. This important certification measures their understanding of key employability skills such as teamwork, professionalism, and problem-solving. By earning this credential, students demonstrate their preparedness for the workforce and gain a valuable advantage for their future careers. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Brockman (jbrockman@glnd.k12.va.us).
ECMC College Nights and Scholarship Opportunity- Thinking about college? Whether you are planning to attend college or simply evaluating your options, you can get answers to your questions about college admissions, the financial aid process, and scholarships at our ECMC College Nights event. The School Counseling Department will be presenting this program on Thursday, March 13th at 6:00 PM Virtually. A drawing will happen at the end of the presentation for a $1000 Scholarship. To qualify for the scholarship drawing:
· The parent or student must be in the meeting within five minutes of the start time to fill out the form and have video access to the meeting for the link.
· The parent or student must be present for the drawing at the end of the presentation to win.
· Each student who is present or has a parent present for the meeting will be entered to win.
Join the Google Meet or you may call +1 520-815-1294 PIN: 576 401 480#. Keep in mind that students or parents who call in will not have access to the link for the scholarship drawing or be able to see the presentation.
End of Marking Period 3 - The end of marking period 3 is Friday, March 14th. Please review your student's grades on PowerSchool and reach out to their teachers with any questions. Report cards will be distributed to students on Thursday, March 27th.
Early Dismissal - GCPS will operate on an early dismissal schedule on Friday, March 14th. Students will be dismissed at 1:35 pm. Please enjoy the early start to your weekend!
All-Night Graduation - Casino Night will be held at Bandits Ridge on Friday, March 14th. Please contact Michele Brooks at 804-221-2336 if you know of a person or business that would like to sponsor. If you plan to attend, purchase your tickets HERE!
Goochland Robotics to Compete in Severn, MD March 15th–16th - Following their second-place overall finish in Glen Allen last week, the GHS Junkyard Dogs Robotics team will head to their next competition in Severn, MD next weekend. The team has been busy making adjustments and improvements to their robot, named “Guppy”, and are ready for their second round of action in the 2025 season! Matches start at 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 15th, and 9:30 AM on Sunday, March 16th. If you can make it, stop by! Event details can be found HERE. The event will be streamed online HERE. Let's go Junkyard Dogs!
Athletics and Activities - Please visit www.GoochlandBulldogs.com for up-to-date schedule information. Many of these events can be streamed live at www.NFHSNetwork.com. Feel free to contact Mr. Fowler (jfowler@glnd.k12.va.us) if you have any questions or need more information.
THIS MONTH at GHS
Spring MAP Assessments - Spring MAPS testing will begin the week of March 17th in Math and English classes. MAP testing is a chance for students and teachers to see student growth over the school year. We strongly encourage our students to get plenty of rest before taking these critical assessments. Please reach out to your child’s Math or English teacher if you have any questions.
“It’s Real: Teens and Mental Health” Program for 9th-Grade Students - Our Mental Health team along with a volunteer from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) will be introducing a program in our 9th-grade Health & PE classes called “It’s Real: Teens and Mental Health” during the week of March 17th, 2025. Through the program, students learn: what mental health is and how it's both similar to and different from physical health, how to notice signs of someone needing help, tips and strategies for having a caring conversation with someone they might be worried about, methods of self-care for mind, body, soul, and surroundings, examples of trustworthy resources, and how reaching out to trusted adults can help teens manage their mental health. If you would like to opt your 9th grader out of this program, have any questions or concerns about your child’s participation, or would like to review an outline of the program, please contact Renee Ferrell, Director of School Counseling at rferrell@glnd.k12.va.us.
Black History Month Events NEW DATE - In addition to the instructional activities taking place in students’ academic classes, the faculty has planned several events to celebrate Black History Month. Due to recent school closures, these events have been moved to March. On Wednesday, March 19th, during Bulldog block, we will hold a school-wide Kahoot trivia challenge that will highlight contributors to African American history and American history that stems from both African American and Afro-Latin heritage. We will cap off the week with a Black History Month celebration on Friday, March 21st with step team performances, games, a DJ, and a guest speaker. We are extremely excited to celebrate Black History Month at GHS! Hats off to students Kierjaea Carter and Kiershara Carter, Mrs. Amanda Tolson (atolson@glnd.k12.va.us), and Mr. Bryant Winbush (bwinbush@glnd.k12.va.us) for their hard work organizing these events!
SAT Prep- The Goochland Education Foundation and Huntington Learning Center are partnering to offer SAT Practice Test Prep for Goochland High School students. The next practice test will be on Saturday, March 22nd at 9:30 AM at the Goochland County Central High Cultural and Educational Complex on Dogtown Road. The feedback session will be held on Thursday, March 27th at 7:00 PM held in Room C143 at Goochland High School. Please go to the FLYER for more information and registration links. The Goochland Education Foundation will support any student who cannot pay the $25 registration. The registration deadline is 4:00 PM on Thursday, March 20th.
March 21st - Friday, March 21st will now be a normal school day due to the snow closures. This will be a Day 1. Please plan accordingly!
Skills USA Heavy Equipment Competition - On Monday, March 24th, ten of the second-year students in our heavy equipment operator program will compete in the state Skills USA competition sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education. The competition will be held at our Career and Workforce Development Center. It will consist of a variety of skills, equipment pre-checks, and safety challenges designed by professionals from companies that utilize heavy equipment in their operations. The judges for the competitions will be members of various construction companies from the Central Virginia Region. For the past two years, the state champion for this event has come from our program. We wish our students well as they participate in this exciting and real-world competition!
Sophomore ACA Kick-Off - Sophomore ACA students and parents, please mark your calendars now for Monday, March 24th at 6:00 PM! You are cordially invited to join the Reynolds Career Coach and the ACA Site Director that evening for our virtual ACA Summer Preparation Kick-off (Google Meet HERE). We'll cover topics such as the required summer course outline, payment timelines, communication channels, access to college resources, and strategies for planning, surviving, and thriving beyond the summer. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Beth Fowler (bfowler@glnd.k12.va.us). We can't wait to see you all there!
EnerGize and EnGage Day at GHS - Save the date, Bulldogs! Energize & Engage Day will take place on Friday, March 28th! This is a day where students sign up for courses they are interested in - from pickleball to car maintenance to rocket launching. Sign-ups will take place later in March, but mark your calendars now to attend this regularly scheduled school day - with a twist!
Spring Sense of Belonging Survey - Linked here, please find a preview copy of the 6-12th grade GCPS Sense of Belonging and Inclusion Survey that will be administered at GHS through English classes on April 7th & 8th. The purpose of the survey is to provide input on how GHS is doing towards meeting our annual school climate goals so that we can create an even better learning environment for all of our students. Any parent wishing to opt their child out of taking this survey may do so by emailing our Survey Coordinator, Ms. Richards (crichards@glnd.k12.va.us).
GHS Prom - Goochland High School's prom will be held on Saturday, May 10th at the Adams International School! Our theme is Once Upon a Time… dust off your glass slippers! Any students (or parents!) who wish to be a part of the Prom Planning Committee should contact Mrs. Boehm (mboehm@glnd.k12.va.us).
REMINDERS
Electronic Distribution of Flyers - Throughout the 24.25 school year, please visit this website for upcoming events or activities throughout the Goochland community.
Junior Achievement Scholarship - Exciting news! The Junior Achievement (JA) Student Ambassador Scholarship is now open. JA awards up to three $2500 scholarships to students in 9th-12th grade who have participated in a JA program while in high school, and we invite them to share their story at our Hall of Fame gala the following year. This year, we’re asking for short answer responses instead of a video submission. Please share this opportunity with any of your students who have received a JA program in high school, and encourage them to apply by Friday, June 6th. They may apply using this URL.
Scheduling for the 2025-2026 School Year - School Counselors are meeting with EACH student for their Academic and Career Planning meeting to review their course requests for the 2025-2026 school year and discuss their future goals. If you would like to be a part of your child’s Academic and Career Planning meeting, please use the link to your child’s school counselor.
Senior Class of 2025
All-Night Graduation - Spring Bingo will be held on Saturday, March 22nd in the GHS cafeteria at 6:00 pm. Presale bingo cards will be available for purchase at River Road Cottage for $20. Bingo cards can be purchased at the door for $25. Please come out and support our last bingo of the year!
The Class of ‘25 Baccalaureate will be held on Sunday, May 18th at 3:00 pm NEW DATE in the GHS auditorium. Seniors are encouraged to attend an inspirational afternoon with music, speakers, and light refreshments afterward. Please wear what you will wear to graduation under the gowns and don’t forget your caps. Seniors can earn tickets for attending that can go towards Senior Sunset raffle prizes.
The annual “Senior Walk” in the Goochland Day Parade will be on Saturday, May 17th. It is a nice tradition where the seniors walk in the parade for that proud moment of graduating. Seniors will also earn tickets to the Senior Sunset event. The sign-up will be sent out soon with times and instructions.
The tradition of our “Senior Walks” through our elementary schools will be on Friday, May 23rd. The school and time are as follows: RES at 9:00 am, GES at 10:00 am, and BES at 11:00 am. A sign-up, along with additional details will be coming soon! Those who attend will earn tickets for the Senior Sunset event.
Be sure to mark your calendars now for the “Senior Sunset” on Friday, May 30th from 7:00 - 10:00 pm in the GHS softball field. We will do different activities, games, food, pictures, and raffle prizes! Please make plans to attend!
Please follow ANG on Facebook, “Goochland All Night Graduation 2025.” If you have any questions or want to join ANG, please email them at GoochlandANG@gmail.com.
Scholarships - A lot of new scholarships have been added to the GHS Class of 2025 Scholarships sheet. Please contact Ms. McMullin (mmcmullin@glnd.k12.va.us) if you have any questions!
Financial Aid - Students and parents can schedule a meeting with our GRASP Advisor, Ms.Lindsay Bradley, to get help with the FAFSA, discuss financial aid award letters, and get additional scholarship information. Please use this link to schedule an appointment or email her at goochland@grasp4va.org.
Senior Class Meeting - Ms. Reahard, Ms. McMullin, ANG, and the administration will be holding a senior class meeting on Thursday, March 27th at 10:30 am in the auditorium. We will be reviewing graduation details, senior project updates, and the end-of-year ANG events.
Senior Projects - This year, students will complete a total of 20 service hours. The final 10 hours are due in April. Students will not be permitted to walk at the GHS graduation ceremony if they do not complete their senior project. Lastly, Education for Employment and Blue Ridge Virginia Governor's School students complete a separate senior project through those experiences. Please contact Mallory McMullin at (mmcmullin@glnd.k12.va.us) with any questions.
Reynold's Graduation Ceremony (including ACA students) - The ceremony will be held on Tuesday, May 13th at 2:00 pm at the Stuart C. Siegel Center (1200 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23284). Be sure to mark your calendars now and tell all your friends and family! Seating will not be limited for this event, so there is room for them all!
Class of ‘25 Graduation Details - Please mark your calendars for our GHS class of 2025 graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 31st at 7:30 pm at the GHS Stadium. The rain date will be Sunday, June 1st at 7:30 pm. We will have follow-up details in the coming months regarding the senior students' last day of school, senior exam week, etc.