PRESS RELEASE – October 3, 2016

Fluvanna County High School will begin accepting applications for any interested eighth graders for Blue Ridge Virtual Governor’s School (BRVGS). Applications will be made available beginning Monday, October 3, 2016. The program accepts up to 18 students for each class.

The core curriculum for the Blue Ridge Virtual Governor’s School is carefully planned by qualified subject matter instructors and approved by the BRVGS Joint Board, with representatives from all participating school divisions. The participating school divisions are: Fluvanna, Goochland, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, and Orange Counties.

Courses specifically designed for Governor’s school students are termed “Core Courses.” These courses are uniquely designed to emphasize connections between disciplines, real-world situations, collaboration, integration of technology, and innovative approaches to learning. Core Courses, in combination with advanced courses at each participating local high school and college-level, provide a rigorous course of study for BRVGS students. As students progress into 11th and 12th grades, the BRVGS Core Courses are created to make learning an active process. Students must actively pursue excellence. Students will be given all the resources necessary for success but will not be given “answers.” Group collaboration and problem solving are emphasized.

Core courses for the 2016-17 school year are: Grade 9- World History I and II: Technology Through the Ages; Grade 10- Biotechnology: AP Biology and Biotechnology; Grade 11- AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science Principles, Dual Enrollment Statistics, or Dual Enrollment Engineering; and, Grade 12- Senior Project. All courses in core academic areas are taught at the gifted or enriched level. Students must complete Governor’s School Core Courses on each grade level, to progress, and be eligible for graduation with the Governor’s School Seal.

Applications will be accepted until Friday, November 18 at 4 p.m. To be eligible, the student must be a current eighth grader and have completed Algebra I before the beginning of ninth grade. All eligible applicants will be evaluated based on grades, three teacher recommendations (one math, one science, and one other educator), interview, written response, and test data. For the 2016-17 BRVGS application packet, Fluvanna will use the results of the PSAT 8/9 as student achievement data component. This assessment will be given on November 2 at the High School to all students in Grade 8.

An informational meeting for students in Grade 8 will be held on Monday, October 24 at 9 a.m. in the Fluvanna County High School Auditorium. Mr. Marc Carraway, Director of BRVGS, will be on hand to provide information about the program and answer questions.

Mr. Carraway will also be presenting at Fluvanna’s Parent Information Session on Thursday, October 27 at 7 p.m. at the High School. The topic of this presentation is Planning for Life After High School. Mr. Carraway will share research about what it takes to develop the skills that make students successful after high school. At the end of the program, parents and students will be given the opportunity to learn more about Blue Ridge Virtual Governor’s School.

To download an application go to: http://www.brvgs.k12.va.us/application2/

Completed applications and recommendation forms should be turned into Stacey Holland in the High School Guidance Office Friday, November 18 at 4 p.m. Letters of acceptance will be mailed on March 2017. For additional information about the Blue Ridge Virtual Governor’s School application process, please contact Stacey Holland at the High School at 589-3666 or sholland@apps.fluco.org. For more information about Blue Ridge Virtual Governor’s School go to: http://www.brvgs.k12.va.us/.

View Full Press Release