March 2025
GYSA Families,
Another month is moving quickly!
The 3rd nine weeks ends on March 21st with one nine weeks to go. This is always a tough quarter because scholars are ready for spring and sometimes focusing is hard. Please continue to encourage their best work and on time completion of all assignments. On March 3rd we begin our extended day schedule. We have added 20 minutes to our day and the time will be added during the advisory block. This time will focus on a diff erent content each day with assignments intended to enrich and remediate.
Please remind your scholars it is their responsibility to notify their teachers when they turn in missing assignments. Please see below for upcoming events . Thank you for your support during the toughest time of year.
Please contact us by email (lahill@henrico.k12.va.us & jhwillia@henrico.k12.va.us) or via phone (804-515-1100) with any questions or concerns.
Important Dates:
● March 10th 7th Grade Field Trip
● March 21st End of Quarter 3, Full day for scholars ( This is a change.)
● March 27th Career Day
● March 31st -April 6th Spring Break
Reminders: Please check around the house and help our students
return those late library books.
Teacher and Student Spotlight
GYSA 6/7 math has joined NASA! Students were assigned mission teams, chose roles, and designed a team mission patch and website. They analyzed the terrain via a NASA interactive website and an immersive VR experience with pictures taken from the Curiosity Rover. Teams had to plot points for collection samples and then drive their “rover” as precisely as possible – while in mission control, not standing at the map! Students used proportional reasoning to translate their map distance to actual Mars distance, analyzed craters for their area and circumference, and analyzed their “samples” for their volume and surface area. They also got to code robots, drive Spheros, and fly drones! Next week, they will continue the Mars theme throughout their science, social studies and English classes.
You can view a video of the unit here: Wilder MS: Mission to Mars
UR Mock Trial Team Visit
Students from the University of Richmond Law School visited GYSA this month to talk with students and help them prepare for their upcoming mock trials. Students are studying Alaric the Goth and the UR Mock Trial Team helped students prepare for their own upcoming mock trials.
Math Competitions
27 students participated in the AMC 8 math competition in January. Congratulations go out to our top three scores:
1st Sreshta V.
2nd Melody Q.
3rd Caitlyn C. (tie)
3rd Sandy E.
Additionally, Melody Q. and Sreshta V. were recognized NATIONALLY by AMC for placing in the top 5% of the country! Sreshta also received a special recognition for being a 6th grader to score over 15 (out of 25). She scored a 20.
In other math competition news, 14 students competed in the regional MATHCOUNTS competition in February. Sreshta. finished tied for 4th in that competition.
Also, the following students qualified for the state MATHCOUNTS competition to be held later in March at Virginia Tech: Sreshta V. Caitlyn C. Stefan B
Yay of the Day!
Congratulations to Mrs. Kennedy, GYSA Science 6 teacher, for being selected as a “Yay of the Day!” recipient for the county! Mrs. Kennedy was nominated by one of her 6th grade students, Samuel, for this honor. Thank you, Mrs. Kennedy, for all you do for our GYSA students and program!