Governor's School
2012 Summer Residential Governor's School Program in Mathematics, Science, and Technology
July 1 - July 28, 2012
Director: Danny O. Cline, Jr.
cline@lynchburg.edu
434.544.8372
The Summer Residential Governor's School at Lynchburg College is part of the State of Virginia's broader Governor's School programs. Below are listed the general mission, vision, and goals of the state programs. For more detailed information, visit the state website at:
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/governors_school_programs/summer_residential/index.shtml
The state website includes much information about the application process. Application forms are located on the front page of the site, linked above. Also, deadlines for application, a guide for school administrators, and a guide for students and parents are available and are updated yearly. Typically, the deadline for students to apply to their local school district is in early January, a process that begins with the local school district. However, as these deadlines are set by the school districts themselves and may be different, it is advisable that those students who want to apply contact a high school guidance counselor to inquire about that school's procedures and deadlines as early as possible in their sophomore or junior year.
For more information on the operation of the Summer Residential Governor's School Program in Mathematics, Science, and Technology, please read the information below and click the links to the left to visit our other web pages on Lynchburg College's site.
History of the Governor's Schools:
The Virginia Governor's School Program began in 1973 when Governor Linwood Holton established the first summer residential programs for 400 gifted students from across the Commonwealth. From its beginnings, with three summer schools in 1973, the program has expanded to more than 40 sites throughout the Commonwealth.
Virginia Governor's Schools provide some of the state's most able students with academically and artistically challenging programs beyond those offered in their home schools. With the support of the Virginia Board of Education and the General Assembly, the Governor's Schools presently include summer residential, summer regional, and academic-year programs serving more than 7,500 gifted students from all parts of the Commonwealth.
The years since 1973 have brought refinement and change to the programs, yet one aspect, the student, has remained constant. Each year, hundreds of outstanding young people come to one of the different Governor's Schools in search of knowledge and eager to accept the challenge of acquiring advanced skills. Each group makes the Governor's School programs a special experience by creating a community of learners who demonstrate their remarkable talents in diverse and meaningful ways.
Three types of Governor's Schools provide appropriate learning endeavors for gifted students throughout the Commonwealth: Academic-Year Governor's Schools (AYGS), Summer Residential Governor's Schools (SRsGS) and the Summer Regional Governor's Schools (SRgGS).
Purpose of the Governor's Schools:
Governor's Schools give gifted students academic and visual and performing arts opportunities beyond those normally available in the students' home schools. Students are able to focus on a specific area of intellectual or artistic strength and interest and to study in a way that best suits the gifted learner's needs. Each program stresses non-traditional teaching and learning techniques. For example, small-group instruction, hands-on-experiences, research, field studies, or realistic or artistic productions are major elements in the instructional design at all schools. Students become scientists, writers, artists, and performers as they work with professional mentors and instructors. Every effort is made to tailor learning to needs of the community of learners that comprise the program.
The Virginia Governor's School Program has been designed to assist divisions as they meet the needs of a small population of students whose learning levels are remarkably different from their age-level peers. The foundation of the Virginia Governor's School Program centers on best practices in the field of gifted education and the presentation of advanced content to able learners.
Administration of the Governor's Schools:
The Governor's School programs are administered by the Virginia Department of Education, Office of Secondary Instructional Services, in cooperation with local school divisions, colleges, and universities. A local director at each Governor's School site has direct responsibility for the logistics of the program. Academic-Year Governor's Schools have directors and regional governing boards that provide policy and administration of these schools. Program and site directors at the Summer Residential Governor's Schools along with the specialist in the Virginia Department of Education work together to manage and maintain these programs.
The Department of Education, regional governing boards, local superintendents, site or program directors, school boards, and advisory committees establish policies for the Governor's Schools. These policies are described in an administrative procedures document for each school. All Governor's Schools annually submit a current administrative procedures document to VDOE.
Maintaining High Standards:
Each Governor's School maintains its standards through a system of internal evaluations. Summaries of findings are submitted to the Department of Education as part of the administrative procedures document. Internal evaluation methods may include collecting information from students and staff, interviews and written surveys with administrators, instructors, students, and parents, and analysis of other documents related to the programs.
Teams of external evaluators visit each Governor's School on a regular basis. Evaluation rubrics have been developed based on the National Association for Gifted Children's standards (external link). The Governor's School directors receive commendations and recommendations from the team sponsored by the Department of Education. The final report, sent to the director and the chairperson of the regional governing board, summarizes the findings and conclusions of the team.
Summer Residential Governor's Schools
Summer Residential Governor's Schools provide gifted high school juniors and seniors with intensive educational experiences in visual and performing arts; humanities; mathematics, science, and technology; life science and medicine; or through mentorships in marine science or engineering.
Each Summer Residential Governor's School focuses on one special area of interest. Students live on a college or university campus for up to five weeks each summer. During this time, students are involved in classroom and laboratory work, field studies, research, individual and group projects and performances, and seminars with noted scholars, visiting artists, and other professionals. In the two mentorships, students are selected to work side-by-side with research scientists, physicians, and a variety of other professionals. A director and a student-life staff provide supervision of students 24 hours a day throughout the program.
