Governor's School

Who Can Attend:
The recruitment of students is primarily the responsibility of the school divisions. The Director and the Lead Instructors will support the efforts of the school divisions by mailing information regarding the program to parents of eligible students and by being available to discuss the program with students and parents. At the January meeting of faculty personnel with school division representatives, each school division will be informed of the number of student slots available to them. This number will ordinarily be ten (10) slots in the math/science program, ten (10) slots in the Computer Technology program, and ten (10) slots in the Play Analysis and Production Program for Washington County, and five (5) slots in the math/science program, five (5) slots in the Computer Technology program, and five (5) in the Play Analysis and Production program for Smyth County, with the same allotment to Bristol. If changes due to population shifts or to funding considerations are necessary, these changes may be decided upon at the January meeting. Following is a breakdown for each high school:

Student recruitment will be consistent with the Virginia Highlands Community College policy to maintain and promote equal employment and educational opportunity without regard to race, color, sex, or age (except where sex or age is a bona fide occupational qualification), religion, disability, national origin, or other non-merit factors.

Each school division representative will then inform the principals (or their designees) of the individual schools of the number of students to be selected and of selection criteria (see below). The principals through their designees, generally the guidance counselors or gifted coordinator, will initiate the selection process by providing the Director with a list of eligible students by March 1. These students will be notified by mail from the Director's office and may also be notified by the Principals or Principals' designees, at their discretion. Students will be asked to make application directly to the Principals or Principals' designees who will then make the final selection of participants and alternates using any procedure they deem fit for their individual situations. The College's information should clearly communicate the level and expectations of performance as well as the advantages and gains to be expected from participation. The following guidelines will be followed in selecting eligible students:

Students applying to the program must:

Students who are performing at least at B level in their College-transfer level science and mathematics courses, and who have completed at least College Preparatory Algebra I and Geometry, and at least one College Preparatory Science course will be eligible for the math/science program.

All students recommended by their high school teachers as likely to both profit from and contribute to the program will be eligible for that program.

Any student who has actively participated in school performing arts activities will be eligible for the Play Analysis and Production program.

Selection Criteria

Students will be selected based on the following criteria, in order of importance:

1. Academic performance.
2. Discipline and work habits.
3. Aptitude.
4. Interest in math and/or science for the Math/Science program, Computer Programming for the Computer Technology program, or in performing arts for Play Analysis and Production program.
5. Participation in activities related to program.
6. Assessment by Principal or Principal's designee of overall ability.
7. Assessment by Principal or Principal's designee of the likelihood that the student will profit and contribute positively to the program.

Selection Procedures 

1. Eligible students will be given the opportunity to submit an application to their Principals or Principals' designee.
2. Students making application will request that at least two teachers with knowledge of the student's aptitudes, work habits and other relevant qualities, fill out a reference form in support of the student's application. Each applicant will be provided with forms, and it is the responsibility of the student to provide the person giving the reference with these forms. These forms will be considered by the individual making the selection, in order to assess the student's application according to the selection criteria above.
3. The Principals or Principals' designees will fill out the evaluation form for each applicant and will rank the applicants in order of preference, according to the selection criteria above. The final selection will be based on the Principals or Principals' designee's best judgment, consistent with the Selection Criteria above. 
4. Selected applicants will be notified of their selection and will be offered the opportunity to commit to the program. Students and their parents will be made fully aware of the demands and expectations that accompany the College-level courses that comprise this program.
5. Selection will continue until all slots have been filled and a reasonable number of alternates selected, or until the pool of eligible applicants has been exhausted. If a school division does not fill its quota, the unfilled slots will become available to the other school divisions in proportion to their original respective number of slots.
6. Maintenance of Records - Application forms and reference forms will be given to the Director who will retain the forms for a period of five years.