Duke Update March 01, 2026
GHS recognizes the following this week/month:
Music in Our Schools Month – Celebrates the benefits of music education and advocates for access to quality music programs in every school.
Youth Art Month – A national celebration highlighting the value of visual arts education, promoting creativity, skill development, and community support while showcasing student artwork.
School Social Work Week – Recognizes the vital role school social workers play in supporting student mental health, academic success, and a positive school climate.
National School Breakfast Week – Celebrates the importance of a nutritious school breakfast in fueling students for success.
Read Across America Week – Encourages children to read, boosts literacy, and promotes diverse books so all students see themselves reflected in what they read.
Congratulations to GHS Chorus students, London Volpe, Emma Layton, Joshua Littlefield, and Abdiel Santiago-Ramos for auditioning and being selected to the 2026 All-Virginia Chorus as first delegates. And congratulations to Caitlyn Gayle for being selected as the second alternate.
Congratulations to the VHSL Speech Competition Winner, Grace Johnson! She received 4th place in Storytelling.
Congratulations to the students who participated in the 3rd Annual Oratorical Competition on Wednesday, February 25th! The judges all agreed this was the hardest year to decide on winners. Congratulations to Ashlee VanVranken who placed 2nd and to Kara Willoughby who was the overall winner. They will be honored at the March School Board meeting!
Congratulations to the Varsity Smash Bros. ESports team for their win on Wednesday. Shout out to Phoenix Grubb who was pulled from JV to Varsity and secured the victory for the team with back to back wins against his opponent.
Good luck to our Track & Field Athletes competing in States on Tuesday, March 3rd at Liberty University:
Hannah Mullis, Isak Smith, Brayl’n Johnson, Grayson Shield, Elijah Lemaster, Steven Byrd-McManus, Edwin Soto
Attention Parents/Guardians of Students with Early Dismissals: Due to new building safety procedures, students with an early dismissal must exit through either the Main Entrance doors or Door 2E (the old Main Entrance).
Please note:
Students may only use Door 2E during class change times.
They will have 5 minutes to exit before the alarm sounds.
If they are unable to exit through Door 2E within the 5-minute window, they must use the Main Entrance doors.
Reminder: Students arriving late to school should continue to report to the Main Entrance doors for required security check-in procedures. This policy is being implemented to help ensure the safety and security of all students and staff. Thank you for your attention and understanding.
The Last chance to enroll in Costa Rica & Panama this summer of 2026! Please enroll by March 12th if this adventure trip interests you. Some of the activities include Whitewater rafting, Ziplining, and a Limonese cooking class. See Ms. Falkenberg in room 139 for a detailed brochure or the pricing information. You can also log onto the link provided in our daily announcements. Link: https://www.eftours.com/2814681HK
Athletics
Winter Athletes & Families the Winter Sports Awards night will be Wednesday March 11th @ 7:00pm in the GHS Auditorium please bring a dessert to share. Enter through door 3E from the student parking lot side of the building.
Athletes carrying large equipment bags: You are able to store your bags in locked spaces at GHS overnight. Please see your coach for details.
Spring Track & Field tryouts: Begin on Wednesday, March 4th thru Tuesday, March 10th from 3:00pm until 5:15pm. Attendance to all Tryout dates are mandatory and will be tracked! Parents & athletes who will be trying out must attend the SPRING SPORTS- ALL SPORTS PARENT & PLAYERS MEETING on Wednesday, March 4th in the GHS auditorium at 6:00pm.
GHS Fall Cheer Open Gyms begin Wednesday, March 11th. Open to current 8th–11th grade students. A valid VHSL physical must be on file, and athletic clothing is required. A Flyer can be found in the main office.
Spring Parents & Athletes, there will be a mandatory meeting for all spring athletes and parents on Wednesday March 4th at 6:00pm in the GHS Auditorium, we will meet as a group then teams will break off into individual team meetings. Please enter through door 3E from the student parking lot side of the building.
Counseling
Attention Seniors: Now is the time to apply for scholarships!
The GHS Scholarship Application can be accessed from your Naviance account. The application with all needed forms has been sent to your school based e-mail and paper copies are available in the Counseling Office. This application enables you to apply for multiple local scholarships with just the one application. If you are thinking of attending any trade school or a 4 year or 2 year college, you should apply for local scholarships using this application. The deadline of March 11th is quickly approaching. No late applications will be accepted. See the Counseling Office with any questions.
Please remember to check your Naviance account regularly for additional scholarship opportunities that are not listed on the GHS Application. Several scholarships have recently been added with March deadline dates.
Also, please stop in the Counseling Office and check out the scholarship table just inside the door.
The Homework Club will be staying after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Homework club is a peer tutoring and homework help program. Please encourage your students that may need extra assistance or a quiet place to do homework to stay after. For questions please contact Ms. Watkins or Ms. Hammack in counseling.
Are you looking for healthier ways to manage anger or practical tools to calm yourself when you’re feeling worried, overwhelmed, or sad?
Starting March 4th, our Anger Management and Managing the Uncomfortable groups will begin meeting.
If you’re interested in joining either group, please email your school counselor or Ms. Morris or you scan the QR code on Canvas to sign up. We’d love to have you participate!
Seniors
Senior Ad: Monday, March 2nd is the last opportunity to purchase a senior ad for the back of the yearbook. There will also be one final price increase on the yearbook that day. We currently have less than 50 copies and are expected to sell out before the website closes in April. Use code 4758 at yearbookordercenter.com to secure a copy.
Daily Reminders:
The GHS cafeteria will offer Second Chance Breakfast for students who have a late-in or may have missed breakfast earlier in the morning. The cafeteria doors will open from 9:10 a.m. until 9:20 a.m.
📣 Attendance Notes Now Accepted Online!
Parents and Guardians — Gloucester High School now accepts digital attendance notes. If your student is absent or tardy, visit the GHS website, click the “Digital Attendance Notes” button in the top right corner, complete the form, and submit.
Notes are received instantly and can be submitted 24/7 for your convenience.
If you need to pick your student up early, please arrive PRIOR to 2:20 PM.
Parking passes for the 2nd semester have been reduced to $25.00 and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Parking pass application forms may be picked up in the Main Office or found on the GHS website. Please bring your completed application along with a screenshot or printed copy of your receipt to the Main Office.
The Care Closet will only be accepting new, high school appropriate clothing for the remainder of the school year. The Care Closet can not accept perishable food items or food items in glass containers. Thank you for your generosity.
Lost and Found: Students, check the Lost and Found daily if you have misplaced any items.
Bus Notes Reminder: All students who need to submit a bus note must turn it in to the Main Office in the morning to allow time for review and approval. Submitting notes later in the day may result in delays or the note not being approved.
The Activity Bus departs GHS at 5:30 p.m. for the remainder of the school year. The bus runs Monday through Thursday only. Please see the link for scheduled Activity bus stops: https://5il.co/3sjxt
Parents/guardians must be at their student’s designated stop when they arrive. If a student will not have a ride from their stop, a completed permission form must be turned in. Copies of the form are available in the Main Office, and completed forms should be given directly to the Activity Bus driver.
Safety: All GCPS students go through security and weapons detectors each morning. Please continue to encourage students to be careful not to bring prohibited items to school such as vapes and lighters. Students, Follow the Duke Way! Don’t give in to social media trends that encourage behaviors that violate the code of conduct.
That concludes our Duke Update. Let’s Go Dukes!!