Duke Update March 08, 2026
Congratulations to Hannah Mullis on placing 3rd in the shot put and achieving a new personal indoor best of 39 feet, 9 inches.
Congratulations to Isak Smith for placing 6th at States in the 500-meter dash and earning a new personal best time.
Congratulations to the boys’ 4x400 relay team for finishing 8th at States — Grayson Shield, Elijah Lemaster, Brayl’n Johnson, and Isak Smith. Great job to all of our athletes on their outstanding accomplishments!
FFA: On Wednesday, March 4th, three FFA members competed in our federation contests. Delisha Minor competed in Extemporaneous Speaking and placed 4th. Lexi Spangler competed in Prepared Public Speaking and earned 1st place. Eastin Hogge competed in Small Engines and also earned 1st place. Lexi and Eastin will represent Gloucester and our federation at the Area Rally on Friday, March 13th. Congratulations to all of these students on their outstanding accomplishments!
Congratulations to all three ESports teams for their victories this week. Lane Briggs scored a perfect 40 in his Mario Kart match. The varsity Smash Bros team is currently undefeated at the halfway point of the regular season.
Parents and Guardians of 9th and 10th grade students: 9th & 10th grade students will participate in a presentation by the Silent No More Team on Wednesday, March 25th during 4th block in the GHS Auditorium. This drug awareness initiative fulfills the Substance Abuse Module of Virginia’s Standards of Learning and has been educating students and communities since 2019 on the dangers of opioids, current drug trends, and ending the stigma surrounding addiction. Please note that some content may be emotional but delivers an important and potentially life-saving message. GHS counselors will be on hand to support students if needed.
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.
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.
Counseling
Seniors: The deadline for the GHS Scholarship Application is THIS WEDNESDAY (3/11) AT 3:00PM. No late applications will be accepted. 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 NOW. Don’t miss out on this opportunity. The application has been sent to your school-based e-mail and paper copies are available in the Counseling Office. Please also check your Naviance account regularly for additional scholarship opportunities that are not listed on the GHS Application and stop in the Counseling Office to check out the scholarship table just inside the door.
The Peer Tutoring Club will be staying after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This club provides peer tutoring and homework help for students who may need extra assistance or a quiet place to complete their assignments. Please encourage any students who may benefit from additional academic support to attend. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Watkins or Ms. Hammack in the Counseling Office.
Attention Juniors and Seniors, We are gearing up for our Powder Puff Football Game and are looking for participants! We need 20 ladies for each team to play football and 20 gentlemen to join the cheer squads. If you’re interested in being part of this fun event, sign-ups will begin March 9 during all three lunches. The entry fee is $20 per player or cheerleader, and spots will be filled on a first come, first served basis.
Daily Reminders:
Dress Code: As the weather gets warmer, we want to remind you of the GCPS dress code policy. Students must be covered from shoulders to mid-thigh. Shorts/skirts above mid-thigh, exposed mid-driffs, and exposed shoulders are not allowed. Please see page 10 of the GCPS student code of conduct for details. Students addressed for dress code will have opportunity to change, go to the CARE closet, or wait in a designated area for clothing drop-off.
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 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!!