VOLUME 16, ISSUE 5

February 2022

The Director’s Desk

The Director’s Desk is Director Dr. Lowerre’s recurring column in The Jabberwock, serving as a line of communication to the student body.

Greetings Dragon Nation! This is the inaugural message from The Director’s Desk. I have been graciously given the opportunity to use this space to communicate directly to all of you on a regular basis about the goings on at Maggie Walker. I will try to discuss topics and events in more detail that I would usually do in the Sunday Night Updates or the occasional posts on Twitter or Schoology. So let’s get started!

First off, I am very happy to pass along the word that my lymphoma is in remission and that I am now cancer free! Aside from the obvious, this means that I will be able to get out on the campus to a much greater extent than I have been able to do over the past several months. I look forward to seeing you in your classrooms, in the halls, and on campus doing your thing. Thank you all for your messages of support. Without it, I am not too sure that I would have done as well as I have.  

Next, let's talk about the current COVID-19 situation and where we hope to go from here. The decision to keep the universal masking requirement on campus was not an easy one as there were many factors to consider. State law, the governor’s executive order, recommendations from both the CDC and the Virginia Department of Health, as well as current conditions all played into the equation.  Several of our partner districts are doing the same thing as MLWGS, others are not. We tried to thread the needle by keeping the campus masked while respecting the executive order and the rights of parents. I believe that conditions continue to improve so that we will be able to remove the mask requirement so that we can all see each other’s faces!

Finally, I want to say a few words about the “Buried History, New Promises” special edition of the Jabberwock.  It was an amazing piece of journalism that told the story and challenges of our school from several unique perspectives. As an administrator, it was obvious to me that while we have a top-notch school, and that Maggie Walker High School was also a top-notch school, there is much work to be done in the areas of inclusion and equity. It is unacceptable that so many of our students of color, both past and present, have not had the experience here that we would want for all of our students.

The most immediate takeaway is that we have failed as administrators to communicate clearly to the students what we are doing and what we have planned. Soon, I will publish an updated open letter that will address this problem and share all that we are working on and what we have planned to make MLWGS a more diverse, inclusive, and welcoming school. We are all in this together, and thus all need to know what is going on.

I would also like to share my enthusiasm for the upcoming plans that we have for Black History Month. Instead of one school-wide activity, students on the SAC subcommittee planning the event have decided to offer a series of events that create more of a continuum. Some of the upcoming activities include a writing contest sponsored by the NEHS, an art contest sponsored by the Art Club, a Dialogue Day in the black box, a Maggie Walker Scavenger Hunt (for teachers and students!), and a Maggie Walker High School alumni discussion panel.

Thanks again to Jabberwock for giving me another forum to stay connected with you. Until next time, stay safe, stay strong, and go dragons!