GSSV Gazette

Prospective GSSV students from Brunswick, Greensville, Mecklenburg, and Nottoway High Schools spent the morning with our GSSV seniors on Friday, November 18. The prospective students were able to tour the Christanna Campus and spend thirty minutes in each class. They participated in hands-on activities in Chemistry learning about chromatography, in research applying scientific method and using engineering design to solve a problem, in math creating tangrams, and in English writing round-robin poems.

STEM Seniors Emily LaVecchia, K'Leigh Palmer, Daniya White, and Chance Woodson, along with instructor Katherine Clatterbuck, have been working with molecular biology faculty at Longwood University as they conduct their 2-year research project. This particular study is using genetically engineered plasmids to transform bacteria. Using electrocompetent cells, students will then use agroinfiltration to insert these genes into tobacco for transient gene expression allowing the tobacco to bioluminesce. The overall goal of this project is to help conceive alternate light and energy sources for the future.

We would like to express our tremendous gratitude for the expertise and time of Dr. Dale Beach, Associate Professor of Biology, of Longwood University, and his guidance in the oversight of this project.

Our Alberta staff and students organized donations, transformed washcloths into cuddly bears, and packed 21 Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to send to children throughout the world. We were able to track our boxes -- 16 were sent to Mali, 2 were sent to Peru, and 7 were sent to "hard to reach" areas.

Congratulations to GSSV and Buckingham senior Chance Woodson on his acceptance to The University of Virginia with a QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship. Out of over 17,900 QuestBridge applicants, Chance was one of the 1,755 finalists and one of the 15 who matched with UVA.

We are so proud of Chance and know he will continue to achieve at UVA, where he plans to major in Physics.

We spent our Tuesday before Thanksgiving Break having our annual Friendsgiving and Talent Show. We enjoyed seeing the talents of our students -- singing, guitar and saxophone playing, dancing, flag twirling, Rubix Cube solving, the Chicken Dance, the worm, soccer ball juggling, and Santa dancers with backup singers. This is always such a fun event shared with our classmates and friends!

As we enter the colder weather, this is a reminder of our inclement weather policy. Please check our Facebook page for announcements; a Remind will also be sent if we are delayed or closed.

Remember that the Christanna site in Alberta follows the Brunswick County Public Schools' weather closing and delays, and the John H. Daniel site in Keysville follows the weather closing and delays of Lunenburg County Public Schools.

See our website for more information on our policy.

Important January Dates

December 19 - January 2 -- Winter Break for Students

January 2 - Teacher Work Day

January 3 - Beginning of the Second Semester

January 9 - Report Cards Distributed

January 13 - Keysville Shadowing Day

January 16 - No School (MLK Day)

Mrs. Tara Beck -- tara.beck@southside.edu

Mrs. Kristen Beekwilder -- kristen.beekwilder@southside.edu

Mrs. Katherine Clatterbuck -- katherine.clatterbuck@southside.edu

Mrs. Sarah Fenwick -- sarah.fenwick@southside.edu

Mrs. Wendy Kidd -- wendy.kidd@southside.edu

Mrs. Ann Moore -- ann.moore@southside.edu

Mrs. Lori Moore -- lori.moore@southside.edu

Mrs. Leslie Poling -- leslie.poling@southside.edu

Mrs. Chelsea Thorpe -- chelsea.taylor@southside.edu

Ms. Connie Tucker -- connie.tucker@southside.edu (Administrative Assistant)

Mrs. Wesley Swain -- wesley.swain@southside.edu (Director)