Students interested in ARGS can apply for one of the following Focus Areas
A regional committee composed of educators and other persons skilled in technology and the arts will evaluate all applications. The regional committee will rank the applicants by focus area. Local school divisions will select the most outstanding applicants based on the ranking by focus area, the number of slots available in each focus area, and the number of slots available for the local school division.
Be sure to follow our Adjudication Instructions 2024
ARGS Admissions Information
Enrollment Policy
Students will only be accepted for enrollment in Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology through a participating school division. The parent/guardian of a student must have an established residence in a participating school division for the student to apply and be granted admission. Acceptance of an invitation to enroll in the Governors School is a commitment on the part of the student for a minimum of one year. The student is expected to maintain at least a cumulative 2.0 grade point average and meet the academic standards established by the regional board. The student may remain at the Governor’s School for the four-year high school program providing:
- the student is in good academic standing
- the student maintains good attendance and behavior*
-
the student resides in a participating school division
-
the school division has funding available.
The school division where the student resides on March 1 will be responsible for tuition for the school year beginning in the fall of the same year. Parents are responsible for officially notifying, in writing, the director of the Governor’s School within ten business days of change of residency or mailing address. Failure to notify the Governor’s School may result in the loss of enrollment and the loss of tuition payment by the school division. Except for extenuating circumstances**, applications for full time students are accepted only during their eighth grade year of school. All applicants residing in a participating school division must meet the application deadline to be considered for admission. If a new student moves into a participating school division between the deadline and the beginning of the fall semester of ninth grade, the student may submit an application and be placed on the waiting list if the student meets the qualifications for admission.
*Compliance with ARGS Honor Code and ARGS Student Handbook.
**Qualifying extenuating circumstances must be approved by the participating division superintendent or the superintendent’s designee.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
Current eighth grade students (rising 9th graders) who are legal residents of a participating school division are eligible to apply. Extenuating circumstances for students wishing to transfer from similar art and technology programs may be considered. Specific questions regarding eligibility should be addressed to the local public school division gifted program administrator.
Applicants must be enrolled in Algebra I or higher-level mathematics when they apply, and they will be required to have successfully completed Algebra I for high school credit prior to enrollment. It is highly recommended that students have completed or are currently enrolled in the following:
- Art, Dance, and/or Music (in school or privately) depending on focus area
- Basic Computer Science
- Earth Science
- International Language
Applicants should have at least a B average for the seventh grade. If a student does not have a B average for the seventh grade, he or she may apply due to special circumstances. For consideration, the student must provide a separate letter of explanation with the application form.
Residency Guidelines for Admissions
The parent/guardian of a student must have an established primary residence in a participating school division for the student to apply and be granted admission to Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology. [Hereafter, the student’s residence refers to the primary residence of the parent/guardian(s).]
The school division where the student resides on March 1 will be responsible for tuition for the school year beginning in the fall of the same year. Parents will be responsible for officially notifying, in writing, the school division and ARGS within ten business days of change of residency. Failure to notify ARGS and the school division may result in the loss of enrollment and the loss of tuition payment by the school division.
Students who are residents of a participating school division may apply only during the fall of their eighth grade year.
Students who establish residence in a participating school division after the December deadline may apply and go through adjudication during the summer. The application is due prior to adjudication which will take place at ARGS in August. Following adjudication the applicant will be placed on the local division waiting list based on the regional evaluation. New residents before the application December deadline may apply and be evaluated on the regular schedule.
Applicants who change residence from one participating division to another after the December deadline, but before March 1, will be transferred to the new division applicant pool for acceptance status consideration.
If a student wishes to apply and is enrolled in a school based on an established primary residence in a participating school division, the student must apply for admission through that school division. If a student wishes to apply and is not enrolled in a school based on residency, the student must apply through the participating public school division of residence. Documentation giving proof of the student’s residence is required. Documentation giving proof of “residential custody” must be provided by the parent or guardian with whom the student resides if other parent/guardian(s) reside elsewhere. Once accepted and enrolled at ARGS, a student may remain at ARGS only as long as the student maintains primary residence in a participating school division.
WHAT ABOUT ADJUDICATION?
Auditions and portfolio reviews will be held January 13 and January 20, 2024. All applicants will be notified of their assigned date and time through the mail sent by Thursday, December 28, 2023. This schedule will also be available through the local gifted program administrator’s office after January 5, 2024. In addition to the audition or portfolio review, an interview session with the applicant and at least one parent or guardian will be required. The parent or guardian will wait in the cafeteria during the student’s audition/portfolio review. Audition and portfolio review criteria are specified in this application packet.
Applicants with conflicts should contact their local gifted program administrator’s office as soon as possible. Emergencies (sickness, etc.) must be reported to the local office no later than the Monday morning following the scheduled adjudication for make-up to be considered.
HOW ARE APPLICANTS SELECTED?
A regional committee composed of educators and other persons skilled in technology and the arts from each participating school division will evaluate all applications. The regional committee will rank the applicants by focus area. Local school divisions will select the most outstanding applicants based on the ranking by focus area, and the number of slots available in each focus area. Notification of admissions status will be sent to all applicants on March 1, 2024. Each division will maintain an alternate list for openings that may become available after the initial selection. The division reserves the right to review an applicant’s current transcript before offering admission.
WHAT ITEMS MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE COMPLETED APPLICATION?
Personal Data. Complete the basic student information requested on page one of the application.
Student Essay. You are to prepare and attach a one-page essay of approximately 200 to 300 words (word processor, double spaced, with 12 point font preferred). In this essay you are to address the question: Think about a teacher or learning experience that has been especially meaningful to you in the development of your focus area so far. What was it about this person or experience that meant so much? Write a one-page essay explaining what you learned, and how you can apply these lessons in your future work at Appomattox Regional Governor's School.
Recommendations. Two recommendations are required to support your application. The recommendations should not be from persons related to the applicant. Recommendation A must be from a 7th or 8th grade English, math, science or social studies teacher. Recommendation B must be from a current school faculty member or private lessons instructor who knows your ability and potential for success in the focus area you have chosen The persons completing the recommendations should return them directly to the local middle/junior high school counselor handling your application no later than December 1, 2023.
Transcripts. School counselors are responsible for providing a transcript including second semester seventh grade and first semester of eighth grade. Transcripts are due to the local public school division’s gifted program administrator by February 2, 2024. (Home-schooled students must have their curriculum approved and on file with the local public school division.)
WHERE ARE APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED?
ALL applications are to be completed and given to the local public middle/junior high school counselor no later than December 1, 2023 (Online deadline for Chesterfield and Richmond). No late applications will be accepted! The counselor will forward the application to the local school division’s gifted program administrator.
APPEALS
Parents/guardians who have questions should contact their local gifted program administrator. The parent may initiate a formal appeal by submitting a written request (email accepted) to the local gifted program administrator by March 15, 2024. Parents should present in writing the reasons for initiating the appeal. The gifted program administrator will refer the appeal to the ARGS admissions coordinator who will convene a regional appeals committee composed of at least three members from participating divisions who were not involved in the appeal. This committee will review all relevant information that is used in determining student admission status. Appeals are heard within 20 school days of the receipt of the written request. The findings of the committee will be submitted to the local division superintendent or designee who will notify the parent/guardian within 10 school days thereafter of the final decision.