Godwin handed in its typical end-of-the-year awards assembly for four more. Instead of having one senior awards assembly that the entire school is encouraged to attend, each grade level has been given their own assembly.

All ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade awards assemblies will take place at 10:00 a.m. on June 5, 6, and 7 respectively. The senior awards assembly will take place at 7:00 p.m. on June 8.

While some seniors feel that underclassmen should have to sit through the senior awards assembly, as they did when they were underclassmen, the separation of the grade levels was done in part to garner more attendance.

Often, students find themselves sick or obligated to previously made doctor or dentist appointments on the day of the lengthy assembly.

In addition to a new awards assembly, this year’s juniors will also attend convocation at the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year in place of the Investments in Learning ceremony.

Convocation will fall on Oct. 11, PSAT day.

Convocation, meaning “a call to come together”, is a graduation assembly performed by colleges and high schools to honor the incoming senior class.

Surrounding high schools, including Deep Run, Freeman, and Glen Allen, all participate in the annual ceremony.

“Since all other high schools in Henrico do some kind of senior convocation, students, parents, and teachers have asked about it for a number of years,” said principal Leigh Dunavant.

In high school convocation ceremonies, the graduating class wears their caps and gowns and are recognized as seniors for the first time. It is an opportunity for bigger awards, like Most Valuable Eagle, to be given, while celebrating the rise of the class of 2018 to senior status.

“There will be a speaker, we will name the Most Valuable Eagle, and we will recognize some students with a few other special awards,” said Dunavant.

The hour-long ceremony is limited to the class of 2018 and their guests, which means that, unlike in past years, the rest of the school won’t see the MVE awarded on stage.

“That would be something we would like to have the whole school recognize. We still want to have that person recognized by the community,” said associate principal John Phillips.

Ultimately, administration is waiting to see how the new schedule works for Godwin and will evaluate its success as it progresses.

“I hope convocation serves as a time to reflect on the seniors’ high school experience and celebrate the start of their final year at Godwin,” said Dunavant.