Serving approximately two hundred students from Augusta County and the cities of Staunton and Waynesboro, the Shenandoah Valley Governor's School (SVGS) has programs and courses designed to meet the unique needs of gifted and highly motivated students in our area. Students may attend in one of two broad curriculum areas, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), and Arts and Humanities. The program is housed in the Valley Career and Technical Center in Fishersville, Virginia. Students attend SVGS between the hours of 7:45 and 11:10 a.m. before arriving at their home high school.

The STEM program requires students to complete three credits each year, one in each of the core areas. Students may choose an additional credit as an optional independent study. Seniors may complete four credits in the core areas. Several of the courses may be taken as dual enrollment for possible college credit.

In the Arts and Humanities program, students take courses in the following areas: literature and composition, culture, communications, psychology, sociology, studio art, acting, arts appreciation and criticism, and crafts and skills. This provides students an opportunity for a broader educational experience in arts and humanities as well as sequence of courses which also allows options for intensive program in a specific area to further develop their skills and talents. Students complete a humanities course, which addresses the Standards of Learning for 11th and 12th grade English, as well as appropriate studio classes, crafts and skills, and an elective each year. Several of the courses may be taken as dual enrollment for possible college credit.

Prospective students apply during their sophomore  year. Numerous criteria are used to evaluate applicants, including the student's transcript, recommendations, test scores, activities and writing assessments. 

Students who intend to apply to SVGS should consult with their school counselor about a recommended course sequence. Students applying to the STEM program must have completed Algebra II by the end of their sophomore year.  It is also recommended that students have also completed Earth Science, Biology, and Chemistry by that time.