Heads Up!

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May 13, 2016

The Head's Heads Up!

The Golden Jubilee was such an excellent event! The tent sparkled, the lights shone bright, the flowers were gorgeous, and the wonderful people who came to celebrate Chesapeake Academy's 39th annual auction and the school's 50th Anniversary at the Golden Jubilee were ready to bid.

The Chesapeake Academy Annual Auction is a large undertaking that is successful because of the dedication and determination of an incredible group of volunteers. Catherine L. Emery, 2016 Auction Chair extraordinaire, led with calm, yet energizing, enthusiasm. From the beginning, she had a vision, and we saw her vision come to life under the tent on Saturday evening.

Many volunteers spent fun time together (even with all of the RAIN!) preparing the tent for our 275 guests. The understated elegance of the evening put all attendees in the mood to bid often and bid high!

And what would an auction be without items to bid on? One of the most challenging parts of auction planning is procurement! Thank you to the many volunteers who visited local and regional businesses, families, and individuals asking for their support. Also, huge thanks to our many sponsors and donors. I encourage each of you reading this to support the businesses who choose to be part of the CA community by considering them for your next purchase of services or goods. Also thanks to all who sold raffle tickets and handled so many of the behind-the-scenes details that made the evening seamless.

I really appreciate the generosity of our faculty. They not only dedicate their time and talents to offer and create items for bidding, they also work side by side with our parent volunteers to set-up before the auction, volunteer during the auction, clean-up Sunday morning, and then arrive Monday morning smiling and ready to lead their classes! I value their commitment and enthusiasm for the auction and their tireless efforts to be certain that this special event reflects the excellence of CA's programs. Be sure to thank a teacher the next time you are on campus. This remarkable staff always goes beyond the call of duty on behalf of CA and your children.

Stay tuned for the BIG announcement of the proceed totals at ArtStavaganza on Thursday evening, May 19th. Is a new mini bus in our future? Fingers crossed! Look forward to seeing you there!

Top Rated...Four Years Running

40,000 readers of Virginia Living Magazine have selected Chesapeake Academy as a top-rated independent school in eastern Virginia for the fourth year in a row! What does it mean to earn this award? It means that Chesapeake Academy is consistently recognized as one of the best independent schools in Virginia ... engaging students ages 3 through grade 8 using differentiated instruction and a dynamic curriculum with an emphasis on critical thinking and real world project based learning. Naturally we are thrilled to join both of these K-12 independent schools, Norfolk Collegiate and Hampton Roads Academy, with this honor. And something else to note - both of these schools have enrollment over 900 students while Chesapeake Academy, with 114 students, remains truly a "small school with a huge classroom." We are honored to be selected year after year as an award winning school by parents, friends, local businesses, educators, and alumni! In addition to receiving the independent school award ... Chesapeake Academy has been awarded top honors for Best Summer Camp and Best Charity Event - The Community Oyster Roast!

Class Acts ....What's Happening on the Halls?

Artstravaganza 411:

We are looking forward to showcasing our vibrant Arts program at the annual Artstravaganza o n May 19. The event will open with the art gallery reception fro m 6:00 - 7: 00 p.m., featuring individual musical performances and Middle School tone chimes during the reception. The whole school performance begins a t 7: 00, with music, dance, and drama performances.

Middle School students are expected to be in their homeroom classes at 5:45 pm. Pre-Kindergarten through fourth grade students are expected to be in their homeroom classes a t 6: 00. CAPPA is providing pizzas for dinner for all the students. Students will be able to enjoy the art gallery earlier in the day and are to be with their teachers from arrival unti l 7: 00 p.m.

Our students are excited to present their Artstravaganza 2016!

Kindergarten Goes Hog Wild for Pig Making

As the culmination of a year-long development of language and writing skills, kindergarten authors brainstormed, drafted, corrected, and finally wrote their own unique stories about pigs. Each kindergartener developed a protagonist, created a movable image of this porcine star, and developed a story replete with unique settings to surround him/her. What a wonderful way to teach the writing process and the components of a story--not to mention the myriad of ways writing rehearses phonological processes. Then, in Art, students molded this protagonist from Model Magic and applied paint to bring this main character to life! These epic tomes will become keepsakes after they charm families and friends at the Artstravaganza!

"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine."

Anthony J. D'Angelo

Check Out the Action from the Auction!

Auction Slide Show!

Notes to Guide End-of-the-Year Ceremonies:

Closing Assembly: June 3 at 11:00 a.m.

Parents are invited to attend our Closing Assembly on June 3 at 11:00 . We will recognize Middle School academic awards for the fourth marking period and athletic awards for track and tennis in the spring season. The new Student Council officers will be inducted, and we will announce all our summer birthdays. Dismissal is at noon following the assembly.

Graduation: Tuesday, June 7 at 5:30 p.m.

Graduation is particularly special in our 50th anniversary year! Graduation is a community event, in which we honor our graduates, as well as recognize special award winners and Middle School academic awards for the year. All students in grades Kindergarten through grade eight are expected to attend. It is a "state occasion" so all kindergarten through seventh grade students should wear dress uniform and dress shoes.

Graduation Day Schedule
9:00 a.m. All eighth grade students are expected to arrive at school at 9:00 a.m. for set-up and rehearsal. We will not begin until every person is here, so please be on time! Set-up and rehearsal generally take about an hour and half. Parents should plan on picking up students following the rehearsal.

4:45 p.m. All eighth grade students should arrive in the library no later than 4:45 p.m. for pictures.

5:15 p.m. All kindergarten through seventh grade students should arrive in their homeroom classes.

5:30 p.m. Graduation ceremony begins. The ceremony generally lasts one hour. Following graduation, we will hold the eighth graders for additional pictures on the stage before sending them out to the families. You are free to depart campus whenever is convenient following the last photos.

6:30 p.m. It is our tradition for seventh grade families to "pay it forward" by taking down the chairs and cleaning up following graduation . Seventh graders are not dismissed from graduation until the venue is clean.

Coding is Catching On with SCRATCH, Jr

Middle Schoolers enjoyed the opportunity to work with first graders showing the ins and outs of Scratch Jr., an introductory programming language that enables children to create their own interactive digital stories and games. Children snap together graphical programming blocks to make characters move, jump, dance, and sing. Although Scratch Jr. is not as sophisticated as other coding programs that Middle Schoolers have mastered, this useful program allowed students to teach the fundamentals of coding with ease to an younger audience.

"We must take adventures in order to know where we truly belong."

Anonymous Fun Fact: Anonymous was a monk in Hungary.

Chocapocalypse, an Economic Possibility?

According to the law of supply and demand, as prices increase, consumer demand decreases. However, even as the price of chocolate has increased in recent years, consumer demand has continued to increase as well. Has the law of supply and demand been broken? Is the world heading for a chocapocalypse? The eighth grade economics class set out to investigate.

Check out Lily Reihs' PSA on the chocolate crisis

"Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises." Pedro Calderon de la Barc a

Toot, Toot, Toot-T-Toot....Students Present Original Compositions on Recorders in Assembly

Beth Somers' fourth grade recorder students, working in pairs, expanded on a musical introduction to compose an original duet! Some pairs accomplished harmony, some tooted in unison, and one group even composed multiple parts in their opus! Research points to cognitive benefits to learning to read (and create) music! The arts are alive at Chesapeake Academy!

The BOGO Book Fair is Here at Last!

It's Buy One, Get One (BOGO) May 12-19, at the Spring Book Fair. This is a g reat place to pick up birthday gifts, and even look ahead to future gift giving! Reading is the single largest predictor of adult "success." Don't miss the opportunity to promote your favorite readers!

"Children must be taught how to think, not what to think."

Margaret Mead

Sixth Grade Tackles Affordable Housing

The lack of affordable safe housing in crowded areas of East Asia has become a compelling issue in Advanced Geography. Students created a "pocket neighborhood" of small, single family homes designed to fit within the budget of people living at the median income level or below in a specific community. After graphing the interior of their house to scale, students followed up on their math unit on three dimensional geometry by creating mathematical nets to build 3-D representations of their houses.

"The poetry of earth is never dead."

John Keats

"Shout it from the Mountaintops...Chesapeake's a family! Its time to pass it on!"

Tell a friend....refer a student!

Earn a $500 tuition discount!

Contact Hilary Scott at 804.438.5575 [email protected]

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Field Trip

"The world is our classroom, and the Bay is in our backyard. " Science teacher Robin Blake exclaims. Chesapeake Academy fourth and fifth grade students boarded a Chesapeake Bay Foundation vessel at the James River Marina and took off for deeper water. With the purpose of comparing biodiversities. Budding marine biologists used a troll net to collect organisms, tested water quality at several locations to determine if the aquaculture would support diversity of life, examined and cataloged the catch in the troll nets, dredged for oysters, examined crabs and other organisms in crab pots, and learned about our watersheds.

This CBF field study served to prepare students to compare various ecosystems and diversity of life and provided an introduction to the curriculum's culminating field study at Sea Camp. This final field study experience for seventh and eighth grade students at Chesapeake Academy compares the Chesapeake Bay's watershed ecosystems with those of the Florida Keys.

"In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir

Poetry Performances Pack a Punch!

At the start of May, third through fifth graders entered the wonderful world of poetry. Throughout the month, students learned about several different types of poetry, using what they learned to write their own original poems. For the final project of the unit, students prepared and presented skits based on Shel Silverstein's poetry. For the past few weeks, enthusiastic young poets have been hard at work collaborating and creating as they design their own props and scenery for their performance. Each student has memorized lines and received feedback on their skits from the sixth graders.

"The earth has music for those who listen."

Anonymous, that modest Hungarian monk again

Window on Washington, D. C.

Exploring the theme of "Speaking Up for Freedom," Chesapeake Academy seventh and eighth grade students took to the road to explore three essential questions as they toured the Nation's capital: "How do we, as a nation, define freedom?", "How has that definition, and to whom it is applied, changed over time?", and "What is the price of freedom and is it worth it?" Using this theme and essential questions as guidelines, students were able to make connections throughout American history from independence to civil rights to current events. Drawing on these observations and connections each of the students will create a multimedia presentation.

Middle School Social Studies Teacher Kim Dynia explains, "Studying the events that have shaped our country is one thing, being able to see the monuments we have dedicated to those events is quite another. By analyzing what we as a country have chosen to memorialize along the Capital Mall and in the Smithsonian museums, the students gain a deeper understanding of how we view our collective ideas about freedom and the American identity."

Middle School Language Arts Teacher Hillary Smith continues, "One of the highlights of the trip is to the Newseum, which focuses on First Amendment rights, especially that of freedom of the press. A free press is instrumental in a free society. When students learn about the rights outlined in the Constitution, they assume that those rights have always been and always will be the same. Eighth graders, however, are focusing their projects on how the application of the First Amendment has changed over time, including how that change was brought about."

Parent chaparone, Grover Branson adds, "While the academic goals of the trip are important, it is also a chance for personal growth. Students are responsible for setting up and maintaining the camp site, budgeting their money for meals, gathering information for their projects, and navigating without adult intervention during the scavenger hunt. All of this requires a great deal of self-regulation, independence, and teamwork that has real world consequences."

"Nature is an infinite sphere whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is

nowhere."

Blaise Pascal

Did you forget to make your gift to Chesapeake Academy's Annual Fund? No worries! Donate now to the 2015-16 Annual Fund! Bring your child's class to 100 percent participation!

"Never Shall I Forget...."

Chesapeake Academy eighth grade students develop the theme of justice and leadership throughout their coursework across the curriculum. Li terature and social studies inquiries, advisory group challenges, and field trips to Washington, D.C. and the Holocaust Museum in Richmond, Virginia reinforce the importance of speaking up for justice, and becoming people who stand up for others instead of "bystanders" in the face of unethical or evil decisions. In May, e ighth graders continued their study of World War II in literature class with an in-depth consideration of the Holocaust and genocide. Using Elie Wiesel's fictional memoir Night as a touchstone, students explored the causal factors behind genocide and investigated how everyday choices and language reveal broader, often societal trends that can set the scene for bias and intolerance.

Taking a trip to the Virginia Holocaust Museum allowed students to see firsthand the many facets of this historical atrocity. To deepen this experience, Alina Gawlik (grandmother of Andrew '19 and Alex Fulmer '24) met with the students to share her family's Holocaust survival experience. She shared her family photographs and personal stories with eighth graders while emphasizing the importance of remembering the Holocaust as we make decisions now. As students continue to read Wiesel's iconic Night, analyze Holocaust artwork, and work with other texts, they will finish their literature course knowing how to ask deeper questions of themselves and the world around them.

" Human suffering anywhere concerns men and women everywhere."

Elie Wiesel , Night

Wet and Wild Second Grade Swimmers!

The YMCA is a great resource for communities that are surrounded by water because they are commited to being "America's Swim Instructor." Here in Virginia, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death among children, so the Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA is taking a stand to stop drowning by offering all second-graders the opportunity to become water-safe free of charge.

Chesapeake Academy's second graders are growing fins and swimming skills at the Kilmarnock YMCA. Every afternoon for two weeks they venture out to swimming class to develop stroke and safety skills.

THREE SAFETY TIPS THAT CAN SAVE A CHILD'S LIFE

Test & Teach - Have your child's swimming skills tested at your local Y; it's absolutely free. If your child is not a strong swimmer, enroll them in swim classes. The Y offers swimming instruction for children of all ages (6 months old and up).
Watch & Guard - Never leave a child unattended around water. Appoint at least one adult "Water Watcher" to supervise all water and pool activities. Also, make sure there are non-climbable fences, locks, covers and alarms to secure the pool when it is not in use.
Throw, don't go - Too often, drownings are multiplied because somebody tries to be a hero. If you see someone struggling in the water at a pool or lake, don't jump in to try to perform the rescue. Instead, throw out a Coast Guard approved flotation device or use a pole to reach the drowning victim.

Coach's Corner

Summer is around the corner, and the time is right to sign-up for Chesapeake Academy Summer Camps before they fill! I am looking forward to all sorts of outdoor fun, and I want you all to join me! Several fun teachers are getting on board as counsellors, and CA summer camps are not to be missed!

The tennis match results from this week demonstrated improved volleying and ball placement! Competing in Doubles was new and fun for players.

Athletic practices will continue through exams. Athletics Awards for tennis and track and field will be presented during the closing assembly on June 3 at 11:00 a.m.

Los caballeros del Cinco de Mayo.

Linear Equations...and Speed Dating?

In Algebra, students have been exploring and solving systems of linear equations and linear inequalities. Mrs. Keesee hosted an "equation speed dating" challenge, in which students brought their own equations to a table and had to determine if the intersection of their lines was in a particular place on the coordinate plane. If so, students called out that their equations had a love connection. Every five minutes, students wheeled their chairs to the next partner to determine if they could find a match. Not only did students have lots of practice with solving linear systems, they were excited to get candy every time their equations met the criteria for a connection! After the first several rounds, the game switched so that they could practice determining slope between two points and using point-slope form for equations. Who says working with equations has to be boring?

Check out speed dating with linear equations!

It Matters to Us to Make it Right....

The Auction Committee deeply regrets the omission of the following two ads from the 2016 keepsake auction catalog but sincerely appreciates the generous support from Northern Neck Insurance Company and the Kenner Family.

Fresh Air and Adventure:

A Recipe for Summer Fun!

The Mystery Tour camp (June 20-24 and July 18-22 cost: $375) is perfect for kids who love surprises: Each week of the Mystery Tour has completely new destinations and activities. Adventure and mystery are at the heart of this unique camp which combines creative exploration with a popular daily road trip. Campers will journey with friends to five different destinations throughout the week. All activities and park entrance fees are included.

The Farm to Table camp (June 27- July 1 cost: $250) is far more than a cooking camp! Campers will travel to local farms, oyster companies, and visit with fishermen and other food source locations to explore our food origins first-hand. In between picking berries and catching crabs, campers will learn how to prepare delicious meals with local foods with the advice of local chefs.

The Northern Neck Explorers camp (July 5-8 cost: $200 and August 1-5 cost: $250) Campers will enjoy all of the great outdoor activities the Northern Neck has to offer. Fishing, swimming, kayaking, and more. The two weeks of Northern Neck Explorers Camp have totally different destinations and activities, and all of them are funtastic!

The CA Sports camp ( July 11-15 cost: $250) is perfect for kids who love to compete or who want to have fun developing skills! Campers will enjoy action-filled days of sports and sports-related activities that emphasize the fun -damentals. This recreational program emphasizes sport specific fundamentals, fitness, teamwork, sportsmanship, and strategy. Campers acquire skills through daily practice and gain confidence in their abilities as they discover their individual potential. Sports offered include soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, basketball, and more.

Hike, Bike, and Paddle (July 25-29 cost: $250) campers will explore the great outdoors and find the joy of adventure by foot, bicycle, and paddle. Traveling to destinations throughout the region, campers will discover and explore waterways, hike, and bike on trails. Campers must provide a bicycle and helmet.

There is a one-time registration fee of $30 per child.

These camps will fill up fast, and you do not want to miss out!

Find more information on Chesapeake Academy's Website !

D'Scoop... on Student Council!

I scream...you scream! We all scream for ice cream! Student Council will be selling ice cream treats for $1 at lunch for both Lower and Middle School students on Tuesday, May 16 and May 23. Maximum one treat per student.

Student Council will be hosting our last event of the year on Friday, May 27. Middle school students, including current fourth graders, are encouraged to join us for an afternoon of Capture the Flag. More information will be going home closer to the event.

Student Council elections for the 2016-2017 are now underway! Rising seventh and eighth graders are permitted to run for office, including creating campaign posters and commercials. Speeches and voting will take place on Friday, May 20. Students may see a list of position responsibilities posted in the Middle School hallway.

CAPPA Countdown!

Field Day: Friday, May 20. If you would like to help with this fun day, contact Rosetta Struse Contact Rosetta Struse..

ArtStravaganza: Thursday, May 19. Please be willing to help provide refreshments for this event which celebrates the talent of our CA students. More info to come through room parents.

Would you like to get involved with CAPPA? Please contact Michelle Ritter, CAPPA President, at Contat Michelle Ritter.We need volunteers to chair some very important committees for next year.

Despite the cold and wet weather, our young sailors persevered and got their first lesson of the month long program with Premier Sailing.

"Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something."

Henry David Thoreau

An Attitude of Gratitude!

Thank a lineman! Dominion Power crews worked through the night, assisted by Richard Abbott, to repair and replace three transformers that had outlived their viability in time to meet all of our power needs.

Allison Weddle and her campus clean-up volunteers achieved hero status as they whipped the Rowe Campus into shape for the onslaught of guests for the Golden Jubilee Auction.

Auction volunteers buzzed like a hive of busy bees as they pulled all the necessary details together for a successful fundraiser!

Occasional peeps from the sun buoyed spirits in a long stretch of earth replenishing rain.

A community that respects the dignity of every person, graces every person.

Many thanks to Aline Gawlik for sharing her knowledge and research on the Warsaw Ghetto with eighth grade literature students. This sort of personal narrative brings the period to life and teaches the lessons necessary to prevent recurrence.

Thanks to CAPPA for appreciating teachers with salty and sweet. We love our food!

Auction Chair Catherine L. Emery's team of flower fairies clipped, snipped, and arranged their way to a beautiful auction setting! Babs Mumma, Johanna Carrington, Betsy Stanley, Marie Sanders, Mary Emery Leipertz, David Whaley, Fran King, and Kimberly Vail each deserve hearty thanks.

Book fair volunteers swooped in to set up the BOGO Scholastic Book fair.

Coach York and his team of table toting munchkins (grades four, five, and six) ably assisted as the tent was prepared for the Golden Jubilee Auction.

Thanks to Christin and Clyde Kirby for treating the faculty to donuts for Teacher Appreciation Week.

Gratitude is due to the Cammarata family for the flowers they brought for faculty appreciation week.

For our caring and talented faculty and staff.

Thanks to the CA Helper Peeps for the lovely notes to faculty.

Thanks to Chesapeake Bay Foundation for the field study for Chesapeake Academy fourth and fifth grade students.

What would we do without Grover Branson who drove the bus on the Washington D. C. Field trip?

There is no way to adequately thank Catherine Emry and Catherine L. Emery for the very successful partnership that produced the Golden Jubilee Auction!

"Certain things catch your eye, but pursue only those that capture your heart. Native American truth