May 27,  2016
The Head's Heads Up! As I look at Chesapeake Academy's 50th Anniversary from the rearview mirror, I am struck by what an incredible year we have had! Graduation is just around the corner, and looking forward to this special event makes me reflect on this inspirational year. 

Beginning with the Independence Day Parade, we knew it was going to be a year of joyful remembrances of the education that CA has provided to so many children for the past 50 years. At Convocation, Sissy Crowther, Class of '71, spoke to usfrom Trinity College in Ireland about the early years of CA, but reminded us that as much as facilities and educational pedagogy may change, the school community's values of respect, responsibility, integrity, and trust are the foundations that make the school strong. 

The founders and their families gathered to share stories about the early days of CA, explaining the necessity for dedication, determination, and collaboration to ensure that CA was reopened in September 1965. We share their joy that their hope of creating an excellent school was fulfilled. 

The 2015 Oyster Roast and the 2016 Golden Jubilee Auction brought teachers, alumni, alumni parents, and friends together to celebrate the school's history and support the vision for its future. The programs for Grandparents' and Grandfriends' Day, the Holiday Program, and Artstravaganza were productions focused on the history of the past 50 years brought to life through art, music, video, drama, and dance. Our students were great! 

Perhaps one of my most memorable events was the dedication of the Founders' Oak. Watching our current students process to our beautiful willow oak tree and toward three of the six founders present on a gorgeous, sunny day, reminded me once again why we gather below the boughs of this magnificent tree to celebrate graduation. This tree exemplifies the strength of Chesapeake Academy. It has stood strong and overseen all that has been accomplished at our community's gem of a school. 

Cheers to Ron and Cheryl Mihills for chairing the anniversary year and to all who celebrated with us! 
Class Acts ....What's Happening on the Halls?
Intel on the 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 field 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.  There will be no extended care.

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 required 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 two hours.  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.  Students will be released when photos are done.

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.   A truck is a useful tool.

Lights, Camera, ACTION!  Pre-K 3&4 Creates a Music Video
Tying together many aspects of early learning, the Pre-K 3 & 4 set completed their own music video:  starring...their adorable selves!  The Pre-K 3 & 4 peeps brainstormed, made a story board, created rhythms using instruments and Garage Band, recorded a vocal track, and mixed the audio on the SMART board. They counted and circled words from the lyrics, and practiced, practiced, practiced! Then they created a play to illustrate their song, made puppets and staged it, captured action video clips and still shots and were at last ready to turn it all over to Mrs. Emery to make their plans into a reality!  You will want to watch it again and again!

"All of nature deserves to be loved, loved, loved, loved loved!"  Jason Mraz
The culminating project for the fashion design activity period was a wedding dress. Well done!

Catherine Emery, Auction Chair
 "We hit the Jubilee Jackpot!"

Through the silent and live auction, we raised $124,000 which includes Fund-an-Item.
We will be getting a new mini-bus this summer!!

Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. 
Henry Ford


 
Tips to Get Ready for Summer Reading!
  • Read, Read, Read!  Read Early, Read Often!  Read, Read Everywhere!
  • Summer reading list materials that are in the summer packet, include a list of books per grade, reading log, and required response activities.  
  • Students have been briefed, reminded, and are pumped to get books at the public libraries and at our CA library when the school is open. (Call ahead for availability.)
  • It never hurts to ask older students who may still have copies of reading list books if they would share!
Field Day Frolicking
At this point in a school year, particularly after nearly four weeks of rain, there is nothing more joyful than a summer day outdoors.  Planned by Coach York and executed by a host of volunteers and faculty, the student body whirled and raced and played together happily at this year's Field Day!  Thanks to Student Council, CAPPA, and to Coach York for a wonderful time.

"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation."
Plato

Banderos Drill Team
For the past month, the fourth graders have been hard at work preparing an interdisciplinary presentation on the flags of Spanish-speaking countries. They used researching skills from Language Arts to learn all about a flag from a Spanish speaking country of their choice. They then wrote a short presentation about the flag and the symbolism of its colors, stripes, or symbols. Next, students took the presentations to to Spanish class, where they translated their presentations into  Spanish. Next came Art class, where student created their flags with paper, paint, markers, and dowels. Then, back again to Spanish class, to practice their presentations in Spanish. Next, they formed a precision flag drill team and learned drill commands in Spanish. 

On sunny days this dapper group could be seen marching and drilling in formation outside, making crisp military turns, presenting and retiring their flags, and reciting their presentations.  Finally, during assembly, proud and prepared fourth graders marched in formation into the gym and onto the stage where each presented his or her flags and research in Spanish to the entire student body and faculty. 

Durante el mes pasado, cada estudiante de cuarto grado trabajó en la preparación de una presentación interdisciplinaria. Ellos usaron sus habilidades de investigación aprendidas en las clases de lengua y literatura para investigar una bandera de un país hispanoparlante, y para escribir una presentación sobre las banderas en ingles. Despues, tomaron sus presentaciones a la clase de español, donde las tradujeron. Despues, en a la classe del arte, crearon las banderas. Y después, aprendieron y practicaron instrucción de orden cerrado en español. El lunes siguiente, en la asemblea, han presentado sus banderas y sus investigaciones - en español - a todos los estudiantes y profesores de la escuela. ¡Ellos hicieron un excelente trabajo!
"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]


Fourth Graders "GOT CAUGHT READING!"
Chesapeake Academy Librarian Mrs. Pam Macaulay announced that not only have fourth graders been caught reading but they met their reading challenges consistently each month of the challenge.  Along the way, delicious rewards awaited students on the last Thursday of each month for their reading successes. And now, the coup de gras... a FREE STEVIES ICE CREAM CONE for each of these diligent readers! Thanks to Stevies Ice Cream in Kilmarnock! Congratulations, readers!  You are building brains!

YAHOOO for Yearbooks!
Hot off the presses! The 2015-16 yearbook is dedicated to Mrs. Hillary Smith for her ability to add fun and whimsy to the most boring of tasks, her solid  advice to whomever requests it, and her ready smile whenever a student is feeling down. Plus she is a a really good soccer and basketball coach!

Still need a  2015-16 f ull-color  Chesapeake Academy yearbook?  Purchase a copy for $25.00.   Don't miss out on an entire year's worth of memories. Limited number of copies available. 

The Sugar Rush Coaster being prepared for competition!
CA Roller Coasters Rock Kings Dominion Competition!
Kings Dominion, partnering with the Math Science Innovation Center of Richmond, offers students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the basics of STEM education in a fun and interactive setting through a variety of contests and activities. Kings Dominion's Coaster Mania Contest challenged school groups to construct and compete a themed roller coaster that meets very specific physics criteria.

Chesapeake Academy's eighth grade class sent two roller coaster projects to the Kings Dominion Coaster Mania Contest. In a competition field of over fifteen schools, Chesapeake Academy placed first and second in the Middle School division, Coasters were judged on the duration of the run, the number of loops, the openness of the track, creativity of the design, the feasibility of the design for the real world, and command of the physics priniciples involved as judged by an interview with a panel of judges.

The Sugar Rush Coaster, designed and built by (pictured left to right) Colette Haynie, Lily Reihs, Chas Faulkner, and Jonathan Bryant, placed first, and The Vortex, designed and created by Claire Keesee, Charlie Li, and John Vail, placed second.


"Enthusiasm is not the same as just being excited. One gets excited about going on a roller coaster. One becomes enthusiastic about creating and building a roller coaster." 
 Bo Bennett

 
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!

Choosing recorder colors is an important rite of passage as third graders become fourth graders.
The wonderful docent explains the rules some fun of colonial games.
And, They're Off....To Williamsburg
Mrs. Rogers third grade class hit the road to get some in- depth insight into our Nation's history.  Colonial Williamsburg is a great place to learn about citizenship. From the very beginning, this country has been a mixing pot of diverse ethnic backgrounds, skills, and perspectives. In the Revolutionary City, our third graders searched and explored every day life, work and decision-making, and what it meant to be a good citizen as they encountered the inhabitants who worked for independence and liberty. They joined in hands-on activities, such as pulling water from a well, trying on period clothes, or assembling a bucket. They heard the stories of Americans united by common principles and choices.

Awesome ArtStravaganza!
" In honor of Chesapeake Academy's 50th anniversary, this year's ArtStravaganza reflected the excitement of the past 50 years through vocal and instrumental music, drama, dance, and visual arts while bringing to life national and world events. Opening with a scene from 1889, Students danced their way through the decades at Chesapeake Academy. Middle School students researched and wrote news reports, integrating video clips with live action on significant events in each decade since the re-founding of CA in 1965," explains Debbie Cook. "Our fifth graders planned and produced the Art show, each displaying an individual collection that reflects the fifth grade theme of transition."

The visual art display portion of the ArtStravaganza was judged by a panel of artists that included petit point fiber artist Cheryl Mihills, retired art teacher Nancy O'Shaughnessy, and fine artist Wende Szyperski. First through third place ribbons were awarded for each project.
  • In a collaborative project with Kindergarten teacher, Molly Vanderpool and Sonja Smith, Chesapeake Academy's Art Teacher, students developed a pig character, wrote and illustrated a story about their character and then molded and painted a clay pig to go along with the book. Lyla Porter earned first place, Jake Hodsden placed second, and Parker Brown placed third. In addition, Kindergarteners printed honeycomb settings using found materials and superimposed bees onto these backgrounds using oil pastels. Liam Hubbard earned first place, Baylen Miller placed second, and Logan Brent placed third.
  • First graders created spring birds by drawing a shape using black oil pastel and adding color using liquid watercolors. They mounted these creations on art papers for display. Corty Mumma earned first place, Isabel Fries earned second, and Khloe Hohensee earned a third place. In their waterfowl reflection project, first grade students drew birds that would live on the water and added their reflection. Brooks Parker placed first, Jimmy Hodsden earned a second place, and Quenton Harding earned a third place.
  • Second graders also tackled the waterfowl reflection project with good results, using crayon and watercolor. Sam Antonio earned a first place, Tyler Brent of placed second, and Miles Hollingsworth placed third. Second graders painted their favorite dinosaurs using tempera paint. Varun Patel earned first place, Porter Pittman placed second, and Davis Bugg placed third.
  • Paper Mache Pets were a hit with the third grade as they sculpted an animal out of paper mache and painted them. Jules LaSalle placed first, Lucas Edwards was second, and Grace Jett and Wynne Smith tied for third place. Third graders also studied the book Manfish about the exploration of Jacques Cousteau and rendered themselves as divers exploring the deep ocean, using soft pastels, ink and markers. Zaera Smith earned a first place, Liona Li  placed second, and Lydia Engleman placed third.
  • An insect study captured the creative interests of fourth graders as students drew bugs of their choice and gave them color with colored pencil. Rya Struse earned first place, Maddie Ritter took second place, and Martin Smith placed third.
  • Paper mache self portrait puppets were among the many different personal pieces the fifth grade class created for display. Ryleigh Hornsmith earned first place, Jarett Platsis earned a second place, and Calista Nelson and Callie Souders of tied for third place.
  • Sixth graders produced soft pastel portraits. Adair Stanley earned first place, Duke Wolfson placed second, and Ben Smith placed third.
  • Seventh grade students chose a leaf study for their art project, representing leaves with liquid watercolors. Ashton Hollingsworth earned first place, Reese Bragg took second and Rock Wolfson earned third place.
  • The culminating project for the eighth grade class featured renderings of their favorite places on campus. Claire Keesee earned first place, John Vail won second place, and Lily Reihs placed third.
Each year the student body collaborates with the arts faculty to design and produce the ArtStravaganaza as an unique gift to families and the broader school community. The arts are integral to the Chesapeake Academy experience!

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. 
                                                                     Scott Adams
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!  
Student Council hosted the last event of the year on  Friday, May 27. Middle School students, including current fourth graders, participated in an evening of Capture the Flag. 

The results are in!  Congratulations to Student Council officers for the 2016-17: President, Ben Antonio; Vice President, Reese Bragg; Treasurer, Ashton Hollingsworth; Secretary, Jordan Abbott! These good folks will be installed at the whole school assembly on June 3.

Student Council announced a gift of $200 to the Annual Fund, donation of a Gaga Ball Pit and a treat for the student body.

Leyton proves that CAPPA's afterschool activities continue to be a hit!
CAPPA Countdown!
Many thanks to those wonderful individuals who share themselves generously with the school through their support of the Chespeake Academy Parents and Patrons Association.  The CAPPA officers for next year are as follows:
  • President, Shelley Ritter
  • Vice President, Janet Smith
  • Treasurer, Esther Glover
  • Secretary, Alissa Fulmer
  • President Past, Katie Dew
  • Hospitality Chair, Rosetta Struse
  • Apple Sale Chair, Chris Cammarata
  • Box Tops Chair, Chris Cammarata
  • Campus Beautification Chair, Alison Weddle
If you have any questions or would like to volunteer with CAPPA, please contact Shelley Ritter at [email protected].

An Attitude of Gratitude!  
  • Thanks to all the parents who are making referrals and spreading the word about Chesapeake Academy!  Our ranks are growing! You are our best ambassadors!
  • CAPPA enhances the life of the school in so many ways!  Pizza for ArtStravaganza dinner, a wonderful reception for Art Show patrons, gifts for teachers, a wonderful donation to the Annual Fund, afterschool activities, and so much more!  Many thanks to the incoming CAPPA Officers and Committee Chairs. The support of CAPPA makes such a huge difference!
  • The final Scholastic BOGO Book Fair was a success!  Thanks to Mrs. Macaulay for bringing us the opportunity to stock up for summer reading. Readers are ready for lazy summer days!
  • Like mythological muses, Beth Somers, Robin Blake, Hillary Smith, and Sonja Smith guided and encouraged the creative process for the students who planned our Artstravaganza!  Their organization, patience, and resourcefulness scaffolded the students' success!
  • Julie Keesee and Amy Groh had the pleasure of taking the eighth grade to Kings Dominion for the Roller Coaster Contest and bringing home the win! Thanks to these ladies for sharing their time and wisdom in this effort!
  • Katie Parker and Kim Dynia kept their fingers on the pulse of the school as they created a wonderful Yearbook that captures a year of vibrant, enthusiastic learning.  Thanks!
  • Thanks to Student Council for their year of leadership, their gift to the Annual Fund, and for the end-of-the-year treats.  Thanks also to incoming Student Council officers for their willingness to serve. This job matters!
  • So much gratitude is extended to Landon Clark and Catherine Emery for their work on the Pre-K 3&4 Video.  It was a joy from start to finish!
  • In the life of a school, the end-of-the-year Field Day is an opportunity for camraderie and hilarity.  But they will not fly without a lot of help!  Thanks to Coach Ian York for organizing a rollicking fun day and to the team of teachers and parents who made field day happen.
  • Thanks to the Athletics Boosters, chaired by Amy Groh, who donated to the Annual Fund!  Every dollar helps our students grow.
  • What a delight to work with Bruce Edwards and alum Hunter Edwards at Lamberth Building Materials as they help us out to supply the lumber for the Gaga Pit.
  • Check out the full list of Auction Angels in the Rappahannock Record next week!
  • Thanks to Stevie's Ice Cream for donating ice cream cones for fourth grade readers.
Dates to Remember
5/27 Student Council Capture the Flag Game
5/30 No School, Memorial Day
5/31 - 6/3 Exams, seventh and eighth grade
6/3 Whole School Closing Assembly 11:00 a.m., with a noon dismissal, no extended day
6/6 Board Chair Dinner, eighth grade
6/6 Faculty Workday
6/7 Graduation


Chesapeake Academy | | [email protected] | 
 Post Office Box 8   107 Steamboat Road    Irvington, VA 22480