The Head's Heads Up
As parents, most of your plates are not only full but overflowing. Schedules are tight and the to-do lists are endless. The last thing you want to do is to commit to another project. But there is one place where parents shouldn't cut corners and that is volunteering at their child(ren)'s school. At Chesapeake Academy, we rely heavily on our amazing network of parent volunteers for the success of the Annual Auction and the children are so proud to see their parents involved!
Here are five reasons why you should volunteer:
1. It takes a village: As the saying goes, "It takes a village to raise a child," and the same is true for creating and maintaining a positive and nurturing school environment. A supportive community of volunteers who dedicate their time and energy raising funds for increased educational opportunities for their children creates a lasting impression on faculty and students. Your child's school is the village, and you are the villagers.
2. Many hands make light work: We are all busy, but when it comes to volunteering, a little goes a long way. Watching a movie at home? Stuff auction invitation envelopes at the same time. Out to dinner at your favorite restaurant? Ask for a donation/gift certificate for the auction. Want to meet more parents? Invite them to join you in your auction volunteer efforts. Don't know many parents? Come to a meeting and be warmly greeted!
3. Everyone has something to offer: I know that volunteering at school may seem daunting. But everyone has something to offer. The auction has lots of behind the scenes work that you can do on or off campus. Artistic? There are bid paddles to construct, decorations to make, and gift baskets to design. Have limited time? Make a few phone calls. Networked in the community? How about serving on the procurement committee? Be creative with how you can help!
4. Your child will benefit: Chesapeake Academy is a marvelous place where your children spend the majority of their days. I know that you want the school to be the best that it can be. Your volunteer participation shows your children that you value their education and support our common goals. The Auction proceeds directly benefit your children. Teaching materials, playground equipment, special events for classes, athletics, art, and music, and even graduation plans and preparations are funded by the auction. Auction volunteers believe your child is worth the extra effort--that should be motivational to every parent!
5. You'll feel good: Your volunteer experiences will make you feel good because you've joined other parents to accomplish something great! You have done something for others - particularly your children- and it feels good and is contagious! (this is one bug I don't mind you passing on) Best of all, it's FUN!
Join us!
Sincerely,
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An Attitude of Gratitude!
- Kudos to our athletes, coaches, referees, fans, clock people and scorekeepers for a good basketball season. Thanks to Ware Academy and Christchurch School for hosting the tournament.
- Ms. Courtney Reisner joined Extended Day, PreKindergarten and Kindergarten in the hunt for Corty Mumma's sneaky specs last week! And Ms. Courtney, who has plenty of practice finding Ms. Clark's glasses, saved the day and won the prize. Smiles all around.
- Thanks to Mrs. Corey Hassman for her work with the sixth and seventh grade on effective public speaking. Presenting ideas clearly and effectively will certainly be a defining skill!
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 | | Ms. Courtney and Corty Mumma |
Mrs. Hilary Scott wants to send a big thank you to the volunteers who helped to distribute publicity for our second Discovery Day! Shout out to Rosetta Struse, Robin Cunningham, Grover Branson, Jennifer Hinton, Martha Rogers, Sonja Smith, Angelina Manyak, Clyde and Christin Kirby, and Kelly Denton. - Thank you to Board of Trustees member, Peggy Stalnaker, for bringing NASA's Dr. Anna Fisher, for a special assembly on what it is like to be an astronaut. And thanks to Dr. Fisher for delighting her audience!
- It is Auction time again, and we are so fortunate to have a creative, organized Auction Chair in Kimberly Vail to captain our voyage to a successful Nautical Night! Thanks also to the busy procurement volunteers who are starting to hit the streets collecting wonderful donations for the Auction! This is vital work, and there is room for more to join the fun!
- Loved the faculty surprise from CAPPA for Valentines Day! Delicious and delightful!
 - Our Board of Trustees pledged at 100 percent to kick-off the Annual Fund and they donate their time and talent to Chesapeake Academy in a myriad of ways beyond this financial leadership!
- Our faculty and staff have given or pledged at 65 percent and that percentage is growing steadily.
- And our families are steadily stepping up with third grade leading the charge...although...that could change! Remember that you can pledge your gift now and pay when it is convenient. Your gifts make a dynamic school program possible! If donating is still on your "To Do" list, look how convenient supporting Chesapeake Academy can be!
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Snapshots from the school day...
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Effective Public Speaking=Essential Life Skill!
In preparation for the National History Day Competition, Mrs. Corey Hassman, parent of Sadie ('17) is volunteering her time and expertise to work with the sixth seventh grade class on creating and presenting effective, dynamic presentations. In her first session with the seventh grade, she taught the kids about creating a hook to grab listeners' attention and "closing the circle" with an ending that leaves a lasting impact. The students also worked on analyzing effective visual impact--from organization to color and font choice. In future lessons, they will be working on creating a memorable presence and orally defending their topic choices and research methods.
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 Something Pretty Special is About to Happen! Seventh and eighth grade students have been hard at work preparing for their Seacamp Field Study. Before going, each student chooses a particular area of environmental science and researches how that area of focus pertains to the Chesapeake Bay. Topics range from keystone species to erosion buffers to water quality. By the time we leave, students will have become experts on their particular topic. While at Seacamp, students continue to learn about their area of study, but instead of focusing on the Chesapeake Bay, they examine these aspects as they pertain to the Florida Bay and surrounding Keys. Students participate in hands-on, investigative field work. A typical class might begin with a lecture on coral reef ecology and then end with the kids putting on their snorkels and jumping into the water to see it for themselves. Once we return to Chesapeake Academy, students use their expertise on their given topic to complete a comparative study project, synthesizing their information and crafting a presentation that highlights the key differences between the Chesapeake and Florida Bays. This field study is a transformational, authentic learning experience, and place-based learning at its best! |
 Think PInk "Wearing pink socks just isn't enough! We want to raise money to fund cancer research by hosting a "Think Pink" game, explains Millie Tompkins, an eighth grader at Chesapeake Academy and co-captain of the varsity girls basketball team. Both the Chesapeake Academy boys and girls basketball teams wore pink socks this basketball season to raise funds for breast cancer research. Osprey basketball teams also had a donation jar at each home game. On February 3, 2015, Chesapeake Academy basketball teams hosted a "Think Pink" game against Ware Academy specifically to raise money for cancer research. And on February 11, a "Think Pink" Spirit Day raised money and enthusiasm for the cause. All of the money raised this season will be donated to the Kay Yow Breast Cancer Foundation which is a foundation that was researched and selected by the basketball players themselves. The Kay Yow Cancer Fund was officially founded in 2007 from the vision of the organization's namesake Kay Yow, former North Carolina State University head women's basketball coach who battled breast cancer. Coach Yow's hope was to fund cutting-edge research by the nation's top doctors and medical experts to offer patients greater access to experimental drugs and to ensure that the science behind curing cancer would not be slowed by lack of funding. "We just want to raise money to help fund research so people with this disease get the help that they need," explains Russell Parker, an eighth grade member of the varsity boys squad. |
PreKindergarten Ups Irvington's Cute Factor with a Walk to the Post Office to Mail Valentines!
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The Todd Rosenleib Dance Company Presents
A Landscape of Dance and The Horse of Many Colors
Todd Rosenleib Dance Company presented two very distinct performances for The Performing Arts and Lecture Series at Chesapeake Academy on February 11, 2015. A Landscape of Dance, for ages three through Kindergarten and a variation of the same program for grades three through eight. Mr. Rosenleib, Chair of the Dance Department of the Governor's School for the Arts, Director of the TRDance Center, and a faculty member at Tidewater Community College directs this talented company.
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Friday Math Lab brings Smiles All Around!
Friday math labs for kindergarten through fourth grade are exciting weekly math extensions for multi age groups. Teachers craft activities designed to practice math vocabulary, develop and practice skills, and create enthusiasm for math! This is one of the most fun times to visit the lower school hall.
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Some children made monster glyphs using polygons, parallel and intersecting lines, and open and closed figures. Ryleigh and Ty plan their glyphs!
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Other students played the game "Shapes Up," Geometry Quizmo, and Geoboards.
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While discussing lines, rays, line segments, angles, and the concepts of perpendicular/intersecting/parallel lines, students created maps.
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In a new torque
on the grand old game of Twister, students listened for directions "right" or "left," "foot" or "hand," "color," and "shape." Knots of many sizes and giggles of every kind ensued!
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Multi-aged groups built flat shapes using toothpicks and marshmallows. The toothpicks were lines and the marshmallows were vertices. Using conversation and imagination, they transformed their flat shapes into a myriad of solid structures including triangular prisms, cubes, and pyramids.
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Like what you see?
You can support it!
Your gift benefits today's students and everyone's future. Give to the Chesapeake Academy Annual Fund!
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Lower School Class Blogs Go Live!
In the ongoing quest to keep parents well-connected to the school program, the latest tool in use in grades Kindergarten through fourth is the Class Blog! Look for weekly photos and short descriptions of class activities, announcements, and reminders in this interactive platform! While you are at it, make sure you and your family members "Like" CA on CA Facebook.
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Like what you see? You can support it!
Spread the word! Don't let CA be the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula's best kept secret! Earn a $500 tuition discount--Contact Mrs. Scott at 804.438.5575 or [email protected]. |
 Keeping Spelling Fresh in First Grade! First graders have found that there are zillions of effective ways to learn new spelling skills. Here the boys are pictured snowball spelling and breakdown train painting. Keeping learning fresh keeps us tuned in and turned on to the task! |
 Sophie Scott (cub reporter) reporting on Eighth Grade Algebra....As part of our exam grade in Eighth Grade Algebra, we created and completed a scavenger hunt based on a map of the school. A coordinate plane was imposed upon the map of the school and we had to draw an irregular polygon somewhere on it. After calculating slope and midpoint of the lines of our polygon, we wrote and placed clues on notecards at the designated points around the school that corresponded with our map. We swapped our directions with another student in the class, then made our way around the scavenger hunt. Some hunts were easy to complete, others were very difficult. This activity was meant to explore deeper into slope and graphing. It was hands-on and educational! |
One of the First Female Astronauts Discusses The Final Frontier!
Dr. Anna Lee Fisher was among the first class of female astronauts in 1979 and she the first mom go up in space. She was a mission specialist in 1984 on the Space Shuttle Discovery, and she was in space for eight days. She has advanced degrees in chemistry and earned her Doctor of Medicine. Currently, she works closely with the International Space Station. She described career highlights in a special assembly to an inspired audience full of excellent questions.
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Andrew has no bone density issues!
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 | | The nuances of the humerus, ulna and radius are not lost on Calista. |
Art and Science Combine to Create Deeper Understanding of Skeletal Systems in Fourth Grade
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 Philip Haynie takes the stage with the Westmoreland Players in "Life with Father" Philip and his fellow cast mates have been working hard to prepare this production. And it should be a wonderful show! Ticket prices are $20 (except on opening night on 2/28/15 when the price is $25). Show times follow:
- 2/28, 8 p.m.(special gala opening at 6:30 p.m.)
- 3/1, 3 p.m.
- 3/6, 8 p.m.
- 3/7, 3 p.m.
- 3/8, 3 p.m.
- 3/12, 8 p.m.
- 3/13, 8 p.m.
- 3/14, 3 p.m.
- 3/15, 3 p.m.
To purchase tickets, call the theatre box office at 804.529.9345, or visit the website, www.westmorelandplayers.org and pay via PayPal. You can also email the theatre at [email protected] |
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CAPPA Update
Indoor/Outdoor Soccer is full with a waiting list!! If you have signed your child up, please give Connie a check for $30 made out to Chesapeake Academy with CAPPA Soccer in the memo line.
The fourth grade class won an ice cream party in January with a whopping 594 Box Tops collected! And the rest of Lower School has given the winners a run for their money! On the other hand, Middle School may need some parental encouragement to raise their level of participation to a competitive range.
Box Tops are an easy way to contribute to your school and winning a class pizza or donut treat is fun. So everyone can pitch in. Mrs. Cook is willing to throw her stash into whatever MS class pulls ahead as we come into February's Final Friday. This could just give a MS class a chance against LS's powerhouse collectors! Your Amazon purchases make CA SMILE! Just visit smile.amazon.com and sign-up for Chesapeake Academy Irvington, VA--and 0.05% of qualified purchases will go back to CAPPA to support your school!
Ever wanted to get involved in CAPPA but can't make the meetings? Call Katie Dew to explore ways to help out that fit your schedule. CAPPA is open to everyone and there are so many ways to support the school program. Certainly, there is something for everyone!
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Spread the Word!
This fun-filled Saturday morning event is designed by Chesapeake Academy faculty and sponsored by the Wiley Foundation to promote early literacy in the broader community. Open to children in the community ages 4 through 7, the Discovery Days experience is literature based learning at its best!
My Life with the Wave, by Octavio Paz is an enchanting imagination bender about life with an unruly wave! Spread the word to your friends about this unique opportunity to see Chesapeake Academy faculty in action!
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 | | Walker Antonio, Student Council President |
Student Council's Drumbeat
Student Council's next exciting event for Middle School students will take place on February 27. Your student leaders and their chaparones will be loading up the bus for a night of ice skating and laser tag at SkateNation Plus in Richmond. Students must return their signed permission form to Ms. Dynia by February 24 in order to secure their place!
In other news, Student Council asked the ever-present question: What would you do for a Klondike bar? As it turns out, CA students and teachers will crash through cups while singing, drink lemon juice, cartwheel across the basketball court, perform puppet shows, and walk across Legos in bare feet. What would you do for a Klondike Bar!
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Exciting Summer Camp Offerings
The Chesapeake Academy Summer Camp line-up has something for everyone. Coach Griffin, Director of Summer Programs, comments, "From arts to sciences, to drama and sports with plenty of vigorous outdoor adventure thrown in....the only thing missing from this summer's camps are offerings for adults! And we will be offering extended care for families who need care until 5:30!" Slots fill quickly!
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Summer Camp Opportunity for Current Eighth Graders
The Northern Neck Soil & Water Conservation District is offering two sponsorships for a summer camp opportunity for students interested in natural resources and the environment. The camp runs from June 15 through June 20 and will be hosted at Holiday Lake Forestry Camp at Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest, offering an incredible outdoor learning experience taught by conservation professionals and faculty from Virginia Tech. The sponsorship brings the total cost of the camp to just $85 and is open to current eighth grade students. For more information or application materials, please contact Faye Andrashko at 804 313-9102, ext. 103, or [email protected]. The deadline for completed applications to NNSWCD is March 18.
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Dates to Remember
2/16 - 2/22 Seacamp Field Study
2/13 - 2/16 Presidents Weekend
2/26 Re-enrollment Contracts Due
2/27 Lower School's March Mystery Kick Off
2/27 Student Council Event
2/28 Discovery Day, My Life with the Wave
3/2 Financial Assistance Deadline
3/4 Winter Athletics Award Assembly, 10:00 a.m.
3/7 Seventh Grade History Fair Regional Competition
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Post Office Box 8 107 Steamboat Road Irvington, VA 22480
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