Chesapeake Academy's mission: to inspire each student to approach learning with
curiosity and creativity,
pursue excellence in all endeavors,
and act with integrity--
so each can make our community and world a better place.
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The Head's Heads UP
We've had a very successful 9 weeks in school, but I do not take that for granted on any given day! Staying in school and staying healthy has taken a constant commitment from each one of us. I'm so grateful for the unified approach of our parents, staff, and students.
“Pandemic fatigue” is real, and we may be tempted to underestimate the risks to ourselves and others because we are just plain tired of the protocols. But, we need to remain vigilant, particularly as colder weather and the holiday season are headed our way. Some of our mitigation strategies, such as spending a lot of time outdoors and limiting gathering sizes, will become more challenging in the coming months.
There are some informative articles online and reports on how to approach Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holiday traditions with an eye on reducing COVID risk. Travel can be relatively safe compared to an unmasked trip to a busy big box store or a crowded social gathering. So much depends on how you go about it–What are your transportation options and how do you limit exposure to crowds? What is the community transmission in the area? How many people will be at a gathering? What protective measures will you and others take? Informed planning can mitigate risk.
Rather than pronouncing activities acceptable or unacceptable, I hope to illuminate the risk factors so that as our school community navigates these choices, families can consistently plan to keep our children healthy and in school while protecting families, faculty, and staff.
As a school we have found the chart that follows helpful in vetting activities. Our best outcomes will result if all of us try to engage only in the green zone! And when that is not possible, make every effort to lessen risk.
Here are several articles and resources on navigating travel and gathering decisions.
It is certain that all of us are making concessions for the health of others in our community. This is not easy. The best laid plans can go awry and the unexpected often happens. If you feel your family may have assumed more risk than is wise to share with the school community, you should opt for your child to do distance learning for 14 days after travel/exposure or until you can get a negative COVID test. Our families have done an excellent job of this when traveling this fall. Please refer to the Family Handbook or ask if you are in doubt about whether you should quarantine post travel.
The goal is for us all to work together to stay together. Help keep CA strong!
Julie
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Class Acts...
Chesapeake Academy 3.0: Blended Learning
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CA's First Admission Deadline Around the Corner!
Chesapeake Academy's first admission deadline is November 1, 2020. Families that submit an application before that deadline could complete the admission process before December 15, 2020--and get first consideration for tuition assistance dollars!
Ms. Kelly Antonio is happy to schedule a time to talk about financial assistance and affordability for families with multiple students. If your family is seeking financial assistance, you are encouraged to act by the November 1 deadline. With each child enrolled at CA, the financial assistance qualification shifts!
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Join Bright Star Theater NEXT THURSDAY
November 5th, at 6:30 pm!
Dr. Frank N. Stein is one of the world’s most famous scientists. Along with his trusty assistant, Igor, Dr. Stein has created some of the world’s most amazing inventions! But those inventions would be nothing without YOUR imagination. It will take Science, Technology, Engineering and Math to make his latest masterpiece come to life! This show helps students learn why STEM subjects are so important to the modern world while opening up an exciting world of STEM discovery. Back by popular demand, see why audiences made this our most popular STEM show ever!
A limited number of spots are available!
Registration is first come first, serve.
FrankenSTEM!!!
LIVE!
ONLINE!
FREE!
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Pumpkin Decorating Contest CAPPA
Congratulations to Skylar and Keegan Casey who won first place in the pumpkin carving contest. June Nichols took second place, and Lily Trollip took third for their creations. Andy Barringer rounded out the award winning entries with fourth place. Thanks to CAPPA for this fun event!
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Pre-K Pumpkin Palooza
Petite pumpkin enthusiasts from Pre-K set out on a foggy morning scavenger hunt built around the letters and numbers they have learned to find their pumpkin prizes! Along the way, wee peeps learned about seeds and vegetables, found eggs under hens, had a chat with a friendly mule named Buttercup, and trounced a piñata! It was an excellent day!
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Rejoining Kid World Takes Some Time!
2020 has been a year for everyone to adjust and readjust, and kids are no exceptions. Though modern childhood is often adult-led, this pandemic has exacerbated the experience. Kids spent months in mostly family spaces or in shared spaces with higher levels of regulation and distance. As they now return to "Kid World," we can see them struggle with being socially independent in that world.
"But I want that toy!"
"He won't play the game right!"
"I wanted him to play gaga ball."
There is an instinct in children right now for adults to take over their social landscape, and honestly, as adults, we are tempted to do so. It is easier to do it for them than to watch them struggle. However, guiding children to navigate these situations themselves in developmentally appropriate ways is what builds true independence and prepares them for long-term success.
Helping kids figure out what words and strategies they can carry back to their social situations is much more important than fixing the situations for them. As parents and teachers team up this school year, we need to stay focused on equipping kids with skills rather than fixing age-appropriate problems for them.
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Engineering Pigs!
Enthusiastic first graders read two fractured versions of the Three Little Pigs fairy tale, one from the wolf's perspective, and one that features the pigs as architects! Then in the Hub, students learned about the ABCs of good engineers: A (ask questions), B (brainstorm), C (create), D (design), E (explore & explain), F (fail & fun!).
In teams of two, the students engineered a house for the fourth little pig. Working with a budget of $20, the students had to carefully choose which supplies to buy from the store. Their houses needed to have 4 walls, a roof, and a door to fit a pig. Of course, a good pig house also needed to stand against the huffing and puffing of the big, bad wolf (a fan)! Students will test their product three times, fine tuning their design each time to make the strongest design possible. Will their pig survive? Stay tuned!
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Brain Buckets Build Research and Presentation Skills!
Brain Buckets are back! After choosing topics that ignited their curiousity, third grade students learned about how to research! They collected data from a variety of sources and created a presentation to share with the class using materials housed in their Brain Buckets. Kailyn Allen created a diorama of the moon and its relationship to planet Earth after researching the moon. Eviana Shiflett did a diorama as well that displayed all she learned about the red bone hound. And Lilly Trollip researched owls and made a diorama outlining her work as well. Presentation options range from slide shows to posters to dioramas.
Brain buckets offer students a chance to practice growing skills and gain independence in their productive work. Students meet periodically with their teacher who asks questions and offers advice as needed. Students learn from one another and gain confidence and poise as they practice and present.
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Mrs. Smith’s third grade class recently learned how to use a compound microscope to take a closer look. After reading about the invention and inner workings of the microscope in science class, they put it to use by focusing on some blood and bone samples that Keegan Casey’s mother, veterinarian Dr. Heather Casey, shared with us. The students were fascinated by what they saw! Thanks so much for sharing, Dr. Casey! |
Fifth Grade Investigates Map Projections in Geography
Fifth grade is learning firsthand about the challenges cartographers face when trying to show a three-dimensional sphere on a flat, two-dimensional plane. To demonstrate the difficulties inherent in moving from 3-D to 2-D cartography, students peeled naval oranges while trying to keep the peel in one piece. Once they'd finished, the class observed the peels, imagining it as the surface of the Earth or a globe.
Next, the class tested the reverse, moving from a flat map to 3-D. Using three different map projections, students worked in groups to cut and tape together a model of the Earth. Making a spherical globe from a flat map was no easy task! Once finished, students were able to compare different projections, observe the distortions each presented, and hypothesize what each projection might be best used for. The activity was a terrific warm up for more in-depth note taking on map projections!
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Fifth grade students experienced an unexpected lesson as they dove into an A&I challenge, making their chevron bracelets based on the color schemes and patterns they learned in class.
After noting that some students have experience with projects like this while others are beginners, students recognized how easy it can be to rely on others instead of growing your own skills. What a great discussion point! For all to grow, all must strive!
Students are learning to find a good balance with giving and receiving help. As students offer to help friends, they have to be careful that they don’t cross the line into doing their projects for them. And reciprocally, as students ask for help, they have to be careful that they aren’t sitting back and letting someone else do the work for them.
Asking questions, using resources, and taking the leap to grow--even if the outcome isn't perfect at first--helps students grow as independent, confident learners. #growthmindset
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Seventh Pre-Alegebra
Have you played Among Us? Pre-Algebra students have enjoyed a math warm-up based on the viral game. Out of this set of 4 numbers, one is an imposter, hiding where it doesn't belong. Students select the imposter and justify it based on mathematical criteria. While many students selected 8 as the Imposter here for not being a multiple of 6 or 3, one intrepid thinker suggested it might be 6 for being the only number to split into odd halves (3 + 3 vs 4 + 4, 6 + 6, etc.). Either way, these 5 minute warm-ups are a fun pop culture connection to kick off class! Give it a try!
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Student Council Scoop
Congratulations to 2020-21 class reps: (left to right) Auriannia Henderson-Jones will represent the eighth grade class. Izzy Dew is the fifth grade representative, Parker Daley is the sixth grade representative, and Sam Antonio represents the seventh grade.
Student Council had to get creative with birthdays this year without singing in whole school assembly. The students put their heads together to come up with a new idea: party hats and doing the wave! It's a fun sight to see Treasurer Porter Pittman and the birthday students running in front of the student body leading the wave, and if you look around the school the rest of the day, you'll see kids rocking their party hats. Kudos to this group of student leaders for thinking outside the box to celebrate their peers!
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Easy Riders Get Heart Rates Rolling!
In the absence of organized sports due to the school's pandemic protocols, Chesapeake Academy's fourth through eighth grade students have joyfully taken to the highways and byways on their bikes! Afternoon bicycling routines have featured glorious weather, scenic treks on quiet lanes, and plenty of fresh air. Faculty sponsors, Catherine L. Emery and Niki Allen enthuse, "Kids outdoors enjoying the wind in their faces getting their heart rates up with grins on their faces is a good healthy solution to the need for physically distanced exercise!"
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Distance Learning Practice Day, November 6!
The whole school community is busy getting ready for the distance learning practice day on November 6, 8:30 a.m. to noon. Teachers polished their tech skills in a professional development session, and parents dove into a parents' zoom session on how to support their students as they use Canvas. Students have reviewed expectations and should be preparing a work area in their homes free of distractions and perfect for learning!
Teachers will be sending a schedule of instruction, brain breaks, and activities along with the essential zoom link to families this week. School will convene via Zoom at 8:30 a.m. in group meetings. This day counts!
CA is a can-do community, and we will embrace this day of practice to rehearse logins, make plans (and back up plans) for adequate internet service, check our devices, and ask questions to ensure we can all do our parts to keep Ospreys learning effectively if we need to move to distance learning to protect the health of the school community.
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CAPPA News
The CAPPA Apple Fundraiser was a HUGE success! Whitney Lang did an amazing job organizing the event again this year, and it keeps getting better and better! Last year we sold 112 bushels, this year we sold 135 bushels. That equated to a profit of $2,800!!!! Way to go, CA families!
Your efforts help CAPPA provide resources and much deserved treats for our faculty and staff as well as other requested items for the CA campus.
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Save the Date
11/3 St. Mary's Admission Zoom, seventh and eighth grade girls
11/4, Dress Uniform and Shoes, Picture Make-up Day
11/6, End of MP1
11/6, Distance Learning Practice, 8:30 a.m. to noon
11/6 Faculty Workday, noon
11/11, PALS presents, Barb Lawson virtually, Wild and Wonderful Storyteller, 9:30 a.m.
11/13 Report Cards Emailed
11/16 through 11/20 Virtual Parent Partnership Conferences
11/18, Tag Day
11/23 Festival of the Trees Contributions Due
11/25, 26, 27, Thanksgiving Break
11/30 Clash of the Cans Begins
12/2 Dress Uniform
12/9, PALS presents Bright Star Theatre "Holidays Around the World"
12/11 Interims Home
12/18 Half Day, Holiday Break Begins
1/5 Classes Resume
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An Attitude of Gratitude
- Catherine Emry (in our Development Office) would like to say, "Thank You" to her office buddy, Connie Smith! Connie helped Catherine undertake a large task, and they finished in record time! Catherine knows she couldn't have done it without Connie!
- A huge THANK YOU to the following for volunteering your time to help make the apple fundraiser a successful project: Frederick Johnson with Northern Neck Fence Company for donating your truck and trailer for apple pick up; Arthur and Whitney Lang for driving to Dickie Brother's Orchard to pick up the apples; Keith Meberg and David Brown for off loading the apples; and Mary Rowe, Ainslie Hodges, Farrow Adamson, Kent Carter, and Madison Carter for sorting 135 bushels of apples!!!
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Thanks to Hazel Pittman for the recess footballs and huge jenga set that will add excitement and novelty to the playground!
- Thanks to the Medical Advisory Committee for their continued willingness to wade through continually changing best practices to chart the sanest, safest course for CA.
- Thanks to CA families for spreading the word about what a wonderful school they have chosen for their Ospreys. Word of mouth is the most effective admission tool!
- Thanks to CA room parents for supporting Halloween gatherings for classes!
- Heather Casey for sending in the cool slides and videos for third grade to view under the microscopes.
The Gift of Time and Talent is a Treasure!
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