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!
Teachers have been working hard all year to advance the new A&I Integrated Skills Curriculum. In the faculty's work with the College of William and Mary's Center for Innovation in Learning Design from 2017-2019, five
strands
of integrated skills were identified that can be applied across the curriculum:
- robotics and computer coding
- textile/fiber arts
- basic construction
- audio/video production
- computer-aided design
Each of the strands builds skills necessary for students to dig deeply into the school's vigorous curriculum to create responses to real world problems, explore different areas of creativity, and have basic competencies.
The new laser cutter is installed in the A&I Hub, and it is now set up and ready for students! Along with the 3D printer, the A&I Hub hosts a variety of means and materials for students to problem solve, design, and create.
Chesapeake Academy is offering an after school A&I class this spring for middle school students, and we have invited students from the Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA to join us. We want the Hub to serve as an avenue for outreach and community building with our partner organizations as well as a vital learning space for our own students.
As a part of Arts & Innovation, the Chesapeake Academy Integrated Skills curriculum is based on these essential questions:
- How can we use feedback and collaboration as part of the design loop to challenge ourselves and strengthen our innovative thinking skills?
- How can we collect, curate, interpret, and present ideas to build a stronger learning community?
- How can we identify complex problems and think flexibly to design unique solutions?
- How can we use innovation ethically and as an impetus for positive social change in a fast paced, global market?
The philosophy of the integrated skills curriculum is as follows: We seek to foster an inclusive culture to support students who embrace innovation; who use flexible thinking to define and analyze problems and refine solutions; who work collaboratively to provide and incorporate feedback; who are both educated consumers and innovative creators of technology; who solve problems using computational thinking; who communicate through their art; and who understand the social and ethical impact of their choices.
The integrated skills curriculum supports innovative teaching practices with an emphasis on active learning, creativity, and exploration. The foundational skills are first explicitly addressed in conjunction with other curricular area content, and the further use and refinement of those skills is embedded in everyday curricular practice. This curriculum is not meant to stand on its own, but to complement and enhance daily classroom interactions. Because the curriculum is skills driven, the content allows for flexibility and ever-changing technology. Computational thinking can be used in all disciplines to solve problems, design systems, create new knowledge, and improve understanding and communication. It enables all students to better conceptualize, analyze, and solve complex problems by selecting and applying appropriate strategies and tools while utilizing a design loop for reflection and improvement.
The curriculum also incorporates the belief that students should demonstrate both competence and confidence in design thinking, including educational technology (choosing and effectively using available tools); information technology (manipulating and sharing information via technology); computer science (designing, testing, and modifying new technology tools); and applied arts (process and product).
Chesapeake Academy faculty continue to embrace professional development in the strands so that they can set up projects and experiences that teach the integrated skills. I am proud of the work that they have done in year one with the Hub space and materials, and we look forward to reaching our own strategic goals over the next few years.
If you haven't had the chance to visit and see the space or see the students in action, we welcome you to come by and see what's happening!
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Class Acts...
What's Happening on the Halls?
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The Auction Raffle is NEW and EXCITING!
Look what you could win!!!
A
100 Raffle
is a new addition this year, and the winner gets to choose any of the live auction items, including any of the vacation packages and amazing experiences up for bid. Only 100 raffle tickets will be sold at $100 each, and the winner need not be present to win. Want to travel to Cancun, Iceland, Costa Rica or maybe you want to see Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden or attend the CMA Awards? The final list of LIVE items will be posted soon so stay tuned--and remember, only 100 tickets will be sold!!!
Auction Help Needed:
Would you have time to help add twinkling lights to big wheels? Spray paint boots? Clean picture frames? Press and fold napkins? These are some of the tasks the Development Office will need help with in April.
Let Catherine know how you want to help! Email her at
cemry@chesapeakeacademy.org
, call her at 804.438.5575, or visit her in her office!
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Presto! Chango! You are a Robot!
You are never too young or too old to become a problem solver! Kindergarten students read the book
After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again
by Dan Santat. Then they discussed algorithms, which are a series of steps that need to be followed to solve a problem, whether it is getting back up on a wall, making a bowl of cereal, or moving a robot. The students used
forward, left,
and
right
commands to move their classmates and teacher around a board.
Activities like this serve to increase literacy by practicing sequencing and left-to-right seriation, as well as increasing confidence with programming and coding skills.
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First Grade Dives Deeply into Math!
Mini-mathematicians in first grade are loving math stations after a week of math instruction. Telling time on analog and digital clocks (what time do I get up, come to school, read, eat lunch, and leave school) has been at the top of the list. First graders used Math Boxes to review patterns, coin values, reading a bar graph, and solving a word problem. These wiz kids are also using shape templates to create a classroom map. And...their maps are drawn and labeled neatly for all audiences to read and understand!
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The deadline for financial assistance paperwork is
March 11, 2020.
Please ensure that you have completed the FACTS application and uploaded your 2019 1040 and W-2 documents by this date. If you are a business owner, those taxes are required as well.
Should your taxes not be submitted by March 11, please be sure to have 2018 taxes uploaded to FACTS website by this date. Once you have submitted 2019 taxes, you will need to upload those to the system.
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Fraction Action!
Third grade students explored fractions through a variety of engaging activities in recent weeks. Students applied all they learned about fractions by using Tinkercad, a computer app used for 3D design. Students created their names by manipulating, rotating, flipping, and resizing blocks on a grid. Once students printed their finished products, they wrote a fractional representation for each letter of their name. Impressive!
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Hot Off the Presses!
Chesapeake Academy will be featured in the
Virginia Living
State of Education
, a special section in
Virginia Living
’s April 2020 issue, that celebrates excellence and innovation in Virginia’s schools. Featuring in-depth and positive coverage of news and trends in education,
Virginia Living
State of Education includes Top Schools & Colleges 2020, a list of more than 160 programs in schools across the state
leading the way in innovation.
Virginia Living
’s Top Schools & Colleges 2020 recognizes four-year colleges, private high schools, private K-12 schools, private K-8 schools, public high schools, and special needs schools.
The magazine’s editors carefully and thoroughly review each school’s programs and accomplishments, selecting schools that have instituted programs or recently begun capital improvements aimed at strengthening students’ experience in the classroom, in the field, and in their communities.
Virginia Living
’s Top Schools & Colleges 2020 is
the
resource for anyone interested in knowing why Virginia’s schools are consistently ranked among the country’s best.
Virginia Living
’s April 2020 issue will hit newsstands March 13.
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Literature and History Inspire Writers in Fifth Grade!
Fifth grade literature students concluded the in-class novel
Uprising
recently and soon set to work drafting their own versions of an alternate ending. After recording classmates' opinions on the climax and resolution of the novel, students brainstormed their own ideas for revision. Next they wrote their own versions of the ending.
Students also watched
Triangle: Remembering the Fire.
This HBO documentary brought the climax of the novel to life through stories from descendents of those who experienced the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, and it highlighted pivotal changes in U.S. labor laws in the wake of the tragedy.
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Up to Their Elbows...in Shapes!
Learning the vocabulary and concepts of geometric shapes does not have to be a chore. Seventh grade Pre-Algebra students are exploring these properties of 2D and 3D shapes through digital, physical, and pen-and-paper tasks.
Whether they are exploring an interactive textbook or puzzling over how a set of shapes could form a parallelogram that is not a rectangle, students are taking the concepts into their own hands.
Competency and confidence come from variety!
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The Way Things Work!
Like all adolescents, seventh graders love to know how things work! Seventh grade literature students have been learning some of the common "signposts" of storytelling and applying them to short stories, poems, and even dialogue-free short films such as
Hair Love
and
Glued
. Understanding how stories are crafted to deliberately impact our experience with them is a powerful tool for comprehension and analysis.
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Critical Thinkers Dig Deeper!
Eighth grade students in Integrated Studies researched and presented on selected topics from W.E.B. DuBois to Ella Baker to the Scottsboro Case to Franklin Delano Roosevelt alongside their study of
To Kill a Mockingbird
.
Classroom discussions used this literary text as a launching point for exploring undershared history from multiple perspectives. Students are also mapping the connections between these topics to deepen their understanding and retention.
Learning history is our lifelong work, so a critical basis is key.
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Richmond Symphony, Here We Come!
Kindergarten through fourth grades will travel to Richmond for the Discovery Concert Series Production of "Appalachian Spring" on Friday, March 13. Students are preparing in music class by previewing and learning about each composition.
Students were interested to discover that "Simple Gifts," which they performed last year at Grandparents' and Grandfriends' Day is a part of the
Appalachian Suite
by Aaron Copland.
Here are the students as they enjoy playing their instruments along with "Carmen" by Bizet.
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Student Council Scoop!
Student Council is planning an event to which all Middle School students will be invited on March 27. Details will follow when plans are finalized.
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Origami Teaches Principles of Sculpture
Fifth grade art class began by talking about
symmetry
and the difference between
linear symmetry
(one line of symmetry) and
radial symmetry
(more than one line of symmetry). Next, the class discussed sculpture (a piece of artwork you can see from all sides) and specifically what a
relief sculpture
is (a piece of artwork that has depth on the surface but is not meant to be seen from all sides).
Once students understood the principles behind radial symmetry and sculpture, they began creating their own radial paper relief sculptures, using three different origami folds to build their composition.
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Run NNK Earth Day 5K and School Challenge
It’s time to lace up those running shoes and begin preparing for the Annual Run NNK Earth Day 5K & School Challenge on April 18!
The Challenge encourages local schools to compete for cash prizes by fielding the largest numbers of registrations (students, teachers, parents, and friends) in the Earth Day 5K Race.
The race starts at 8:00 a.m. in front of the Northumberland Historical Society. Prizes will be awarded to the local high school/middle school/elementary (combined) with the most registrations. Public and Private schools in Northumberland, Lancaster, Westmoreland, Richmond, and Essex Counties are eligible for the prizes.
The 2019 winners were Chesapeake Academy and Northumberland public schools.
The first 100 registered runners/walkers will be guaranteed a specially designed T shirt. Post race refreshments will be provided. All Kids Run participants will receive a prize! Race entry is $25.00. An entry form is attached for your convenience.
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Plan Ahead for A Wonderful Summer Camp Experience!
CAMP IRVINGTON
Ages 4-rising 1st grade, June 22 -- August 14
Who doesn't love a game of I Spy? Campers will explore weekly themes through field trips around the Northern Neck and beyond, books, snacks, crafts, and games. Learning through play and discovery makes for a fun and enriching summer! Camps begin at 8:15 a.m. and run through 5:30 p.m, Monday through Friday for a cost of $275 per week. There is a one-time registration fee of $30 per camper, which is waived if campers are registered by April 1. Download the registration packet at
www.chesapeakeacademy.org
or call 804.438.5575.
I Spy…Treasure, June 22-26
Ahoy! Treasure hunts, pirate stories, and outdoor play are on the horizon this week. Campers should be ready for adventure!
I Spy…Red, White, and Blue, June 29-July 3
Our youngest patriots will enjoy picnicking and play with splashes of red, white and blue. Expect plenty of crafts and books that foster patriotic spirit!
I Spy…Gardens, July 6-10
Calling all green thumbs! Campers will discover how things grow through trips to local farms and gardens, tasting yummy foods that come from the earth along the way.
I Spy...Animals, July 13-17
Is it furry? Scaly? Fast? Slow? Campers will explore animals and their habitats near and far. We will discover local and exotic animals up close while reading some favorite animal adventure stories along the way.
I Spy…Trains, July 20-24
All aboard! Come learn about locomotives through songs, stories, and crafts. A real train ride is even in store...budding conductors are sure to love this week.
I Spy...Wetlands, July 27-31
Our environment is the best playground! Come see local wetlands in action through observation, experiments, and plenty of exploration.
I Spy…Fossils, August 3-7
What did dinosaurs look like? What did they eat? Where did they get their crazy names? Campers will learn about fossils and the fascinating creatures that left them behind.
I Spy...Community Helpers, August 10-14
Firemen, police officers, doctors, oh, my! These community members help keep us safe and healthy. Our youngest community members will learn about these jobs through local field trips where plenty of questions and play are on the agenda!
CAMP CHESAPEAKE
Ages 7-13 (rising second -- eighth grade)
These exciting camps are for adventure lovers! Download the registration packet at
www.chesapeakeacademy.org
or call 804.438.5575. Camp begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. (Challenger Soccer Camp is 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for a full day and there are half day options.) There is a one-time registration fee of $30 which is waived for campers who register by April 1.
Northern Neck Explorers--Make a Splash! June 22-26, $275
Find adventure in and around the water! This favorite camp is back with new activities and destinations. Campers will swim, paddleboard, and explore parks. A perfect way to see the beautiful waterways the Northern Neck has to offer!
Fun Day Sundae, June 29-July 3, $275
Nothing is more patriotic than a cool ice cream after a hot summer day of adventure! Campers will participate in daily activities such as bowling and beach time. Each day will include a cool treat at new, local ice cream destinations. Of course, expect splashes of red, white, and blue celebrations all week long!
Farm to Table, July 6-10, $275
This exciting and delicious week is back! Campers will travel around the Northern Neck learning about local foods and harvesting and growing techniques. We will also seek the expertise of local chefs to learn more about how our food is prepared and try our own hands in the kitchen. New cooking experiences combine with old favorites to make this a can’t miss week of delicious meals!
Animal Adventures, July 13-17, $300
Calling all animal lovers! Campers will travel to local zoos and farms to see regional and exotic animals. Each day is sure to be a unique adventure as we see awesome animals up close. Don’t miss this new offering-it is sure to be an exciting week!
Mystery Tour, July 20-24, $350
Camp Chesapeake’s famous mystery tour is back! New destinations and surprises make for a thrilling week where no two days will be the same. There is something for everyone at this camp. Mystery Tour will keep campers guessing what fun is to come each day!
Mad Science, July 27-31, $275
Come experience the fascinating world of science at this brand new Camp Chesapeake offering. We will explore meteorology, astrology, and more through experiments on and off campus. Completely new destinations and activities make this camp unlike anything offered before. Embrace your inner scientist and join the fun!
Challenger Soccer, August 3-7
Half Day: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. or 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. $165
Full Day: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. $225
Chesapeake Academy is excited to host the Challenger Soccer Camp for an exciting week of world class soccer coaching. Challenger Soccer offers an innovative and fully integrated program that accelerates the learning process of the players. The camp features a groundbreaking technology partner that provides players with an app-based platform to help them learn skills quickly and efficiently. The combination of on and off-field development engages and entertains players so that they push the boundaries of their talents. Registration forms are separate from CA camp forms and can also be accessed at
www.chesapeakeacademy.org
.
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Chesapeake Academy Students Present "The Sleepy Mandarin"
Once again raising the artistic bar for future productions, Chesapeake Academy third and fourth grade students staged the mini-opera, "The Sleepy Mandarin" for their parents and the school community with colorful costumes and minimal props. Narrators Izzy Dew and Evan Hinton kept the audience well informed as the story swept along, setting the scene and clarifying as needed.
In this charming musical tale, a philanthropic Mandarin (played by Charley Manetz, Logan Brent, and Jacour Mullings) finds himself plagued with chronic tardiness due to his inability to wake. The servants (Henry Clair, Lucas Clair, Parker Brown, and Evan Hinton), anxious for the Mandarin to resume his service to the community, hold a contest to see what noise would raise the Mandarin without annoying him. Many people (including ambassadors Skyler Casey, Alex Fulmer, and Baylen Miller and instrumentalists Ryann Kenner, Khloe Ridgell, Nathan Rafael, Ethan Wills, Richard Beane, and Jake Hodsden) try with catastrophic results, until the dulcet tones of a young girl reach his groggy ears! The singing girl (played by Ingrid Carey, Izzy Dew, Janiah Newton, and Anna Bugg) so delighted the old Mandarin that he declares enthusiastically in song (pitch perfect solo by Charley Manetz) that he never wishes to wake any other way!
Notable among the show's many strengths were the team of instrumentalists who, with minimal cueing, managed to keep perfect time, punctuating the action appropriately and adding to the show's success! Chesapeake Academy Music Teacher Barbara Hays, who directed this performance, was pleased with the outcome and looks forward to taking this show on the road to local residential venues.
The arts are an integral part of the Chesapeake Academy education program. Self- expression and creativity are valued throughout the program, and the curriculum develops innovation as well as process and evaluation skills. The curriculum encompasses fine and visual arts, music instruction, performance, computer coding and media arts. The core areas of the arts curriculum are centered around creation, performance, presentation and response to the work of others. The Arts Team that brings this curriculum to life includes Barbara Hays, Music; Sonja Smith, Art; Robin Blake, Performance, and Kim Dynia, Arts & Innovation.
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A&I Hub Highlights
In January, fifth grade students each chose a word to guide their educational goals for the year. Through the art program, students designed a font that reflected the feeling of their word. Students were able to test the new laser cutter by cutting Eliza Leo's word,
commit,
which was hand-drawn and imported directly to the machine.
It's important for students to use professional-grade materials and equipment to see their projects come to life. Connecting our work to real-world possibilities, and creating pieces that are ready to share with a larger audience, is a goal of the Arts and Innovation program.
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Sixth Grade Math Guest Speaker Series
Sixth graders continued their guest speaker series this week with a woodworker! Nick Cockrell came to spend time with the students, sharing how he uses mathematics to create his original furniture designs and offering tips and tricks for handling our tricky customary system when measuring. Students are also practicing the art of inquisition, ensuring they are curious and generating questions when faced with new information and experiences. We love our guest speakers!
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Togetherhood Hits the Road
Student leaders from Chesapeake Academy, the Boys and Girls Club, and the YMCA met in the fall to determine several community service options middle school students could do together this winter and spring. CA's leadership team of Anna Carey, Jayla Wilson, and Maddie Ritter took the reins and proposed a series of visits to residents of RWC.
The girls met with the program directors at RWC and set a schedule of 3 Tuesdays (March 3, March 10, and March 17 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.) for students to interact with assisted living residents.
As the three non-profit organizations in the area focused on youth development, it is a goal of ours to bring our students together to benefit the larger community. This is a wonderful opportunity to support that goal as well as the leadership of our students who have worked hard to coordinate a meaningful experience.
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Data Analysis Projects Get Real!
In eighth grade Algebra, students are completing a data analysis project in which they each have posed a question about the relationship between two data sets. Students are using
bivariate data
(2 variables) to determine if there is a
positive or negative correlation
or no correlation at all between the data collected. Of course, students have made predictions about what they believe the relationship is, and after collecting data sets, now are evaluating the connections.
Questions range from "Is there a relationship between the grade level of the students featured on the CA Instagram account and the number of 'likes' the post gets?" to "Is there a relationship between the experience of an NFL head coach and a team's record of wins in the 2019-2020 season?" Other students have asked questions about people's behavior and have needed to gather self-reported information on such quantities as hours of sleep, screen time, knowledge of political candidates, and number of wins in Fortnight. Students will present their findings and explain the validity of their research, why there are outliers (if any), and what other factors may contribute to the data.
Eighth graders know that
correlation
is not
causation
! Next up for eighth graders, the comprehensive house building project, which will include some 3D printed furniture and fixtures.
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Video Production Skills Grow with Stop Action Practice
In preparation for Artstravaganza, students have divided into groups to get an in-depth look at one aspect of theatrical production, including theater tech, scenery, costumes and props, and acting and choreography.
After brainstorming the different roles of technology in performance, and thinking about in which area they would like to specialize, the tech students explored the world of stop motion. Our goal this session was not to produce a polished final film, but rather to practice with different techniques and mediums.
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CAPPA News
D.A.N.C.E C.L.U.B. is off to wonderful start thanks to our awesome parent chaperones and instructor Kristen Blackwell! There are 13 students from first through fourth grades, beating drum sticks, doing the grape vine, and shaking it all around.
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Coach's Corner
Congratulations to Osprey athletes for the winter season!
Girls Varsity Basketball
MVP--Layla Leo
Coaches Award--Kayla Wills
Most Improved--Leona Li
JV Girls Basketball
MVP--Eliza Leo
Coaches Award--Helen Geier
Most Improved--Delaney Bowman
Boys Varsity Basketball
MVP--Jackson Pyles
Coaches Award--Tayloe Emery
Most Improved--Robert Cunningham
JV Boys Basketball
MVP--Sam Antonio
Coaches Award--Brooks Parker
Most Improved--Harrison Hinton
Chesapeake Academy Athletics is teaming up with Arts and Innovation to round out after school options for the spring season. Spring sports will include Kids on the Run and Tennis. Both of these options will meet Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tennis will have a cap as to how many students may participate due to the availability of courts. On Tuesdays and Thursdays there will be Arts & Innovation options hosted by Ms. Kim Dynia and Ms. Sonja Smith.
Butter Braids is a fundraiser for the athletic department. Last year's purchases from this fundraiser included new basketball uniforms and a new scoring table! If your child/family would like to order/sell Butter Braids, please turn in your order forms to Ms. Connie along with payment, either cash or check, by March 11. Checks are to be made payable to Chesapeake Academy. Delivery of the Butter Braids is scheduled to arrive the week of March 25, just in time for Easter!
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An Attitude of Gratitude
- You know you are in a community that cares when you see folks cleaning up a spilled trash can with a smile! Thanks to Travis Abbott for setting an example for citizenship at CA!
- Thanks to guest speaker Nick Cockrell for bringing his saw and expertise so Pre-Algebra students could actually see the angles they calculated come to life.
- Thanks to Grover Branson for coaching an applicant for the CDL license. He prepares our drivers very well!
- Thanks to all those good folks who have already stepped up to donate an item or volunteered in some way with the auction!
- Thanks to Brenda Mayer for hosting CA golfers for two days of an indoor golf clinic.
- Thanks to Emily Thomas who was our “pizza delivery” girl on Wednesday when parent volunteers could not get to Sal’s for hot lunch. Keith Meberg was our “pizza slinger” through LS and MS lunches.
- CAPPA's after school activities would not be possible without the following volunteers: Whitney Lang, Charlotte Charlton, Megan Chance, Suzanne Shepherd, and Katie Rose. Thank you! And also a huge thank you to Ms. Dynia for helping with the AV so the kid's could have some tunes and to Ms. Connie for herding all the permission slips/checks and lining everyone up!
- Thanks to the faculty children who volunteer around the Hub as needed, wiping tables, getting down chairs, and sorting supplies. A particular shout out to Brynleigh Allen for her faithfulness!
The Gift of Time and Talent is a Treasure!
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Dates to Remember
3/7 Girls, Gizmos, and Gadgets, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
3/10 Togetherhood at RW-C, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
3/11 PALS presents Sheila Arnold's "Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?" 9:30 a.m.
3/11 Butter Braid Orders Due
3/13 Virginia Symphony Discovery Concerts "Appalachian Spring,"
lower school
3/13 National Latin Exam, sixth grade
3/17 Togetherhood, RW-C, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
3/17 Parent Coffee at the Residence, sixth grade parents, 8:30 a.m.
3/18 Faculty Professional Development, 3:30 p.m.
3/20 End of MP3/Noon Dismissal, Faculty Professional Development
3/23 Mini-Economies Fair, Steward School, grades three through five
3/25 Tag Day
3/27 Student Council Event
3/30 First Grade Presents "The Tadpole and the Caterpillar," 10:05 a.m.
3/30 through 4/3 Teacher Appreciation Week
4/1 Dress Uniform
4/6 through 4/14 Spring Break
4/13 through 5/1 ERBs
4/15 PALS presents Virginia Reperatory Theatre's "Little Red Hen," 9:30 a.m.
4/21 Parent Meeting at the Residence, seventh grade parents, 8:30 a.m.
4/24 Student Council Event
5/1 Interims go out
5/5 to 5/8 DC Trip, seventh and eighth grade
5/5 Take a Peek Tuesday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
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