Eighth-grader Marco Lopez won the middle-school category of the Charlottesville Public Works’ “Imagine a Day without Water” art contest. Congratulations!
Seventh-graders were able to enjoy a performance “Black Angels Over Tuskegee” at the Paramount Theatre, telling the story of the Tuskegee Airmen.
The waiting list is long for Buford students who want to spend their lunch going to neighboring Johnson Elementary to help young friends read. The weekly program is so popular that a once-per-quarter limit has been implemented for Buford students.
Buford students explored a wide variety of futures on career day, with visits from more than 20 professionals ranging from video game programmer, radio talk host, police officer, lawyers, real estate agent, human resource officer, public relations staffer, UVA softball coach, former pro athlete, ACAC fitness trainer, and even a UVA scientist who brought in some human brains! Thanks to all who offered their time.
Buford students celebrated Veterans Day three ways. Civics students attend Veterans’ Day events at the Jefferson School African American History Center. The school held a program with area vets who shared their stories of military service. And the band performed in the celebrations at Highland.
The National Junior Honor Society was able to attend the Charlottesville TedEx program in November, exploring the “Power of One,” which happens to be the Buford group’s theme, as well. How will you be the one to stand up for others?
Walker and Buford students in the schools’ Stage Left Theatre are preparing for their family-friendly winter production of Beauty & the Beast, which has been rescheduled for January 24 at 6:30pm at Walker. Break a leg!
History students in sixth grade enjoyed a colonial market activity. As seen in the photo, Connecticut offered maple syrup, apple cider, and smiles.
Walker teachers prove that it’s not all-work-and-no-play. Prior to the Thanksgiving Break, they offered a staff talent show for students, ranging from music to comedy. Outside, the students showed their own talents by conquering some obstacle course-like challenges set up by the Charlottesville Police Department.
The Walker Peace Squad hit the road to all six Charlottesville elementary schools, presenting their own adaptation of the award-winning picture book One. After their play, Walker students led their elementary friends in a discussion of the book and ways to stand up for kindness in their schools. Continuing the theme of kindness, back at Walker, students and teachers celebrated a wacky, tacky dress-up day to show that it’s wacky to be mean.
Walker School’s annual Bingo Night included some new faces — the school invited future Walker families to join in the fun.
Walker students have been hanging out with U.Va. athletes lately, including tickets to the November 21 women’s basketball game, for which Walker students designed the team’s warm-up gear and participated in half-time activities.
Remember, following winter break (12/19-12/30), there is a teacher workday on Monday, January 2, 2017. Students return to school on Tuesday, January 3.
The draft calendar for the 2017-18 school year has been posted online. The calendar is developed jointly by the Albemarle and Charlottesville schools, through the work of a committee that includes staff and parents. The School Board will vote on this calendar at its January meeting.
New this year for winter closing notifications: This year, all families will receive emails and calls at all times (including early morning) unless families customize their settings via PowerSchool. Find instructions here. If you have not yet set up your PowerSchool account, call 245-2943.
The division will be holding a number of events to gather feedback and input for our 2017-2023 Strategic Plan. A community-wide listening session will be held at CHS on Wednesday, January 25 at 7pm — come join us! Or if you wish to participate in a smaller, school-based session on another day, please contact your principal or write goodnews@charlottesvilleschools.org. Learn more or take a brief survey here.
Five of our teachers were honored at the 2016 Chamber of Commerce dinner, serving as the guests of Bill Kehoe, recipient of the 2016 Chamber Paul Goodloe McIntire Citizenship Award. The outstanding teachers honored from Charlottesville City Schools were Michael Keller and Brendan Martin of Buford Middle School, Michel Ann Sizemore of Jackson Via Elementary, and Sarah Gallagher and Rachel Rasnake of Walker Upper Elementary.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently gave a shout-out to the schools’ partnership with City Schoolyard Garden and Local Food Hub, which supports innovating programs such as as our Harvest of the Month program, our extensive Farm-to-School Week offerings, and our year-round commitment to fresh, local foods and garden classrooms. Thanks to both organizations for your support!
In November, the Special Education Advisory Committee hosted a community discussion about how to prepare your child for “Life After High School, Now.”
Across the division, Charlottesville Schools participated in the international Hour of Code, a event designed to expose students to computer programming. Charlottesville Schools has extensive and growing support to help students learn to code.
At its fall conference, the Virginia Board of Education honored Charlottesville City Schools for receiving a 2016 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools District Sustainability Award.
Upcoming events include:
Multi-School (Walker, Buford, CHS) Band Concert, 12/14. Walker beginner band at Walker at 6:30pm; the other Walker, Buford, CHS bands will be at MLKPAC at 7:30pm
Engineering Expo at Buford (for current and future students & families), 12/15, 6pm
Winter Break and Teacher Workday, 12/19 through Monday, 1/2
Classes resume, Tuesday, 1/3
School Board Meeting, 1/5, 5pm, CHS Media Center
Community Budget Presentation, 1/10, 5:30pm, CHS Media Center
No School for Martin Luther King Day, 1/16
End of 2nd Quarter, 1/20
No School for Teacher Workday, 1/23
Stage Left Theater presents Beauty and the Beast, 1/24, 6:30pm, Walker Auditorium
Community Strategic Plan Listening Session (open to all), 1/25, 7pm, CHS
Buford offers Parent University, 1/26, 6pm
Remember that you can subscribe to our Google calendar of school holidays and as well as Google calendars for school-specific events. Instructions are at charlottesvilleschoools.org/calendar.