Students and families from all six CCS elementary schools are invited to gather for the annual all-elementary school tailgate to cheer on the Black Knights at the CHS v. Louisa County High School football game.
Organized by the Venable Elementary PTO, Friday Knight Lights 2018 will include tailgate games, food, and pre-game visits from the CHS cheerleaders, football players, and marching band.
Singer/cellist BJ Griffin and his pianist Jason Brown spent three days in music workshops with Walker, Buford, and CHS orchestra students. The visit culminated with a performance with the CHSO for Walker and Buford orchestra students at the CHS Martin Luther King Performing Arts Center.
“I can’t say enough positive things about this experience,” said Fine Arts Coordinator Aaron Eichorst. “It’s the best kind of instruction and engagement we strive to provide. What an honor to be part of it.”
During the performance, students sang along and clapped to Griffin’s renditions of pop hits by artists like Michael Jackson, Lordes, and Ed Sheeran.
Griffin is known for his solo and ensemble performances that mix classical, jazz, and pop music. He is also a singer/songwriter that has worked throughout the east coast. For more about Griffin, visit https://www.
Venable will be offering tours to prospective parents on the dates listed below. All tours take place at 9:15 a.m. and last approximately 45 minutes. We limit the number of participants on each tour to ensure that everyone can hear and ask questions. Please call Ms. Lawson in the Venable office to register – 434-245-2418.
Parents should plan to arrive in the front office a few minutes early to sign in and receive visitors’ passes. Please allot time for parking as there are only a few spots available on site and many of the neighborhood streets do not permit non-resident parking during the day.
Unfortunately, requests for tours at other dates and times cannot be honored due to the disruption to classes.
If you are an out-of-division family who would like to apply for a space at Venable next year, we begin accepting applications in April. Click here for information about the application process.
Nearly 1700 musicians participated in the Charlottesville High School Marching Knights Cavalcade, an annual high school marching band competition, on Saturday, October 6 at the Charlottesville High School stadium.
The competition included 22 bands from high schools across Virginia for an afternoon of music and marching performances. A panel of judges evaluated the bands in each of five classes in music, marching, general effect, color guard, percussion and drum major. Awards were given to the top finishers in each division.
As host, the CHS Band did not compete, however, they performed their “Starry Nights” exhibition. The performance featured evening sky-themed music (think “Moonlight Sonata” and “Twinkle Twinkle”) and visuals featuring Van Gogh’s famous painting. The band recently competed with this performance in the 2018 Hermitage Classic competition and placed 2nd out of 12 A/AA bands.
The Cavalcade competition has been a tradition in the Charlottesville music community for 30 years, starting under the direction of long-time band director and community member Vincent Tornello. The competition is highly regarded by Virginia bands not only for its top-notch musical and marching performances, but also for its beautiful setting in Charlottesville and the warm hospitality provided by the CHS Band community.
“At the end of the day, the most overwhelming key to a child’s success is the positive involvement of parents,” says Velvet Coleman, Family Engagement Coordinator for Charlottesville City Schools.
A Message to Families from Ms. Coleman
Coleman’s latest list of tips for families includes eight ways parents can support their children in school.
We have so much to learn from our students! Five of our Buford students recently led a professional learning opportunity for teachers. The students created and taught the lesson and activities! 
As the @CHSBlackKnights Twitter feed suggests, our students and staff have been busy since the first day of school. Here are a few recent stories from the feed…
Parent Teacher Conferences will take place on Thursday, September 27 and Thursday, October 4.
We are so glad school is back in session at Charlottesville City Schools! Here are some scenes from the first few days!
The first edition of the new Walker Community Newsletter is now available online.
Access the current newsletter along with an archive of past editions using the “Quick Links” on the Walker Upper Elementary School home page, or click below:
Read about upcoming events, reminders, and notes from Dr. Hastings!