What‘s Happening at CHS

ArtConnections exhibit features student artwork and community-wide letterpress printmaking project

February 26, 2019CCS HomeBuford, CHS, School Division NewsKrissy Vick

Charlottesville City Schools celebrated student artistic achievement with the annual division-wide Jeff Suling Art Exhibit March 4-13 in the Charlottesville High School small gymnasium. This year, the exhibit also included a special opportunity for City students to work with renowned letterpress artist Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr.

Known as “ArtConnections,” the exhibit aims to illustrate how art relates to and connects diverse areas of school curriculum and students’ everyday lives. Selected student artwork from preschoolers through 12th graders was featured and the community was invited to three public receptions which included two evening open houses and a Saturday celebration with hands-on art activities.

More about Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. and “Finding Wisdom” letterpress printing project

Charlottesville City Schools participated in a large scale community printmaking project called “Finding Wisdom,” led by Detroit-based printmaker Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. Kennedy conducted both in-school workshops as well as created a display of original prints based on ideas generated by Albemarle County and Charlottesville City Schools students. Earlier this year, both school divisions collected aphorisms, statements, and words of wisdom from students which Kennedy printed in his signature style from handset wood and metal type, and eco-friendly and affordable chipboard. Prints are on display at various locations including CHS, Buford and Walker Schools.

Members of the community were able to engage with Kennedy on March 9 at the “ArtConnections” celebration at CHS, where he led a printmaking workshop. This event was free and open to the public (more details about “ArtConnections” mentioned above).

Throughout the month of March, Kennedy will be conducting in-school workshops working with art students at six city schools (CHS, Buford, Walker, Burnley-Moran, Johnson, and Venable). Prints generated during the in-school workshops will also be displayed at each school.

The “Finding Wisdom” residency coincides with the VA Festival of the Book and is supported by Virginia Humanities Virginia Center for the Book. It involves many facets of the Charlottesville-Albemarle community including Boys & Girls Club, JMRL, PVCC, Jefferson School Tenants, Descendants of the enslaved at Monticello, UVA, and other local cultural organizations.

Winter Sports Postseason and Spring Try-out Information

February 8, 2019UncategorizedCHSBeth Cheuk

Tierenni Younger; P/C Daily Progress/Zack Wajsgras

As we head into the post-season, congratulations to our teams and athletes for another strong season of athleticism and sportsmanship, and best wishes as regional competitions begin! See details, below, and check for Twitter updates at @CHSBlackKnights or @cville_dsa (Director of Student Activities) for future results and competition times.

And it’s time to look ahead for spring sports!

Spring Sports Try-Out Info 2019 for baseball/softball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and track

Basketball

Congrats to the boys and girls teams for finishing up their last week of regular-season play in an impressive fashion. The girls finished tied for 2nd in the district and regional standings and will get to host several playoff games. The boys finished the season with a bang by upsetting top-ranked Louisa County in a road game! The boys team also qualified for regionals.

Regional play begins 2/15 with girls hosting William Byrd at 6pm and boys playing at Salem.

Charlottesville’s Zymir Faulkner talks after a road win over Louisa County in First Off the Floor presented by @PT_acac pic.twitter.com/ZDlsSdq8sO

— scrimmageplay (@scrimmageplay) February 7, 2019

Swimming

Congratulations to CHS 10th-grader Ella Reed for capturing the Region 4D Championship in the 200 Intermediate! In addition, Zoe DeGuzman qualified for state in the 200 Freestyle and the 100 Breaststroke, and Howard Zu will also be swimming in the 100 Breaststroke.

Track

Good luck to track athletes in regional play. At the Jefferson District meet, the women’s team placed 3rd and the men came in 4th. Many athletes qualified for the regional meet based on their season and Jefferson District performances: Kristina Abraham, Susannah Birle, Charlotte Bloor, Aliyah Cobbs, Avyonne Cobbs, Jude Fairchild, Asha Gupta, Autumn Hiller, Lucia Hoskins, Miles Kershner, Graham Lenert, Reece McKee, Grace McMahon-Gioeli, Adam Moreland, Elodie Price, Eliza Schock, Lewis Tate, Edison Tennant, Kika Van der Pluijm, Isaac Vik, Joe Von Storch, and members of the men’s 4×800 Relay.

Jefferson District meet highlights included Lewis Tate’s High Jump victory and 2nd-place finishes for Susannah Birle in 55M and 300M; Kika Van der Pluijm in 1000M; and Joe Von Storch in 300M.

Wrestling

Congrats to David Wiles for qualifying for states during the Wrestling team’s regional meet on 2/8 and 2/9. Congratulations also to the following wrestlers for their Jefferson District success: Nima Tamang (3rd) and 4th-place finishers Stuart Applestein, Javion Vest, David Wiles, and Ben Yates.

Other Recognition:

Field Hockey’s Talia Marshall was the January 31 Newsplex Student Athlete of the Week for her behind-the-scenes leadership.

Football’s Sabias Folley, Marcus Targonski, and Isaiah Washington were recognized at the Falcon Club Banquet honoring excellence.

TheatreCHS presents musical “Mamma Mia!”

February 7, 2019CCS HomeCHSKrissy Vick

The Charlottesville High School Theater Department presented the Broadway musical hit “Mamma Mia!” on Friday, February 15 through Sunday, February 17 at CHS in the Martin Luther King Performing Arts Center.

Photo collage of scenes from "Mamma Mia!" — Photos by Laura Shinseki

Based on the songs of Swedish pop band ABBA including a top hit by the same name, “Mamma Mia” is one of the longest running shows in Broadway history. It features strong female leads with an emphasis on themes of female friendships and empowerment. In 2008, a film adaptation premiered starring Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried.

“This year‘s production of ‘Mamma Mia!’ promises to be a night or afternoon full of joy and happiness,” said CHS Drama Department Chair David Becker, who is in his 10th year leading TheatreCHS. “The cast, crew, and orchestra have worked tirelessly to polish all of the elements that go into a successful show.”

The Friday and Saturday evening performances and the Sunday matinee performance featured the full cast, while the Saturday matinee benefit show featured the understudies. All proceeds from the benefit show will go toward college scholarships.

First-year parent volunteer Victoria Hamilton, whose daughter, Courtney, plays the role of Dona in the musical, said participating in theater is a valuable, multi-faceted experience for the students.

“Through theatre, our kids use math, science, engineering, technology, design, construction, public speaking, visual arts, performing arts, all while fostering a supportive community,” said Hamilton. “I witnessed each of these real life applications and vast creativities in multitudes over the past several weeks by kids from all backgrounds and interests. I have no doubt they will carry this with them throughout their lives.”

“Mamma Mia!” is part of the 2018-19 TheatreCHS performance season which includes: “Dreaming America,” “Arabian Nights,” “Heathers The Musical,” “The Crucible,” and the annual Dessert Theatre.

About TheatreCHS

TheatreCHS has consistently remained an important and vital fine arts force at Charlottesville High School. The Program invites students to work collaboratively, develop critical thinking and public speaking skills, and engage in creative dialogues. An array of courses is taught with the intention of providing enrichment for students interested in these skills, all of which encompass dramatic arts. Numerous students have gone on to pursue advanced studies in theater/cinema, technical theater, stage management, and lighting design at a variety of top schools including Carnegie Mellon University, Columbia College, George Mason University, James Madison University, University of Virginia, and Princeton University. For more information, visit http://theatrechs.org/.

Related Links:

Academic advising season begins

January 23, 2019UncategorizedCHSKrissy Vick

Scheduling for next year is underway! Now is the time for students to weigh options and discuss their future course selections with their teachers, school counselors, and families.

Here is the latest message from CHS Principal Dr. Eric Irizarry.

For a complete overview of the course selection process, please view this video provided by the CHS school counseling team:

More information about the process and the Program of Studies is available here.

Additional information and scheduling help specific to Buford Middle School is available here.

In addition, Charlottesville-Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC) has a wide variety of career and technical course offerings. Two upcoming events where you can learn more:

CATEC Community Open House, Tuesday, February 5, 2019 from 5-7 p.m.
CATEC at Barnes and Noble, Friday, February 8, 2019 from 10-11:30 and 1:45-3pm.

Course Selection Timeline:

January 21: Teacher recommendations for core classes are posted to PowerSchool. Students can log in to their accounts to view recommendations. Parents can also log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal to view recommendations and give input.
January 28-February 1: Student Curriculum Fair for students each day during lunch period. Students can learn more about course offerings and ask questions.
January 29: Community Curriculum Fair at CHS. Families are invited to learn more about course offerings and ask questions.
February 4-22: Freshman academic advising and one-on-one meetings with counselors
February 5-29: Junior academic advising and one-on-one meetings with counselors
February 13-17: Buford Middle School academic advising for rising freshmen
February 19-March 8: Sophomore academic advising and one-on-one meetings with counselors
March 27: Course selections completed and posted to student PowerSchool accounts. Parents can log in to Parent Portal to review and will receive printed copies of the schedules in the CHS Quarter 3 mailing.

CHS earns triple gold in 2019 Advocacy in Action Awards

January 16, 2019UncategorizedCHSKrissy Vick

The Charlottesville High School music program is a triple-gold winner in the 2019 Music for All Advocacy in Action Awards for its 2018 music collaboration with students from Metro Nashville Public Schools.

Recognized for excellence in three categories, Community Service Project, Community Engagement, and Community Event, members of the CHS Orchestra and CHS Choir joined talents with the “Fab 5,” a student quintet from Pearl-Cohn Magnet High School in Nashville to perform Bebe Winans’ hit song, “Right Now (We Need One Another).” The efforts were a direct response to the deadly events of August 11-12, 2017 in Charlottesville, VA.

Under the leadership of CHS Orchestra Director Laura Mulligan Thomas and CHS Choir Director Will Cooke, the students performed the song at a school-wide assembly at Charlottesville High School followed by various locations around the city, including the street where Heather Heyer lost her life. Video footage of the collaboration was shared with the community via social media and broadcasted on a jumbotron as part of the Concert for Charlottesville featuring headlining musicians such as Dave Matthews, Pharrell Williams and Stevie Wonder. Held at University of Virginia’s Scott Stadium, the concert was attended by over 50,000 people and live-streamed on such platforms as Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr and HuffPost.

“We are thrilled to receive this recognition for our students’ efforts for community advocacy through music,” said Cooke. “The collaboration created immeasurable positive feeling and healing within our school communities, our local communities, and beyond—including a follow-up gathering to record a second song in support of the Parkland, Florida survivors.”

Charlottesville High School’s submission will be part of the Music for All Advocacy in Action website, which is a clearinghouse of practical advocacy examples that can be adapted and replicated by programs nationwide. To read more about the project and see the video, visit https://advocacy.musicforall.org/submission/right-now-we-need-one-another-event/.

“Building bridges between schools and communities starts with identifying what we already share,” said Thomas. “Students in a Virginia choir and orchestra were eager to collaborate with students in a Tennessee choir because we all speak the same musical language; we share the culture of rehearsals, practice, and performance. The students in Nashville recorded a video for us, we responded with an invitation, and the resulting collaboration was awe-inspiring for our students, teachers, and community!”

For more information about Music for All, please visit www.musicforall.org.

Fine Arts Upcoming Events

January 9, 2019CCS HomeCHS, School Division NewsKrissy Vick

At Charlottesville City Schools, we value the fine arts. We invite you to come see our students’ talents this winter, whether in band, choir, dance, theater, orchestra, the visual arts or more (see calendar below).

Upcoming Events

January 10, Buford Middle School student art exhibit at City Hall
January 18, Walker Stage Left Theatre presents: The Trial of Goldilocks, 6:30 p.m., Walker Auditorium
January 20, CHS Orchestra presents Serge Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” with special guest Jamie Bernstein, 3 p.m., The Paramount Theater. (click for more info)
January 29, Walker School 5th grade band concert, 7pm, Walker Auditorium
January 30, CHS Symphony/Choir Concert, 7:30pm, MLKPAC
February 1, Buford Stage Left Theatre performance, 6:30 p.m., Buford Auditorium
February 2, Jr. Regional Orchestra Festival, 9 a.m., Jouett Middle School
February 8-9, All-District Chorus, Albemarle High School.
February 14-17, TheatreCHS presents “Mamma Mia!” 7:30 p.m., MLKPAC (click for more info)
February 16, District Jazz Festival, Albemarle High School
February 21, CHS Band Assessment Preview Concert, 7 p.m., MLKPAC
February 26, Buford Band Assessment Preview Concert, 7 p.m., Buford Auditorium
February 27, Walker Band Assessment Preview Concert, 7 p.m., Walker Auditorium
March 1-2, District Band Assessments, Fluvanna High School
March 4-13, ArtConnection Exhibit, weekdays, MLKPAC
March 6, ArtConnections Open House, 4-6:30pm, MLKPAC
March 9, ArtConnections Saturday Celebration, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., MLKPAC
March 9, District Orchestra Assessments
March 13, ArtConnections Open House, 4-6:30 p.m., MLKPAC
March 14, District Choir Assessments, Eastern View High School
March 21, All-City Chorus Festival, 7 p.m., MLKPAC
March 22-24, TheatreCHS New York Trip
March 22-23, Jr. Regional Orchestra

Follow CHS on Social Media

January 7, 2019UncategorizedCHSKrissy Vick

Stay connected with Charlottesville High School by following school happenings on Facebook and Twitter!

Cville OneBook: The Hate U Give

December 14, 2018UncategorizedCHSBeth Cheuk

Charlottesville High Schools earned a shout-out in USAToday on December 10 for its direct discussions about race in its English 9 honors-option classes. After in-class discussions and activities relating to the award-winning novel The Hate U Give (plus a field trip to see the movie), there was also an evening panel discussion featuring students and author Angie Thomas via Skype. Thanks to Jefferson School African American Heritage Center for their hospitality and leadership in hosting the panel discussion.

Thomas praised Charlottesville’s direct approach to learning from the white supremacist rallies in August 2017: “It gives me hope for the rest of the country.”Since last year, CHS librarian Anne Ernst has been working on OneBook, dedicated to a community “Big Read” of the book as a response to A12. OneBook also coordinated a special printing of the book for free distribution. This is the second year that the 2017 book has featured prominently in the English 9 curriculum since it raises topics that are timely and relevant to the Charlottesville community and CHS students’ lives.

The USA Today mention arose from local coverage of this initiative in Sunday’s Daily Progress. That article features Ernst plus CHS teachers Jenn Horne and Andy Josselyn, along with CHS students Joseph Gainey, Sam Schuyler, and Elana West-Smith.

Superintendent Rosa Atkins noted, “This is just one example of ways that our teachers and staff guide students to engage with crucial issues. These discussions require courage from teachers and students. They are important and meaningful to all of us. Thanks to all involved for their leadership.”

Links:

News and Highlights December 2018

December 5, 2018CCS Home, UncategorizedBuford, Burnley-Moran, CHS, Clark, Greenbrier, Jackson-Via, Johnson, School Division News, Venable, WalkerBeth Cheuk

A Word from Superintendent Dr. Rosa Atkins and the Charlottesville School Board

Dear community members—

Thanks to so many of you who have shared your voice and time with us during our conversations about equity at Charlottesville City Schools.

At our second forum this past week, we reflected back some of the action items that have arisen so far from parents, staff, students, and community members. Participants voted on their top-priority action items. In addition, we invited participants to add any ideas that were missing from our summaries.

We are still listening. We need to hear from as many voices as possible. You can vote on your priority actions (and give us any missing ideas) by going to charlottesvilleschools.org/equity-forum. We are also working with students to make sure we hear their key perspectives. In addition, we invite faith communities, clubs, or groups to contact us about hosting a mini-forum so we can receive additional feedback.

Why is listening so important? We cannot fully address these issues unless we better understand them.

The values our community is expressing – that all students are loved, that all gifts are recognized, that all potential is nurtured – are the values of our staff, leaders, and Board. We have been actively working to promote this vision for decades, and yet, like schools across the country, our schools show how challenging it is to eradicate disparities.

So we are listening to learn what has been working and what needs to be improved. What haven’t we tried? What barriers are we not seeing?

In addition to listening, we are also acting. We are forming a committee on equity with a broad coalition of school and community stakeholders. We are doing internal reviews of our data, programs, and efforts. We are mapping resources of sister school divisions and model equity programs so that we can learn from others. The School Board is drafting an equity policy that will guide our practices and lay a foundation for parity.

In short, we continue to listen. We are taking first steps to review and revise our past efforts and plan future action. We are guided by our confidence that your values are our values and that together, we want to seize this moment to make a difference for our community.

With appreciation,

Dr. Rosa Atkins, Superintendent
Juandiego Wade, School Board Chair

Kindergartners and fourth-graders from Clark “kid-tested” first-year UVA Engineering students’ designs at the UVA Design Lab. Meanwhile, Walker students also tested the college students’ projects in the Alpha Lab at Walker. UVA’s budding engineers designed age-appropriate interactive educational activities. Read more here.

BUS STOP MEET & GREETS PROVIDE BOOKS, SNACKS, SMILES
Throughout the year it is not uncommon to see Family Engagement Facilitator Velvet Coleman greeting families at the bus stops. She is a familiar face to families and often passes out free books and snacks to children as well as educational resources to parents. Learn more about our efforts to promote family engagement here. Recently, Ms. Coleman and Dr. Atkins chatted about ways families can connect with their schools. See the video here.

MUFFINS WITH MOMS, DONUTS WITH DADS CONNECTS SCHOOLS & FAMILIES
Like all of our elementary schools, Johnson Elementary offers opportunities for moms, dads, uncles, aunts, grandparents, and/or special friends to join their students for some quality time at school. Recently, the school hosted two breakfast and books events–Muffins with Moms and Donuts with Dads. Additionally, the pre-K and kindergarten classes prepared a delicious soup supper for their families, and many families and friends attended the school’s annual International Day celebration.

VENABLE ALL-STARS SING NATIONAL ANTHEM IN JOHN PAUL JONES ARENA
Our fourth grade chorus proudly sang the National Anthem at the UVA women’s basketball game in front of students from schools across Charlottesville and Albemarle. Way to go, 4th graders! Pictured left, a live video of the students on the jumbotron in the John Paul Jones Arena as they sing before the game begins. See the video here.

CHS STUDENTS TOUR WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY
Thanks to the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, GEAR UP, and Virginia Latino Higher Education Network, several of our Hispanic CHS students took a free school field trip to Lexington, Virginia to visit one of the nations top liberal arts colleges, Washington and Lee University. During the college visit, the group toured the campus, met with admissions officers, and enjoyed lunch.

CHS THEATRE PRESENTS “HEATHERS” – OPENING NIGHT THURSDAY
“Heathers The Musical” is a PG-13 version of the off-Broadway show. Considered a “dark comedy,” “Heathers” revolves around serious issues that students continue to face today. Take a sneak peek at CHSTheatre rehearsals here. Rated PG-13,this show is recommended for high school aged students and older. The show runs Thursday-Sunday in the CHS Black Box Theatre. Order tickets and learn more about the show here.

UPCOMING EVENTS AT-A-GLANCE
illustration of calendar 12/5 Walker/Buford Chorus Concert, 7pm, Walker Auditorium
12/6 City Schoolyard Garden Harvest of the Month
12/6 School Board meeting, 5pm, CHS Media Center
12/6 CHS Theatre presents “Heathers The Musical” through 12/8
12/7 CHS Art First Fridays exhibit (portraits of musicians), 5-7pm, Music Resource Center, 105 Ridge Street
12/10 Venable Winter Concert, 6pm
12/11 Jackson-Via Winter Concert 6:30pm
12/11 Burnley-Moran Winter Concert 6:15pm (dinner at 5:30pm)
12/11 Johnson Winter Concert, 6 pm
12/12 Walker Orchestra Winter Concert, 7pm
12/12 CHS Art exhibit, “(W)here to Stay,” 6-8pm, Jefferson School
12/13 CHS Choir Holiday Pops Concert, 7pm, MLKPAC
12/18 Clark Winter Concert 6pm (dinner at 5:30pm)
12/18 Greenbrier Winter Concert 6pm
12/18 CHS mid-term exams through 12/21
12/19 All-City Band Concert, 7pm, MLKPAC
12/24 Winter Break – no school through 1/4/2019
1/7 Classes Resume

More Looks at Cville Schools

Walker Upper Elementary students performed a dance at International Day in the school cafeteria. The school-wide celebration included student projects that featured food, dance, music, and costumes from countries around the globe. ESOL teacher Elena Kryzhanovskaya, a former ESL student and refugee from Ukraine who moved to Charlottesville when she was eight years old, organized the event. Learn more about Mrs. K’s heart for her students here.

A video by musicians from CHS and Metro-Nashville Public Schools has earned a 2018 Advocacy in Action Award from the music education non-profit, Music for All. The musical remake of Bebe and CeCe Winans’ song, “Right Now (We Need One Another),” was recorded last year in response to the events of August 11-12 in Charlottesville. The music video features 80 CHS choir and orchestra musicians, along with Nashville’s Fab 5, a group of student singers who attend different schools at MNPS. Watch the video here.

Local motivational speaker and civil rights pioneer Alex-Zan shares his message, “Today’s thinkers are tomorrow’s leaders” with third and fourth grade students at Jackson-Via. In partnership with Charlottesville City Schools, Alex-Zan is visiting City elementary schools (three per year) to assure that at least once during their elementary years, all Charlottesville students hear Alex-Zan’s positive messages and learn the story of the Charlottesville 12, the group of students who first integrated our city schools. See more photos here.

Find more info and events on on our website, social media, or our Google calendars!

Find us on the web at charlottesvilleschools.org

Subscribe to our Google calendars

CHS Mid-term exam schedule

December 5, 2018UncategorizedCHSCommunity Relations

CHS students will take mid-term exams December 18-21, 2018. Check out the exam schedule and bus info here.

Mid-Term Exam Schedule 2018

Please note:

There will be no CATEC or early morning bus runs 12/18-12/21.
Early morning exams will be December 17 during regularly scheduled early morning classes.
Virtual class exam locations are TBD.