From the Principal's Desk
Dear Members of the CHS Community:
I hope you had a good week. This time of year is typically a bit challenging for students as cool temperatures drag on, the novelty of the school year has worn off, and everyone is looking forward to Spring Break. I’m hopeful that the three day weekend will provide a reprieve before we start the 4th quarter and the home stretch of the 2018-2019 School Year.
I read the article below and thought I should share it with you. It reminds all of us that students cannot learn unless they are psychologically available. As an educator and Dad, it also reminds me how important it is to constantly seek to understand what’s going on in the minds of young people and the trouble that can result when we make assumptions about students. While principal of Woodson, I experienced first-hand how trauma can substantially impact the way students see themselves and school. In October of 2015, a chemical explosion and fire resulted in six students going to the hospital—two of them by helicopter—and an entire class of students was left reeling from what they experienced. School staff had to work diligently with parents, therapists, religious leaders, and others to help students heal. In most cases, however, student trauma is not as public or well known. The loss of a loved one, surviving a major health problem, divorce, or bullying are much more common types of trauma but no less serious. If your child or any other in our care needs a helping hand, please reach out to us at CHS so we can all work together to keep our students psychologically safe so learning can flourish.
Have a good weekend,
Scott
Creating a “Trauma-Sensitive” Learning Environment for Students
In this article in Principal, Pete Hall and Kristin Souers say that many students walk into school feeling the effects of trauma. This can affect their own ability to learn, the climate of their classrooms, and the orderliness of the whole school. Trauma, in the words of Daniel Siegel of the UCLA School of Medicine, is “an experience that overwhelms our ability to cope” – perhaps including the death of a loved one, mental illness in the home, witnessing a crime, parental fighting or divorce, an incarcerated family member, homelessness, bullying.
“When children lose the ability to cope with the traumatic events in their lives,” say Hall and Souers, “they seek ways to regulate. They access whatever resources they have – healthy or unhealthy – to manage the intensity associated with the stress of these events.” Their school work and behavior often suffer. One study found that traumatized children are three times more likely to fail academically, five times more likely to have problems with attendance, and six times more likely to have behavior problems than peers who haven’t experienced trauma.
“We can’t always know what students have experienced, or even all the details about it,” continue Hall and Souers, who worked together in an elementary school in Spokane, Washington where half the students had a trauma history. “Neither can we erase traumatic experiences from students’ memories or stop trauma from happening again. But we can work diligently to create an atmosphere that is inviting, welcoming, peaceful, and safe for all our students” – one that is “trauma-sensitive.” Hall, who was principal of the school, brought in Souers, a local mental health therapist, to work with teachers, custodians, and other staff on understanding and supporting needy students. “Souers’s lessons,” they write, “centered on the one element of the equation that educators and school personnel can control: ourselves.” Here is what they worked on:
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Understanding motives – When students who have experienced trauma feel threatened, unsafe, or ill-at-ease, they often react by fleeing, fighting, or freezing. In the past, these actions often resulted in students being scolded or punished, but adults in the school began to see what was behind the actions, understood them as “normal reactions to not OK things,” and became more strategic in planning how to react when there were problems.
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Building positive relationships – Staff members were prompted to reach out to students, especially those with the most challenges, and get to know them better.
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Reacting strategically – Teachers and other staff worked on remaining calm, consistent, and caring in the face of provocative behaviors. Traumatized children sometimes create chaos – screaming, cursing, throwing papers, upending desks, tantruming, tormenting others. “Just because a child has chosen a disruptive regulation strategy doesn’t mean we need to hop on board,” say Hall and Souers. “Educators should ask: What problem is this child attempting to solve?” Was there a trigger? “The key is to avoid reacting to these infringements with frustration, anger, or irritability because a trusted adult’s response to off-kilter behaviors can either escalate or mitigate the surrounding environment… When we analyze the motivation, we can empathize with the student’s plight, talk the student down off the proverbial ledge, offer alternative strategies for self-regulation, and maintain order in the classroom… Our calmness serves as a model to students of how to self-regulate, reducing the need to remove students from our classrooms.” The teachers in Hall’s school adopted the mantra, Stay out of Oz, meaning don’t get swept away by the tornado.
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Keeping your footing – Educators have numerous demands and stresses themselves, say Hall and Souers, and it’s easy to slip. They advocate using affirmations of core values and professional purpose and aspirations – I believe… I love… I will always… I can… – to stay rooted in the most effective posture and strategies for helping all children thrive.
“Address Trauma with Calm, Consistent Care” by Pete Hall and Kristin Souers in Principal, March/April 2015 (Vol. 94, #4, p. 14-17), http://bit.ly/1GDsF55
International night, Friday, April 12th, in the cafeteria.
Tickets will be sold for $5 during lunches the week of 4/8-4/12 and on the day of the event (4/12) from 4:30 to 5:15 pm. Please follow the signs for directions pertaining to the performance location, (on the senior side of the cafeteria).
There will be two parts of the event: performances and a tasting of international cuisines. Performances will take place from 5:30-7:15 pm in the senior side of the cafeteria and the tasting will take place from 7:15 to 9:30 pm on the other end. Pizza and drinks will be provided by the International Night Committee along with the international food.
 Vaping Flyer
Vaping Flyer (Spanish)
Recognitions
Congratulations to Krista Bueno whose work was selected as a semifinalist in the National 2019 Saving Endangered Species Youth Art Contest.
Forensics Team
 Chantilly Forensics Team
Congratulations to Ms. Clougherty and the Chantilly Forensics Team! They secured the State Tournament Title for the fourth year in a row. The following students placed:
First Place:
Humorous Interpretation -- Kylee Downie
Humorous Dramatic Duo -- Jared Belsky and Cullen Kendrick Serious Dramatic Duo -- Jordan Hundley and Molly Marsh
Second Place:
Extemporaneous Speaking -- Grady Jones
Humorous Interpretation -- Rosa Broadberry Humorous Duo -- Shreya Surapaneni and Matthew Mendoza Dramatic Duo -- Lila York and Garrett Jones Poetry Interpretation -- Amro Ibrahim Serious Dramatic Interpretation -- Adriana Gao
Third Place:
Impromptu -- Maxwell Taborrock
Storytelling -- Lillie Jerome
Prose Interpretation --Haley Herman
Serious Dramatic Interpretation -- Susannah Kratt
Chantilly AFJROTC
 Chantilly Academy AFJROTC
Our Chantilly Academy Air Force Junior ROTC Team traveled to Stonewall Jackson High School’s Invitational Drill Competition last Saturday. Here are the results:
FIRST PLACE OVERALL (Drill Team Commander: Cadet Alexis Rickard, Chantilly)
FIRST PLACE OVERALL – FIRST YEAR CADETS
FIRST PLACE – Advanced Unarmed Regulation (Commander: Cadet Taylor Havens, Chantilly)
FIRST PLACE – Advanced Armed Regulation (Commander: Cadet Joseph Gonzalez, Centreville)
FIRST PLACE – Advanced Inspection (Commander: Cadet Sai Greeshma Gayam, Chantilly)
FIRST PLACE – Advanced Color Guard (Commander: Cadet Adam Denner, Chantilly)
FIRST PLACE – First Year Unarmed Regulation (Commander: Cadet Deanna Wang, Centreville)
FIRST PLACE – First Year Color Guard (Commander: Cadet Zoe Patton, Langley)
SECOND PLACE – First Year Inspection (Commander: Cadet Sara Greenly, Centreville)
FIRST PLACE – Unarmed Exhibition (Commander: Cadet Alexis Rickard, Chantilly)
FIRST PLACE – Armed Exhibition (Commander: Cadet Christopher Lee, Centreville)
Recent Student Successes
This is the next installment for the school year of what has become a weekly segment aimed at recognizing students for demonstrating recent improvement or achievement in academics, behavior or citizenship. At the end of each recognition, you will see the name of the nominating teacher or staff member. On a rotating basis, departments will nominate students. I meet with recognized students each week to congratulate them in person.
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Luna Baral enters the room every day with a smile and a greeting. She brings enthusiasm to each of her assignments. She works hard to be both thorough and creative. It’s been a joy to have her in English 12. Ms. Mary Kay Downes
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Simone Miller is an absolute joy to have in class. As an intelligent, thoughtful student, Simone speaks passionately about issues while respectfully listening to opposing views. I also love that Simone is a reader. Because she loves to read books of all genres, she has an acute sense of insight into others' experiences and perspectives. Ms. Barbara Clougherty
- We are so proud of Juan Penaloza's growth this year! Not only does he seek help whenever he needs it, he also utilizes that feedback in order to improve his writing, especially. His dedication and diligence do not go unnoticed! Ms. Nikki Lehman and Ms. Kristin Dreyer
- All year, Alex Pyo has consistently sought help to better understand and improve for the future. He asks questions before school, after school, during CT, and over email, always seeking to ensure he is on the right path. He had a major triumph with our Julius Caesar unit, and I could not be prouder. Alex earned every point he received, and I hope he takes to heart the dividends of three quarters' dedication. Way to go Alex! Ms. Molli Atallah
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