From the Principal's Desk
Dear Members of the Chantilly Community:
As we settle back into the rhythm of our lives after Winter Break, I’m already reminiscing how much I enjoyed the time off. I’m especially fortunate to have visited my sister’s family in the Truckee/Lake Tahoe area of California, and my parents joined us from our hometown of Miami. Prior to our departure, I made a conscious decision to not take my computer with me and I rarely looked at my mobile phone; instead, I simply cooked out with my brother-in-law, went cross country skiing with my wife, went sledding with the kids, and sat around the wood stove laughing with my family as we exchanged stories. I read the article below last week and it made me realize that I need to do a better job of slowing down each and every week rather than once every few months. I suspect that many of you are like me in that you have to work at relaxing. Why is it so hard to simply slow down and really engage with those around you? Perhaps it is because Northern Virginia is seemingly filled with Type A personalities and everyone is trying to keep up? Perhaps it is because we are so interconnected with so many in the modern age that we sacrifice a few deep connections with others in our pursuit of maintaining shallow connections with so many? My guess is that the answer is some mixture of all the above. All I know is that I loved the quality time I spent with those closest to me and would benefit from experiencing it more often. The article below makes the case for purposeful rest each and every week:
Can You Turn Off All Technology for a Full Day Every Week?
“There are many people who need to work seven days a week,” says filmmaker and author Tiffany Shlain in this Boston Globe article. “But many others choose to.” For years she was in the latter category: “Weekends were a chaotic mix of recreation and work, sending e-mails and ticking things off my never-ending to-do list. Not only could I pat myself on the back for my work ethic, I believed I was making more time for myself in the upcoming week. I’d be ahead of the game.” Then her father died and her daughter was born, and she decided to take a look at how she was spending time – and the history of the workweek.
The concept of a weekly day of rest goes back to the ancient Hebrews, and it helped create a weekly opportunity for big-picture thinking that acted as a positive cultural force. Most religions have a day of repose similar to the Jewish Sabbath: the Christian Sunday, the Muslim communal day of prayer on Friday, the Buddhist period of reflection known as Uposatha, the Cherokee tradition of “un-time” days of rest. One historian believes the Pilgrims came to America partly to observe a stricter Sabbath.
Then in the 1800s, the industrial revolution intruded, with factories that could run around the clock. Only a robust labor movement established the 8-hour day and 40-hour workweek, and Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894. The passage of the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act made two-day weekends the norm across the nation.
But smartphones and the Internet turned all this upside down. “The digital revolution has blurred the lines between time on and time off,” says Shlain, “and time off is disappearing… It’s time to reconsider what Labor Day actually means to us – what we define as work and as rest in our 24/7 always-on, always-available culture. We need to take a hard look at the boundaries we have let slide and some boundaries we might need to bring back.”
Shlain’s family decided to completely unplug from devices and screens from Friday night to Saturday night – a technology Shabbat. “This did exactly what I hoped,” she says, “creating a work/life border and slowing the pace, at least for a day. I think of Einstein’s theory that time is relative to the motion of things. When that smartphone is on, everything is sped up. When you turn it off, time seems to slow down. When you make a ritual of turning it off each week for a full day, you can actually rest, truly, deeply, and in a restorative way we rarely get…” She’s found that her family is happier and calmer, and in her workplace (a film studio), where the practice has been adopted, productivity has significantly improved even though people are working fewer hours.
“I found the solution in an ancient practice, remade for the modern era,” Shlain concludes. “I invite you to join me.”
“A Labor Call to Action: Take a Tech Shabbat” by Tiffany Shlain in The Boston Globe, September 1, 2019 (pp. K1, K4), https://bit.ly/2MOFL9g; Shlain’s book is 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week (Gallery Books, 2019)
Scott
 Chantilly HS MUN
On January 9th and 10th, Chantilly Model UN held its annual Model UN Conference. More than 800 students from around Virginia and Maryland attended. This is one of the largest student lead activities in FCPS. It was managed primarily by the student leadership of the model UN with help from Sponsors Sra. Vazquez and Mr. Ashley. The CHMUN Conference has become the highlight of the UN Conference season and is one of the best managed conferences in the region. Congratulations to the student leaders of the fantastic event, Vijay Rudraaju, Yifan Chen, Varun Yadav, Vihar Shah, Ahkil Maheedpathi, Haerin So, Yukta Ramanan, and Nayana Celine Xavier! Great work managing a huge event.
We also would like to recognize Mr. Dan Ashley and Sra. Zoraida Vazquez for their leadership with our MUN program.
Recognition of CHS STEP (Secondary Transition to Employment Program)
The video below showcases the tremendous partnership between the Chantilly and South Lakes HS STEP (Secondary Transition to Employment Program) and USGS (United States Geological Survey). Students are engaged in STEM internships supporting scientists across the county. The FCPS model STEP-UP has been replicated in numerous locations in the U.S.
https://youtu.be/GoUEHk3aBD4
Calendar Reminder: Schools Closed on January 20 for MLK Holiday, January 27-28 for Teacher Workday and Staff Development Day
As a reminder, schools and offices will be closed on Monday, January 20, for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 21. Also, schools will be closed for students January 27-28 for a teacher workday and staff development day, respectively. January 24 is the last day of the second quarter.
See the complete 2019-20 school year calendar.
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 plan to meet with recognized students each week to congratulate them in person.
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Annie Huang and Leah Daniel are recognized for their four years of faithful library use. Annie and Leah are polite, positive and helpful students who are a joy to have in the library each day. We will miss them next year and wish them both the best in their future endeavors. The Library Staff
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Arin David is one of the most creative, imaginative and gifted students I have ever encountered. She works diligently on all her work while taking risks in all her projects. She is an outstanding student. Ms. Christine Choi
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Allison Ha Tran always has a smile on her face, and she is eager to learn in art. Allison is a hard worker and she pays attention to details, resulting in original and creative works of art. Her positive attitude makes her a pleasure to have in art class. Ms. Terilynn Thomas
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Cullen Kendrick continually steps up to the plate as a leader in our department and a constant source of leadership, kindness, dedication and professionalism. He ensures that every theatre student feels welcome and an important part of the team. He is always the first to volunteer to help with the utmost enthusiasm and is a refreshing light to those around him. We are very proud to have such an outstanding young man as a leader and inspiration to those around him in our department. Ms. Shannon Khatcheressian
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Benjamin Quiterio has been assisting in the library as a volunteer for a year. He has been dedicated to keeping the library shelves neat and organized. We thank Ben for his faithful service. The Library Staff
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Katherine Yang had the highest score of all the violinists auditioning for the VBODA District 12 Senior District Orchestra and will be the orchestra's concertmistress. Congratulations Katherine. Mr. Aaron Mynes
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