 In this Issue
1. From the Principal's Desk
2. New Online Attendance Form
3. PSAT/NMSQT on 10/29/20
4.The results are in for Class Boards and SAC
5. Ms.McGlensey Antonucci and her father Mr. Jose Abiles in the News
6. Calendar Reminder: Student Holiday on Monday, October 12, for School Planning Day
7. 2020 Thanksgiving Food Drive
1. From the Principal's Desk
Dear Members of the CHS Community:
I hope you had a good week. I came across this article abstract and found it to be a simple yet helpful reminder about how to be a good listener. I have always been impressed by great listeners and know it is a character trait/skill that people almost always appreciate. I keep trying to improve my listening skills but, as my wife reminds me, I still have work to do!
Have a good weekend,
Scott Poole
Listening 101
In this New York Times article, author Kate Murphy asks about positive experiences with listening, when a conversational partner “was so attentive to what you were saying and whose response was so spot on that you felt truly understood.” All too often, good listening is not happening: the listener is interrupting, glancing at a phone, responding in a way that’s all about them, or simply tuning out behind earbuds. This is a shame, says Murphy, because listening “is fundamental to any successful relationship – personal, professional, and political… It is only by listening that we engage, understand, empathize, cooperate, and develop as human beings… We are, each of us, the sum of what we attend to in life.”
Preparing to write a book about listening, Murphy studied neuroscience, psychology, and sociology and interviewed, among others, a bartender, a priest, a radio producer, a CIA agent, a focus group moderator, and a furniture salesperson. “I discovered that listening goes beyond simply hearing what people say,” she reports. “It also involves paying attention to how they say it and what they do while they are saying it, in what context, and how what they say resonates with you.” Although some people have better natural ability than others, listening is a skill that most of us need to practice and develop.
A vital part of listening is actively responding, asking questions, helping other people express themselves completely. “Anyone can be interesting if you ask the right questions,” says Murphy. And the right questions are not the usual ones about birthplace, college, job, marital status, and children. “Instead,” says Murphy, “ask about people’s interests. Try to find out what excites or aggravates them – their daily pleasures or what keeps them up at night. Ask them about the last movie they saw or for the story behind a piece of jewelry they’re wearing.” Pose expansive, creativity-provoking questions like, If you could spend a month anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Taking mental off-ramps is a perennial challenge when listening, and this is especially problematic when listeners have high I.Q.s, says Murphy, because they tend to be more neurotic and self-conscious and keep thinking about other stuff. She suggests using meditation techniques, acknowledging that there are these distracting thoughts and returning to the focus – in this case, the other person.
Listening well is its own reward, Murphy concludes, because it brings out the best in others, and often makes them listen better when we talk.
“Talk Less. Listen More. Here’s How” by Kate Murphy in The New York Times, January 9, 2020; Murphy’s recent book is You’re Not Listening: What You’re Missing and Why It Matters (Celadon Books, 2020)
2. New Online Attendance Form
Submitting a student full day absence, late arrival, or early release has never been easier or quicker thanks to our new online attendance form. The link is also available on the Chantilly HS website, and is provided at the bottom of the main page or search "Attendance". You can also continue to submit absences by phone at 703-222-6500.
3. PSAT/NMSQT on 10/29/20
As a reminder, Chantilly High School will offer the PSAT/NMSQT to enrolled eleventh graders on Thursday, October 29, 2020. Close to 100 teacher and staff volunteers will be coming in to CHS to help proctor. None of the teachers involved with proctoring will be available to teach, so there will be no synchronous (live) instruction at any high school in FCPS on October 29th. Instead, teachers will be assigning students asynchronous activities to complete.
4. The results are in for Class Boards and SAC
Class board members from each grade are liaisons between their grade and the administration, and they work together to plan and fundraise. SAC (Student Advisory Council) members represent Chantilly HS. They meet with other schools' SAC members to exchange ideas and voice our school's opinions and thoughts. All of these selected students had to go through an application and interview process and they will work this year to represent their classmates and Chantilly HS! Congratulations to the following students:
Freshman:
Jessica Davis, Esther Min, Griffin Lewandowski, Kaitlyn Tarry, Camila Canelas Soto, Tanisha Lanka,
Sophomores:
Jojo Ellis, Jeril Antoney, Madeleine Ngo, Bonny Koo, Siddharth Dhadi, Elena Benson
Juniors:
Emily Gates, Jessica Yang, Ayham Elayan, Olivia Erstling, Matthew, Mangosing, Arjun Rajan, Isis Holmes, Mrudula Rapaka
Seniors:
Cindy Wu, Lindsey Lim, Sara Awad, Aaron Lin, Ryan Chung, Haerin So, Simon Rothleder, Aryan Bangalore
SAC:
Cindy Wu, Aaron Lin, Haerin So, Lindsey Lim, Alternates: Jessica Yang,
Alison Lim
Ms. McGlensey Antonucci, veterinary science teacher in the Chantilly Academy, prepares her classroom for the return of her veterinary science students, with the help of her dad, Mr. Jose Abiles, an FCPS bus driver. Watch this dynamic dad and daughter in action.
6. Calendar Reminder: Student Holiday on Monday, October 12, for School Planning Day
As a reminder, Monday, October 12, is a school planning day and a student holiday. Teachers will participate in a variety of professional development and planning activities and will not be available for office hours. Students are not expected to complete asynchronous assignments on this student holiday. Classes will resume on Tuesday, October 13.
See the complete 2020-21 school year calendar.
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