From the Principal's Desk

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 01/08/2021 03:56 PM EST
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In this Issue

1.  From the Principal's Desk

2.  Academic Advising/Course Selection for 2021-2022 School Year

3.  Chantilly Academy’s Open House January 14, 2021 at 6:00-7:00 pm

4.  Virginia District 10 Congressional App Winner - Chantilly Team

5.  Fairfax County Council PTA (FCCPTA) is pleased to announce the 2020-21 Student Technology Mini-Grant Program

6.  BLAST-STEM Opportunity for 9th Grade Students

7.  Recent Student Successes

 

1.  From the Principal's Desk

Dear Members of the Chantilly HS Community:

 

Happy Friday. It would be tone-deaf of me to not acknowledge the extraordinary events of this week. During my scheduled meeting with Leadership students yesterday, they shared their feelings of anxiety, fear, and confusion about what happened at the Capitol on Wednesday and why. They shared how hard it is to study and concentrate with so much else going on in their lives. On top of the more typical stressors that high school students experience about doing well in school, getting into college, and navigating adolescence, they are working through the first major pandemic in 100 years and one of the most volatile periods of political unrest in modern times. I hope and think our dialogue was cathartic, but it left me very concerned about the social and emotional well-being of CHS students across our community. There is simply a lot for all of us to process. I recommend that all teachers, coaches, counselors, and parents not take the psychological well-being of our students for granted. Please take some time this weekend to check-in with your son or daughter and spend some time just listening to where they are at. If you are interested in or need related resources, I’ve included some links below that you may find useful.

 

Despite all the challenges they face, many CHS students continue to be resilient and demonstrate remarkable ability and leadership. For example, students Yukta Ramanan, Katherine Richer, Nayana Celine Xavier, Gitika Gorthi, Claire Zhang, Natalie Snevely and Isis Holmes presented their work with the JEDI initiative to administrators and department chairs earlier this week. JEDI--which stands for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion--is a collaborative initiative led by Assistant Principal Amy Parmentier that is committed to learning about race, religion, culture, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation and how these issues impact our community. Their work to date is making a positive difference at CHS and I think all of the adults that heard their presentation left feeling impressed and inspired. Speaking of impressed and inspired, I also want to recognize students Thomas Chia (Junior), Sreya Devarakonda (Junior), and Cindy Wu (Senior) for winning the 2020 Congressional App Challenge in Virginia District 10 (please see the message below for more details). Please join me in congratulating these remarkable students!

 

Finally, I hope all of you saw the update we sent earlier today regarding the decision by the FCPS School Board to pause the reopening of schools. We will be following up with next steps as soon as our revised schedule for reopening becomes clear.

 

Have a good weekend,

Scott

 

 

 

 

2. Academic Advising/Course Selection for 2021-2022 School Year

The Academic Advising process for course selection for the 2021-2022 school year is starting soon.

Chantilly HS Student Services has organized a Google Site with resources related to Academic Advising: https://sites.google.com/view/chs-academic-advising

This site includes information on graduation requirements, course recommendations by grade level, Honors/AP course expectations, Dual Enrollment and more.

Note: In order to access this site, students may have to log out of their FCPS Google Account. If you receive a ‘not found’ error while trying to access the site, check your browser to ensure you are not logged in to an FCPS Google Account.

 

Students will receive an overview of the Academic Advising process over the next few weeks.

  • 11th Grade (Rising Seniors) – Overview during Advisory on Tuesday, January 12
  • 10th Grade (Rising Juniors) – Overview during Health & PE 10 on Thursday, January 14 or Friday, January 15
  • 9th Grade (Rising Sophomores) – Overview during Health & PE 9 on Thursday, February 4 or Friday, February 5
  • 9th and 10th grade students enrolled in Online Campus PE 9 or 10 or those not enrolled in PE this year will receive an email from their counselor with information.

Current CHS students should check their school email accounts regularly for updates and information about Academic Advising from counselors.

 

Current 8th Grade Students (Rising 9th Grade) will participate in a presentation with CHS counselors:

  • Rachel Carson: Friday, January 8
  • Franklin: Wednesday, January 13
  • Rocky Run: Friday, January 15

 

Curriculum Night Presentation

Rising 9th Grade Families are invited to view this pre-recorded ‘Curriculum Night’ presentation that reviews course options available for 9th grade students and suggestions to help your student make the most of their high school experience. https://youtu.be/QPvTkKtuLvM

 

Virtual Curriculum Fair

Current CHS students (grades 9, 10 and 11) reviewed a Virtual Curriculum Fair Google Site during Advisory on Thursday, January 7.

Families and students are encouraged to use this resources throughout the Academic Advising process.

https://sites.google.com/view/chsvirtualfair

Note: In order to access this Google Site – students may have to log out of their FCPS Google account.

 

3.  Chantilly Academy’s Open House January 14, 2021 at 6:00-7:00 pm

Chantilly Academy Open House Flyer

Three informational sessions will be held to allow students/parents to attend multiple classroom presentations.

Session 1: 6:05-6:20 pm

Session 2: 6:25-6:40 pm

Session 3: 6:45-7:00 pm

Please join us with the link below: https://us.bbcollab.com/guest/78d693a881904d00a2c28fd8e468a853

4.  Virginia District 10 Congressional App Winner - Chantilly Team

Congratulations to the 3-member Chantilly team, Thomas Chia, Sreya Devarakonda and Cindy Wu, for winning the 2020 Congressional App Challenge in Virginia District 10. Please see the tweet below, from Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton with a photo of the video call with Congresswomen and the judges.

App Challenge Tweet

5.  Fairfax County Council PTA (FCCPTA) is pleased to announce the 2020-21 Student Technology Mini-Grant Program

PTA Mini Grant

Through a generous donation from the Fairfax County NAACP, FCCPTA is offering Fairfax County Public School students (in grades 3-11) an opportunity to obtain a $500 mini-grant for the purchase of a computer and/or technology-related device or equipment.

There are six (6) mini-grants available. In order to apply, the student or their parent/guardian MUST be a member of a PTA/PTSA.

Application deadline: Friday, January 15, 2021

 

For more information, contact Michelle Leete at vp.communications@fccpta.org

Student Mini-Grant Application

6.  BLAST-STEM Opportunity for 9th Grade Students

Building Leaders for Advancing Science and Technology (BLAST) is a FREE educational program of the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, designed to ignite a passion in students who already show an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The BLAST 3-day residential, on-campus experience, which is packed with demonstrations and collaborative activities led by college faculty, will inspire students to envision a career in a STEM field and motivate them to expand the number of STEM-related classes they take in higher grade levels. 

BLAST Flyer

6.  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 (virtually) to congratulate them.

  • Smriti Balasubramanian has made incredible strides in her skills as a reader and a writer. I have been particularly impressed by how she actively seeks additional support when necessary. This maturity is not limited to self-advocacy; it extends to her ability to absorb feedback and then adjust her efforts accordingly. Her literary analysis skills are truly blossoming! I look forward to witnessing her continued growth. Ms. Lara Shackford
  • Maher Baloch is always willing to engage in complex and challenging class discussions. He writes with honesty and he is a strong team player when it comes to collaborating with other classmates. Mr. James Steck
  • Cassandra (Cassie) Barnes' commitment to producing excellent work in English and her willingness to help others has enabled our class to make strides we would not have otherwise. She dives into each challenge with a positive mindset, utilizing the work we have analyzed in class to guide her next independent steps. I am so grateful for the effect she creates in our class and feel fortunate to be her teacher this year! Ms. Kimberly Scott
  • Eva Brandan is one of the best writers I have ever had in English 12. She attacks each assignment, whether major or minor, with creativity and gusto. I often save hers for last, as reading her work is akin to enjoying a great dessert! Ms. Mary Kay Downes
  • During Christine Cheung's first year on The Purple Tide, she has taken on a leadership role as a copy editor and has been a staff favorite for providing quick and thorough feedback. In addition to helping others, Christine is a strong, creative writer who meets all deadlines. She is a role model for her classmates, and I feel fortunate that she shares her talents with our journalism class. Ms. Kristine Brown
  • Every B Day, without fail, Kamdyn Corbin joins our class and radiates positivity and good vibes using her mic and the chat feature in BBCU. Through these long months of virtual instruction, Kamdyn helps us stay focused on what's important: being part of the Chantilly community! Kamdyn, I am so happy you're in DE English! Ms. Deb Wydra
  • I've had the pleasure of teaching Sarah Ellen Henein for two years now; she has really grown as a writer. What impresses me most is how Sarah takes the strategies she learned from one writing assignment and applies them to the next. She works so hard and never gives up! Ms. Kristin Dreyer
  • Dianela Paola Moron continues to shine in class. She is not afraid to ask question about the literature that we are reading in our content and she is not afraid to vocally decipher a reading passage to get to the deeper meaning. She continues to demonstrate active reading and a love for learning. Ms. Jocelyn Ohene-Stephens
  • We recently wrote persuasive essays in our class. Alexis (Lune) Foster's essay was well written, persuasive, and showed a lot of hard work! Lune is a joy to have in class and helps create a wonderful class community. Ms. Emma Holleran
  • Madaline Irwin is a true breath of fresh air in these difficult times. She takes feedback to heart, keying in on improving her skills while retaining her unique and relatable voice in her writing. Moreover, Madaline communicates effectively and takes advantage of the resources available to her. Mr. Bobby Nelson
  • Leona Kim is an absolute rock star in English 9 Honors! She completes all assignments accurately with beautifully fluid writing that displays improvement from classroom lessons and activities; her presentation skills catered with her background and textual knowledge are some of the most impressive I've ever seen. Leona's engagement and participation in class help make the entire class more enjoyable for both her peers and myself! Mr. Andrew Wax
  • Samantha McMahan has shown tremendous strength in self-advocacy for her mental health and academics. She is a strong, dedicated and hard-working student who values her education and is learning how to ask for help during this difficult year. Ms. Cameron Zottola
  • Alexandra (Alex) Nesmith consistently produces excellent writing that is clear and well-organized. Her professionalism and work ethic will carry her to great heights. She is an exemplary student, a young adult who will soon change society for the better. Mr. Luc Nguyen
  • Brian Ng always comes to class prepared to engage in class discussions. His enthusiasm is infectious and his willingness to share his thoughts makes teaching even more enjoyable. It is truly a pleasure to have him in my class. Ms. Cynthia Yoon
  • Nathan Radler is a reliable, kind, and enthusiastic student. He regularly participates in classes with both casual messages as well as contributing questions, suggestions, and answers to the class, using his microphone and the chat function. In addition, Nathan is a leader when it comes to group work and is unafraid to take charge of an assignment. Ms. Tatiana Kinsel
  • When creating a "flash drive" for a character in our novel, Arvind Ramesh went above and beyond by creating insightful, professional looking, and creative artifacts to put in the flash drive. The artifacts show attention to detail and great effort! Ms. Emma Holleran
  • Jeydi Rodas-Duque joined my class at the beginning of second quarter. She was immediately totally engaged and a leader in discussions and group activities. She has responsibilities helping her younger sister during distance learning, so it is amazing that she keeps as engaged and interested in her own classes. She is an amazing and strong young woman! It is a privilege to be able to work with her. Ms. Denise Diaz
  • Your time and dedication to our class has not gone unnoticed, Colby Simoneau! Thank you for taking the time to meet with me when you have questions and working diligently to grow your writing. Very proud of you! Ms. Nikki Lehman
  • Venkata (Vyas) Yaddanapudi keeps us laughing and engaged, regardless of context! Not only is he a focused and attentive student, but he also lightens the mood with his good humor and light-hearted comments during class time. It is an honor to be his teacher this year - his presence is a true gift! Ms. Jennifer Dean