Chancellor Charger Weekly Update
News You Can Use for the Week Beginning November 2, 2020
From the Principal
Greeting Chancellor Chargers,
November is here! Thank you for a great October. We are nearing the midway point of this quarter. Here are just a few reminders. Please encourage your students to log in to their classes daily and participate. Although students are learning asynchronously on Wednesdays, they still must check in with their A1 teachers. Teachers have been flexible with deadlines due to the difficulty some students are having with technology. Please encourage your student to submit work as they are able as teachers plan instruction based upon student mastery. There is no school on Tuesday- election day, so this may be a great day for students to submit assignments that they have completed but have failed to turn in.
Again, I appreciate all your support during this unprecedented time. Stay safe and have a great week!
Leading the Charge!
Cassandra Crawford, Principal
No School on Tuesday, November 3rd
Students do NOT have to attend in-person or virtually and do not need to check-in for attendance.
Underclassman Pictures - Save the Dates
Underclassman pictures are scheduled for November 10th & November 12th from 12 pm - 7 pm. Please see the attached flyers below for more information. Every student in the building will take a photo for ID card purposes. Virtual students will be scheduled after school hours. Additional information will be forthcoming next week. See the flyers below.
AP Test Deposit Deadline Extended!
Due to the recent webstore issues, Chancellor's AP deposit deadline has been extended to 11/6/20. Please be advised that AP exams will not be ordered with College Board if a deposit or payment is not received by 11/6 at 2:30 pm.
An important update on the recent webstore payment issue...
If parents/ students had previously set up a webstore account, those accounts are still working to receive payments. The issue is only affecting those that are trying to create a new account or trying to use it for the first time. If you have not previously created a webstore account, you will need to drop off your check in the main office by 11/6/20 before 2:30 pm. Please email me with any questions - kdbrown@spotsylvania.k12.va.us.
Please make checks payable to Chancellor High School. Please write the student's name in the note section of the check or money order.
AP students must make a $40 deposit for each AP exam by Friday, 11/6/20 at 2:30 pm. If you are a student who receives free or reduced lunch, please see the AP Financial Information Sheet below.
Families can choose to pay the entire cost of AP exams in one payment. If families prefer to make payments, the total AP cost can be divided into a maximum of 3 payment installments.
All AP documents are available on our school website under Students / Advanced Placement. https://www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/domain/1577
CHHS Librarian, Mrs. Kristy Jett-Brown, featured in School Library Journal
Library News for the week of Nov. 2 -Nov. 6
Message from the CHHS Counseling Department
We are scheduled for our first virtual field trip/tour...Bobby Pins and Blush, a local salon/spa!
Join us Wednesday, Nov. 4th at 11 am.: https://MEET.GOOGLE.COM/VTD-FOXB-DGI
Thanks to Kristen Hudman for organizing this field trip! Thanks to Shannon Wingert for volunteering to host the google meet. The meet will only be open to SCPS accounts. Anyone without an @spotsylvania.k12.va.us account will be denied access.
Germanna information sessions for students and parents: https://www.germanna.edu/admissions/request-information/
- To make an appointment with your counselors, please use this Google Form. https://forms.gle/kQ2HbAb2VDprFJ7MA or use this QR code
- Seniors, please complete the Diploma Name Verification Form. https://forms.gle/YBdZVyB9ooHEcoRc6
Resources to Support Your Student's Socioemotional Needs
Student Tech Support
Virtual College Visits This Week
Monday
11/2/2020 Virginia Commonwealth University @ 2:30 pm
Wednesday
11/4/2020 Syracuse University @ 12:30 pm
11/4/2020 West Virginia University @ 1:00 pm
Junior and Seniors, sign up through Naviance- https://student.naviance.com/chancellorhigh
2020 Yearbooks!
WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
SCPS has completed three weeks of hybrid in-person learning! While challenges persist, there also continue to be many positives reflected in the work of our teachers, leaders, and staff across the school system. This week, we had the opportunity to hear directly from our parent, teacher, and student (STAND) advisory teams regarding specific feedback prompts connected to the transition to the hybrid instructional model. There were some similarities as well as differences in the feedback across the three representative groups. Below are the most frequent and common responses discussed with the advisory teams:
What is going well? Successes?
PARENT - communication has increased - feel more connected with what students are working on. Transition to hybrid went well with minimal impacts. Children are excited to be able to come to school.
TEACHER - excited to be back with students. The small groups have been beneficial to students. Students are meeting expectations of following mask wearing and social distancing.
STUDENT - teachers love having students in class. Love the Wednesdays to catch up on work, meet up with counselors / apply for colleges (HS).
What are the current and on-going challenges and needs?
PARENT - Asynchronous time is harder at the elementary level. Scheduling has been difficult for some classes. Long times on the computer are difficult for students.
TEACHER - Accountability of student assessments. Too much computer time for students on asynchronous days. Hard to teach to red dots - when students turn off their cameras.
STUDENT - now with both hybrid and distance learning students at the same time, interaction between all students and teacher is sometimes a challenge. Long stretches on the computer on virtual days is tiring.
What are your best ideas or recommendations for continuous improvement?
PARENT - look at purchasing “owls” (360° smart conference cameras) to enhance the experience for online students and make them feel part of the classroom.
TEACHER - continue to share parent expectations for support.
STUDENT - would like even more interactive assignments.
By no means do these comments represent the totality of feedback, both positive and constructive, we have received. We will continue to utilize and incorporate this feedback for continuous improvement.
Announcements & Reminders
As a reminder, our COVID-19 Dashboard is updated weekly and can be viewed in the Return to Learn section on each school’s website or by clicking this link: SCPS COVID-19 Dashboard. We have added to our webpage the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Dashboard link. This site provides data and statistics regarding COVID-19 positivity rates and cases per 100,000 by locality, region, and state. Along with cases identified in our own school division, we monitor this data in cooperation with the local VDH. We continue to remain in moderate ranges according to the 14 day averages.
As we navigate through the continued changes from CDC regarding COVID-19 mitigation and contact tracing recommendations, one thing remains constant - our commitment to provide a safe environment for our students and staff. To that point, we need your help. It is extremely important that if someone in your immediate family is diagnosed positive or is pending a test for COVID-19, even if your child has no symptoms, please keep your child home for 14 days and notify their school nurse. Taking these measures will help minimize the spread of COVID-19 and assist us with continuing the hybrid in-person instruction model.
We have provided just under 700 personal hotspots to families and have additional ones that can be provided based on requests to schools and building principals.
Two overarching goals or intentions we have as we continue to navigate through this remarkable time include building on our culture of staff, student, and family collaboration/teamwork (“Together, we prepare our students for their future.”) and identifying the many ways we can positively transform the quality and capacity of educational services to further realize equity in the future. Thank you so much for your continued partnership and support!
Take care and have a great week!
Dr. S. Scott Baker