Administrative Blog

March 19, 2011

Dear 2011-2012 CDS Parents:

As the children continue growing socially, emotionally, academically, and physically each day at CDS, we are pleased to share some updates about the years ahead.

First, we are especially happy to announce the following faculty roster for the 2011-2012 academic year:

Specialists

Art – Tamara Murray

Music – Angela Kelly

Spanish – Amy Buddington

5^th/6th Mandarin – Speak!'s Hairuo Yi

5^th/6th Lab Science – Michelle Lockwood

Physical Education – Stacey Bruns and others

 

Kindergarten through 6^th

Kindergarten – Joanne Bookbinder and Jan Breeden

1^st/2^nd Grade – Coro Cope and Trecia Gunnoe

3^rd/4^th – Annelise Lucas

5^th/6^th – Karin Reed

 

Preschool

Cubs – Lauren Funk and Rita Moore

Polar Bears – Townley Cole and Jamie Kuykendall

Grizzly Bears – Katie Hickson and Michelle Lockwood

Preschool Assistant – Meryl Kahn

 

Music Lessons

Angela Kelly - flute

Margaret Newcomb – piano, flute, recorder

Johanna Beaver – violin, viola

 

Thankfully, Kim Kotarski will continue doing her great job as administrator, bookkeeper, and more. Mrs. Bookbinder is a graduate of the Curry School of Education's five-year Masters program and comes highly recommended by her former professors and two of her classmates – Coro and Katie. Joanne is currently teaching in the Lynchburg public school system. She is bilingual and brings her Columbian heritage into our community. We enjoyed her model lesson and look forward to having another talented Curry school graduate contributing to the CDS team.

The Administration, Board of Trustees and various volunteers are moving forward with the purchase of the new facility, rental of the adjacent building, and plans for renovations. We would like to thank the Cafferillo/Alpern family for their generous donation that will allow for playground renovations and fence installation to begin in early June. We also appreciate the generous work by Greg Cooley, Peter Wiley, Rob Winstead, Sarah Myhre, and others in connection with the renovation plans and administrative approvals from various agencies. The Board's Duke Fox and Renée Fischer have led the charge in securing investments and bank funding allowing for the purchase of the new facility from Martha Jefferson Hospital this summer. The CDS capital campaign is being led by Dave Bruns, William and Karyn Wolfe, Tom Grierson, and John and Angela Kelly. We have titled that effort the "Campaign for Excellence in Twenty-First Century Education."

We are on schedule to have a great facility in an ideal location by the time school starts in the Fall. Please know, however, that work remains to be done as to fundraising and renovations. Please reach out to Dave if you can help us secure additional dollars, labor, or in-kind donations for this very important project. We know there are many reasons why it will be a sacrifice to give to this campaign (CDS tuition and annual appeals among the reasons) but the early success of this effort is critically important for both the immediate future and generations to come at CDS. Our team has been very judicious in creating a situation where we will receive a lot of value out of each dollar contributed. With early capital campaign success, the move will quickly prove to be both an upgrade in location and a financial benefit to the school's annual operating budget.

We plan to start school six days later than usual to allow some cushion for renovations to be completed on time. This puts the start of school on Monday, September 12 rather than Tuesday, September 6. We will have a camp offering in the interim period for those families who need or want it. And, of course, the school schedule will be adjusted to make-up these days. The following year we expect to return to starting school the day after Labor Day.

Attached is a floor plan for the first floor of the main new building. You will see that it offers a great multi-purpose space for music, foreign language, indoor play, and performances. Among other improvements, this will give CDS its first ever performance stage. In the near future, we will provide a drawing showing the sketch of the outdoor space and other classrooms. Also attached is the Program of Studies for the Middle School. After many months of planning, we think this is an ideal schedule for those learners. The other programs will be foundationally the same as now but modified as appropriate by the professionals in the classroom.

Thank you all for your vision and belief in this wonderful institution and faculty. I am watching great things happening for our current kids and graduates. It is an honor of mine to be a part of CDS during this great step forward.

                        Sincerely,

                        Stacey Bruns

                        Head of School

 

 

 

November Blog

NOVEMBER ADMINISTRATION BLOG

 

Dear Fellow CDS Parents:

More than ever, our community is enjoying the profound benefits of our all-star faculty's commitment to our young learners. The teachers are delivering great lessons and leading inspiring projects day after day. Our professional teachers chose a career in education as their life contribution to all of us. They choose CDS, not for superior compensation, but for an opportunity to connect with children through the ideal methods and environments they embrace.

The teachers will tell you that the experience of working beside your kids and the joy of being part of a team that is bigger than themselves, is well worth their hard work and sacrifices. Knowing these women have that attitude imparts a reciprocal duty on us administrators, parents, grandparents, and others to try to mildly mitigate the financial sacrifices they choose to bear.

In this economic climate that duty is what the CDS Annual Fund is all about. Two-thirds of the school's operating budget is used to pay teacher salaries and health benefits. No funds are directed to retirement accounts, as there are none. No funds are spent on jumbo trons, mahogany desks, or junkets. Instead, your contributions and tuition payments go straight to what matters most: a fair bargain for those who love our kids day after day.

Especially in these times, most of us recoil from undue focus on money. I ask, however, that we try to see our monetary contributions as fulfilling expressions of our values. To continue weathering the economic storm that CDS has been in for the majority of its existence, we need more and more people to express their support of CDS's teachers by putting them first in their annual giving.

As always, all of the administration is especially grateful for time with your kids and the honor of working beside twenty great colleagues at CDS. At this year's Thanksgiving, I will be grateful to Elaine Alpern for bravely leading the Annual Fund. If you have not done so already, please contact her, help her and thank her. And be sure to take a look at artist Lindsay Diamond's (August, Tessa, and Annaliese's mom) beautiful giving tree across from the front desk.

Yes, CDS is driving towards exciting crossroads. Please do what you can to fuel the CDS bus.

Enjoy the Holiday!

Sincerely,

Stacey

Charlottesville Day School November Update

 

 

 

 

 

Week of November 15:

Monday- This is the last day to place your Usborne Book Fair Order.

 

If you need school on Friday the 19, sign your child up for Friday's Kids Camp by emailing Jan at jbreeden@charlottesvilledayschool.org. Space is limited.

 

Tuesday- School Spirit Day—Wear your Pajamas to school!

Tuesday Night- CDS Night at Shebeen! Come enjoy a delicious meal (with or without your kids). Shebeen is donating 10% of the proceeds to CDS.

 

Wednesday- Last Day of Enrichment #1! Be sure to sign up for Enrichment #2. Enrichment Session #2 Enrollment will go out in an email.

 

Thursday- The Elementary School kids are putting on a Talent Show from 9:30 – 10:30 AM in the Arena. All classes will attend. Parents/Friends are welcome, of course. From 11 – 12, each class will have a "Giving Thanks" Feast.

 

Friday- School is closed for Parent-Teacher Conferences. Kids Camp is open for children enrolled (from 8 – 5 with Jan):

Face Painting 101             8:00 – 5:00

Express your inner artist as we explore simple face painting techniques.

 

Week of November 22:

School is closed for Thanksgiving Break. Kids Camp is available on Monday and Tuesday! If your child plans to attend Kids Camp, be sure Jan is aware.

 

Monday & Tuesday-

The CDS Book of World Records              8:00-5:00

Kids will enjoy the much anticipated return of CDS's twist on The Guinness Book of World Records. Join us as we try to set some new school records, or at least have fun trying!

 

Mark Your Calendars:

• School Resumes on November 29.
  
• Enrichment Session #2 Enrollment needs to be returned by November 30.
  
• December 11, 2010 is the CDS Holiday Party for Parents at the Fischer's house. Book a babysitter; it is going to be fun! Thanks Josh and Renee.
  

 

 

Preschool, Elementary & Middle School Education for the 21^st Century

Back to School Blog

Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year at Charlottesville Day School. It promises to be another great year of growth and learning for the children we are blessed to work with during these critical years of their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. The CDS community takes on an awesome responsibility with your children. Speaking for the administration, we are honored that you give us the opportunity again this year.

This year's school-wide theme is especially appropriate for the mission of CDS. The theme is titled "Through Innovators Eyes." The idea is twofold. First, the children will learn about the significance, successes, struggles, and talents of the many innovators whose ideas impact our daily lives. The theme presents a context for lessons within the preschool all the way through upper elementary school. This includes history, science, counting, shapes, math, art, language, and on and on. Second, and perhaps most importantly, the theme is designed for our students to think as innovators think. They will develop their own ideas rather than simply deliver known answers. If we create the right environment, they will not hesitate to offer tentative ideas in collaborative sessions designed to work through concepts. As they succeed, they will view themselves as participants in the world they occupy and be especially motivated to refine their language, math, and artistic skills so that they can participate in creating real change in their world.

CDS believes that a child's intellect and abilities are not fixed. Instead, their academic outcomes are yet to be determined and always capable of growth. We use assessments to guide our teaching. They are tools for great teachers to celebrate and challenge each child. But we deemphasize testing for the sake of external consumption and reject academic autopsies designed to avoid challenges or accountability.

We are thrilled by the variety of minds under our roof each school day and look forward with eagerness to see where they can lead us. We strive to create classrooms where all of the children believe in themselves and one another. We create an environment of teamwork, recognizing that most innovators are part of a team of thinkers; they rarely work alone. We are optimistic that the school-wide theme of Innovation will promote such a positive atmosphere. What better metaphor is there for having a mindset of continuous personal growth than studying individuals who saw the world around them as a canvas for great, new ideas?

Please take advantage of this theme and talk to your children about the innovators you admire. These can be artists (Georgia O'Keefe to George Harrison and those other three guys), scientists (DaVinci to Ben Franklin), humanitarians (Roberto Clemente to Melinda Gates) or whoever comes to mind. You should especially include innovators you admire from areas of particular interest to you in your careers or other parts of life. And be sure to include family members who came-up with innovations that your kids still follow today - even if it is as simple as my grandfather's idea to cook Bruns Chicken only on very low heat. Let your precious children know that they inherit not only the benefits of these ideas but also the tradition and obligation of continuing to improve the world with their own ideas.

We hope you enjoy this innovative year.

Here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

September 10-- School Spirit Day (Wear your CDS Shirt)

September 13/14—Adult Kickboxing Conditioning Session #1 Classes Begin

September 14-- 10:00 AM Whole School Photo (All Students Attend)

September 21—Back-To-School Night 6:30 - 8:30 PM this is a required adults-only event-- childcare is available if you choose to sign up for it. jbreeden@charlottesvilledayschool.org

October 11-- CDS Charity Poker Event (Zocalo, 7:00 PM)

October 13--CDS Parent-Teacher Book Club—Mindset (order your book today! It is great)

October 22-- Grandparents Day

October 27-- 6:30 PM Guest Speaker, Dr. Carol Tomlinson!! RSVP to sbruns@charlottesvilledayschool.org

Sincerely,

Dave, Stacey, Annelise, and Kim