THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES AND WELCOME TO MIRIAM TERRY

Today is my last official day as Head of School for Christopher Academy after 18 years.  I simply want to say "Thanks for the memories."  

• I have loved greeting the children each morning as they come into school. It has been such fun to watch how excited they are to see their friends. Although I always cautioned them to walk, I was secretly delighted they wanted to skip and run into school together.  What a privilege and joy it has been to watch these precious children grow and learn.
• It has been an honor to have been co-worker with such a dedicated and hard working group of educators as we have at CA.  Administrators, faculty and support staff are all committed to do the best for our students every single day.  Working collaboratively with them has resulted in a school that preserves rich traditions while continuing to evolve to meet the needs of 21st Century learners.
• Behind the scenes is a group of hardworking volunteers:  the CA Board of Trustees.  These individuals dedicate countless hours to the governance of our School to ensure that we continue to fulfill our mission.  They have always been a tremendous support to me.
• And where would be be without our wonderful parents who partner with us in so many ways to make CA such a great school?  Active parent involvement is a tremendous part of what has made CA exceptional. Kudos to our CAPS leaders for doing such a great job this past year.
• And, of course, I have to say how very proud I am of our alumni. When they leave CA they go in so many directions, but I am always confident they have the foundation to do well.  It has been a joy to have alumni back to volunteer and visit and especially, to enroll their own children.

Congratulations and welcome to Miriam Terry who is the new Head of School.  I am so happy to turn the school over to her capable hands.  She has a fantastic vision for CA.  The future is bright for our CA students as we continue to "foster a love of learning."

Fantastic Volunteers

One of the best things about Christopher Academy is the wonderful support we get from parents and grandparents of our students. Today, April 14, 2016, we celebrated our volunteers by hosting a Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast. This is just a small way to say what volunteers really mean to our school. I can't find sufficient words to clearly describe what a difference you make when you volunteer. I think the most important part is that our students see their parents and grandparents involved as part of a team with their teachers to provide them an exceptional learning experience.


The thing about volunteering at CA is that there really is something for everyone. We have an active parents organization, CAPS (Christopher Academy Parents Support), that has organized several wonderful events this year. There have been two new events this year, Science Night and the Sock Hop, that were huge successes. I saw families from every grade group here having a great time. We have had a couple of successful book fairs and our yearbook team is working hard to put the finishing details on the yearbook (which will be a treasured keepsake). Elementary students enjoy special lunches every month. All of this happens because of volunteers.


I know that CAPS is already making plans for similar events next year. They are limited only by the number of people who join in to help. So if you loved those events, try to find time to help with an event or project next year.


For those who cannot be frequently at school or who aren't comfortable being in charge of an event, you make a difference when you join the approved driver list to drive on field trips, help plan a class party, do tasks at home for teachers, or sign up to help with any of our special events or projects. Whether you can do a little or a lot, it all adds up to making Christopher Academy a school that is a very special place for our young students to learn and grow. Thank you to all our volunteers for being a part of the CA community.

HEAR US ROAR! VAIS ACCREDITATION

On February 3, we received the very important news that after more than two years of self-study and work, Christopher Academy had been approved for continuing full accreditation. VAIS Executive Director, Betsy Hunroe, wrote:

"On behalf of the VAIS Board of Directors and Accreditation Committee, I wish to extend congratulations to you, your faculty, staff and trustees upon the unanimous approval on January 22, 2016 of Christopher Academy for continuing full accreditation from the Virginia Association of Independent Schools. The VAIS accreditation program is one of a select few recognized at the national level through the National Association of Independent School's Commission on Accreditation and, of course, the VAIS program is also recognized and approved by the Virginia Board of Education through the Virginia Council for Private Education.

We are very grateful to you, your entire faculty, staff, and trustees for the energy and thoughtfulness you put toward the self-study, including the documentation and the leadership of the steering committee. Perhaps most of all, we commend the entire Christopher Academy community on its dedication to students and the "can do attitude" with which all tasks are undertaken."

Sometimes I am asked why it matters that our school is accredited. It matters because we want to be confident that we are continuing to provide our young learners the best possible academic and social foundation that we can. Being accredited does not simply mean that CA can check off a list of standards. Being accredited means being engaged in an ongoing and rigorous process of strategic planning, self-study, and self-improvement. Being accredited means recognizing what you do well as well as what you need to do better.

Through our recent self-study process, careful consideration was given to what is the identity of Christopher Academy. The message that came out loud and clear is that CA is an exceptional elementary school for Preschool through 5th Grade students. This is what we do really well and with confidence that our students will be well prepared for wherever they go next. Our own assessment (which was echoed by the peer review of the Visiting Team) is that we specialize in teaching early learners. And what can be more important than providing a great start in life for these precious children?

Through this process we also identified some ways that CA can become an even better elementary school. We recently announced that in 2016-2017 our kindergarten will be a full day program and that we are adding an extended day program. Both of these changes are important ways that we will strengthen our commitment to doing our best for our students and families. We are excited about the future in CA and proud of our continued accreditation through VAIS.