“This is the robot we designed, built, and tested.”
As part of the soft launch of the Innovation Hub at Buford this year in partnership with UVA, 7th graders showcased their BioBot robotics projects to peers and professors alike inside the Rotunda at the University of Virginia this month. Learn more about the Innovation Hub.
Updated: Forms for Kindergartners, New Students, and
NON-RESIDENT Students Open March 21
Starting Friday, March 21, families can register NEW students and apply for NON-RESIDENT students for next year using our online platform, SchoolMint. The form gives families the option to upload required documents such as the school health form with immunization history. For questions on what is required, or for more information, please visit our registration page.
These “new student registration” 25-26 forms are for:
- Next year’s kindergartners (both new students and returning students who are currently in our 4-year-old preK classes)
- New students who will begin Cville Schools in August (grades 1-12)
The “non-resident” (new and returning) 25-26 forms are for:
- students who live outside Charlottesville who wish to begin school in August 2025
- returning non-resident students who live outside Charlottesville who wish to continue attending Cville Schools in August 2025. These applications are due May 7.
Teachers Win Grants from Public Education Foundation
Congratulations to the following teachers for successful grant applications from the Public Education Foundation Charlottesville-Albemarle (and thanks to PEFCA for supporting CCS and ACPS)!
- Jessica Scott, Burnley-Moran, “BME Earth Stewards”
- Jessica Pedersen, Jackson-Via, “Equitable Access in Enrichment”
- Ida Cummings, Jackson-Via, “Writing Together: Strengthening Home-School Connections”
- Amy Wissekerke, Walker, “Classroom Economics for 6th Grade”
- Beth Bohannon, Walker, “Positive Pathways: Incentivizing Growth & Engagement”
- Amy Wissekerke & Beth Bohannon, “Walker, Together We Lead: Enhancing School Community & Engagement”
Summit Students Earn $5,029 for American Heart Association
Last month, we reported that Summit students turned their learning into action, creating a hot chocolate stand in Belmont to support the American Heart Association. (This fundraiser was featured in AHA social media both state-wide and nationally!) In addition, Summit students earned money for AHA through a school-wide fundraiser that combined the Kids Heart Challenge Program as well as the Jump Rope Ninja. In total, the students gave $5,029 to the AHA! Great work, Summit Bees!
March Music Magic in Our Schools
It’s fitting that March is Music Education Month, since it’s when our school ensembles perform in their state assessments. Congratulations to the following:
- Two of our band students, Julia Crum and Michelle Wong, earned spots in the All-State Band, and the Wind Ensemble earned the highest rating possible (superior) performing at the hardest difficulty level. No other school in the district achieved this level. And the band just enjoyed a trip to Nashville for music workshops, visiting iconic sites like the Grand Ole Opry, and competing on the national stage.
- CHS Orchestra concertmaster Elle Polifka earned a spot in the All State Orchestra 1st violin section! And the string ensemble earned straight superiors playing the hardest difficulty music.
- Buford Orchestra earned superior from every judge and A’s in every sub category! (And last month we announced that 13 Buford students earned spots in the junior regional orchestra!)
In addition, our partnership with the Tuesday Evening Concert Series brought the acclaimed McGill/McHale Trio to Trailblazer Elementary, where they wowed students with clarinet, flute, and piano performances. TECS also enabled all third-graders to attend a concert by students of the Curtis Institute on Wednesday, March 19.
Local History, an Oratory Festival, and Welcoming Walker’s Last Class of 5th Graders
Walker students have been on the go, with 6th-graders’ meaningful field trip to Monticello, a 6th-grade oratory competition (that’s public speaking for the rest of us), and 6th-grade guides giving tours for 4th-graders from across the city to welcome them as Walker’s LAST class of 5th-graders. Congratulations to the following winners of the oratory competition: Livi Heimgartner and Virginia Wells (for performing previously published pieces) and Leila Campbell, Zori Elder, and Anari Stevenson (for performing original pieces).
CHS Debaters and Engineers Move on to Super Regionals and States!
CHS Debate has qualified more students than ever for April’s super regional! At the regional, Gabe Damiani and Anne Goodall placed 3rd in Public Forum. Lily Curtis, Solly Schwartzman and Rose Brennan-Wilkinson finished 3rd, 4th, and 5th in Lincoln-Douglas. Ginger Craghead-Way, Mira Masri and Dylan Grist finished 5th, 8th, and 12th in Student Congress.
CHS’s BACON (Best All-around Club of Nerds) competed in their first ever Technology Student Association regional competition and qualified 4 students for the state tournament in May! In CAD Engineering, Matthew Colvin and Lily Curtis won 1st and 3rd place. Celia DeVeaux won in Prepared Presentation and Lily Curtis in Promotional Design. Raffi Chen placed 3rd in CAD Architecture.
CHS Athletes: State Champs and More
- Congratulations to CHS indoor track state champions Sam Palmer and Elaina Pierce. Together, they swept the 1600M for CHS! Elaina then went on to win the state 1000M before joining her basketball teammates later that evening as they wrapped up their season in the state tournament. Other top-5 state finishers are Juliana Pierce, who placed 4th in the 500M and Oliver Jackson, who finished 5th in pole vault.
- CHS sent 4 wrestlers to states, and 3 medaled: Adriel Pena finished 5th at 113lb, Walter Pilkey finished 5th at 150lb, and Roman Calvani finished 5th at 190lb.
- CHS junior Jacoby Lynch was the only competitor and finisher in his age group for the grueling 50-mile Bel Monte Endurance Race held on March 15. To prepare to run for 8.5 hours, Jacoby often woke up for 6am training before school, then ended the day with CHS basketball practice or games!
Cooking Up Dinner and Relationships at LMA
Our alternative learning program, Lugo-McGinness Academy, recently held a cooking workshop to strengthen relationships between the school and families. Gregory Gough, aka Chef G, taught attendees how to cook shrimp po’boys. LMA’s Community Engagement Coordinator Dominique Williams said, “I thought that we could bring a little bit of joy… [to] bring families together but also inform them on the important things as we progress into the school year.”