October News & Highlights
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Dear Cville Schools community –
I want to make you aware of a very big change that recently passed at the state level: Starting as early as this spring, students will have to score higher on their SOLs in order to pass.
In Charlottesville and across the state, this is a change that will have an impact on many individual students as well as on schools’ accreditation statuses. The state has already said that this year’s high school seniors will be exempted from this change, but other aspects of how this is phased in will be decided at a meeting of the Virginia Board of Education tomorrow, Thursday, October 23. Learn more here.
Our schools are working to prepare our staff and students for this and other changes from the state. But if you have concerns about your student, now is the time to connect with your teacher(s) and school staff to get on the same page and make a plan to set your child up for success.
Dr. Royal A. Gurley, Jr.
Superintendent
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The Virginia Department of Education has awarded Charlottesville City Schools a $235,000 grant to strengthen community partner support within schools. This one-year planning grant will help CCS establish the Community School Model, a framework in which schools, families, and community partners co-create school-based supports with the ultimate goal of advancing student achievement. Learn more here.
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Last week, Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera visited Charlottesville Middle School to tour the campus and explore the UVA Innovation Hub. The UVA Innovation Hub serves all CMS students through a project-based learning model focused on interdisciplinary experiences in engineering and computer science. The hub is also focused on teacher development and community partnership to maximize how students apply their learning to real-world problems. Watch the NBC29 story and learn more about the UVA Innovation Hub.
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Report cards are scheduled to be sent out via ParentSquare this Friday afternoon, October 24. For security purposes, viewing the report card requires logging into ParentSquare, so if you haven't already, download the free app or set up your web account now. Visit parentsquare.com/signin and create your account with the email address or phone number where you receive ParentSquare messages. Download the app here: Apple | Google
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Earlier this month, the PTOs of Cville Schools announced that they are joining together to launch the Charlottesville City-wide PTO Fund. This unified effort aims to increase overall funding for our schools, close the funding gaps between individual school PTOs, and ensure resources are distributed more fairly across the entire division. This collaboration will help guarantee consistent funding for everything from teacher grants and field trips to academic enrichment.
The City-Wide PTO is hosting a kick-off fundraiser on Thursday, October 23, at Random Row Brewery from 4:30-10pm with raffles and live music from city parents! Learn more at cvillecitywideptofund.org. |
Thanks to community feedback, we continue to refine our plans for adding two school resource officers to our division's school safety model beginning in August 2026. We appreciate the feedback from staff, students, and community, and we have used it to shape version 2 of our draft Memorandum of Understanding as well as the recently published draft Standard Operating Procedures. Since publishing the second version of the MOU, we have heard from many that they see their suggestions reflected in the revised MOU.
You can continue to learn more and share feedback by attending our final SRO Info Hour on Thursday, October 30, 12-1pm on Zoom. Register here. You can also complete the Google feedback form available on SRO webpage (charlottesvilleschools.org/SROs) . Next steps include continued refinement of both documents using public feedback with particular attention to the perspectives of our Care and Safety Assistants (CSAs).
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- Congratulations to CHS students Soyul Ahn, Lillian Curtis, Benjamin Paquette, and Michelle Wong, who were named National Merit Semi-Finalists. This means they placed in the top 1% nationally on the PSAT and advance on in the program to scholarship opportunities.
- In addition, we have a large number of National Merit Commended scholars, who placed in the top 3% nationally: Corbett Adamson, Levi Beling, Augustus Bryan, Lila Castleman, Berren Dreier, Anne Goodall, David Jaffe, Samuel Klug, Evin Nelson, Owen Paulson, and Leo Wimberley.
- CHS also increased their already-high pass rate (a score of 3 or higher) on AP scores last spring to 84%. Even more impressive, they accomplished this while even more students took the tests. For the class of ‘25, 47% of seniors passed at least one AP exam while they were at CHS.
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CHS Orchestra and Bands took a staggering 15 seats at the South Central Senior Regional Orchestra auditions. CHS has the largest single-school representation overall by an impressive margin -- CHS students will make up nearly 20% of the regional orchestra. Congratulations to: Zoe Chen, Oscar Gromoll, Acacia Lee, Sophia Kawecki, Penelope Maupin, Sky Lam, Gabriel Miller, Mira Figueroa, Nataleen Keh, Esme Ogden-Amt, Jack Coleman, Julia Crum, Michele Wong, Evin Nelson, and Samuel Green-Marshall.
TONIGHT: Theatre CHS Presents The Secret in the Wings
Theatre CHS begins its one-act competition season with a send-off presentation tonight (Oct. 22) at 7pm in the Black Box Theatre. They are performing Mary Zimmerman's The Secret In the Wings. Tonight's performance will be followed by a student cabaret fundraiser. Link to tickets.
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We love to see our students grow, learn, and thrive:
- CMS student-athlete Nyah Etienne repped our schools internationally as a team leader on the Dominica U14 national girls soccer team as they went all the way to the final match for Tier II of the CFU Challenge Series in Trinidad and Tobago.
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CMS Volleyball is near the end of an AMAZING season, and they are loving the crowd support! Want to chear on CMS athletes? Find info here.
- CHS students Kiley Jones and Abe Jaspen taught 10th-graders about the importance of organ donation as part of the driver education curriculum. Jones and Jaspen are part of CHS's Student Organ Donation Advocates club.
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Jenn Horne's CHS Public Speaking students led a story-telling workshop for Summit 2nd-graders. Gifted resource teacher Emily Hamilton noted, "The activities allowed students to practice public speaking without even knowing it!"
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Jackson-Via second-graders recently completed their 5-week swimming lessons at Brooks Family YMCA. All CCS elementary schools participate in the program.
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Students from CMS and our alternative programs at Lugo-McGinness, Knight School, and New Pathways participated in Real Money, Real World, a hands-on literacy experience to understand the real-life costs of living and budgeting.
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It's National Principals Month! Help Us Celebrate ALL Our Principals!
Let's show the love to Mr. Johnson PLUS:
Dr. Stacey Heltz (CATEC) | Dr. Justin Malone (CHS) | Rodney Jordan (CMS) | Dina Fricke (Greenbrier) | Tara Bartlett (Jackson-Via) | Dr. Lamont Trotter (LMA and Knight School) | Dr. Elizabeth Korab (Planning Principal, PreK) | Carmella Johnson (Summit) | Brad Handrich (Sunrise) | Georgette Mickens (Tall Oaks) | Chantel Beverly (Trailblazer) | Dr. Summer Thompson (Walker)
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- Jackson-Via teacher Greg Ochsenschlager and his wife have co-created a kid-friendly version of their popular Cville Puzzle Hunt, available through Nov. 30 in the children’s section of the downtown branch at the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library.
- CHS history teacher Matt Deegan is the author of the recently published book, entitled The Museum That Heals, which tells the story of a local makeshift Vietnam War museum and an oral history project that he led for CHS students.
- Another CHS history teacher Helen Goggins was named an inaugural fellow in a program centered on the upcoming 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. The fellowship, organized through UVA’s Nau Lab for the History & Principles of Democracy and The Equity Center, brings together K–12 educators and historians to design innovative, inquiry-based learning experiences.
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Has a Cville Schools employee made your day? Nominate them for a Royal Recognition! Throughout the year, recipients will be recognized by Superintendent Dr. Royal Gurley. Submit your nomination. |
Charlottesville Parks & Rec is hosting a Downtown Safe Halloween event on the Downtown Mall this Saturday, October 25. From 2-4pm, enjoy family-friendly activities and performances in the Ting Pavilion, followed by trick-or-treating on the mall from 4-4:30pm. Find more details and other events on the Parks & Rec webpage.
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Student-artists are invited to submit art to the local “Imagine a Day without Water” art competition. $200 gift cards are awarded to the winners of each category. Some students may be participating through their art classes. Deadline is Oct. 27. Find contest info here. This image, taken by Tall Oaks student Ezra Bahr, won the photography category in 2024! |
Due to the government shutdown, November SNAP Benefits may get delayed or unfunded. ( UPDATE: On Thursday, 10/23, the state of Virginia announced that it is making emergency funds available to support families in November even if there is no Federal SNAP funding. We hope this is reassuring to you. ) This list of community food resources may be helpful (and these agencies may need support). School meals (free for all students) will still be served. |
As the colder months approach, we are hoping to keep all our students warm and comfortable. If you're able to help, our division Family Engagement Coordinator has created wish lists for coat donations, which can be easily purchased online by Nov. 21. If you’d like to contribute, you can find the lists here:
Thank you so much for your continued support of our school community!
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Volunteers: Thinking about assisting your class, helping with a school event, or chaperoning a field trip? Thank you! Complete the online training/registration on our volunteering webpage.
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Harvest of the Month, a program made possible by Cultivate, focuses on exposing K-12 students to new, healthy, and local foods during lunches on the first Thurday of each month of the school year. From strawberries to carrots to kale and radishes, kids learn to try new foods and where their food comes from. This program is volunteer-supported! Learn how to help here.
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Thursday, Oct. 23: School Board legislative priorities work session, 4pm, CATEC
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Thursday, Oct. 23: City-County Choir, 5:30pm, Martin Luther King Jr. PAC
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Thursday, Oct. 30: SRO Info Hour. 12-1pm, on Zoom
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Saturday, Nov 1: CATEC's First Community Sale, 9am-noon
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Saturday, Nov 1: Join Dr. Gurley for story time at the JMRL central library, 10am!
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Monday, Nov. 3: No School for students - professional learning day
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Monday, Nov. 4: No School for students - teacher workday and election day
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Thursday, Nov 7: School Board meeting, 5pm, CHS media center
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- Find the Mini-Minutes, including topics such as modest improvements on SOL scores and updates to our strategic plan data dashboard. The state has not yet released its accountability/accreditation information.
- As a reminder, there are three School Board seats on the ballot at the November 4 election with four candidates: Chair Emily Dooley, former chair Lisa Torres, and community members Zyahna Bryant and Dashad Cooper.
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All of our 6th grade classrooms have gone or will be going to Chris Greene Lake to study water quality (and go canoeing) through a partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation! |
Parents/guardians of current students automatically receive this monthly newsletter from the division. Other community members are welcome to subscribe here!
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