MERRY CHRISTMAS- From Channing Hall

Our Channing Hall first graders sing "Silent Night" and wish all of you a very Merry Christmas.



Oh, OH! I hear footsteps on the rooftop. Good Night!

USING YOUR MONTHLY PLANNER- Susan Edmonds

Here's yet another great segment from the "Approaching Learning" assembly. Susan Edmonds our 7th grade Language Arts teacher explains how to use your monthly planners. She gives some great advise AND at the end gives some great points on "The Keys to Success".
Check it out!

YAY! ! IT'S OURS!

Have you heard? Channing Hall has just closed on the coveted property next to the playground! How many times have you driven by it thinking just how nice it would be to have that extra land? Well, after 4 years of trying to acquire the property the CH board has been able to close the deal! It is ours! It opens up many possible uses and options for us which the board is at this time considering. However, in the meantime, simply expanding the playground area will likely be the short term goal.

Shortly, we will be asking families of CH to step up and help begin paying off this purchase. Stay tuned for details once the Annual Giving drive begins in February.

How to Organize Your Materials- Lindsay Allen

Here is a great presentation from middle school teacher Lindsay Allen of how to organize your materials. She shows some of her great talents AND examples of good and not so good organizers. Check it out!

This was taken from the "Approaching Learning" assembly last week.
Ms. Allen has a great bio which explains her philosophy about IB and how she follows it. Check it out HERE.

WHAT IS IB...?

Here is the next installment to our WHAT IS IB...? program. Above is the board developed overview of what IB is at our school. This is as close as we could get to a one word description or synopsis of what IB is since it encompasses so much. Below, Sarah Yermen, explains this slide and gives some GREAT examples of IB at work at Channing Hall.

Stay tuned for more posts from the "Approaching Learning" workshop. It was a great lesson all parents and students can learn from.

Happy THANKS giving!

Here are some reflections on our school on this Thanksgiving Holiday. At Channing Hall we have a lot to give thanks for!

We give thanks to the founding parents turned board members who have had the vision and audacity to take the risk of starting this school.

We give thanks for our Head of School who believed in the IB vision of the board to dedicate herself to setting up the school and hiring exceptional staff and teachers.

We give thanks to the administrative staff who fully support the Head of School and work tirelessly behind the scenes to develop and implement the IB philosophy and provide a safe sound learning atmosphere in our school.

We give thanks to our teachers and aids who from the start worked together to integrate a novel curriculum and philosophy with a positive attitude and can-do spirit.

We give thanks to our students who step up to the challenges we offer them and who give us a unifying goal to strive for.

We give thanks to our parents who give the extra effort of helping with homework, volunteering, donating and ultimately loving our students to want the best for them.

In a few short years we have ALL worked TOGETHER to develop a school from just an inspiration in a few parents to a top achieving school that continues to grow wonderful students preparing for an international future.

WE GIVE THANKS TO THE WHOLE CHANNING HALL FAMILY!

FIRST GRADERS SING "GOD BLESS THE USA"

Our final video from last week's Veterans Day Assembly is of the first graders singing "God Bless the USA". It was really touching and an excellent closing for the assembly. This video includes Ms Heather's closing remarks and acknowledgments as well. View all 4 videos and make comments HERE.

THANKS TO EVERYONE AT CHANNING HALL FOR HELPING HONOR OUR VETERANS!

THIRD GRADERS 'SIGN' PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Here is the video of the first graders 'signing' the Pledge of Allegiance at the Veterans Day assembly. GREAT JOB!

HERE is the link to the site of this video AND all of the Veterans day videos.

CH VETERANS THAT VISITED US LAST WEEK

Here is a video of the Veterans that visited us at the assembly and what they had to say. I apologize that the sound was not very good. Below is a low quality sample (site limitation) with the attachment to a better quality video below it.

We appreciate these veterans for visiting. They had some great things to say.


Click HERE for a link to a better quality video.

Veterans day video- We are all touched by a Veteran

Here is the video of the start of the assembly on Veterans day. Ms Heather shows how we are all touched by a Veteran.


Stay tuned for more video of the Assembly. They'll be posted as I get the segments edited. Since the videos are so large they are not very good quality on this site. Here is an attachment to view and share this video in a clearer format.

CHANNING HALL GIVES THANKS TO OUR VETERANS

The Channing Hall Veterans assemlby gave a great tribute to our Veterans. There was a lot of great love and work put in by staff and children to put this on. We thank the veterans that came to be honored at our school. Here are some You tube videos of what went on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6iSdwGG7z8
Sorry they are rather grainy. More and better videos will be posted in the next few days.

Thanks again to ALL of our Veterans for your service.

VETERAN'S DAY CEREMONY- TOMORROW!

Just a reminder that tomorrow (Wed Nov 11th) at 2:30 we will be having a Veteran's day program and everyone's invited. Some of the events will include: Third grade students doing the Pledge of Allegiance in sign language, CH related veterans will be recognized and the first grade will perform "God Bless the USA". We will post how it went afterwards if you can't make it.

IB CONSULTATION VISIT AT CHANNING HALL: SUCCESS!

Here is a note from Sarah Yerman summarizing the recent visit from the International Baccalaureate Organisation regarding our work towards certification. Way to go teachers and staff!!!

IB Consultation Visit at Channing Hall: A Big Success

The School just completed a consultation visit on Monday and Tuesday conducted by Anne Evans, the regional program manager for International Baccalaureate (IB). She was very impressed with our school, the PYP faculty, and all of the work they have done. She said that our teachers were intellectually curious and recognized that not all schools are as fortunate. During our K-5 meeting and in Anne’s meetings with Heather and Sarah, she shared that she normally does not talk about assessment with schools when she comes for the consultation visit, but that we are very well prepared and ahead of most schools. She strongly recommended that we apply for authorization at the end of the school year and said she saw no reason why we would not be authorized.
She did have some recommendations; most of them having to do with just continuing to do what we are doing and completing several policies and essential agreements that are already scheduled to be completed this year. Some are specific to areas we need to improve but there are very few.
Many thanks and congratulations to the PYP faculty for all of their work, determination, and sincere desire to learn and grow!

What is IB - Math Night Wed Oct 14th

We would like to thank our K-1st grade team for doing such a great job on our first Celebration Night focused on math instruction. The evening started with a brief IB overview given by Mr. Matt. Mrs. Norman then educated our parents on how our math program ties in with IB. Parents then had the opportunity to sit with teachers and do the same hands on learning that our students experience every day. Math Their Way builds comprehension from concrete to connection to symbolic learning. It is a different, more in depth approach as it not only wants students to learn it but truly understand it. The developmental skills learned here will carry over to all subjects. Listening to our teachers explain this program I could feel their excitement and know that enthusiasm is felt by our students as well. I thought is was a great learning experience for all who attended!

BOARD MEETING REPORT- hot off the presses

The board met last night (4 hours ago). Here is a brief report of the highlights.

Ms. Sarah McPhee gave us the teacher presentation about the Antelope Island Field trip and how it integrated several subjects they were learning and presented it in the real world. This was yet another example of 'What is IB?' Check out part of her presentation.



Cindy Moody presented the activities of CHAPS. They have been doing a great job getting ready for Veteran's Day activities! CHAPS membership is only at 37%! Can it really mean that only a third of our parents are actively engaged in their children's education?

The major remaining portion of the meeting encompassed capital expansion plans. The board voted to NOT to implement a 9th grade for 2010 at the current location due to space and time constraints. The board DID approve moving forward with the new expansion. This will include building a 6-9th grade campus of 150 students in each grade by school year 2011. The board is HARD at work looking for land (Can you help with this?), working on bids and researching what will be the best facility. The board has solicited staff wish lists and visited countless schools to make sure we plan the best school for the best price.

Note: There has been some concern voiced that money will be taken from current CH programs to fund the new expansion. That is false! Funding for the new school will be through the new student allotments from the state, bonds and donations. NO money will be taken from the current facility.

Personal Note: Last night a group of 12 dedicated parents gathered after a long days work from 6pm -11pm for free, with hardly a break for pee after countless weekend hours of preparation for the meeting, sacrificing time with their own families FOR WHAT?
GLADLY, For our kids....For Your kids.........

Goodnight. KV

What is IB?

The International Baccalaureate program is icing on the state core curriculum that is used at Channing Hall to make our students so exceptional. But what is it? How does it work? Well click on the following trailer to the upcoming new mini series found only here on the Channing Hall Blog called; What is IB?

CHANNING HALL'S FIRST POSTED TESTIMONIAL

We are looking for Teachers, Parents and students to give us your thoughts and feelings of what makes Channing Hall so special to you. Is there a special incident that made you feel that this is what Channing Hall is about? How has Channing Hall changed your or your family's life? What kind of person has Channing Hall made you? What stands out about Channing Hall compared to other schools you have experienced?

We would love to compile these eventually onto one site for all to see. If your are bashful we will withhold your name. We can take these testimonials in writing or video or any other format you prefer. Just contact any board member to give us your testimonial.

Ashley Nuttall was the first who stepped up to the plate to give us an interview of why she thinks Channing Hall is special.