In his Honors College Calculus class, Mr. Schaefer challenged his students to solve the "Gravy Pool" problem. The students began their quest by watching the video "Optimal Potatoes," by Vi Hart.

Enjoy this video of Mr. Alter's PEAC (Place-Based Extension of the Academic Curriculm) day with his Theology class and Mr. Cola. Beautiful.

For years, CCS students have raised money to purchase oysters by collecting and recycling aluminum cans. Christchurch students know that each grown oyster filters 50 gallons of water per day. At now over 1 million oysters on our reef, that's 1 million X 50 gallons/day - a whole lot of clean water headed down our watershed into the Chesapeake Bay! We are doing our part to keep the river clean and save the bay. Watch the video! Oyster Reef Build 9-23-13.

In 2012, CCS teacher Dean Goodwin (Global Marine Ecology, Honors College Env. and Integrated Sci. III) designed an online workshop for AP Environmental teachers throughout the country. Now, at the request of the NY Dept. Education and The College Board, he will take material from that webinar event and turn it into a self-paced online course as part of a new STEM (science, techonology, engineering, mathematics) training program. This will be the first of a series. Dr. Goodwin is also the author of Global Warming for Beginners.

Did you know ...

that the Christchurch School mascot, the seahorse, is a bio-indicator of healthy water?

All of our work as a school community to clean the Rappahannock River and its watershed (increasing awareness, raising oysters in our aquaculture) is paying off, as the seahorses are returning! Our Sustainability Coordinator, Mr. Smiley, caught this Hippocampus in May, and held him long enough for a photo opp. Welcome, seahorses - to our healthy, happy home at the river!

Sunday, May 19
The Christchurch School community gathered on Headmaster's Hill, overlooking the Rappahannock River, for the school's 92nd graduation. Fifty-six graduates received their diplomas from Headmaster Jeb Byers, President of Church Schools in the Diocese of VA David Charlton, and Chairman of the Board the Reverend Ed Miller. Mr. Byers delivered a poignant address, valedictorian Starke Jett VI wished his classmates well, and parents, teachers, friends and family adjourned for the traditional fried chicken lunch. For complete coverage, please read Let the world hear from you; be a force in the world for good in our local paper and browse our photo gallery.

The pioneers of Faye Dorm - Christchurch School's first female boarding residents - are wrapping up a great year. The residential life curriculum has included three workshops on sensible and appropriate use of social media with Director of Guidance Melissa Taylor; study tips with Dean of Instruction Donny Pyles; guided meditation with Mrs. Betsy Schaefer; discussion about nutrition and fitness with Nurse Kelly Goodrich; camping tips and tricks for hygiene with Abigail Cola; personal health talk with Nurse Rosemary Curro; and a presentation on Feng Shui and Qi with Mrs. Robina Schroeder '79. The forum series will conclude with helpful information on personal safety with Dean Amanda Porter '93. Our goal? Well-informed and happy, prepared young women!

As we enter the last few weeks of the year, the Christchurch School Class of 2013 is enjoying the rewards of senior spring. A much beloved and favorite tradition is that of dining with Mr. and Mrs. Byers in small groups. This is an elegant affair recalled with great fondness by alumni.

Senior Dinners 2013 Invitation and Menu

Today may be the day that the world celebrates Earth Day, but at Christchurch School, EVERY day is Earth Day. Sustainability is an integral part of our mission as a school, and students and faculty follow best-practices across the curriculum and throughout every area of school life. As a community, we are mindful of waste, conserve energy, recyle, re-invent, raise oysters to clean our river and save the bay, and more. As a school, we apply the McDonough Triangle (ecology, equity, economy) in all that we do to maximize sustainability of resources. 

Choose "read more" for a list of Christchurch School's 23 sustainability initiatives. 

From our mission: "... part of that education (sound, college-preparatory) includes stewardship of our river and awareness of the broader natural environment so that our students learn to look beyond themselves to their place in the world around them." Learn more.

Students and faculty who traveled to India on the school's first global Immersion Trip are now settled back into their tidewater routines, but for most the experience was life-changing. The connections which they started making here in the classrooms at CCS continued to grow as they explored the world beyond our own watershed. Read Rachel's post-Immersion reflection "Say Yes to Less, More to Life" here. Read chaperone Aaron Alter's profile of Rachel.

Who is Aaron Alter?

The sophomore class is off on its three-day Immersion Trip. They are tracing the Rappahannock River back to its source in the mountains. Along the way, they are investigating the effect that communities have on the river's water quality. To do this, they are conducting interviews, collecting data, and keeping maps, diagrams and journals. Follow them by LIKING our Facebook page.

photo - Austin with a 35-lb Blue Catfish, one of 13 species the group caught to study then release. The Blue Catfish is a species that was introduced into the Rappahannock River in the mid-1970s.

Why not stack the "happiness" decks in your child's favor? National Geographic writer Dan Buettner discusses how to increase joy and decrease worry in life on NPR's "Talk of the Nation." Data from "well-being" surveys indicates that people who live on the water with access to recreation in open, green spaces and 6-8 hours of socialization each day are happiest. That sounds like Christchurch School - ask anyone, it's a happy place!

As Kedron Walsh read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, the junior class common reading, the story struck a deeply personal chord. Kedron decided to write to the author, Rebecca Skloot, to express her appreciation for the book. Kedron was thrilled when she received a personal response from the author. "I get a lot of letters from students," said Skloot, "and Kedron's really stood out." Read Kedron's letter and Rebecca Skloot's response.

"We were studying linear functions, and Mr. Bloom took us into the gym and told us to shoot free throws. Then, he showed us how to graph the arc of the ball as it left our hands and fell through the basket. I thought that was pretty cool, and I understood it so much better. Great Journeys makes me like school more, because I’m not always sitting in a classroom hearing teachers lecture. Instead, I’m connecting what I’m learning with things I love. That makes it interesting, and really fun."

"It's early morning and I am looking at the village and I see the children clearning the sidewalks, washing out dishes, finding water buffalo, moving from one place to the other and they are doing each chore with the biggest smile on their faces."

"The time we have spent in Agora has permanently changed my life and touched my heart like nothing else will."

FOLLOW THE IMMERSION INDIA BLOG HERE.

Mr. Murasko's Art and Design Media/Portfolio class was challenged to complete the 100 Art Project (think about a single form - its shape, weight, color, function - and utilize it to create an abstract and finished project - take 100 of only one object and create a work of art). Jackie Alachnowicz '14 chose the oyster shell from our natural resources and created a temporary, site-specific installation using 100 of the shells and our waterfront dock.

Mr. Murasko had this to say - "Jackie's piece does bring with it a new consciousness. By splitting the dock into two lanes, the evenly spaced oyster shells take on the role of yellow passing lines on roads - as if the viewer is now on a two-way street. The repeated pattern in the work forces the viewer's eye to connect the dots to the end of the dock until faced with a decision to either look or turn right or left. By adding new elements, a different dynamic is brought to the dock as directional forces are at their best!"

Fresh back from the banks of the Assi Ganga, Scott Hetzer and Simon Fierst continue to expand their horizons right here on the banks of the Rappahannock River. Scott and Simon are working with a local beekeeper to raise bees in a hive at the school's organic garden. The boys are also spending these early spring afternoons planting lettuce, arugula, kale, carrots, jalapenos, sunflowers, cucumbers and strawberries. The bees benefit the garden and will produce honey and beeswax for harvest in early summer. Once a week, Simon and Scott check the hive to make sure that all is well. According to Simon, an abundance of drones is a sure sign of trouble. Once they check the hive, they must carefully reseal it. As Simon says, "the thing about bees is that they are really important to everything." Next, the two plan to plant fruit trees.

Pantone Co. has announced that its Color of the Year 2013 is PANTONE #17-5641, Emerald Green. Turns out, Christchurch School is right on trend, having been green for quite some time!  "Read more" for a list of our GREEN sustainability initiatives.

One day, when it was too chilly for the students in Mr. Colin Murasko's art class to work on their outside photography projects, they stayed in to play with light! They experimented with Long Exposure Photography - leaving the shutter open for a longer period of time allows for the camera to record movements of the artist's hand or natural landscape in order to be captured in a different way. Anywhere from ten to thirty seconds is recorded in one picture. Cool!

The Christchurch National Honor Society (NHS) is committed to supporting the Hope & Resurrection School in Atiaba, South Sudan. When the school opened in 2008, CCS students raised money for textbooks, desks, breakfasts and lunches. In the years since, our students have raised money to install wireless internet at the school. It is a tradition for CCS students to work at nearby Christ Church Parish's annual Valentine Dinner. Parishioners tip generously, and proceeds go to H&R. In the photo at left, Father Paul presents NHS officers Lilah and Anna with a generous check for the tips they earned.

In a salute to both St. Valentine's Day and International Week here at Christchurch School, today's Community Lunch (students sit with their advisors) was especially fun. Perhaps most important, lunch featured a "build it yourself" cupcake bar with a marvelous variety of frostings and toppings. While everyone enjoyed their cupcakes, faculty and students took turns at the microphone to teach everyone to say "I Love You" in the 11 different languages represented in our community. Amazing, really.

Students in Mr. Schaefer's pre-cal and calculus classes are completing their Trig Heart Art projects. First, they analyze the following complicated set of composite functions: 
(sqrt(cos(x))cos(200x)+sqrt(abs(x))-0.7)(4-x*x)^0.01, sqrt(4-x^2), -sqrt(4-x^2)
 

The Puller Science Center atrium was buzzing on Tuesday with refreshments, New Orleans jazz, prizes and science trivia. Science Department Chair Jeannette Adkins invited all students to drop by at break for the great Mardi Gras Science Challenge. Dr. Goodwin, Dr. Newton, Mr. Carey, Mr. Clark and Mrs. Adkins were all on hand to test the students' range of knowledge with questions such as: what substance in the body emulsifies fat? (bile); mass times velocity equals what? (momentum); what is the study of materials at a very low temperature? (cryogenics); what are the SI units for force? (Newtons) power? (Watts); what part of the CCS campus used to be the riverbank? (Headmaster's Hill); who said, "chance favors the prepared mind?" (Louis Pasteur). For correct answers, the students earned Mardi Gras beads. A great time was had by all!

For more CCS science news, please visit the Science Blog, science@ccs.

The Chinese New Year kicks off a week of international celebration here at Christchurch School as we rejoice in the marvelous diversity of our student body, which includes students from nine nations. The National Honor Society and International Student Association are sponsoring the week of fun which includes foods from other nations (Monday - Korean Sticky Rice Cakes; Tuesday - Vietnamese Beef Pho; Wednesday - German Currywurst w/Sauerkraut; Thursday - Guatemalan Arroz con Leche; Friday - Ghanan Jollof Rice w/Fried Plantains), t-shirt sales to benefit our sister school in Sudan, and dance lessons! Donny and Jose will teach Gangnam style dancing, Jose and Danny will teach Salsa, and Kedron and Patrick will teach Swing. The week will culminate in a dance on Saturday, with international foods prepared by our students. We are expecting guests from Stuart Hall (Staunton) and St. Margaret's School (Tappahannock). We are proud of our diversity!

Our headmaster, Jeb Byers, joined Steward School (Richmond, VA) headmaster Ken Seward in leading a School Leaders Roundtable at the Virginia Commonwealth University Energy and Sustainability Conference in Richmond, VA last week. The topic was "How we are leveraging sustainability to enhance operations."

Mr. Byers and Christchurch School Sustainability Coordinator Will Smiley were onhand at the conference banquet to accept, on behalf of the Christchurch School community, the Crystal Award for Sustainability in the K-12 School Category. The Crystal Award recognizes Virginia companies and institutions for sustainability achievements. Go Blue, Go Green!

At Christchurch School, our Rappahannock River dock is a favorite place for faculty and students to view natural phenomena in the skies - sometimes with the naked eye, sometimes with telescopes - eclipses, meteor showers, planet alignments, or even just clear, tidewater Virginia starry nights. Mr. Cola loves to take his hall, the second floor of Murrell, down to the dock some nights after study hall for stargazing and roasted hot dogs!

Last week, art teacher Colin Murasko happened to see something unusual and snapped this picture to share with the community. Science instructor Dr. Chris Newton knew exactly what the bright, red light was - not a solar storm, but rather a NASA rocket launch. The colorful light was the result of an experiment aboard a sounding rocket. The rocket released a chemical tracer that created red, lithium vapor trails. Fascinating! Other fascinating things that we might see from our dock at this time of year are - Orion's Club; the Taurus crystal ball; the Intergalactic Wanderer; or Lepus crimson star clusters in the southern Milky Way. Check it out, and happy stargazing!

Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) is a decision-making model about making choices when there is multiple conflicting criteria. Developed by the military in the 1960s and adopted by global business communities in subsequent years, World Scientific (2013) reports, "it has become one of the most important and fastest growing subfields of Operations Research."  Christchurch School seniors in Wanda Wallin's Probability & Stats class learned how to apply the model by simulating the purchase of a used vehicle. They then used the process to compare the colleges to which they have applied and determine quantitatively which college best meets their top criteria.  In reflecting on the process, one student wrote,"it provided a practical application to statistics as well as applied to something personal to me."

... but inside, it's so delightful! The weekend weather may not have been the usual Virginia southern sunshine to which we're all accustomed here at Christchurch School, but the boarding students made the best of it and hunkered down together in the dining hall with steaming hot chocolate, whipped cream, marshmallows, plenty of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, and stacks of board games. At night, scary movies and snacks in the board room kept everyone in good spirits and on their toes. The adventurous bundled up and headed out to Headmaster's Hill for some good, old-fashioned sledding. By the time Saturday night rolled around, the roads were clear so that two busloads of CCS students headed up to Foxcroft School for what they later reported was "the best mixer ever!" All-in-all, a great weekend here at Christchurch School.

Top - Walker, Ross and Brendan test their wits in a game of Scrabble.
Below - Dean Porter's daughter challenges Carlis to a friendly game of UNO.

People always ask "how's the food at Christchurch School?" Well, it's great! All of our cooking is done on-site, in small batches by Sage Dining Services. Meals feature soup; sticky rice; deli station with freshly cut and house-roasted meats; salad bar with raw veggies, freshly-cut fruits and sandwich salads; hormone/antibiotic-free milk; hot and vegetarian entrees; and pre-made sandwiches for the panini maker. All food is fresh and prepared from scratch. Sage works closely with local merchants, state farm bureaus and other community resources to access the freshest regional products. Sage composts the organic waste into usable materials for our community garden. Student favorites include southern fried chicken, jambalaya, fresh-baked scones, made-to-order omelets, biscuits & gravy, late-night pancakes, funnel cakes (!) and the make-it-yourself cupcake/cookie bar.

"Most kids that you will see in a boarding school are focused on college. So if you're looking for a way to make sure your kids are thinking about their college education, put them in a school with lots of other kids who want the same thing."

Learn more about boarding school and college-bound students -
watch this quick video.

It was a brisk day earlier this winter when the senior class gathered in the Puller atrium with hot chocolate and cookies. Perhaps they thought the alumni panel gathered to speak to them would tell dry stories of days gone by. As it turns out, the stories, though sepia-tinged, were ones to which the Class of 2013 could fully relate. What Nelson Williams '61, Bob Fox '58 and Bill Broaddus '61 wanted to talk about was the enduring friendships they made while students at Christchurch School. Sure, there were some digressions about diagramming sentences and six-man football, but the tales always circled back to stories of friends. Mr. Williams said "My best friendships to this day are those I made here at CCS." Friendships formed, then and now, from lives shared in the dormitories, in the classrooms, on the playing fields, on the river ...

There are several good studies out now which point to the importance of peer relationships for teenagers. When asked what is most important to them, high school students consistently refer to friendships first. Watch this quick video to see how special (and motivating!) living with friends at boarding school can be.

Walk through the dorm hallways on any given night and you will find Christchurch School boarding students busily working in old-fashioned, composition books. The notebooks are their Problem-Solving Journals (PSJs), and each math student keeps one throughout the year. The journals provide an opportunity for them to wrestle with application problems that cover a wide range of content given in a varied context. Often, in American math classrooms, students are given these problems at the END of a unit of study, and all of the problems are related to that one topic. RESEARCH SHOWS that this type of problem solving does not encourage QUANTITATIVE REASONING (application of concepts to solve real-world problems), which we believe is a crucial skill to develop for higher-level mathematics and in life. GO MATH!

According to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), the health of the bay improved slightly this year, and we know that Christchurch School played a role in the upgraded report card! Through our Great Journeys Begin at the River curriculum we educate our students about the health and importance of not only the Chesapeake Bay, but its entire watershed. We travel from top to bottom of the watershed, measure the health of the waters and do everything we can to protect and clean the bay. The CBF reports that crabs, oysters, and bay water oxygen levels are improved. Since 2008, our students and faculty have raised over 1 million oysters at our Rappahannock River waterfront at the entrance to the bay. Each oyster filters 50 gallons of water per day. We have done a lot, but we have much more to do!

Learn more about our efforts to save the bay, starting with CANS FOR OYSTERS. Learn more about our Great Journeys Immersion Trips and view video of our sophomores as they research the health of our watershed.

The Christchurch School community is the recipient of an extraordinary gift, in memory of an extraordinary man. This soulful seahorse, created by sculptor and modern metal artist John Latell, was commissioned, anonymously, in memory of Col. William F. Byers '39, father of our headmaster, John E. Byers. The seahorse, our school mascot, majestically floats on the circle drive in front of the Lewis B. Puller '63 Marine and Environmental Science Center, all the while keeping a strong eye on his beloved Rappahnanock River.

Chaplain John Alter was moved to write a poem about the Seahorse.

Lucky students at Christchurch School have the opportunity to study Chinese. With more than 1 billion speakers, Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world. It is an analytic and tonal language. Like music, it requires speakers to use both sides of the brain. CCS students learn to speak, read and write modern Chinese. Beginners learn approximately 200 words and expressions, using Pinyin (a phonetic system) as well as characters. They also explore cultural contexts and aspects.

Last year, Chinese instructor Richard Kronick led students on an expedition to China - see a video from the trip, enjoy photos.