Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School

News

• CH-CH Gains a Sister School in Beijing, China

  5/9/2012
  On May 24, the Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School Board of Trustees will be presented with a Memorandum of Understanding for consideration that would establish our first sister school. The Jiayu School in Beijing, China may soon become the first of several partner schools located around the world. Our vision is to engage in formal, collaborative, mutual agreements with a few select international independent schools located on every major continent of the planet.
  
  This global vision stems from the reality that while we continue to enrich our own campus community with students from a dozen different nations across the planet, we can and should be creating safe, transformational opportunities for international study and cultural immersion that cannot be replicated in any way. The goal is to provide unique educational opportunities that extend beyond our 40 acre campus here in Waltham.
  
  Jiayu's Head of School Gary Malmon has visited our campus on multiple occasions in his quest to learn more about our operations and programs, particularly in the areas of ELL and Mandarin language. This summer Jiayu will be launching its four week Youth Leaders of America and China (YLAC) program that will give American students, including a couple from CH-CH, an opportunity to taste the benefits of an educational program based on cultural enrichment and foreign travel in parts of the world few Americans have ever visited. CH-CH faculty member Erica Knipp will be joining the YLAC program as one of the trip leaders and chaperones, as well.
  
  Moving forward, we expect that CH-CH will continue to embrace and develop summer, term-long and full year student exchange opportunities for families' consideration. This will provide reciprocal exchanges for students and faculty that will only enrich teaching and learning at Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall. We are a school committed to preparing students for a future yet to be defined in an ever-increasingly global community.
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• World-Renowned Author Michael Connelly Visits CH-CH

  4/11/2012
  We are pleased and grateful that world renowned mystery writer Michael Connelly visited Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School on Wednesday, April 11^th, as a writer-in-residence.  Connelly delivered a lunchtime workshop designed for CH-CH students in the Reading as a Writer and Music Theory classes that discussed the role in which music plays in his writing and his life.  He discussed and demonstrated how he uses music, both rap and jazz, throughout his books to convey mood, message, and character.  
  
  Director of Academics Lynn Bloom noted, "Students from our creative writing and songwriting classes filled an hour and a half on Wednesday with questions about creative inspiration and the writing process. Mr. Connelly generously shared anecdotes from his own experience, including one about being interrogated by a detective who inspired his hero, Harry Bosch. Describing reading as the fuel of the creative "engine," he encouraged our aspiring writers to keep reading and writing!"
  
  

  One of the top crime noir novelists in the world, Connelly has had 23 consecutive New York Times best sellers, with the past several reaching  #1.  He has authored 18 books featuring LA crime detective Harry Bosch, his best known character.  Last year a movie called The Lincoln Lawyer,based on his 2005 bestselling book of same title, was highly successful, critically acclaimed and starred Matthew McConaughey.  In 2002, Clint Eastwood worked with Connelly on a movie entitled, Bloodwork, based on his 1998 fictional novel.

   

  Connelly provided CH-CH community members a wonderful opportunity to learn of his personal journey to become and be a prolific writer, one that weaves inspiration, the writing process, courage to take risks with your art, as well as other topics.  As a young man, Connelly went off to college and came close to flunking out because he had no idea what he wanted to be.  After taking a brief pause from college and discovering his love of the crime novel genre, he went back to school and became an honor student in journalism.  He continued on to become a Pulitzer Prize runner-up for his news reporting.  Connelly would soon re-tool and emerge as one of the most popular writers in the world.  His description of how he became initially inspired and what still inspires him is something that fascinates audiences around the world. 

   

  Over forty-two million copies of Connelly’s books have sold worldwide and he has been translated into thirty-nine foreign languages.  He has won the Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Macavity Award, Los Angeles TimesBest Mystery/Thriller Award, Shamus Award, Dilys Award, Nero Award, Barry Award, Audie Award, Ridley Award, Maltese Falcon Award (Japan), .38 Caliber Award (France), Grand Prix Award (France), Premio Bancarella Award (Italy), and the Pepe Carvalho award (Spain).  It was an honor welcoming him to campus on April 11^th.
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• Meet Maria Rios Brache, A Legacy Student

  4/3/2012
  Maria Rios Brache, a senior from the Dominican Republic, calls Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School her home. ‘Mara,’ as her friends know her, joined the CH-CH community in the 2010-11 school-year as a new junior together with 165 fellow students from eleven different countries and seven states. Unaccustomed to American culture and the bitter winters of New England, Mara has certainly had to adjust to a new way of life. While Mara knew she’d be welcomed by a diverse and friendly community upon her arrival to campus, her decision to study here was strongly influenced by her family’s longstanding connections to Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School.
  

  
  Alfredo Rios, Mara’s father, graduated from CH-CH in 1986. Alfredo still maintains many of the friendships he formed during his time in Waltham, and took with him fond memories. He encouraged his daughter to share in his experiences at Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School.
  

  
  “I instantly recall my Economics class, because it was the turning point in my life,” reflects Alfredo. “That was the moment when I decided what I was going to college for,” he explains. “Being around the faculty helped me to evolve. The life experience and the teaching style at CH-CH were very similar to being in college, and I noticed the difference between me and other freshmen. They were not used to being away from home or eating in a cafeteria. CH-CH made the transition very smooth.”

  
  Mara has also found CH-CH to be an environment that is preparing her for upcoming challenges in college and beyond. “I love the way that teachers challenge you here,” Mara explains, “it just makes me want to prove to myself and to them that I can do better.” Feeling comfortable with her teachers has helped Mara to stay on top of her work and to connect with them when she needs additional academic support. “My dad said that my grades would improve because the teacher to student ratio would be better, and because many teachers live on campus. He was right about that,” Mara says of her classroom experience. Mara aspires to study music composition and performance in college, and has blossomed academically through the School’s holistic approach to learning: “Teachers change it up here,” Mara says, adding that “it helps me to never get bored.”

  
  Occasionally longing for the traditions and culture of being home and with family is a commonality for many boarding students, though for Mara, History class with Mr. Eric LaForest has helped to bridge the gap between the Dominican Republic and CH-CH. “I have had a chance to improve in many ways. Mr. LaForest is such a caring teacher and I am grateful to have him as a mentor here,” Mara says of her favorite teacher.

  
  Though the years between their respective graduation days span more than two decades, both Mara and her father value the levels of challenge and support afforded to them as CH-CH students. Both formed meaningful friendships and bonds, resulting in lasting memories. Maria Rios Brache graduates from CH-CH this spring and hopes to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.
  
  Nadia Hajjar and Jen Arno
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• A New Approach to Combining Disciplines

  3/1/2012
  By Nadia Hajjar and Jen Arno
  
  The Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School Math and Art Departments have combined disciplines to offer a new course. Computer Programming and Digital Design, led by math teacher John Guenther and Visual Arts Department Chair Cindy Ludlam, innovatively merges their talents as teachers in their subjects, providing students with a distinctive learning opportunity. The interdisciplinary nature of the course encourages imagination and problem-solving – themes that are grounded in an overall creative, hands-on curriculum.
  
  The course, in which students obtain either math or art credits, provides an introduction to the language of programming and guidance in the principles of website design. Additionally, students acquire website-building skills and interact with the dynamic programs and languages incorporated in the discipline. Since the course is computer-based, students must grasp the complexities of programming - which can be daunting. However, students are encouraged to see the programming element as a tool necessary for implementing their artistic vision.
  
  The artistic objectives of the course are obvious, while the mathematical aspects are more abstract. Computer programming and math, however, are both algorithmic and logical processes. Drawing can be made more complex by adding color and shading, and computer programming encompasses the building of abstract and complex structures. Mr. Guenther explains that “just as a brush is a tool to a painter that influences his or her art, so the computer is a tool that influences the art of design.”
  
  CH-CH’s newest course is both unique and daring. At the very heart of the CH-CH curriculum are the principles of teaching and learning through Multiple Intelligences, where teachers’ lesson plans strike a balance between logic and ingenuity. This thoughtful combination of disciplines harnessed by Guenther and Ludlam provides CH-CH students with an opportunity to learn in an innovative manner. The course masterfully combines the essence of logic and creativity while teaching practical skills that students will employ throughout their time as lifelong learners.
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• Realizing Our Future, Honoring Our Past

  1/28/2012
  Last fall Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall took an important step forward to expand and improve our facilities by acquiring the 19th century chapel which gave us the Chapel Hill part of our name. On January 19, 2012 the Board of Trustees approved a plan to conduct a $1.5 million, three-year capital campaign to make our vision a reality. Realizing Our Future, Honoring Our Past will support the acquisition, renovation, and repurposing of the chapel and adjacent property.
  

  
  A spectacular performing arts and assembly space, a new home for the CH-CH world languages and music departments, a greatly needed student commons and school store serving the entire community, as well as an historic pathway “over the hill” that Chapel Hill girls once walked upon, this iconic structure and property will fulfill multiple needs for the School as identified in our campus master plan while enhancing our ongoing ability to provide transformational experiences for our students. Moreover, this historic acquisition enables the school to advance its mission while reclaiming an important part of its past.
  

  
  Led by the efforts of campaign chairs Tom and Michelle King, P ‘13, and leadership gifts from our Board of Trustees, current parents, alumni and their parents, faculty and staff, and friends of CH-CH have been overwhelmingly supportive. Community support during the quiet phase of the campaign has been overwhelming, with donors contributing more than $870,000 toward the $1.5 million goal. “With the 100% commitment of our Board of Trustees and strong support of lead donors, we are more than halfway toward our campaign goal,” recently stated Board Chair Eric Thorgerson. “I am confident that our entire community will come together to make our vision for the chapel property a reality for our students.”
  

  
  To learn more about our plans to transform this space, please visit our campaign web page at:

  https://www.chch.org/capitalcampaign
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• History Unfolds through Technology & Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom

  12/21/2011
  By Nadia Hajjar
  
  This fall, the Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall history department developed its own Tumblr page, showcasing the many ways in which teaching and learning through Multiple Intelligences is integrated into our classrooms. Tumblr is an interactive, online blogging tool where users can post links, videos and other images, along with their own thoughts through text and various creative media. This technology has enabled teachers to connect history with CH-CH students in an exciting and dynamic way, and has delivered information and assignments to students creatively and effectively. To see how CH-CH history teachers utilize Multiple Intelligences and differentiated instruction through Tumblr, visit the department’s blog at http://chchhistory.tumblr.com/.
  

  
  The history department’s curriculum pushes the intellectual limits of students, challenging them through a skills-based approach which encourages the development of analytical and critical thinking skills. The acquisition of these skills is imperative to a student’s overall academic success. Through creative instruction, students gain an eye for the trends and patterns that occur across various periods of history. Students take survey courses as underclassmen, and refine their skills in senior electives that enable the specialization typical of college level coursework. In addition to using technologies like Tumblr, the department places a strong emphasis on developing writing and research skills, striking a balance in combining college preparatory work with engaging assignments and differentiated instruction. Note-taking, outlining, categorization, citation, thesis development, academic organization and support for argumentation are critical skills needed for college-level work and are all part of experiencing the history curriculum at CH-CH.
  

  
  In-class historical activities help to reinforce the concepts students write and read about, and are just one of the many ways that linguistic intelligence is incorporated into the classroom. For the naturalistic students, history-related environmental issues are frequently discussed in class and are connected to other disciplines. Other examples include stimulating students with mathematical strengths by using activities involving numbers and graphs when, perhaps, there is a lesson on immigration or the history of war. The use of images, PowerPoint presentations, in-class sketching and visual analysis are all access points for visual learners. Through the use of media, students in history classes engage consistently in blog-writing and reading. Video clips from resources like PBS and YouTube are viewed weekly to help bring current perspectives to class material, and to provide a visual representation during lessons related to such things as art or architecture.

  
  Role playing is another method students use in order to bring history alive in the classroom, offering chances for students to put themselves in the shoes of their fellow countrymen. Music in the classroom enables students, especially those with auditory strengths, to immerse themselves in Gregorian chants, Renaissance madrigals, Baroque concertos, Classical symphonies, African American spirituals, Revolutionary war songs, and even Jimi Hendrix at Monterrey. Differentiated instruction further provides opportunities for alternative assessments, peer review and independent thinking about topics of personal historical interest. More importantly, these unique methods of instruction build on both the academic strengths and weaknesses of students, and allow CH-CH faculty to continue to teach the way our students learn.
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• Junior Class presents gifts to the Home for Little Wanderers

  12/21/2011
  On Thursday, December 15, 2011, the Junior Class presented 110 gifts to the Home for Little Wanderers. This effort was part of the Home’s "Big Wishes for Little Wanderers" gift drive.
  

  
  This year’s gifts consisted of over 50 gift cards, as well as new, unwrapped items. This is the sixth annual gift drive by the Junior Class. It is an example of community service projects completed throughout the year by Chapel Hill–Chauncy Hall students. The gift drive is coordinated by Junior Class Dean, Alice Solorow, who presented the gifts to Christine Howard, Corporate and Foundation Relations Manager at The Home for Little Wanderers. Ms. Howard stated, “This is awesome. We thank you so much for your generous donations…I can just see the kids’ faces when they get these. This is amazing.”
  

  
  The Home for Little Wanderers is America's oldest non-profit child and family service agency. The Home provides services to thousands of children and families each year throughout Eastern Massachusetts. More information is available at www.thehome.org.
  
  A video of the presentation is available here.
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• Life as a Boarding Student

  12/21/2011
  By Nadia Hajjar
  

  
  Dorm life is a unique aspect of being a boarding student at Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School. The boarding program unites a diverse population of individuals, and presents students with opportunities to learn outside of the classroom through interactions in a creative, healthfully challenging environment. With the hands-on support of in-dorm houseparents, boarders are provided with accountability, care and structure, which fosters strong study skills, integrity, respect and leadership in students; certainly, these lessons extend throughout the CH-CH community.
  

  
  Academic structure is a key component of a rigorous curriculum, and is a part of the daily lives of all CH-CH boarders. From 7-9:30 p.m. each evening, boarders are required to study and complete daily assignments with the supervision of their houseparent. Many teachers are also houseparents, and play an active role in providing extra help opportunities during study hall hours. Students are encouraged to engage in group work, and to foster a sense of community by helping out with weekly chores and taking turns leading dorm activities.

  
  So, what is the best part of dorm life? In the words of Justin Shen, Resident Advisor of Worcester Hall, “you take classes with your friends, and then you see them when you get home! You can hang out together. It’s much better than staying at home alone.” While this may be true, in reality, “it’s not your house and you can’t do things you might do at home like stay up late,” explains Justin. Despite the initial homesickness that students from other countries and states are sometimes challenged with, comfort is quickly found in the closeness of the residential life community. Students not only connect with one another over time, they also form meaningful bonds with their houseparents. Day students are encouraged to engage in this unique experience; they will often visit on weekends to participate in activities, which may include cultural trips or the chance to gain community service points as a graduation requirement.
  

  
  Just as there is diversity in the student body at CH-CH, such is true with available weekend activities. A recent weekend activity included an excursion to Litchfield, NH, where students braved the terror and fright of Spookyworld, a horror-filled theme park open for the Halloween season. Both boarding and day students participated in this event, bonding over creepy zombie and haunted house stories on the late night ride home to Waltham. Social opportunities like this help bridge the gap between boarding and day students at CH-CH; additionally, students are presented with occasions to create new friendships.
  

  
  While the life of a boarding student can be demanding, the closeness of the dormitory community and the hands-on support it provides its students are some of Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall’s most distinctive attributes. From structured study, to an assortment of weekend activities, to a community that recognizes the individual, dorm life provides a challenging, lively, environment for the diverse population of students that compose CH-CH.
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