In Living’s Top Schools & Colleges 2020, we recognize more than 160 schools—including public and private colleges and universities, private high schools, private K-8 schools, public school systems, and special needs schools—for their achievements, programs, and outstanding curriculum. After a thorough review of more than 400 schools across the Commonwealth, Virginia Living’s editors selected those with programs aimed at strengthening students’ experiences in the classroom, in the field, and in their communities. From getting their hands dirty in gardens, greenhouses, and wildlife preserves to using cutting-edge technology in robotics clubs and makerspaces, Virginia students are diving into learning. Colleges and universities are paving new paths, increasing readiness for jobs in fields like cybersecurity, and offering exciting new experiences, like women’s triathlon, to their roster of sports.Top Schools & Colleges 2020 is a collection of the amazing stories, programs, students, and teachers we found in looking at the state of education in the past year. By Victoria Drake, Diane McMartin, and Katie Wirth | Illustration by Gwen Keraval

FIND YOUR SCHOOL Four-Year Colleges 111 | Private High Schools 119 | Private K-12 Schools 121 | Private K-8 Schools 131 | Public High Schools 135 | Special Needs Schools 139

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Virginia Living Appalachian School of Law Bluefield College Christendom College Grundy Bluefield Front Royal Top Schools ASL.edu, 276-244-1239 Bluefield.edu, 800-872-0176 Christendom.edu, 540-636-2900 This year, Appalachian School of Law and Connie Elkins and Brandy Smith, both Hosted by the college’s career development Virginia Tech’s Master of Information licensed professional counselors and office, Christendom’s Life on Tap series invites 2020 Technology program will partner to offer nationally certified through the National alumni professionals to return to campus and graduate certificates in cybersecurity policy Board of Certified Counselors, will serve offer career guidance to students. A variety and cybersecurity management. The program as the inaugural directors of the newly of fields are represented, including STEM, additionally offers students the opportunity established Center for Counseling & Wellness business, IT, software development, law, FEATURE STORIES to obtain specialized certificates in criminal at Bluefield College. The center will enhance education, architecture, finance, medicine, law and natural resources law. The courses, Bluefield College’s holistic approach to and more. In recent semesters, students have Rolling Toward Innovation 111 taught by Pamplin College of Business faculty, mental health, and students will be able to heard from alumni mentors in the nursing Elite Online Opportunities will employ Virginia Tech’s online Canvas receive therapeutic services from professional field, from alumni who attend graduate 113 Learning Management System. Under the counselors without using insurance or school, and from alumni in the social media College Collaboration 115 leadership of Dean Elizabeth McClanahan, incurring any out-of-pocket costs. and marketing space. Triathlon Enters the Race 117 ASL’s goal is emphasizing the training of Students Lead the Chorus 119 young lawyers in practical legal skills. Bridgewater Christopher Newport From Hackers to Makers 121 College University Giving Back to Enrich Averett University Bridgewater Newport News Young Minds 123 Danville Bridgewater.edu, 540-828-8000 CNU.edu, 757-594-7000 Averett.edu, 434-791-5600 STEM Stars 125 The 2020-2021 academic year will see two CNU is one of the first universities to Eighty-five percent of Virginia’s law new master’s programs from Bridgewater participate in Virginia’s ambitious Tech- Creating Tomorrow’s enforcement is trained at one of 11 criminal College, including a Master of Science Talent Investment Program. A multi-million Artists 127 justice training academies—Averett University in human resources management and a dollar investment by the Commonwealth, Excelling with the Five C’s 129 is the only college to have a partnership with Master of Science in psychology-mental the program will help the university produce Fertile Ground for Learning all 11. In October, Averett’s criminal justice health professions, following approval from students with degrees in computer science 131 department hosted a luncheon recognizing the the Southern Association of Colleges and and related programs in support of the new Nurturing Nature Lovers 133 academies, law enforcement leaders, and the Schools. This follows two new undergraduate Amazon facility in Virginia. In other news, the Growing Greenhouses 135 educational partnership that allows academy majors Bridgewater College added in digital Jennings Family Stadium was dedicated this Teacher, Teacher graduates to expand their criminal justice media arts and in data science and analytics past year. The turf facility is home to the field 137 education at Averett. The department offers a in the 2019-2020 academic year, as well as hockey and lacrosse teams. On-the-Job Learning 139 Bachelor of Science in sociology and criminal a new undergraduate major in professional justice, as well as a Master of Science in writing in fall 2018. criminal justice administration and leadership. College of William & Mary Williamsburg WM.edu, 757-221-4000 sustaining innovative diversity efforts within their campus community.” In recent years, The opening of a second entrepreneurship the medical school has implemented bias hub at William & Mary demonstrates training for staff, faculty, and students, as well the school’s expanding focus on as integrated CareForward curriculum into its entrepreneurship. The effort includes a teaching, which reinforced the importance of partnership between William & Mary and socioeconomics on patient health. Launchpad, the region’s business incubator for the City of Williamsburg, James City County, and York County. In 2019, the school’s Edward Via College of board of visitors endorsed the college’s Osteopathic Medicine six-year plan, which involves preventing the Blacksburg growth of tuition rates for future students. VCOM.edu, 540-231-4000 A partnership between VCOM and Radford Eastern Mennonite University’s sports medicine center will University provide student-athletes with a state-of- Harrisonburg the-art, 4,300-square-foot sports medicine EMU.edu, 540-432-4000 facility. The college’s athletic department is a training ground for young physicians in the Students at EMU can now apply to intern VCOM Sports Medicine Fellowship. The new at Blue Sprocket Sound, a professional facility will have areas for treatment, taping, recording studio in Harrisonburg. Two rehabilitation, physical therapy, stretching, students will be able to intern each semester. and other needs. The new VCOM Sports EMU’s engineering program’s Engineers for Medicine Physician Suite will have ultrasound the Sustainable World club is dedicated to technology, electrical stimulation, and laser designing hypersonic aircraft and cars that From left to right: Mary Metzger, therapy, as well as hydrotherapy. Tommy Ryan, Prof. Shanaka can cross the U.S. without using fossil fuel. Wijesinghe, and Calvin Price. This includes an international collaboration, which EMU is the first from the U.S. to join, Emory and Henry College and is funded by the European Union. One Emory ROLLING TOWARD INNOVATION particular project focuses on designing EHC.edu, 276-944-4121 an economically viable, hypersonic, EHC is the only Semester-A-Trail program 300-passenger aircraft. Virginia Commonwealth University’s da Vinci Center, a collaboration between schools in the U.S. to offer credit to students for created to encourage entrepreneurship, brought together students from different disciplines hiking and studying on the Appalachian Trail. to solve a stubborn healthcare problem—medication distribution in hospitals. With nothing Eastern Virginia Medical Students receive an entire through-hiking available in hospitals except expensive robotic carts or a set of plastic tubs on wheels, work School kit with backpacking gear and footwear, on the PharmaCart project began in 2018 in Andrew Ilnicki’s Product Innovation course. Norfolk complete a wilderness first aid course, and Today, VCU Medical Center is testing two prototypes, and a provisional patent has been filed. EVMS.edu, 757-446-5600 have on-trail support. On the trail, students Mary Metzger, a 2019 VCU graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in communication arts have produced a documentary, studied and a certificate in product innovation from the da Vinci Center, was the project coordinator. The National Association of Diversity plant and animal life cycles, and more. In It was her first experience taking a project from idea to prototype. “I think the most surprising Officers in Higher Education awarded the addition to this program, EHC is also adding thing about the process, though, was just how much we were able to accomplish in a short Institutional Excellence Award to EVMS in an RN-BSN program; a doctorate in physical amount of time,” she says. “It was amazing—and very fulfilling—to start something as part of 2019. The award recognizes institutions of therapy; and new minors in food studies, a class that still has life even after the course has ended.” For more on VCU, see page 117. higher education that have “demonstrated animal science, and peace and justice studies measurable progress in promoting and PHOTO BY TOM KOJCSICH / COURTESY OF VCU UNIVERSITY MARKETING UNIVERSITY VCU OF / COURTESY KOJCSICH TOM BY PHOTO to its curriculum.

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Virginia Living Ferrum College The centers will bring researchers from Center after its benefactor. The center will several schools together to address issues. increase Hampden-Sydney’s ability to offer Ferrum Relatedly, GMU researchers Emanuel one of the best undergraduates science Top Schools Ferrum.edu, 800-868-9797 Petricoin, College of Science professor, and programs in the country. Pauley is a former Fall 2019 saw three new majors become Shane Caswell, professor in the College member of the Hampden-Sydney board of available at Ferrum College: a Bachelor of of Education and Human Development, trustees. 2020 Science in elementary education, a Bachelor connected across disciplines to address of Arts in music, and a Bachelor of Science the problem of diagnosing and monitoring Hampton in ecotourism. Students in the teacher concussions. The researchers have already University education program at Ferrum have a 100 identified a handful of proteins in saliva Longwood University Hampton percent rate of employment after graduation. that could change how these conditions are Farmville HamptonU.edu, 757-727-5000 In addition, Ferrum now offers a guaranteed diagnosed. Longwood.edu, 434-395-2000 graduation after two years for transfer A grant of $135,000 from the City of Longwood students recently visited Puerto students. Hampton’s Economic Development Authority Hampden-Sydney Rico as part of the school’s signature Brock will allow Hampton University to create the College Experiences, which focus on unresolved civic Center of Excellence, a new Severe Storm George Mason Hampden-Sydney issues. During the trip, students explored the Research Center. The goal of the center is to University issue of statehood versus territory and the HSC.edu, 434-223-6000 use weather modeling to be better prepared Fairfax impact it has on the island’s citizens. A new Stanley F. Pauley of The Pauley Family for severe hurricanes and other storms. admissions building, named Radcliff Hall after GMU.edu, 703-993-1000 Foundation has gifted Hampden-Sydney The Department of Homeland Security also graduate and former rector Marianne Radcliff, Two new multidisciplinary centers have been a grant of $30 million, the largest in the recently gave a grant of $340,658 to Hampton class of ’92, has opened at Longwood. In added at GMU: the Center for Advancing college’s history. The donation will support University which will enable the university to addition, a new academic building is nearing Human-Machine Partnership and the Center the construction of a new state-of-the-art create an esports lab on campus and prepare completion on campus, which will house for Resilient and Sustainable Communities. science facility, named the Pauley Science to offer esports courses. developing programs such as NeuroStudies.

Hollins Mary Baldwin University University Roanoke Staunton Hollins.edu, 540-362-6000 MaryBaldwin.edu, 540-887-7019 Hollins University now gives students the To prepare students to enter one of the opportunity to major or minor in public fastest-growing fields in healthcare, health. The program will allow students to Mary Baldwin University debuted a new build a foundation of knowledge in public online program in health informatics and health while creating an individual path of information management for fall 2019; it study through the electives offered. Public combines information and communication health focuses on promoting and protecting technology with healthcare to improve the health of people and their communities. the quality of patient care. In addition, The program at Hollins University is unique Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences in that it emphasizes the principles of social is celebrating its five-year anniversary justice while maintaining a scientific basis. in 2019-2020. The college offers 16 programs, including a Master of Healthcare James Madison Administration, Master of Science in nursing, University and a post-professional occupational therapy Harrisonburg doctorate. JMU.edu, 540-568-6211 ELITE ONLINE OPPORTUNITIES James Madison University’s nationally ranked Marymount University college of business will soon spread out into Arlington Colleges are open to anyone with an Internet connection. a cutting-edge technological space that will Marymount.edu, 703-522-5600 he Internet has brought us more than just cat photos and memes give JMU business students more space for Marymount University’s School of Business only teenagers understand. It has also made materials from the hands-on learning. This will include renovation and Technology has launched the Marymount world’s best universities, including two in Virginia, available to of the existing Showker Hall, which will be Intrapreneurship Initiative. The program is anyone, anytime. complete in fall 2021. In the fall of 2020, aimed at students who want to use their T the university will open its newest sports The makes courses available through entrepreneurial spirit and skills in existing Coursera, offering everything from Smart Growth for Private Businesses to Age facility, seating 8,500 for games organizations, rather than start their own. with state-of-the-art technology. JMU was of Jefferson, which is presented in partnership with Thomas Jefferson’s Monti- Additionally, Marymount professors were also ranked No. 1 for graduate employment cello. According to Dr. Kristin Palmer, the director of online learning programs recently awarded a grant from the National among all Virginia universities, based on at UVA, the most popular courses are on subjects like design thinking, business Science Foundation to create a program college scorecard data maintained by the U.S. addressing the need for more teachers in the strategy, physics, and history. Department of Education. Online learners can choose to audit UVA classes at their own pace or pay a cybersecurity field. fee to take graded quizzes and get a certificate. The fee usually isn’t more than $99, and Coursera offers a subscription program. Students can then put the Liberty University Norfolk State certificate on their LinkedIn profile or resume if they choose. Lynchburg University These free courses expand the reach of the university, and some online Liberty.edu, 434-582-2000 Norfolk students eventually become traditional students. Palmer adds that online At Liberty University, mechanical engineering NSU.edu, 757-823-8600 classes don’t just benefit students; they also allow instructors to reach a global professors have developed new hydropower NSU is partnering with South Korean school audience, which can help their research efforts. technology as part of the U.S. Department of Inha University and NASA to form the Institute Energy’s competition to advance pumped- At , economics professors Alex Tabarrok and Tyler for Space Science and Engineering. Students storage hydropower technology. Two Cowen created Marginal Revolution University, a site that offers free econom- will learn about the effects of space on professors, Thomas Eldredge and Hector ics courses, complete with entertaining videos, in an effort to make studying the health of astronauts and how to track Medina, were named grand finalists in the economics less stuffy and more relatable to all kinds of students. asteroids. Funding has also been approved competition. For the third consecutive year, While it’s tough to replace the real-life instruction in the classroom, not to for the proposed Center for African American Liberty University’s school of aeronautics mention the career-improving connections an in-person college experience Public Policy, which will be the state’s first and school of nursing collaborated on a crisis provides, these online courses provide a wealth of material to anyone interested academic nonpartisan think tank focused simulation drill. School of nursing crisis in learning. on African Americans and other residents of students performed triage and first response color. NSU’s marching band ended the 2018 ➜ For more about the University of Virginia or for victims of the simulated plane crash. George Mason University, see page 117 or above. season ranked by ESPN as the top Division 1 HBCU band in the nation. IMAGE COURTESY OF UVA OF COURTESY IMAGE

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Virginia Living Old Dominion within their Early College opportunity. included The Chewing Symphony, where an Those who take part in the dual-enrollment ensemble created music by crunching and University program as Early College students at Regent grinding vegetables and fruits. Aiming to Top Schools Norfolk University will automatically become eligible create a global dialogue, Shenandoah hosted ODU.edu, 757-683-3000 to participate in this tuition-reward program, higher education representatives from two To help launch the Commonwealth Center of valued up to $4,650. Muslim-majority countries for a discussion 2020 Innovation for Autonomous Systems, ODU on best practices in higher education at the received a grant of $1.5 million from the Roanoke College first-ever Barzinji Fall Colloquium. Virginia Research Investment Fund. The goal Salem university was founded as Virginia Christian of the grant is to develop entrepreneurship Roanoke.edu, 540-375-2500 Sweet Briar College College in 1903. The name also signifies opportunities in the region. This coincides Sweet Briar Westover Honors College, which will be with the opening of the school’s Institute for Located near Virginia’s Blue Ridge, Roanoke SBC.edu, 434-381-6100 housed in the new building. The building’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship in downtown College provides many outdoor opportunities features include 140 bedrooms, four Norfolk. To answer the growing need in the for students who love the outdoors. They can In 2019, Sweet Briar College opened a brand balconies, and a rooftop terrace. At nearly real estate market, Old Dominion University’s hike McAfee’s Knob near campus—the most new 27,000-square-foot greenhouse to 90,000 square feet, it is the largest facility on Strome College of Business has built its new photographed site on the entire Appalachian complement its other agricultural initiatives: campus. Harvey Lindsay School of Real Estate. Trail—kayak and paddleboard, participate an apiary, native wildflower garden, and in trips from campus to places like Smoky about 20 acres of grapevines. This is all part Mountains National Park, and much more. of Sweet Briar’s commitment to educating University of Radford University Roanoke has also gone fully test-optional. women who will be leaders in artisanal Radford Mary Prospective students applying to Roanoke agriculture, sustainability, and conservation. Fredericksburg Radford.edu, 540-831-5000 do not have to provide any standardized test U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner of Viginia, U.S. UMW.edu, 540-654-1000 A new home for student entrepreneurship scores if they don’t wish to include them on Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, and has opened at Radford University, known as their application. other special guests were also hosted at the Thanks to a partnership with the the Venture Lab. The lab, which will allow 24- college last year. Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, hour, seven-day-a-week access, will provide Shenandoah at least six Mary Washington students will mentorship and guidance for students, while University of soon have the chance to spend a semester University working directly with rare and endangered also offering tools for marketing research, Lynchburg maps and guides to existing Radford Winchester species and learning from Smithsonian University technological resources such as SU.edu, 540-665-4500 Lynchburg scientists and George Mason University 3D printers, and business plan preparation In the fall of 2019, Shenandoah Conservatory Lynchburg.edu, 434-544-8100 professors at the Smithsonian Conservation software and guides, as well as meeting and hosted its second ShenCoLab, in which The University of Lynchburg has given its new Biology Institute. The agreement comes just storage space. Through the Venture Lab, conservatory classes were suspended for a residence hall a name that acknowledges as UMW’s biology department introduces a Radford aspires to guide and direct the next week to allow students to explore creative the institution’s history: Westover Hall. It was new major in conservation biology. generation of entrepreneurs. ideas and collaborative efforts. The projects the name of the original building when the

Randolph College Lynchburg RandolphCollege.edu, 434-947-8000 COLLEGE COLLABORATION In an effort to counter the rising cost of Schools join forces to take on big projects. college, Randolph College will see a reduction of approximately 35 percent in its tuition, irginia colleges and universities are learning that to solve the tough problems of the future, like cybercrime, our room, and board for the 2020-2021 academic need for faster access to information, and building safe environments, they need to work together. year. Overall, this will lower average total In fall 2020, University of Mary Washington seniors in Fredericksburg will have the opportunity to take costs at Randolph from $54,101 to $36,000. online engineering classes from George Mason’s Volgenau School of Engineering in Fairfax. With access to Also, for fall 2020, Randolph will be offering V engineering instruction and research at a very high level, students can finish their undergraduate degree with a new esports program under the National up to nine extra credits, with additional graduate-level credits under their belt. Association of Collegiate Esports. Randolph In the western part of the state, Virginia Tech is leading the way in cybersecurity. Its budget now includes $25 million will be the eighth college or university in the toward its leading role in the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative. CCI’s goal is to make Virginia a leader in cybersecurity and to state to offer this program to its students. prepare students to be competitive in the commercial side of the cybersecurity market. “Giving students hands-on experi- ence and learning about cybersecurity Randolph-Macon College is our focus,” says Dr. Jeffrey Reed, Wil- Ashland lis G. Worcester Professor of Electrical RMC.edu, 804-752-7200 and Computer Engineering at Virginia Recently, a National Science Foundation grant Tech and interim director of the CCI. The has allowed R-MC to add a cytometer and initiative’s other goals include devel- autosampler to its biology department. These oping a platform for companies to find will be used across disciplines at the college. interns and developing Virginia’s cyber Nursing students from R-MC’s Bachelor ecosystem. of Science in Nursing program, along with While Virginia Tech and its Hume faculty from Bon Secours Memorial College of Center for National Security and Nursing, made a recent trip to the Mountain Technology is the hub, other Virginia Mission School in Grundy. The students were schools have their own “nodes” and immersed in a population health cultural will share their resources with smaller experience while working with the Remote schools. Central Virginia is led by VCU Area Medical Volunteer Corps. and UVA combined, Coastal Virginia by Old Dominion University, Northern Regent Virginia by George Mason, and South- University west Virginia and overall leadership by Virginia Beach Virginia Tech. Regent.edu, 757-352-4127 While Virginia is a large and diverse state, when schools collaborate, it Partnering with seasoned professionals, makes it, and the problems its students students at Regent’s School of Business & need to tackle, seem much smaller. Leadership will be able to make connections in the business world while developing ➜ For more about the University real-world skills in the new Executive UMW-Mason engineering. of Mary Washington or Virginia Tech, Mentor Program. Regent also now offers the see above or page 117. Rewarding Educational Performance Program PHOTO BY EVAN CANTWELL / COURTESY OF GMU OF / COURTESY CANTWELL EVAN BY PHOTO

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Virginia Living University of that were donated to science by individuals quickly access academia’s creative ideas who died of various diseases, the effects of and capabilities to deliver innovative Richmond which can be seen via virtual dissection on solutions where none currently exist to Top Schools Richmond the Anatomage Table. meet government’s most critical needs. The Richmond.edu, 804-289-8000 University Innovation Exchange will enable Nine University of Richmond students Virginia Polytechnic MITRE to work with university professors 2020 received Gilman scholarships to support Institute and State and students to conduct joint research. Top their study abroad experiences in 2019, the undergraduate and graduate students will be most in UR’s history. More than 65 percent of University hired as interns and full-time employees. program opens in January 2020. The arena is University of Richmond students complete Blacksburg equipped with 17 high-performance gaming study abroad experiences before graduating. VT.edu, 540-231-6000 Virginia Union PCs, ASUS motherboards, video cards, and In addition, UR’s Jepson School of Leadership Since its dedication in 1994, VT’s Research University MSI Optix gaming monitors. Virginia Wesleyan Studies is offering a new scholarship to + Demonstration Facility (RDF) has been Richmond is a member of the National Association of three graduating seniors each year who are an integral part of academic and research VUU.edu, 804-257-5600 Collegiate Esports and plans to compete. accepted into a one-year master’s program at programs in the College of Architecture Oxford University. and Urban Studies. RDF is a living-learning VUU received a total of $1 million in Historic laboratory, a dedicated space where CAUS Preservation grants from the National Parks Washington and Lee University of Virginia students can gain practical, hands-on Service in 2019. Half of the money will support University the renovation of the Belgian Building, home Charlottesville experience in architecture, design, and Lexington to the fine arts and athletics departments and Virginia.edu, 434-924-0311 construction alongside expert faculty and WLU.edu, 540-458-8400 industry professionals. After taking first place the Barco-Stevens Gymnasium. The second The Law, Justice, and Society Program at UVA research topped $412 million in funding in the 2018 Solar Decathlon Middle East, RDF $500,000 grant will support the restoration Washington and Lee University, which began in 2019, setting a new record for the school. constructed a sustainable 900-square-foot, and renovation of Historic Huntley Hall, a in fall 2019, allows students to pursue a As part of the fundraising effort, UVA grid-connected building in the middle of residence hall on campus. In December 2019, minor in law, justice, and society through Engineering received its largest-ever gift: $25 Times Square in Manhattan. the college announced it will be reducing million donated by alumnus Greg Olson to undergraduate tuition rates by 32 percent a new interdisciplinary program. This will help with recruitment and retention of UVA’s starting the fall 2020 semester. accompany preexisting coursework available engineering faculty, as well as new facilities Virginia State to students in pre-law advising, law-related University internships, and alumni connections. Also, a and courses for students. After matching Virginia Wesleyan funds from UVA’s Bicentennial Scholars Fund Petersburg new outdoor classroom was opened at WLU and Bicentennial Professors Fund, the total VSU.edu, 804-524-5000 University for fall 2019. It features wireless technology, impact of the gift will be $36.5 million. Virginia Beach flat writing surfaces, and movable furniture. Virginia State University is one of the nine VWU.edu, 757-455-3208 Virginia public universities to be a part of University of Virginia’s MITRE’s newly launched University Innovation Virginia Wesleyan University’s Marlin Esports College at Wise Exchange program. Under this program, Arena in the Jane P. Batten Student Center on campus recently had an open house, giving Wise MITRE collaborates with universities to guests a glimpse at what is to come when the UVAWise.edu, 276-328-0100 As of fall 2019, the innovate2eleVAte project at UVA Wise gives students the technical skills required for academic success by providing TRIATHLON ENTERS THE RACE students and faculty with iPads, allowing Women’s triathlon becomes a part of college athletic programs. faculty to select open source textbooks and cutting down each semester’s textbook cost. riathlon started as a fun and (so they thought) one-time event put together by Don Shanahan and Jack In the Introduction to Public Relations class at Johnstone, members of the San Diego Track Club in Mission Bay, San Diego, in 1974. The event consisted of a UVA Wise, students develop a public relations 750-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bike ride, and a five-kilometer run, requiring a variety of athletic skills. It has plan of regional agency for the Appalachian T blossomed into a popular sport and an Olympic event. In 2014, the NCAA classified women’s triathlon as an Community Action and Development Agency “emerging sport.” There is a 10-year window during which 40 schools must sponsor the event in order for there in order to help the organization reintroduce to be an NCAA championship. itself to the clients it serves. Two Virginia universities have made women’s triathlon part of their programs. Eastern Mennonite University in Har- risonburg received a three-year grant from the USA Triathlon Foundation that will cover the program until the 2021-2022 Virginia Commonwealth season. It will have its first competitive season this fall, led by head cross country and track and field coach Bob Hepler. EMU University is the tenth D-III school to have a women’s triathlon program. Hampton University has also received a grant for the sport. Dr. Jodi Jensen, professor and director of aquatics, is now Richmond the head coach of women’s triathlon at Hampton. Hampton is also the first historically black college and university with a VCU.edu, 804-828-1231 triathlon team. According to Jensen, “Swimming is an underrepresented sport for African Americans, and that bleeds over VCU’s health sciences schools are growing to triathlon as well.” This is part quickly. In the fall 2019 semester, VCU Sika Henry, aspiring professional of why she was so enthusias- cut the ribbon on a new College of Health triathlete and member of the Black tic about adding triathlon to Professions building, marking the first time Triathletes Association. Hampton’s athletic program. many health professions programs’ students “We look to be a leader in are under one roof. Meanwhile, in the new changing that by providing Health Hub at 25th, a health and wellness opportunities for African Amer- center in the East End of Richmond, students ican females to participate in are getting real-world experience providing the sport,” says Jensen. care—screenings and health education—to members of a community identified as Triathlon is unique among lacking physical activity, nutrition, and health NCAA sports in that events are care access resources. open to the public. Nonstudent athletes can compete alongside students, allowing the whole Virginia Military community to get involved, Institute which is very much in the spirit Lexington of the sport’s history. VMI.edu, 540-464-7211 ➜ For more about Eastern For the fall 2019 semester, VMI cadets had Mennonite University or access to a new tool to assist in anatomy Hampton University, see pages classes. The Anatomage Table shows 3D 111 or 113. ultra-high-resolution pictures of the body’s circulatory, nervous, and lymphatic systems,

PHOTO COURTESY OF HAMPTON UNIVERSITY HAMPTON OF COURTESY PHOTO plus internal organs. The images are of bodies

APRIL 2020 117 VIRGINIA LIVING PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS

Virginia Living Bishop Ireton Community High School Saint Gertrude High School High School of Arts & Academics Richmond Top Schools Alexandria Roanoke SaintGertrude.org, 804-358-9114 BishopIreton.org, 703-751-7606 CommunityHigh.net, 540-345-1688 New this school year, Saint Gertrude The school is currently in the process of In November 2019, Community High implemented a school-wide day of service. 2020 constructing a 40,000-square-foot academic celebrated the first of two “lycée days” for the Two hundred students and staff took the day center that will expand the campus and year. On these days, regular classes stop for off from classes to go out into the Richmond provide new facilities for students. As the one hour and students get to choose between community and offer volunteer services at school’s biggest expansion and renovation many different workshops, discussions, and 17 different locations. In January, the school The to date, the center will have a dining hall, lessons taught by faculty, alumni, parents, and announced its move to Benedictine College St. George Preparatory’s campus in Goochland, set for outdoor courtyard, and auxiliary gymnasium, others. Topics include lessons on everything BlueRidgeSchool.com, 434-985-2811 and will include renovations to the fitness from cheesemaking and knitting, to portraits 2021. The schools will remain same-sex and In 2019, the school added the Rymer Range, a and weight rooms. Other additions include in chalk pastel and snake anatomy. There are operate under the newly formed umbrella multi-sport marksmanship range, and an indoor a media center and learning commons, in also larger school-wide panel discussions with organization, the Benedictine Schools of climbing wall to its Outdoor Programs facilities. addition to a vertical “bio-wall” garden on members of the community on issues like Richmond. Boys also take advantage of the school’s 15- the outside of the building, an open-air study homelessness, diversity, and the Roanoke area. mile trail network, practicing mountain biking, arbor, and a glass stairwell. Saint John Paul the Great canoeing, hiking, and skiing, as well as learning Episcopal High School High School survival skills like fire building and orienteering. Chatham Hall Alexandria Dumfries This year, the school’s dean of faculty, Peter Chatham EpiscopalHighSchool.org, 703-933-3000 JPTheGreat.org, 703-445-0300 Bonds, was recognized by the International Boys’ Schools Coalition for his research on the ChathamHall.org, 434-432-2941 Student club and group leaders participated Saint John Paul the Great High School is the use of project-based learning to engage boys in Chatham Hall is home to an award-winning in a leadership workshop in Washington, D.C., only high school in the nation that offers a the classroom. riding program and an Interscholastic in September 2019, meeting with Michael four-year bioethics program. A field of study Equestrian Association Team. They frequently Polt, a former U.S. ambassador, and Benjamin that examines the “ethical implications of participate in IEA competitions, as well as Freakley, a retired U.S. Army general, as well certain biological and medical procedures, The other Equestrian Federation as leaders selected by the McCain Institute, technologies, and treatments,” the bioethics McLean rated shows in Virginia and . a D.C. think tank. The workshop was the first curriculum is required for all students. Madeira.org, 703-556-8200 In 2015, the team was named IEA Reserve initiative in a partnership between Episcopal Classes include topics on health, ethics, and Required for all ninth graders, Maderia’s STEAM Champion, and in 2019 the team traveled to High School’s newly formed McCain-Ravenel the beginning and end of life. Fundamentals course utilizes the school’s the IEA National Finals. Center for Intellectual and Moral Courage and maker space. Girls learn how to use tools like the McCain Institute. St. Paul VI Catholic laser cutters and 3D printers in the class to help Christchurch School High School solve problems related to design projects like Christchurch Foxcroft School Fairfax wind turbines or paper-engineered books. In ChristchurchSchool.org, 804-758-2306 Middleburg PaulVI.net, 703-352-0925 addition to in-school learning, 100 percent of Foxcroft.org, 540-687-5555 Maderia students graduate with at least three New for the 2019-2020 school year, This summer, St. Paul VI Catholic High School internship experiences. students can receive academic credit for STEM is a central part of Foxcroft’s will finish construction on a brand new campus traveling as part of Christchurch’s global curriculum, and with a new arts focus, STEM located in Chantilly. At the center of the new education program. In fall 2019, students has transformed into STEAM technology. campus will be the chapel, complete with a Woodberry Forest School traveled to Senegal on Thanksgiving break In the Innovation Lab, a digital design and landscaped courtyard. The school will also Woodberry Forest to learn about sustainable development and fabrication class was added in 2019, and have a new two-story dining commons, two Woodberry.org, 540-672-3900 environmental issues in Africa. Other trips students created a STEAM club, holding gymnasiums, a turf stadium field, and outdoor At Woodberry Forest, faculty are combining include exploring the Ganges River in India coding art workshops for other students. Also patios for students. Students will start the disciplines to create unique academic on spring break and a trip to Guatemala after in 2019, Foxcroft became one of six schools 2020-2021 school year at the new campus. experiences. In 2019, an English and a science graduation. The school is also celebrating its in Virginia to be awarded the AP Computer teacher collaborated to teach a new course, “An centennial this fall. Science Principles Female Diversity Award. Outdoor Adventure of the Mind: Studying Nature through Science and Literature.” Students visited White Oak Canyon and Montpelier, where they did journaling and field observations.

STUDENTS LEAD THE CHORUS

Every year at Saint Gertrude High School, an all-girls Catholic high school in Richmond, the students put on a song contest as part of their class requirements. But this isn’t your ordinary choral performance directed by an adult instructor. “It’s all very student-led,” says Margaret Langan, a 2019 graduate of Saint Gertrude. Each class is responsible for developing their own performance and electing a leader. The students perform popular songs that are rewritten with lyrics about the stu- dents’ lives at Saint Gertrude—even detention and parking are fair game! More than 3,000 friends, family, and alumni gather at the Altria Theater on the night of the contest to see who wins first prize. According to Langan, “The week of is always the most stressful,” but that all that stress and last minute adjusting “did bring the classes closer together.” This truly is a contest where everyone wins, because the lessons students learn about innovation, leadership, and project management will last them a lifetime. For more on Saint Gertrude High School, see above. PHOTO BY REAL LIFE STUDIOS REAL BY PHOTO

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Virginia Living BASIS Independent Carlisle School have the opportunity to learn about coding and prepare for the CoderZ competition, Axton McLean where 211 schools compete by solving Top Schools McLean CarlisleSchool.org, 276-632-7288 coding missions. McLean.BasisIndependent.com, At the Carlisle school, the new STEAM 703-854-1253 Makerspace Lab opened for fall 2019. It Collegiate 2020 As part of BASIS Independent McLean’s provides an opportunity for every student to visit weekly to explore, practice innovation, School Project Week, students had the once-in-a- Richmond lifetime opportunity to visit Madagascar and learn to code. Part of this program is the during summer vacation to study native Carlisle School’s aeroponic Tower Garden, Collegiate-Va.org, 804-740-7077 Eastern Mennonite School flora and fauna. Stops on the trip included which is part of their larger STEAM initiative. In its ninth year, the annual International Harrisonburg Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar; Recently, Carlisle School was pleased to Emerging Leaders Conference hosted by EMHS.net, 540-236-6000 the iconic Baobab Alley; Andasibe-Mantadia celebrate the first harvest of greens from the Collegiate School welcomed 41 high school At Eastern Mennonite School, sixth graders National Park, noted for its lemurs; Canal Tower Garden with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. students from nine different countries. These study the trout life cycle. This is a yearlong des Pangalanes; and Ile Sainte Marie, known visiting students came from China, Ghana, focus on the important role that trout play in for its beaches; they also participated in a India, Italy, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, The Carmel the local ecosystem. Meanwhile, high school reforestation service project. Project Week South Africa, and Spain, and worked with 13 School students explore photography and science takes place during the last week of school, Collegiate seniors to determine solutions to Ruther Glen on the North Fork with college professors. and students can choose from more than 15 environmental issues in their countries. The TheCarmelSchool.org, 804-448-3288 Funded by a DEQ grant, the outing involves classes and trips. purpose of the conference is to encourage professors in conservation, photography, and Groundbreaking for The Carmel School’s new design thinking in students. biology from Eastern Mennonite University. middle and upper school took place last May. The Blessed Sacrament The trip includes interacting with local citizen Opening this fall, the new building will have 19 The Covenant water quality monitors. Huguenot School classrooms, two science labs, administration Powhatan offices, and additional meeting space. In School BSHKnights.org, 804-598-4211 other news, the school collected 122 bags Charlottesville Fairfax Christian School In summer 2019, Blessed Sacrament received of shoes for their shoe drive fundraiser with CovenantSchool.org, 434-220-7329 Dulles a $1 million donation from the parents of Funds2Orgs, which gives the school a check The Covenant School’s stagecraft class Fairfax-Christian-School.com, Arabella Stuart Brower, a 2015 BSH student for the collection and sells the shoes to micro recently worked together to create a giant 703-759-5100 who died of an undiagnosed heart condition entrepreneurs in developing countries, so eagle for display in the hall. The students they can resell the shoes. Fairfax Christian School has students from before graduating. The money went toward worked on different aspects of the 6-foot- more than 30 different countries, and renovations and campus improvements, tall structure, including bending wood and Niche.com ranked the Fairfax Christian such as a repainted exterior, new windows, Christ Chapel wrapping rope to create the talons. Made School as the most diverse high school in the a new state-of-the-art playground, and 60 Academy from leftover basket-weaving material, stage Washington, D.C., area. The first international light gels, and corded twine and paper, the Chromebooks for students. The Browers also Woodbridge students came to the Fairfax Christian School began a memorial scholarship fund in 2016 see-through eagle is just one example of the ChristChapelAcademy.org, 703-670-3822 in 1963, and by the 1970s, the school was in honor of their daughter, donating the four- depth of work that art classes explore at The offering an English as a Second Language In addition to information technology and year award to one student each year. Covenant School. Last year, students also class. Student in the school’s Chinese classes other weekly STEM classes, Christ Chapel designed memorials and sent them to the and clubs recently organized Fairfax Christian Academy recently added a robotics class. In Brunswick Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. School’s Spring Festival, in honor of the New the robotics class, middle school students Academy Year celebration in Asia. Lawrenceville BrunswickAcademy.com, 434-848-2220 Brunswick Academy now offers dual enrollment classes to high school students through Liberty University and Southside Virginia Community College. In addition, since 2018, Brunswick Academy has been offering STEM activities for grades pre-K through 12. A STEM course is also available to high school students. Recently, a new Student Support Team (SST) has been developed to meet the needs of all of Brunswick Academy learners. During the 2019 school year, Brunswick’s Varsity Girls Volleyball and JV Baseball team both won first place in the VCC conference.

Cape Henry Collegiate School Virginia Beach CapeHenryCollegiate.org, 757-481-2446 Cape Henry Collegiate’s Nexus Global Studies program continues to blaze a trail and expand its offerings for domestic and international study experiences for students in grades four through 12. The program is recognized as one of the leading global studies programs in the country. In 2020, students in the international FROM HACKERS TO MAKERS program are traveling to places like Myanmar, China, Galapagos, Greece, and South Africa. What started as a Google Plus community called “Fredericksburg Hackers” in 2013 has now become FredWorks, a nonprofit organization of mak- The domestic program students will explore ers—people who aim to use their creativity and resourcefulness to create, repair, and maintain the things they use. They’ve formed a partnership a History of Civil Rights through and with , a private K-12 school, and have been housed at the school since 2014. This gives FredWorks a place to live and Alabama, a week-long trek through the White gives students and faculty access to the equipment, knowledge, and experience of FredWorks members, many of whom have backgrounds in Mountains as part of the Outdoor Leadership engineering and electronics.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FREDERICKSBURG ACADEMY FREDERICKSBURG OF COURTESY PHOTO Series, and more. It has also spawned a robotics team called Fahrenheit, open to all area students and mentored by Scott P. Arendt, president of Fredworks. Arendt observes that while the students may not have the same level of education or experience that the adults do, they make up for it with enthusiasm and energy, and he says, “Sometimes they ask questions that make the engineers and scientists think about something in a way they wouldn’t have previously.” For more on Fredericksburg Academy, see page 123.

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Virginia Living Fishburne Military School externships. The school is able to provide and go to school only when classes are these students with opportunities that they scheduled. The model helps prepare students Waynesboro may not otherwise receive from a school in a for independent study skills and time Top Schools Fishburne.org, 540-946-7700 rural underserved area. management in college. Last year, FMS opened its new $4.5 million Hitt-Millar Field House. FMS’s CyberPatriots Grace Christian School Grove Christian School 2020 team—a cybersecurity club that competes nationally—will be working closely with James Staunton Richmond Madison University’s cybersecurity team GCSWarriors.org, 540-886-9109 GroveChristianSchool.com, 804-741-2860 for an enriching big brother/little brother More than 340 students and 50 staff Grove Christian School recently opened a Hargrave Military Academy experience. FMS is also working closely members and parents participated in the STEM lab for students from kindergarten Chatham with the Virginia Department of Education Grace Christian School’s Pass It On Project through fifth grade. The goal of the lab is Hargrave.edu, 434-432-2481 to provide eligible students with VDOE in October 2019. For the project, students to encourage elementary age students to Education Improvement Scholarships that went out into the local Staunton community develop a passion for science, technology, In June 2018, Hargrave began an $18.5 million provide a quality private school experience to serve their neighbors. About 14 businesses engineering, and math. GCS is an official comprehensive campaign to raise support for to young men who might not otherwise have were helped on the day of service. Some partner with Project Lead the Way, an campus renovations. As part of the project, the the means. examples included high school students who organization that provides programs to cadet living quarters and bathrooms, classrooms, painted and cleaned buildings at the local K-12 schools in topics like engineering and Academic Learning Center, administrative offices, Boys & Girls Club, preschool students who biomedical science. and infirmary will be completely renovated. The made goodie bags for the Augusta County updates will modernize the buildings without Oakton Sheriff’s Office, and sixth grade students Academy erasing the historic integrity of the school, which FlintHill.org, 703-584-2300 who worked in the stalls at Cross Keys is listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register. Newport News In May 2019, Flint Hill broke ground on Equine Therapy. its newest facility, the Peterson Middle HRA.org, 757-884-9100 Highland School School. Funded by a $20 million fundraising Grace Preparatory School This January, HRA is opening a 400-seat Warrenton campaign, the more than 200,000-square- full-service dining hall and a new lower Stafford HighlandSchool.org, 540-878-2700 foot building will include 16 classrooms, a school wing, complete with 12 classrooms, an large terrace, and an Innovation Hub with GracePrepSchool.org, 540-657-4500 Innovation/Makerspace, and a 1,000-square- A new certificate program in Social dedicated space for computer science, Students at Grace Prep follow the University foot hydroponics lab. The greens grown in Entrepreneurship and Environmental makers, and robotics projects. The building is Model: They learn in a classroom at the the hydroponics lab’s vertical growing towers Sustainability was offered for upper school expected to be completed by the start of the school for two to three days each week will be served in the school’s new dining hall students starting in winter 2018. The goal of 2020-2021 school year. and spend two to three days each week as part of a push for healthy eating, and any social entrepreneurship is to put social good in their “satellite” classroom at home. excess produce will be donated to local food above profit. To earn the certificate, students Fork Union Military Parents act as “co-teachers” until the child banks. analyzed the business model of a local “farm reaches high school age, when students are to table” food truck and suggested business Academy used to an environment similar to college tactics to grow their customer base without Fork Union losing their sustainable food philosophy. ForkUnion.com, 434-842-3212 Fork Union recently renovated its Social Center. A popular social hub for the cadets during their free time, the new center GIVING BACK TO ENRICH YOUNG MINDS provides a great place to relax and unwind Schools are incorporating community service into their curriculums. after training and academic classes. It is hile reading comprehension, history, and STEM are all important skills, many schools feel a student’s equipped with concessions, a pool table, a education isn’t complete unless it also gives a sense of their wider responsibility to the community. To Ping-Pong table, arcade and board games, instill these values, schools have created service projects and special days where students help those less five private PlayStation and Nintendo Switch fortunate and enrich their communities with service. game rooms, a 26-seat movie theater, and W even massage chairs. At New Covenant Schools in Lynchburg, students and parent volunteers complete a variety of service projects as part of the Hands and Hearts program. According to Dayna Renalds, director of development, these service days “help instill a lifestyle of giving” in their students. Fredericksburg Academy Grove Christian School in Richmond gives back through WeServe Day. Students, parents, faculty, and community Fredericksburg members engage in service activities as part of the school’s overall mission to encourage students’ leadership development. FredericksburgAcademy.org, At in Vienna, an all-school service day takes place in October during Fall Spirit Week. Some students 540-898-0020 participate in volunteer activities at the school, while older students visit the Washington, D.C., area and volunteer at places A partnership between Fredericksburg like D.C. Central Kitchen, to serve meals for the homeless, and assisted living facilities, to play music for residents. Oakcrest Academy, the University of Mary students must complete a certain number of service hours per year, and their school also organizes the Service Initiatives Washington’s College of Education, and a Project, which are managed by the students themselves. In summer 2019, a service project took the students abroad to work local web hosting giant, Reclaim Hosting, with communities in Jamaica. launched a pilot for augmented reality While volunteering is its own New Covenant Schools learning this past year. Kindergarten through reward, it provides other benefits fifth grade students at FA have been using to students. Aside from the obvious technology like MERGE Cubes—which let you college resume boosting power, hold virtual objects in your hand—to learn volunteering also decreases the risk about the earth’s core. In a marine biology of depression and is correlated with class, a virtual shark even “swam” out of a longevity, according to an analysis book students were reading. The program of the Longitudinal Study of Aging. plans to expand to the preschool, middle, and Schools hope that young people will upper schools in the future. continue their community service throughout their lives to not only Fuqua School benefit their communities, but live Farmville longer, happier lives as well. FuquaSchool.com, 434-392-4131 ➜ For more about Grove Christian The Fuqua School’s externship program School, New Covenant Schools, or provides a chance for students to step out Oakcrest School, see above or of the classroom and explore potential pages 125 or 127. careers. Students have the option of spending time with veterinarians, attorneys, doctors, mechanics, environmental scientists, policemen, and entrepreneurs, sometimes

PHOTO COURTESY OF NEW COVENANT SCHOOLS COVENANT NEW OF COURTESY PHOTO even partnering with alumni in semester-long

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Virginia Living Liberty Christian Academy STEM STARS Lynchburg Top Schools Schools are nurturing girls’ interest in STEM subjects LCABulldogs.com, 434-832-2000 with specialized events and academic programs. This year Liberty Christian Academy opened a research lab with 30 laptops, three interactive 2020 ccording to a 2017 UNESCO study, only 35 percent of students panels, whiteboard tables, and a Sprout in higher education STEM fields are women. Even more worrying, computer that helps with 3D imaging for girls’ interest in these subjects seems to take off at about age students making items in their CAD classes land management elective course teaches 11 but takes a nosedive at 15, according to a study by Microsoft. for the 3D printer. In addition to the lab, the A school has added several AP classes this year, students cartography, forestry, preservation, Virginia schools have created a variety of programs and initia- land development, and law—all by exploring tives to nurture girls’ interest in these subjects, especially during the middle including biology, English, and calculus. In and using the land the school owns. One and early high school years. elementary classes, a greater emphasis is being placed on math skills. Teachers hosted student even designed and built a 1.5-mile At Christ Chapel Academy in Woodbridge, seven girls participated in a Family Math Night, where families learned trail from central campus to the school’s Lockheed Martin’s 15th annual Women in STEM Day, meeting real women with math games to play at home. 12-acre lake. thriving STEM careers. The school has also expanded its cybersecurity track to include a dual enrollment program with Community Col- lege, allowing students to complete up to 12 IT credits while in high school. Massanutten Military Millwood School St. Catherine’s School in Richmond has a multifaceted approach to nur- Academy Midlothian turing girls’ in STEM subjects. In 2015, they began hosting a high-energy event Woodstock MillwoodSchool.org, 804-639-3200 with inspiring speakers for their own students and students in the Richmond MilitarySchool.com, 540-459-2167 The entrepreneurial studies program at Millwood School aims to have students create area. It’s held every two years in October to coincide with the International One hundred percent of graduating seniors a viable business by the time they graduate Day of the Girl. “We wanted to have this wow factor,” says Theodora Miller, from MMA gain acceptance to a college or the four-year program. Students must present director of marketing and communications. In 2019, the theme was Raise university, an accomplishment the school their business plans in a six-minute pitch Our Voices and included speakers like FlySci Enterprise CEO and founder Dr. has boasted for the past decade. Thanks to the student body and a panel of guest Knatokie Ford. St. Catherine’s inspires girls year-round by showing them what to Massanutten’s guaranteed admissions judges made up of local business owners. The is possible in STEM and inviting as guest speakers former students who have agreements with Susquehanna University winner of this “Demo Day” receives a partial STEM careers or who are studying STEM subjects in higher education. The in Selinsgrove, PA; Norwich University in scholarship to the University of Delaware’s school also just expanded its robotics team to include students as young as Northfield, VT; Longwood University in Entrepreneurship Summit. third grade. It’s never too early to start nurturing the next generation of STEM Farmville; Sweet Briar College in Sweet superstars. Briar; and Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, IL, if a graduate meets the requirements set Mountain View ➜ For more about Christ Chapel Academy or forth by these institutions, their admission is St. Catherine’s School, see pages 121 or 127. Christian Academy guaranteed and, in some cases, a significant Winchester tuition reduction is earned. MVCA.CCMV.com, 540-868-1231 In the past year, Mountain View Christian Metropolitan School Academy has placed greater focus on of the Arts integrating technology into their classrooms. Alexandria They have utilized Skype to allow their MetropolitanArts.org, 703-339-0444 students to learn about different cultures in different countries around the world. For Metropolitan School of the Arts has appointed example, their kindergarten class took a Tom Pedersen, a retired head of music theater virtual field trip to Mexico to see and learn from Catholic University, to lead their new about the monarch butterfly. Mountain View’s postgraduate program for the 2020 school first, second, and third graders also Skyped year. As a response to the competition for with a school in Tel Aviv, Israel, to learn about college acceptances, MSA’s new program their culture and way of life. will give students 20 hours per week of performing arts instruction and professional networking beginning August through May, Nansemond-Suffolk giving them an edge on college applications. Academy The end of the program will culminate in a Suffolk showcase, which is recorded for students’ NSAcademy.org, 757-539-8789 portfolios. Students in Human Body Systems—a new biomedical science Project Lead the Way course—build organs and tissues on a skeletal Middleburg mannequin and use data collected to monitor MiddleburgAcademy.org, 540-687-5581 body functions and solve medical cases. This past year, Middleburg Academy began Project Lead the Way is a nonprofit whose Third graders in technology class mission is to bring hands-on STEM learning at St. Catherine’s School. to transition to a classical education model. Partnering with Hillsdale College to help with to schools. the transition, the full transformation will be PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. CATHERINE’S SCHOOL CATHERINE’S ST. OF COURTESY PHOTO complete by fall 2023. Some of the classical New Covenant curricula include deepened use of seminar Schools Isle of Wight Academy discussions, greater use of Western Tradition Lynchburg books, literature and history classes that Isle of Wight Herndon integrate each other’s lessons, more elective NewCovenantSchools.org, 434-847-8313 IWAcademy.com, 757-357-3866 KAA-Herndon.com, 571-351-5520 offerings, a greater emphasis on Latin, and Located on the southeast side of campus, the Beginning in 2019, the school has made many A Saudi Arabian international school that introductory courses in logic, ethics, and Gryphon Garden was added to New Covenant physical and curriculum improvements. Last emphasizes Arabic and English language rhetoric. Schools’ programming in 2018 thanks to summer, the academy renovated its library; development and also an IB World School, generous grant from a friend of the school. it now plans to update the lower, middle, and King Abdullah Academy features a state-of- Miller School of Albemarle In the working garden, seasonal crops like fruit trees and grapes grow. It is also home to upper school buildings. Isle of Wight has also the-art building for its students. It is home Charlottesville updated its technology by integrating Google an outdoor classroom. In addition, fine arts to a 25-yard Olympic-style pool, two outdoor MillerSchoolOfAlbemarle.org, classroom into the curriculum and providing amphitheater classrooms, a stream valley are required classes at the school, which is 434-823-4805 Chromebooks for every student in grades four trail system, three gymnasiums, and ceramics centered in classical education. through 12. and robotics labs. In 2017, the school received The Miller School’s 1,600-acre campus the James M. Scott Exceptional Design Award allows for a variety of independent study Honorable Mention. opportunities outside the classroom. The

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Norfolk Academy Oakcrest School Randolph-Macon Academy Virginia Living Norfolk Vienna Front Royal Top Schools NorfolkAcademy.org, 757-461-6236 Oakcrest.org, 703-790-5450 RMA.edu, 540-636-5200 Maymester, an innovative three-week In August 2019, 17 Oakcrest students, two Randolph-Macon Academy opened the program at the end of the sophomore and alumnae, and chaperones visited Kingston, Betty and Dave ’53 Moore Enterprise and 2020 junior years, is new at Norfolk Academy this Jamaica, as part of the first mission trip in the Leadership Lab this past fall. This space year. This program builds on the concept of school’s history. Students served at certain replaces the former library, and while there mini-mester, a weeklong program that middle Mustard Seed Communities—an organization are still print books, there is now more space school students participate in. In Maymester, that runs homes for 400 residents in Jamaica— for 21st-century learning and curriculum. Seton students work on hands-on study, internships, and helped feed them, played and prayed with With a conference room with retractable School and travel to locations like the Appalachian them, and assisted at a field day for all the glass walls and an updated online database Manassas Trail, Chicago, and even Germany and China. residents. Some of the houses were homes for collection, the space is now better equipped SetonSchool.net, 703-368-3220 teenage mothers and their babies, children and for students to do more collaborative work. Norfolk Christian Schools adults with disabilities, and more. The Seton School hosted the first-ever Seton VEX tournament in the All Saints Norfolk Parish Activity Center in November. Forty NorfolkChristian.org, 757-423-5770 teams participated in the tournament, In October, the school opened its new CREATING TOMORROW’S ARTISTS and one of Seton’s teams made it to the state-of-the-art playground on the Beach Metropolitan School of the Arts’ rigorous program championship alliance. VEX Robotics is a campus for the lower school students, with a company that makes land-based robotics separate preschool area and new equipment. develops talented, focused young performers. kits and accessories for schools. Schools that participate in their programs have In other news, since 2017 all lower schools day in the life for a concert dance student at Metropolitan have been working on adopting a new the opportunity to compete in regional School of the Arts, a pre-professional conservatory program classroom methodology titled “Deeper teams, as well as travel to state and world for the performing arts in Alexandria, begins at 8 a.m. with three Learning.” The new method touches on championships. hours of dance instruction. There’s a focused period of academic real-world topics like hunger or natural A instruction in the middle of the day and more arts instruction in disasters and combines faith and academics the afternoon. The official school day ends by 6 p.m., but in the evenings and on Southampton to discover solutions to these problems. For Academy example, students brainstormed ways to help weekends, students often take extra classes or rehearse for performances. Hurricane Harvey victims by researching Although the schedule is intense, Melissa Dobbs, the founder and executive Courtland census data and actions governments take director of the school, which opened in 2013, is just as concerned with students’ SouthamptonAcademy.org, 757-653-2512 when disasters strike. mental and emotional health as she is with their grand jetés. “Our faculty and This school year, Southampton Academy is staff are intentionally nurturing and empathetic and caring of our students, celebrating its 50th anniversary. The school Norfolk Collegiate School so they’ve got a safe space to experiment, explore, and create without feeling is also in the midst of a capital campaign judged.” Also, the school has partnered with a psychologist and a former Broad- Norfolk for their Dale Marks Athletic Center, named way star to develop a mental health and resilience program for young artists. after Coach Dale Marks, the beloved athletics NorfolkCollegiate.org, 757-480-2885 To create well-rounded graduates, all students take ballet classes, even if director and a teacher at SA for almost Norfolk Collegiate’s intersession program their focus is on musical theater. Dobbs says this gives actors and singers a three decades. The center will have athletics for high school students involves a traveling better carriage and body awareness on stage. The students’ academics are training spaces and spaces for academic option. This year, students could choose completed through Laurel Springs School, an online private school that was classes, and is scheduled to open this spring. between three destinations during LEAP Term developed for young Hollywood actors. Academic rigor isn’t sacrificed for their in February: France, to learn about the D-Day performance schedule; students are completing a full-time academic and per- St. Anne’s-Belfield invasion; West Virginia, to study the geology formance program simultaneously. School of the mountain region and learn survival While many graduates go on to dance professionally or perform on Broad- skills; and a history tour through the Southern Charlottesville way, other students go into related career fields like marketing or arts man- states, to learn about slavery and travel on the STAB.org, 434-296-5106 agement, or even seemingly unrelated fields like international law. Says Dobbs, underground railroad. “The beautiful part of an arts education is not that you’re going to be an artist; St. Anne’s students in kindergarten through it’s that you learn to think creatively and innovatively, and our students tend to fourth grade have been enjoying a new natural North Cross School think outside of the box like I’ve never seen.” playground, complete with a mud kitchen, Roanoke tree “cookies,” balance logs, a sandbox, a ➜ For more about Metropolitan School of the Arts, see page 125. NorthCross.org, 540-989-6641 gathering space, and more. Studies show that access to natural play allows kids to be more A $16.5 million project will bring needed creative. Students are also learning how to renovations to North Cross School by the code in kindergarten in order to prepare for a end of the year, including a new library potential new drone program. and student center, expanded CrossWalk classroom space (a learning differences remediation program), and a renovated St. Catherine’s theater and administrative suite. There are School also plans for an access road from the Carter Richmond Athletic Center and an annex in between St.Catherines.org, 804-288-2804 the lower and high schools to create a Three out of four St. Catherine’s girls pedestrian entrance. participate in a sport, despite not having an athletic requirement at the school. Last Oak Hill year, the cross country, tennis, and volleyball Academy teams all won their respective League of Mouth of Wilson Independent Schools titles on the same day. Oak-Hill.net, 276-579-2619 In addition, 13 girls committed to playing college sports in November 2019, with four The Learning Success Program launched other junior girls committing to Ivy League this year for students who require extra schools. And, the school’s Julie Dayton Field guidance with organizational skills, time at Performance Park is one of two AstroTurf management, planning, test preparation, and fields regulated for international self-advocacy. On the nature front, Oak Hill competitions in the state. is in the planning stages of an environmental literacy program for high school students. The school’s campus boasts a recently opened network of hiking and biking trails for students, who are encouraged to bring their

PHOTO COURTESY OF METROPOLITAN SCHOOL OF THE ARTS THE OF SCHOOL METROPOLITAN OF COURTESY PHOTO own mountain bikes.

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Virginia Living St. Christopher’s School have grown, now including a Gay Straight the headquarters for the program, complete Alliance, a Diversity Club, and a Jewish with a replica trail shelter and a MoonBoard Richmond student group. indoor bouldering wall. There are also plans Top Schools StChristophers.com, 804-282-3185 for the creation 5K mountain biking trail to Boys Using Innovation to Learn and Design Stuart Hall School connect the school to St. Michael’s Episcopal is a new project-based learning program School. 2020 at St. Christopher’s. Oculus virtual reality Staunton StuartHallSchool.org, 540-885-0356 headsets are used to help visualize what it Virginia Beach feels like to be an icefield explorer or child The focus of the new Eastham Center in refugee. The goal of the program is to help downtown Staunton is integrating technology Friends School games. Middle school students take themed develop empathy skills in the students. St. into the classroom, titled Project Max. Plans Virginia Beach trips every trimester, centered on topics like Christopher’s also prepares boys for life include everything from sixth graders working Friends-School.org, 757-428-7534 leadership, responsibility, and collaboration. outside the classroom with their life skills with drones to seventh graders using green The school has made many recent Students also take a classics course to learn courses. Boys learn how to cook, perform screens to create mitosis videos. Classes will modernizations, including a fully restored about the foundation of society through the basic car maintenance, and even create use Google Expedition technology and virtual cottage facility for its younger students, a Latin language and Roman and Greek history. spreadsheets. reality headsets to “visit” foreign countries, new state-of-the-art culinary space, and while physical education students use drones new playgrounds. In addition, new programs Walsingham St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes to up their basketball game. There are even related to the school’s garden space have Academy plans to bring esports to the Stuart Hall School been implemented. A horticulture specialist Williamsburg campus. works with the students on a weekly basis, Alexandria Walsingham.org, 757-229-2642 teaching them concepts like composting, SSSAS.org, 703-751-2700 cultivation, and farm-to-table eating. Thanks to fundraising totaling $141,000 at a recent event, Walsingham Academy has On Expedition Days, or “XDays,” lower school Charlottesville students can choose to spend extra time diving upgraded their lower school gymnasium, TandemFS.org, 434-296-1303 Wakefield Country into a topic of their interest, work on projects, which is now named Mercy Hall. Debuted at or participate in a grade level or whole school Each week, students have community time, a Day School the beginning of this school year, renovations event. For example, first grade students took 40-minute period after lunch where students Huntly included new flooring with logos, new a community exploration field trip, third grade and faculty gather to listen to an invited guest WCDSVa.org, 540-635-8555 windows, fresh paint, lighting, wall pads, and students explored the city’s history at the speaker talk about a particular issue or cause Wakefield Country Day School has received basketball backboards. Torpedo Factory, and kindergarten students and students to have open-mic opportunities. $1.1 million in donations to its Huntly studied the intersection between gardening, Sophie Speidel, an ultra marathon runner, Scholars Program, which will provide Williamsburg music, and art. and Marc Boston, a published children’s book tuition assistance to students at the school. author, are just two examples of people who Christian Academy Eligibility criteria promote diversity and Williamsburg have been invited to speak. inclusion. Also, Wakefield will welcome a new The Steward School WilliamsburgChristian.org, 757-220-1978 Richmond Head of School, Patrick M. Finn, in July. Williamsburg Christian just launched a StewardSchool.org, 804-740-3394 Trinity Episcopal School Richmond Workforce Readiness Program for juniors Steward School’s strategic plan, Compass Wakefield TrinityES.org, 804-272-5864 and seniors. The two-year program aims to 2022, includes five focus areas, one of School give students who plan to join the workforce which—diversity, equity, and inclusion—has Trinity Episcopal School’s Outdoor Program The Plains instead of attending college the experience already become a large part of the school’s encourages students to get out into the WakefieldSchool.org, 540-253-7500 and skills they need to be successful. It culture. Last year, they hired a coordinator Richmond community and connect with In the lower school, students participate in includes partnerships with local businesses to of campus life and community stewardship the natural world. Students learn to paddle, programs like medieval faire and immigration provide on-the-job training in careers such as and instituted social justice standards into bike, and climb, all within the nearby James day, where they dress up as their ancestors healthcare, automotive, public administration, the curriculum. Guest speakers are planned River Park System. A structure behind the or learn about medieval history through construction trades, pharmacology, business for this year and affinity-based student clubs academic building has been transformed into administration and finance, and cybersecurity.

EXCELLING WITH THE FIVE C’S The Virginia Department of Education’s new requirements emphasize more life skills and fewer standardized tests. ducation has a love-hate relationship with standardized tests. While tests measure whether or not large groups of students are meeting educational standards and detect those who are falling behind, over- E emphasizing them can create an unfortunate “teaching to the test” environment in classrooms. Virginia’s General Assembly and Depart- ment of Education have sought to achieve a better balance between tests and other important skills that are a little harder to condense onto a Scantron sheet. In 2016, the General Assembly approved House Bill 895, which directed the Virginia Department of Education to develop and implement a Profile of the Virginia Graduate and incorporate the “Five C’s” into its educational programs: critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and citizenship. The goal was “to create some space within the instructional program for the development of ‘soft skills’ that major employers and higher education have identified as import- ant for success, both in postsecondary education but also in the workforce,” says Charles B. Pyle, the director of media relations for the VDOE. The department consulted major employers for the state, like Capital One and Dominion Energy, to learn what they are looking for in employees. Schools are encouraged to emphasize the “Five C’s” early in high school, and later establish college or career readiness with opportunities like internships, externships, and credentialing. In practice, this means that the class of 2022 will have a high school experience that’s different from their predecessors. The num- ber of SOL tests they have to take has dropped from nine to five for an Advanced Ware Elementary School students Diploma, creating additional space in the curriculum for schools to tailor students’ in Staunton working on real-world experiences and projects to be relevant for their area of interest. The goal: creating math in a grocery store. students who are ready for life, not just test taking. DOE.Virginia.gov PHOTO COURTESY OF VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OF DEPARTMENT VIRGINIA OF COURTESY PHOTO

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Virginia Living Alexandria Country has from a partnership with UpCycle, a own crystals, while seventh graders examine nonprofit exchange for recycled materials, cell samples under the microscope. In the Big Day School makes this possible. Design Lab for upper school students, features Top Schools Alexandria include surround sound, a drill press, and a ACDSNet.org, 703-548-4804 Chesapeake Academy smooth floor to be used as a robot arena. 2020 Starting in the fifth grade, students must Irvington give an annual speech to their parents and ChesapeakeAcademy.org, 804-438-5575 Gesher Jewish Day School peers as part of the Speeches and Sweets Fairfax curriculum. By the time they reach eighth Chesapeake Academy’s new Arts & Innovation Gesher-JDS.org, 703-978-9789 curriculum. In November 2019, grade three grade, they are expected to be able to Hub opened this past fall as an expansion of planted four trees donated by a student’s give a speech that resembles a TED Talk. the James Library. The school developed a The students at Gesher take their experiences parent in the garden. The grade has also Effective communication is a key skill that new curriculum for the space to include five in life and learning to grow into confident, made a worldwide pledge with other students students learn at ACDS, and emphasis is main skills: robotics and computer science, critical thinkers. In the sixth grade, students to plant trees as part of the Climate Action placed on public speaking skills, multimedia audio and video production, textile arts, spend three nights learning at the Teva Project. One hickory and three American communication, and how to have thoughtful construction, and CAD modeling. Students Learning Center. The seventh grade students hornbeam trees were selected to plant in the civil discourse. have access to 3D printers, hand tools, art take an overnight trip to Philadelphia to visit supplies, and laser cutters. There is also a the National Museum of American Jewish garden for their positive contribution to the broadcasting booth for video production. History and landmarks in the birthplace of garden’s biodiversity. Browne Academy American democracy. In eighth grade is the Alexandria Christopher Academy highly anticipated two-week trip to Israel, Grymes Memorial School BrowneAcademy.org, 703-960-3000 where students learn the role of Israel in their Portsmouth Orange This year, Tracie Yorke was welcomed to the Jewish identity. Christopher-Academy.org, 757-484-6776 GrymesSchool.org, 540-672-1010 staff as the first director of innovation for the Ozobots—pocket-sized coding robots—have academy’s Innovation Lab. In the lab, students At Christopher Academy, fourth grade Good Shepherd been implemented as a part of the computer learn robotics, artificial intelligence, coding, students were hands deep last year in Episcopal School science curriculum at Grymes. Second and and circuitry instruction, while outside the measuring, cleaning, counting, and recording fourth graders work together to learn how the lab, students bring innovation learned into data from oyster reefs managed by the Oyster Richmond Ozobots travel and how to draw the lines for regular classrooms. For example, history Reef Keepers of Virginia and Chesapeake GSES.org, 804-231-1452 the robots to follow. They also learn how to students use a green screen to make movies Bay Foundation. Students visited the float The outdoor education program at Good code with Ozobots, making intricate mazes on their lessons, while middle school design each month at Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve Shepherd Episcopal School fosters an and loops for their Ozobots and creating color students build water filters and learn how to to test water quality and the growth of understanding and appreciation for the codes that give the robots commands, such use turbidity probes to check water quality. the oysters. In April 2019, they released natural world through place-based outdoor as speed up, spin around, turn around, and them into the Lynnhaven River. As a final exploration. In their study of physical science, slow down. Burgundy Farm learning exercise, the students prepared a students walk several paths from the school presentation for the second grade students to Forest Hill Park, plotting elevation along the Country Day School on the life cycle of an oyster, their significance way. While studying earth science, students The Hill School Alexandria in clean waterways, and preservation. use sieves in Reedy Creek to determine which Middleburg BurgundyFarm.org, 703-960-3431 organisms are supported by the stream’s TheHillSchool.org, 540-687-5897 ecosystem, allowing them to determine the The WonderLab is a STEAM space at Congressional School The Hill School places a great emphasis on health of the stream. Burgundy Farm that is equipped with books, Falls Church stewardship and sustainability. Recently, the art supplies, play spaces, and more for CongressionalSchool.org, 703-533-9711 Hill School celebrated two major additions to lower-school-aged children to explore. Each As part of the STEM curriculum, the Green Hedges School the school: an extensive solar field, used for week, students participate in a session in the Vienna learning opportunities and to fulfill one-third space. In fall 2018, first grade students spent Congressional School opened two new state-of-the-art design labs for the 2019-2020 GreenHedges.org, 703-938-8323 of the school’s yearly energy needs, and the time in the lab for a “loose parts” activity. on-campus Polly Rowley Arboretum, which school year, the biggest campus improvement Green Hedges School’s Science and Native Students are encouraged to use found has been recognized and accepted into in 20 years. In the Little Design Lab for lower Garden was opened in 2018 to enhance objects to create their own masterpieces. A the Archives of American Gardens at the school students, fifth graders create their the biology and ecology in the school’s collection of recycled materials the school Smithsonian.

FERTILE GROUND FOR LEARNING

At Loudoun Country Day School, a K-8 private school, the Garden Lab provides year-round opportunities for learning. In 2019, lower school STEM teacher Robin Peacemaker put her agronomy degree to work by planting winter crops in the garden lab so students could harvest them during the school year. The crops they’d previously grown were summer crops, such as tomatoes and peppers, so the students didn’t get much of a chance to harvest their efforts. With a little help from a professor at Virginia Tech, she got winter wheat, oats, and barley seeds and put her students to work planting the crops and measuring their growth. Each grade level has its own garden plot, along with age-appropriate activities and learning opportunities. Says Peacemaker, “The children love it. They love digging in the dirt; they love seeing the food they’ve grown. It has just been an amazing experience for them. And for me too—I have a lot of fun out there!” For more on Loudoun Country Day School, Loudoun Country Day School see page 133. PHOTO COURTESY OF LOUDOUN COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL DAY COUNTRY LOUDOUN OF COURTESY PHOTO

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Virginia Living James River Mountaintop Montessori reality, augmented reality, coding, green-room space, digital resources, and study spaces. Day School Charlottesville Top Schools Lynchburg MountaintopMontessori.org, JRDS.school, 434-384-7385 434-979-8886 Richmond Montessori School Last year, sixth grade students at James Students from Mountain Montessori School 2020 River Day School participated in a two-night and Henley Middle School spent a week Richmond wilderness retreat, where they experienced working together to develop business RichMont.org, 804-741-0040 team-building activities, learned outdoor and marketing services for the soon-to- Each winter, the school hosts Winterfest, it with the Trinity Episcopal School campus. skills, and felt the thrill of sliding down a be Kindness Café in Charlottesville. This a multicultural festival celebrating the The two schools will share access to the trail, zipline. Meanwhile, the seventh graders project is part of Mountaintop Montessori’s diversity of the school’s community. The which crosses both campuses. canoed down the James River, where they Immersion Week, in which students work on event lets students “travel the world” as they took water samples, checking for river health an innovative project within the community. visit each class representing the culture of a indicators and conducting an informal fauna One Wednesday, they spent the day at Henley fellow classmate or family. From the Czech Strelitz International survey. Middle packaging shirts for supporters of Republic to Japan, students experience Academy the café while they learned about developing authentic foods, music, art, dance, and dress Virginia Beach ideas for business. Linton Hall School from the country. StrelitzInternationalAcademy.org, Bristow 757-424-4327 Orchard House School LintonHall.edu, 703-368-3157 Seven Hills School Strelitz International Academy was recently Richmond From the 1940s through 1960, Linton Hall Richmond accepted as an International Baccalaureate OrchardHouse.org, 804-228-2436 School was a residential, all-male military 7HillsSchool.org, 804-329-6300 Primary Years Program candidate school. The school with a proud tradition in the drum and Every spring at Orchard House School, the Once a month, students at Seven Hills School International Baccalaureate program begins bugle corps. Today, the school’s Fife & Drum seventh grade organizes the International move off campus to the James River for with three-year-old preschool classes and Corps is made up of 25 students. This year, Food Festival fundraiser, learning not only River Days. Students undertake labs, engage continues through fifth grade. Due to SIA’s the corps has performed at the school’s VAIS how to cook traditional dishes from other in activities related to specific academic small environment, Hebrew language classes, accreditation event, the Quantico Veteran countries, but also how to advertise, plan, and subjects, and work under the supervision of violin, and specialized science program, SIA Luncheon, and the groundbreaking for the operate an event. Last year, the beneficiary of employees of James River Park on service graduates are better prepared for middle new Benedictine Sisters. the festival was the nonprofit Building Lives projects. A student who attends Seven school and are more likely to advance to area- of Orphans from Morocco (BLOOM). Students Hills for four years spends a total of 36 full gifted programs, IB programs, AP classes, and Loudoun Country at Orchard House School were also asked to days learning unique lessons at the river. the area’s top private schools. create notebooks for heads of the orphanages Day School River Days are a part of a larger program, outlining the importance of play and how the Experiential Fridays, at Seven Hills. The Williams School Leesburg organization was supporting that belief. LCDS.org, 703-777-3841 Norfolk St. Michael’s Episcopal TheWilliamsSchool.org, 757-627-1383 The STEM program at Loudoun Country Day Powhatan School School School is an immersive lab experience, with Thanks to a $7,500 grant from The Goode Boyce Richmond Family Foundation, The Williams School has classes that build on each other to provide a PowhatanSchool.org, 540-837-1009 strong foundation of skills. From designing STMSchool.net, 804-272-3514 started to place a bigger focus on educating robots to building underwater vehicles, In 2017, Powhatan School began a fundraising St. Michael’s is the first students and staff on mental health. Last fall, students are engaged in hands-on learning campaign to aid STEM opportunities across in the Richmond area to be Common Sense the school partnered with Children’s Hospital that begins in prekindergarten. Five tracks are campus. Raising $1.4 million, the campaign certified. A partnership with Common Sense of the King’s Daughters to show a screening available for students to choose: operations money sponsored campus renovations like Media teaches students how to be responsible of the documentary ANGST, about anxiety. and concepts, digital citizenship, research and the Bessette Family Makerspace, designed online. Another unique feature of St. Michael’s The grant will also support a new partnership information fluency, creation and innovation, to give students a space for design and is the 70-acre campus and opportunities with FLOW Massage & Bodywork. Students and communication and collaboration. critical thinking, and the technology lab, an for outdoor learning and adventures. St. and faculty will visit the studio to practice innovative space made for technology and Michael’s recently created a core trail to mindfulness activities and exercises. computer science activities, including virtual encircle the Singleton campus and connect

NURTURING NATURE LOVERS Virginia schools are taking the classroom into the great outdoors. here are all kinds of ways for schools to instill a love of and respect for nature in their students. At Gesher Jewish Day School in Fairfax, sustainability is a focus, with the students learning to compost their food scraps from the cafeteria. They T also collect everything from ink cartridges to gift cards for recycling and reuse. At Linton Hall School in Bristow, the Outdoor Conservation Ecology and Wildlife program aims to give students a reverence for and appreciation of nature and to use the outdoor world to teach science concepts. At Powhatan School’s Crocker Conservatory, a 47-acre tract of land behind the school, the Nature Enhanced Approach to Learning program is used to turn the land into a science lab. Students record data and even raise trout to release into the stream. The conservatory in- cludes the Anderson Family Outdoor Classroom, a pavilion that allows the outdoors to become a classroom. The Burgundy Center for Wildlife Studies at Cooper’s Cove is a wildlife sanctuary and educational program run by Burgundy Farm Country Day School in Alexandria. The center is located about two and a half hours from the school, and students visit twice a year, for two to three days. “It’s an entire curriculum that’s designed in concert with the teachers,” says director Lavinia Schoene. For example, in the fourth and fifth grades, students participate in a colonial living experience complete with period costumes and digging trenches in the woods. Students also have to carry all their own water to their campsite; this hard work discourages waste. Going beyond the occasional nature hike gives students experiences that reinforce what they learn in the classroom and teaches a reverence for the natural world. ➜ For more about Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Gesher Jewish Day School, Burgundy Farm Country Day School Linton Hall School, or Powhatan School, or see page 131 or above. PHOTO COURTESY OF BURGUNDY FARM COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL DAY COUNTRY FARM BURGUNDY OF COURTESY PHOTO

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Virginia Living GROWING GREENHOUSES Top Schools Using agriculture grant to expand students’ career horizons. umberland County Public Schools was one of 2020 six school divisions in Virginia to receive a Virginia Department of Agriculture Farm to School grant. C The school system received more than $15,000 to improve its existing aquaculture program and Halifax County expand the three existing greenhouses and gardens at Cumber- High School land High School, where students get their hands dirty through Halifax an elective greenhouse production class. Halifax.K12.Va.us, 434-572-4977 According to Chip Jones, the assistant superintendent for finance and operations for Cumberland County Public As part of the Design Virginia High School Schools, the biggest challenge has been keeping an enthusiastic Innovation Network, Halifax County High instructor. With a new instructor, Joshua Fleenor, on board and School received a $500,000 redesign grant. Schools within the school will be formed for additional funding, there are big plans to expand the four-year- students to participate in a more narrowed old program. focus of study, including Business, Finance, Students have already grown micro greens, which have been Cumberland High School and Marketing; Agriculture, Food, and used in the school’s cafeteria. The goal now is to raise more com- Natural Resources; Law, Public Safety, and plex crops and animals, like berries and fish, and to grow more Administration; Human Services, Hospitality, greens and other vegetables to be used in the salad bar. When asked about student enthusiasm for the existing class and the and Education; Science, Technology, plans for expansion, Jones says, “It’s been popular, and they are excited!” Engineering, and Mathematics; Trade and The district hopes to expand the high school’s greenhouse program to involve elementary and middle school students, Industry; and the Arts. This year, a School of while Cumberland High is planning more crossover activities, such as coordinating with the culinary arts department and Health and Medical Sciences was started, comparing different methods of growing micro greens as a real-world math exercise. The district will also bring in guest as well. speakers who are part of the food and agriculture industries and to take students on tours of local farms and universities that have agriculture programs, like Virginia Tech. “Whether you’re a student or you’re an adult, hands-on really gets you interest- Hampton City Schools ed,” says Jones; Cumberland County plans to use this grant to give students even more hands-on experiences. Hampton ➜ For more about Cumberland High School, see below. Hampton.K12.Va.us, 757-727-2000

PHOTO COURTESY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PUBLIC COUNTY CUMBERLAND OF COURTESY PHOTO There are 16 academies and 41 pathways for students to choose as part of the Academies Arlington Public Schools are partnering with Habitat to offer students Cumberland of Hampton. Each high school offers four a chance to experience the local community academies in areas like health sciences. Arlington and economy. For example, CTE building High School Students can narrow their career focus even APSVa.us, 703-228-6000 and trades and CAD/engineering program Cumberland further by choosing a pathway within the This year, Arlington Tech launched a yearlong students will create 3D replicas of the homes, CUCPS.K12.Va.us, 804-492-4212 academy, such as diagnostic services. At capstone experience. Seniors are placed with while culinary arts students will provide meals In the Dukes Discover program, students Bethel High School, students in the Media, area businesses, like Stantec Architecture to volunteers on site, some of whom will also who apply must plan an independent Arts, and Design Academy partnered with or NOVA Web Development, and work 10 be students. project based on one of the five core the National Institute of Aerospace’s Center hours each week with a partner mentor in competencies outlined by the Virginia for Integrative STEM Education for four a professional setting. At Wakefield High, Central Department of Education: creativity, critical weeks in the Summer Extended Learning Antoinette Dempsey-Waters won the 2019 Program, working on videos related to science High School thinking, communication, collaboration, and History Teacher of the Year Award from citizenship. Then, students work with local misconceptions. Mount Vernon for her success at creating King and Queen Court House professionals and businesses, and submit the new curriculum and implementing an African KQPS.net, 804-785-6102 final project to a panel to earn a badge. The John Handley American History course. She won a $5,000 Students in environmental science classes program helps students apply their skills and High School prize and an all-expenses paid trip to Mount at Central High School use a combination gain real-world experience before going to Winchester Vernon for 100 students. of physical sand, a ratio projector, and an college or joining the workforce. WPS.K12.Va.us, 540-662-3471 Xbox One Kinect to form an augmented Augusta County reality sandbox. When the sand is altered, George Mason High School Slated to open this fall and located up the the Kinect measures depth and, through the hill from John Handley, the Emil and Grace Public Schools Falls Church projector, shows real-time topographic lines Shihadeh Innovation Center will give students Verona and elevation colors. By pouring water in the FCCPS.org, 703-248-5500 the marketable skills they need to succeed in Augusta.K12.Va.us, 540-245-5100 sand or using materials like cotton balls to Groundbreaking for the new George Mason the workforce. Students will learn academic Every school in the district is now equipped represent trees, students can better visualize High School took place in July 2019. Set to concepts through independent projects with a full array of solar panels as part of topics like soil and agriculture, deforestation, be completed by the end of the 2020 school and work, like they would in a professional a partnership with Secure Futures Solar, mining, water resources, and more. year, the new campus will have seven stories setting—meeting deadlines, scheduling which provides live data for research and of collaboration space, a maker space and meetings with team members, and more, educational purposes. SFS partners with Chesapeake Bay Governor’s Innovation Commons, and a rooftop teaching and earn credits through real work (ex. the Science Museum of Virginia and other terrace, and will connect to the existing Mary earning a math credit by welding). There will organizations to bring the “Throwing Solar School for Marine and Ellen Henderson Middle School. be three academies at the center: Health Shade” curriculum to solar schools. Students Environmental Science Science, Professional Skills, and Information at Augusta schools have access to thermal Warsaw Governor’s School Technology. drone photography and onsite solar array CBGS.K12.Va.us, 804-443-0267 data, which help them learn about climate for the Arts At the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Regional MATE Middlesex change, local ecosystems, and the effect of Norfolk ROV Underwater Robotics Competition High School solar power. GSArts.org, 757-451-4711 held at Old Dominion University last May, Saluda In October 2019, 39 students in the musical students from CBGS-Warsaw won second MHS.MCPS.K12.Va.us, 804-758-2132 Caroline High School place in the Ranger division and Best Product theater and instrumental music departments All students in Middlesex County Public Milford Demonstration. This was the first year traveled to five Japanese cities for two Schools take a Career & Life Readiness the students competed in this category, weeks. The trip was sponsored by volunteer CCPS.us, 804-633-9886 course every year. Beginning in middle school, which is the most competitive level offered. organizations as part of Norfolk’s 60-year In June 2019, Caroline County received a students learn soft skills, and in high school, Students at all CBGS locations compete in partnership with its sister city in Japan, $2.3 million Self-Help Housing Technical the course transforms to include a regional competitions throughout the year, including Kitakyushu, and Virginia Beach’s sister city, Assistance Grant from the U.S. Department career and technical education consortium the Blue Crab Bowl, Canon Envirothon, and Miyazaki. The students also performed in a of Agriculture for its local Habitat for or partnerships with the local community Rappahannock Community College’s Math premier event in Tokyo. Humanity. Caroline County Public Schools college and the Science Museum of Virginia. Contest.

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Virginia Living New Horizons Governor’s who are looking to gain an edge on college Prince William County curriculum. Combining rigorous college prep School for Science and courses and an elective class that focuses Public Schools Top Schools Technology on note-taking skills, SAT prep, researching Manassas Hampton majors, and other learning strategies, PWCS.edu, 703-791-7200 NHREC.org, 757-766-1100 participants in the AVID program will enter The school district broke ground on a 13th 2020 Through partnerships with NASA Langley college feeling prepared and focused. Students high school in May 2019. The new school is Research Center, Virginia Living Museum, must apply to be a part of the program. scheduled to open for the fall 2021 semester and will be a School of Global Citizenship Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and more, students planned and helped build the containing 107 classrooms, two cafeterias, students participate in a year-long honors Patrick Henry High School structure, earning the Randolph-Henry High a three-court gym, outdoor amphitheater, research and mentorship program. Working Ashland School carpentry department the “Golden greenhouse, and green roof area. The under the guidance of a professional, they PHHS.HCPS.us, 804-365-8000 Hammer” award from the Piedmont Habitat for School of Global Citizenship will be divided learn scientific concepts and workplace culture Humanity organization. A ceremony was held in The Virginia Council on the Interstate into three houses: the Science in Action while working on a research project related to November 2019 to congratulate the students. their field of interest. They present the findings Compact on the Educational Opportunity of House; the Science, Math, Engineering, to a panel of industry professionals at a year- Military Children named Patrick Henry High and Computer Science House; and the end research symposium. School a 2019 Purple Star Award recipient. Independent Studies House. Roanoke Valley Governor’s Patrick Henry is the first Hanover school School for Science and to receive this distinction, which is given Technology Newport News Public Schools to schools that are considered military Radford High School Newport News friendly and demonstrate a commitment to Radford Roanoke NNSchools.org, 757-591-4500 military families and students. Stipulations RCPS.org, 540-731-3649 RVGS.K12.Va.us, 540-853-2116 The early college program earns students up for the award include having professional In October 2019, Radford High School hosted Every year, RVGS hosts the Shelly STEM to 19 semester hours of college credit before development that notifies staff of the needs TechCon. The technology conference geared to Challenge in honor of Dr. Rich Shelly, the graduating, thanks to a partnership with of military-connected students and having a high school students included presentations founder of the school. For the challenge, Thomas Nelson Community College. Seniors student-led transition program. from Virginia Tech, Radford University, New students from governor’s schools across the spend their fall semester finishing high school River Community College, and more. Students state are invited, and the school works with and earning certificates and spend their Petersburg High School participated in sessions on a variety of one industry partner each year. This year, the spring semester attending TNCC and working Petersburg topics from food science and geotechnical school partnered with Appalachian Power. The engineering to automation and cyber security. purpose of the challenge is to get students full-time. In other news, NNPS earned an Petersburg.K12.Va.us, 804-861-4884 environmental education and stewardship More than 120 students attended. to solve real-world problems faced by the grant from Dominion Energy in the amount In June 2019, Amazon donated $10,000 to industry partner. of $5,000 to support a new environmental Petersburg High School to build a new STEAM Randolph-Henry High science course. lab for the 2019-2020 school year. Students Salem High School now have access to Amazon Fire tablets, School Ozobot coding robots, science kits, a drone, a Charlotte Salem Osbourn High School 3D printing pen, and more. This donation was RHHS.CCPSK12.org, 434-542-4111 SHS.Salem.K12.Va.us, 540-387-2437 Manassas part of a larger $75,000 donation to Petersburg Career and technical education instructor Forget normal career days—senior students MCPSVa.org, 571-377-7000 City Public Schools, including $10,000 from Jay Taylor worked with students to build a at Salem High were able to shadow Advancement Via Individual Determination, or Crayola for new art and classroom supplies for maintenance and garden shed for a local professionals at their dream jobs during their the AVID program, at Osbourn is for students teachers at all four schools. home built by Habitat for Humanity. His annual career-shadowing day. More than 100 businesses hosted 220 seniors, while another 50 seniors took college visits. Some students visited LewisGale Medical Center, while others met the chefs at Roanoke College’s kitchen, visited the local T.V. stations, or stopped by architecture firms.

Smithfield High School Smithfield SHS.IWCS.K12.Va.us, 757-357-3108 In May 2019, the Virginia High School League approved Smithfield High School as one of several Virginia high schools for a one- year esports pilot program. Thanks to the assistance of PlayVS, the esports platform provider, three game titles will be a part of the pilot: League of Legends, Rocket League, or SMITE.

T.C. Williams High School Alexandria ACPS.K12.Va.us, 703-824-6800 Due to an increase in student population, the school board in September 2019 voted to expand the T.C. Williams High School campus. Part of the proposed Connected High School Network, a new building will be built on the Minnie Howard ninth grade campus of T.C. TEACHER, TEACHER Williams. The design phase begins this spring. In other news, senior Ana Humphrey won first place and $250,000 in the Regeneron What’s love got to do with it? When it comes to Virginia’s 2020 Teacher of the Year, awarded by the Virginia Department of Education, absolutely Science Talent Search. The first Hispanic everything. “My kids think I am a little bit cheesy, because from day one I tell them I love what I do and that I love them,” says Andrea Johnson, a student to win in 20 years, her research senior English teacher at Salem High School. “It’s right about then that the jaded seniors give me the ‘Ok, Crazy Lady’ look.” included a mathematical model that could Those uncertain glances are only temporary, because the Smithfield native teaches with such passion that her students cannot help but feel find the possible locations of exoplanets. the love that she has for them and her craft. “I love teaching seniors because they are on the precipice of adulthood, and there is this hope and optimism about them because their whole life is in front of them,” she says. “My job is to help them think about who they want to be and how they want to show up in the world.” For more on Salem High School, see above. PHOTO COURTESY OF SALEM CITY SCHOOLS CITY SALEM OF COURTESY PHOTO

APRIL 2020 137 VIRGINIA LIVING SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOLS

Virginia Living Top Schools

2020

Lafayette School Troy Lafayette-School.org, 434-589-2370 In 2019, Lafayette School won another BAMA Works grant from the Dave Matthews Band and the Charlottesville Albemarle Community Foundation. Every year the band gives back to various organizations in their hometown of Charlottesville, and Lafayette School’s quilting program has received funds for the fourth year in a row. Students design and make quilts for hospitalized children or natural disaster victims through the nonprofit #ProjectLinus.

Northstar Academy Richmond NorthstarAcademy.net, 804-747-1003 At Northstar Career Academy, the Countdown to Employment curriculum prepares students with soft skills for the workplace. Then, students gain professional experience in careers related to business technology, construction and maintenance, hospitality, ON-THE-JOB LEARNING veterinary assisting, and more by working throughout the community. This year, some students worked at the Richmond SPCA. Education doesn’t end in the classroom: The Community Based Education courses for high school students at Grafton Schools in Winchester, Berryville, and Richmond allow students to work off-site and earn a work stipend. Businesses as varied as Marshalls and the Children’s Museum of Richmond benefit from Grafton students’ hard work, and the students gain work experience in addition to earning money. Anthony’s Pizza and Phillips School Cici’s Pizza have even offered Grafton students paid part-time jobs. Fairfax The largest residential services provider in the state of Virginia for children with a variety of intellectual disabilities, Grafton Integrated Health PhillipsPrograms.org, 703-591-1146 Network has existed for 60 years and is a leader in providing support for people on the autism spectrum, completing the first statewide study of The Designing Futures program at the Phillips autism in Virginia. They provide day support and education for 240 children as well as 90 adults, and students can enroll in subjects like horticul- School in Fairfax allows students to learn 3D ture, clerical work, and food service that teach them valuable work skills. For more on the Grafton Schools, see below. printing and design skills. In June 2019, three

PHOTO BY LACEY JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY JOHNSON LACEY BY PHOTO students in the 3D printing course at the school used scans of artifacts found at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, made by students at iTech Boys’ Home Commonwealth Gladys H. Oberle Preparatory in Washington, D.C., and recreated Covington Academy School the artifacts. The Phillips School students BoysHomeOfVa.org, 540-965-7700 Alexandria Fredericksburg visited the iTech Preparatory campus and used a powder 3D printer to create the pieces. Experiential learning is the key to success CA-Empowers.org, 703-548-6912 ERI-Va.com, 540-372-6710 at Boys’ Home. Middle school students each This year, science teachers are using ADI, Students in the Education for Employment Sarah Dooley Center for have their own school garden plot. Planting or the Argument-Driven Inquiry approach, program have the chance to gain real-life work and caring for their own vegetables teaches in their classrooms. Through this approach, experience at local businesses. Students meet Autism at St. Joseph’s Villa them the basics of sustainable agriculture students guide the experiments and come with an Oberle staff member to determine Richmond and healthy eating habits. In the elementary up with procedures, requiring them to ask their interests, job shadow, and then choose SarahDooleyCenter.org, 804-521-5571 school classrooms, students learned about questions rather than be passive learners. In a training site where they can earn up to $80 In June 2019, the Sarah Dooley Center broke sharks and measured their own height in a physics lab, students launched marbles and per week. Site partners include The Salvation ground on its new school. Expected to open for relationship to the animals, then made their decided on marble sizes, launch angles, and Army, Tidewater Trail Animal Hospital, Gold’s the coming school year, the new own colored models of sharks. velocity, whiles students in a biochemistry Gym, Central Rappahannock Regional Library, $8 million center will have a space for teaching stoichiometry lab formulated an equation for and many others. independent living skills, a medical suite, a Chesapeake Bay the decomposition of sodium bicarbonate and sensory library, and an observation area. The Academy defended it in front of their peers. Grafton Integrated new center will also be a space to host seminars Virginia Beach Health Network for area professionals specializing in autism. CBA-Va.org, 757-497-6200 Elk Hill-Charlottesville Winchester Mindfulness is an important part of Day School Grafton.org, 540-542-0200 The New Community School Charlottesville Chesapeake Bay Academy’s holistic teaching After high school students pass courses Richmond approach. The school’s middle school ElkHill.org, 434-220-7198 in career training at the school, they TNCS.org, 804-266-2494 director—a certified instructor with Mindful Elk Hill’s Charlottesville school boasts may be eligible for Grafton’s Community Within the past year, The New Community Schools, an organization that introduces many features unique to its location, Based Education course. In this course, School has placed a greater focus on the mindful practice in schools—developed the including partnerships with Charlottesville students volunteer at local businesses and health and wellness of students, creating a mindfulness program at CBA and teaches Albemarle Technical Center and the Modern organizations, like Pocahontas State Park new wellness program as part of its strategic students meditation, breath work, and mind- Improvisational Music Association, where or the Children’s Museum of Richmond, and plan. Offering mindfulness classes, yoga, and a body awareness. Students also participate students participate in vocational work and may receive stipends for their work. Some social-emotional coach, the school has decided in yoga as part of their physical education music-making workshops. Other programs students are even offered part-time jobs after to go even further in the future. They are classes. CBA specializes in teaching twice- include environmental science—the school completing the course. currently preparing to construct a new wellness exceptional students, or children who are has its own garden and indoor grow tower— center on campus, complete with athletic intellectually gifted with a learning difference. and STEM instruction, complete with a 3D facilities, outdoor physical education spaces, printer and digital microscopes. and spectator seating for sporting events.

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