Drama Camp

Ms. Saunders, Ms. Parr, and Ms. Colleen are so excited to be offering a Theater Arts camp this summer! Please see the flyer below for details. To register and find instructions for submitting payment, please fill out this form. Registration is first come, first serve once you have filled out the form and paid in full to reserve your spot. The registration deadline is May 1st. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to one or all of the instructors! 
News Crew Produces Documentary

For their News Crew arts & enrichment elective last quarter, journalists-in-training Asher Grunden (Class of 2022), Rachel Strezpek (Class of ‘23), and Sean Frank (‘23) decided they wanted to create a short documentary capturing the special nature of the project-oriented work through which Peabody middle school students often have the chance to learn. Although having only nine news class sessions meeting at the same time every Thursday constrained the sampling of projects they could cover, the students were deliberate in their efforts to include in this documentary representative samplings from the arts, humanities, and science. Recognizing that every journalist must make some choices based on limitations of time, access, and/or resources, we think they did a pretty amazing job capturing some of the spirit, thought, and inspiration that characterize the middle school experience at Peabody. Thank you for this window into a “month-in-the-life,” Sean, Rachel, and Asher, and kudos on an illuminating piece of work.  

Parents please note: Participating students have graciously authorized us to share this video with the Peabody community but asked that it not be posted more broadly. It will be available for your viewing through the weekend, after which time the access permissions will be reset for internal use only. Thank you in advance for helping to honor their request
History in the Present: Exploring Modern-Day Manifestations of Historical Phenomena

As an extension of their history unit on the Progressive Era of the early 20th century, Peabody’s 7th graders were treated recently to a special interactive presentation with three local professionals who work extensively with immigrant populations in our region. Lucy Bassett, a professor of the practice of public policy at UVA’s Batten School, opened each of the two class sessions by sharing photos and reflections from her experiences providing support and conducting research along the Mexican border in 2019-’20. She guided the students through a process of perspective-taking on the Central-to-North American migrant experience, describing some of the conditions, circumstances, and stories that she discovered during her time at the border, and inviting students to imagine themselves working to navigate some of those kinds of circumstances. Next, Kristin Clarens, an attorney with Legal Aid Justice Center and Project Adelante in Charlottesville, introduced the 7th graders to the vast array of legal statuses, laws, and circumstances that apply to newly immigrated persons once they move into the United States, and helped students to understand some of the complications and nuances that can make legal support so critical for anyone on the immigration journey. Each session wrapped up with David Baluarte, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Clinical Professor of Law at Washington & Lee, who described the what and the why of the Immigration Rights Clinic at W & L, and then walked the students through the incredibly compelling, and illuminating, case study of a client that the clinic had worked to support through a four-year journey. The 7th-grade students were riveted, and their incisive questions reflecting both a strong grasp of the history and deep engagement with the present made for authentic, engaging dialogue with the guest presenters. We are profoundly grateful to Ms. Bassett, Ms. Clarens, and Mr. Baluarte for sharing their time, expertise, and experience so generously, and to Mr. Merrick for always seeking ways to help our students see modern relevance in historical events.
Camp Invention- Only 14 spots left!

Camp Invention is coming back to Peabody School IN PERSON! This inspiring experience has received rave reviews from campers, parents, and teachers, and now it’s returning with an all-new program, Explore! From July 11 to July 15 (9 am-3 pm), rising 1st - 6th graders will team up with friends for fun, hands-on STEM adventures, from adopting a robotic fish to exploring space to building robotic artists and marble arcades! Each activity sparks creativity and builds confidence. Secure your spot by registering online and using promo code SUM25 by 3/31 to save $25.

Also available: Leaders in Training opportunity for rising 7th-9th graders
Contact Amy Brudin, Director, with any questions, at [email protected]
Learn more about Camp Invention 2022: Explore! on YouTube!

Health and Safety Protocols Update

In light of sustained low/medium community transmission levels, Peabody will move to a more endemic contact tracing approach. Many of the schools in our health district are no longer contact tracing. At this time, we will continue most aspects of contact tracing while putting the focus more on tracking positive cases and providing recommendations and resources to those families.

What will stay the same?
  • We will continue to keep track of every positive case, identify any cases of probable transmission, and notify/consult the health department as needed.
  • We will still notify parents of a positive case in their student's grade.
  • Any student with covid symptoms will still be required to have a negative PCR test or a doctor's note to be cleared to return to school. 

What is changing?
  • The school will no longer investigate and identify close contacts at school.
  • When parents receive notification of a positive case in their child's grade, they can assess their individual risks and determine if masking at school for the next 10 days is appropriate.

Please contact Nurse Tara or Mr. Orlando with any questions.
Congratulations!

We are happy to announce that Ellie Barry, Grade 4 student, won Honorable Mention in the “and I knew I was home” girls writing contest sponsored by Jambalaya. We are proud of you!
Book-a-New-Swap-a-Roo!

Bring books from home to donate through-out May!

★Leave in the front lobby and write your name, grade, and number of books on the clipboard! 
★Every student will be given 1 SWAP ticket to get a book of their choice! 
★Plus, you will receive 1 SWAP ticket for every additional book you donate! 
★June 1st, redeem your ticket (s) for new-to-you books!
8th Grade Research Survey

David Jaffe, Grade 8 student, is conducting research about whether or not guitar solos are a thing of the past for his Grade 8 Multi-Genre project. Help him out by completing this survey!
Join Us for Peabody Partners in Action!
 
April

18-29: Stepping Stones Resource Drive supporting the work of Stepping Stone Charlottesville, which provides essentials to under-resourced families with children ages newborn to three living in Cville and Albemarle County. We will collect gently-used items like pack 'n plays, strollers, and clothes, as well as new things like diapers, wipes, pacifiers, pajamas, or hygiene products like lotions, shampoos, and diaper creams. Stepping Stone will then bridge the donations to area non-profits, hospitals, school systems, and social services to identify families in need in order to get these basic items directly to them.

23rd, 9-11 AM: Peabody Partners for the Earth are invited to join the team at Ivy Creek Natural Area for a session of trail maintenance and invasives removal

24th, 10 AM-1 PM: Peabody’s Hiking Club will head out to Fortune’s Cove, a steep and challenging 4-mile hike in Lovingston, VA. RSVP to hike leader Nicola McGoff if you plan to attend

24th, 6:30-8:30 PM: Gather up some Peabody friends and come out to Potter’s Tasting Room to enjoy some music together. Peabody’s very own music teacher Matt Wyatt will be performing with Night Teacher.


May

1: Rivanna Riverfest, 11:00-4:00. A celebration of local waterways at Rivanna River Company with food, drink, music and fun. Other activities will include:
  • Water Quality Monitoring Demonstrations
  • Pop-up Environmental Education Activities
  • Photo Contest Winner Display
  • Solar Charging Station from SunDay Solar
7: Peabody Partners for the Earth Rivanna River float. Details to come...
Earth Day!

Our whole school spent the day outdoors learning about our Earth. Stay tuned for full coverage in next week's newsletter!

Congratulations to the Cast and Crew of the Wizard of Oz!
Graduation and Promotion 2022

We are happy to be bringing back our end-of-year graduation and promotion ceremony on June 3, 2022. The last full day of classes is June 2nd. All students will attend our 8th-grade graduation on the morning of June 3rd followed by a fun promotion ceremony for all other grades. All families are invited! More details to come in May!
We Love our Peabody Teachers and Students!