April 12: Virtual Book Club with Katie Hurley: Raising Strong, Confident & Compassionate Girls (6-7:30 pm)

We are delighted to welcome back author, educator, and child development expert Katie Hurley for the final installment of our virtual Parent Speaker Series. Katie will be discussing her book "No More Mean Girls: The Secret to Raising Strong, Confident & Compassionate Girls." The book is geared towards the caregivers of girls ages 3-13. Katie will share a presentation outlining some of the highlights of her book and then engage in a Q&A conversation facilitated by Ann Tolley Jones. 
8th Grade Biology Presentation

Our 8th-grade Biology class was visited by Dr. Amy Moore, the chair of The Ohio State University Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Moore is pioneering nerve graft techniques to restore function and sensation to people who have lost function in their hands or feet through trauma or disease. You can learn more about her work on acute flaccid myelitis in this CBS news video. She is at the cutting edge of medicine and technology - the perfect person to speak to our 8th grade before they start thinking about career choices in high school and beyond. 
Camp Invention

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!

Sustainability Blip of the Week: SPECIAL EDITION- Piedmont Prairie Clean-Up Done Right

What is this week’s special edition?
In this week's special edition, we are exploring how our Piedmont Prairie was “renovated.” Peabody classes have spent a year crafting a Piedmont Prairie as an example of what you can do in your own spaces. We now have diverse pollinators ranging from beneficial bees, birds, moths, butterflies, beetles, ants, and flies. In the winter, lots of these insects have their larvae in the dead stems, which is the reason we keep those stalks up through the winter. In February these stalks were mowed down as a result of a miscommunication with the lawn service. We want everyone to know that there is an importance and value to leaving these stalks in place because of the habitat and food source they provide. Spring cleaning is an important part of the maintenance of the Piedmont Prairies, but there is a right way to do it in order to mimic nature's processes. 

When you do decide to cut back your old prairie stalks, you can follow the instructions in the link below. 

We are aware many people are just beginning to learn about the most ecologically beneficial ways to tidy up native plants in their landscape, and this seemed a ripe opportunity to learn. The norm that we have gotten used to with typical (but actually almost completely lifeless) lawns is to clean up your yard in the fall, but with beneficial native plants, that isn’t what we are supposed to do. We are changing the norms. Your messy yard can be the equivalent of a happy ecosystem! 

(Image credits (Peabody School Front)- Top: Beginning of school year Piedmont Prairie, Bottom: Current Piedmont Prairie)
Peabody Running Club

Do you need a reason to love Mondays? Join the Peabody Running Club! Starting Monday, April 11th, the Peabody Running Club welcomes students in grades 5-8 (and any family members who wish to come along) to lace up those sneakers and go for a run. Ms. Harper will lead this crew in a run from school each week and organize opportunities for runners to participate in several local races this spring. Practice will be from 3:30-4:30 and will meet in Ms. Harper’s room before hitting the trail. Email Ms. Harper with any questions - [email protected].
Student News!

Congratulations to Lisa Cang, Grade 6 student, who has been selected to attend Reflections, the 2022 Central Virginia Summer Regional Governor’s School Program for Middle School Students Gifted in the Visual Arts. Reflections is a Summer Regional Governor’s School Program, funded in part by the Virginia Department of Education with local financial and in-kind support. The program is a 10-day summer program for forty middle school students competitively selected from Charlottesville City, Albemarle, Greene, and Nelson Counties, as well as the private and home-school students in the region. Reflections provides conceptual and visual art experiences for artistically gifted students in association with their gifted peers.
Daniel Hardie, Grade 6 student, was crowned the three-point champion in the Middle School All-Star Basketball game last Saturday. He made 10 out of his 15 three-point shots from different areas on the court. He also got to meet Reese Beekman and Jayden Gardner from the UVA Basketball team! Great work, Daniel!
Gavin Esterhay, Grade 4 student, medaled at the annual state scholastic chess tournament last weekend! The memorable part was an extra exhibition event, where a grandmaster (one of the top chess players in the world) did a simultaneous round where he traveled between 20 games at once. Gavin snagged the last spot at the table...on a whim as he happened to walk by at the right moment. In 18 moves he stunningly beat this grandmaster from Uzbekistan who has a chess rating of 2650 to Gavin’s 800. He then was invited to play a second exhibition where the grandmaster played him blind, with his back to the board. What an experience! 
Join Us for Peabody Partners in Action!
 
April

2: Partners for the Earth (POSTPONED) We will reconvene in May!
Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week

Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week is scheduled for May 2-6, 2022. Our team of Peabody Parents has already started planning for this exciting week when we celebrate our amazing Peabody teachers and staff. This weeklong celebration is funded by the generous support of our Peabody families. Parents, family, and friends who would like to contribute to this year’s Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week fund can do so by using the Peabody online giving page and Designating: Appreciation Week for your donation.  

If you have any questions or are interested in volunteering during Appreciation Week, please feel free to reach out to Marianne Kish ([email protected]).
Theater Arts Camp

Ms. Saunders, Ms. Parr, and Ms. Colleen are so excited to be offering a Theater Arts camp this summer! Please see this flyer for details. To register and find instructions for submitting payment, please fill out this form. Registration is first-come, first-served 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!



Have a Great Spring Break!