LETTER
Chamber of Commerce Applauds School Resolution
June 15, 2015
DEAR EDITOR,
I am writing on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce has served businesses on the Eastern Shore for 62 years. Representing more than 450 businesses, our mission is to “serve, promote and connect businesses and communities of the Eastern Shore of Virginia.”
The Board of Directors would like to commend the Northampton County Board of Supervisors for the Resolution they adopted at their meeting on May 12, 2015. We wholeheartedly agree that education should be viewed as the cornerstone for the county’s economic future. We encourage the Board of Supervisors to remain focused on education and to keep all the educational declarations listed below in the forefront of their decision making.
RESOLUTION DECLARING EDUCATION AS THE CORNERSTONE FOR NORTHAMPTON COUNTY’S ECONOMIC FUTURE
WHEREAS, it is well established and recognized that the future of our local, regional and even global society hinges on an engaged, informed, and educated youth; and
WHEREAS, it is also recognized that a well-educated and inspired student body is the engine that drives, and will continue to drive our local and regional economy; and
WHEREAS, Northampton County is fortunate to enjoy world-class teachers who have dedicated themselves to ensuring that their students are equipped and prepared to become productive and beneficial members of society in business, academic and leadership roles; and [Read more…]
SOCCER
Northampton Still in Finals Following Squeaker Loss
By WAYNE CREED
Cape Charles Wave
June 8, 2015
With Northampton and Westmoreland County’s Washington and Lee both set to travel to Radford for the state 1A Soccer Championship, the seeding for the event was still not settled until these two teams met for a critical game Saturday night (June 6) on the Eastern Shore. It was a classic match up, with a W&L squad bringing a sturdy, conservative midfield attack, hoping to slow down the high flying, fluid style of the Northampton Yellow Jackets.
There was little feeling out, as from the outset, both teams attempted to set the pace early. Northampton made several early pushes to break the W&L defense, but were generally slowed by a much disciplined group of mid-fielders led by Senior Jacob Daiger. At 17:28, a misplay and lapse by the Northampton defense allowed for a quick rush and goal by W&L forward Tirso Artunez.
With a one-nill lead, W&L went into a classic defense posture reminiscent of old school Arsenal or the great Milan teams of the 1970s. With sometimes five men back, they were hoping to control midfield and thwart the Northampton rush. This was good in theory, until Northampton’s passing and speed began to get its rhythm. With articulate away from the ball movement, and constant pressure from mid Malik McCaskil, the Jackets kept up constant pressure. This paid off with a brilliant goal at 7:00 by Jesus Malando-Lopez. With the score tied at 1, and momentum clearly swinging their way, the Jackets continued to pressure and pound the W&L defense, clearly on its heels and not sure what to do about Northampton’s speed and attack. Despite strong pressure, and several dangerous attempts by Northampton, the first half ended 1-1. [Read more…]
Christian School Dedicates Multi-Use Heyward Hall
By TAMMY HOLLOWAY
Cape Charles Christian School
November 17, 2014
Since 2010, the Cape Charles Christian School has operated in a beautiful stone building, the former First Presbyterian Church of Cape Charles, built in 1925. Recently the former sanctuary was renovated and made available for the first time in the school’s daily activities. Now known as Heyward Hall, the renovation created a multi-use event space which will bring new life to the former sanctuary while maintaining and respecting its historical bones. Heyward Hall’s beautiful and very functional space will also be available for wedding ceremonies, meetings and conferences. [Read more…]
Cape Charles Christian School: An Appreciation
By WAYNE CREED
September 2, 2014
As school starts today, I have to say it is a little bit sad not have any of my children going back to Cape Charles Christian School. My son and daughter were part of the first class at the school, when it was housed by the generous folks at Trinity Methodist and Cape Charles Baptist. From its very beginnings, the school embodied the very best of our community, and I can’t tell you what a joy it was to once again see gaggles of kids traipsing through Cape Charles.
Now that my son Joey has moved on to Broadwater (he really wanted to play varsity sports), I am personally going to miss those mornings, watching him strap on his backpack, hop on his scooter, and go off to school in the same town where he grew up. He loves playing sports at BA, but I know he also misses the Christian school too.
I am so grateful for everything that CCCS did for our kids — the values they taught and the sense of community that they have built. It has been a fruitful partnership with the citizens of Cape Charles, our Library and staff, and especially Arts Enter, which has been so gracious and helpful with classes, instruction, and use of facilities.
Kate Tayloe, Valerie Travis, Dawn Lewis, Carrie Cabello, and Leslie Savage provided the best lower school experience one could wish for. Andrea Davis is no longer there, but she was also instrumental in laying the intellectual foundation for success. Thanks to Ms. Tayloe for showing my kids that, yes, reading can actually be fun. Holly Hubbard brought so much talent and passion to our upper school, teaching the required disciplines needed to excel in not just the upper school, but all through the educational experience. [Read more…]
NMA Scholarship Recipients Attending ESCC, ODU
Local recipients of NMA Federal Credit Union Memorial Scholarships are Kristen Kelly, Kalyn Allums, and Koren Satchell. [Read more…]
Cape Charles Christian Competes in Odyssey of Mind
By TAMMY HOLLOWAY
Cape Charles Christian School
April 7, 2014
Students at Cape Charles Christian School expanded their minds this academic year by participating in the Odyssey of the Mind program. Students in grades 4-7 were able to participate in a weekly after school program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities. Team members are encouraged to apply their creativity to solve problems ranging from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics.
The 4th and 5th grade team of six students under the direction of Kate Tayloe worked on a “Not So Haunted House.” They created a haunted house that used mechanisms to create special effects that were intended to frighten, but actually produced a different effect. CCCS teacher Holly Hubbard coached four middle school aged students on the project they selected which was called “Drivers Test.” The overall project was to create a vehicle that moved forward using one propulsion system and backward using a different propulsion system. They had to write a skit that included a driver’s test and accomplished three separate tasks along the way. “Our students put an Eastern Shore spin on the problem by making their driver’s test a boat driving test and including channel markers as their directional signals. They also make mention of Cobb Island, and include a lesson about the harmful effects of mylar balloons on the sea turtle population.” said Hubbard.
“ I was really impressed with the creativity and imagination students put into the projects and that they did all of the work themselves” said Kate Tayloe, CCCS teacher and OTM coach. Students must do all of the work as a team, planning and executing the solution for the problem they select. The role of the coach is to guide students in their problem solving and collaboration, not do it for them.
Cape Charles Christian School along with other Northampton and Accomac students participated in the Tidewater Region 6 Odyssey of the Mind Tournament on March 29 at Tabb High School in Yorktown, VA. As they packed up their projects, they were filled with excitement over participating in this event for the first time. They had no expectations of winning. They were quite simply just excited to participate and of course to embark on a road trip! The CCCS community was humbled by the recognition the middle school “Drivers Test” team received as they were named the Division Two Region 6 champions for this problem. They came back to Cape Charles with happy hearts and eager minds, ready to prepare to compete at the state level on April 26 in Rocky Mount. “Our kids have collaborated to solve a very complicated problem. Odyssey of the Mind is an amazing experience for our students where they are forced to think and problem solve in a hands on project. They are developing skills they will take with them and use in real life experiences,” said middle school team coach Hubbard.
Follow the student’s adventure on the CCCS Facebook page at Cape Charles Christian School. Enrolling now for the 2014-15 academic year. Forward questions about the Cape Charles Christian School to 757-331-1717 or [email protected].
Katie Wendell Selected to All-Metro Basketball Team
CAPE CHARLES WAVE
March 3, 2014
Cape Charles resident and Broadwater Academy senior Katie Wendell has been selected to the 2014 All-Metro Conference Girls Basketball Team.
Consisting of nine high schools in the Tidewater area, the Metro Conference selects a 12-member all-star team at the end of each season.
Katie was co-captain of her team and played the point guard position. She led the Lady Vikings in scoring, averaging 18.7 points per game. She also was the Metro Conference’s second-leading scorer this season.
Two of Katie’s season highlights were a 32-point performance against Stonebridge Academy, and scoring 8 points in the fourth quarter in a come-from-behind victory over Northampton High School. The Lady Vikings finished the season with an 11-9 record.
On defense, Katie finished fourth in the Metro Conference with 3.5 steals per game. [Read more…]
COMMENTARY: Advice to the New School Board
By TED WARNER
February 3, 2014
On Wednesday, January 15, I drove back to Northampton County, across the increasingly overpriced Bay Bridge-Tunnel. I drove around Cape Charles, taking in the familiar streets, and eventually made my way to the Northampton County Public Schools Central Office in order to witness the swearing in ceremony of the county’s first elected school board.
For many of us, the ceremony marked the end of a long process which began several years ago.
Several hundred of us sat in the Old Middle School auditorium to express our outrage over the unceremonious dismissal of a popular high school principal. But there were only eight of us a few weeks later, facing that great, inevitable question: “What’s next?”
Over the next few months, we collaborated closely and struggled to develop a message that was respectful of a long litany of complaints about the state of our public schools, but was also forward-thinking, positive, and would ultimately lead to a positive change in the county. We recognized that the county’s public school administrators and School Board were not responding to needs of teachers, parents, and the community at large. For example, the county’s strategic plan addressed the topic of “community outreach” with only the ominously apathetic words “on going.” That, we felt, was not enough. So we began circulating a petition to create an elected (and not appointed) school board. The petition led to a referendum, which was overwhelming approved by the voting public in November 2012. Then we turned our attention to recruiting candidates for the School Board.
For my part, I was adamant that the candidates be subjected to public scrutiny and that they be asked to articulate an unwavering commitment to involving the expertise of teachers in their deliberations. I firmly believe that almost any problem in our schools can be better solved by a group of teachers, working in the classroom day in and day out, than by Central Office personnel or state-level officials in the Department of Education. Although I was there for every step of this story, I hope that this last point — that the teachers should be more respected — was my contribution.
After a series of public forums, of which the most productive was sponsored by the Northampton County Education Association, a professional association of Northampton’s teachers and support professionals, a group of candidates was selected. In November, the people elected their first school board.
When they raised their hands a week ago and took their oath of office, I hope they realized that although a long story had come to a triumphant conclusion, a new story was beginning. And that story begins with that same great, inevitable question: “What’s next?”
It saddens me that I will not be a part of answering that question. Shortly after the election in November, I accepted a position that required me to move out of the school system. My colleagues congratulated me warmly, and I was grateful for their support. As we all must, my decision to move on was responsible to my family obligations and respectful to the resignation process as defined by School Board policy. I certainly wish that Northampton County could have created the circumstances for me to remain. [Read more…]