Focus on Instruction

At Glenvar High, Geometry students practiced calculating pi, surface area, volume, and symmetry using pumpkins! Along with gaining valuable math skills and seeing the real-world application of these math skills, students created jack-o-lantern masterpieces!

At Glenvar High, US/VA History students use communication and collaboration in a Kiva discussion to share ideas about transoceanic connections from 1450–1750, including Columbus’ voyages, the Columbian Exchange, and the growth of world empires. They demonstrated active listening, considered different viewpoints, and critiqued the reasonableness of claims while discovering how these events shaped the world.

At Hidden Valley High School, A select group of seniors at HVHS trained in preparation for conducting small group sessions with all our new ninth graders earlier this month. The students prepared a presentation to cover topics like calculating a GPA, understanding weighted classes, where to turn when difficulty arises, balance of schedule, and more! This annual and fun activity is our way of better preparing our ninth graders for navigating high school!

At Hidden Valley High School, Mr. Rader, the new ITRT at HVHS, visited earth science classes and gave a presentation on creating infographics using Canva. He shared valuable tips on the dos and don'ts of effective design and stayed to provide hands-on support as students worked. Students researched a meteorological natural disaster of their choice and are now using Canva to transform their findings into engaging and informative infographics.

At Hidden Valley Middle School, students in Mrs. McBride’s civics class got to play a game to see how the Electoral College works. Students had to compete by rolling dice to see who got the higher number and would in turn win the popular vote state-by-state. They used that to determine who would earn the Electoral College votes for each state, and then they had to tally the overall votes to see which candidate was the winner.

At William Byrd High School, Biology students completed a lab in which they studied enzyme activity. Collaborative groups were responsible for gauging how extreme heat impacted enzyme activity in plant and animal cells. Students then communicated their findings to the class.

At William Byrd Middle School, Life Science students got their feet wet (literally) as they conducted an ecosystem investigation at nearby Wolf Creek. Working alongside staff from Clean Valley Council, the student scientists performed chemical tests and collected data about the organisms that live in the stream. This information allows the class to monitor the health of the Wolf Creek watershed over the years to ensure its vitality.
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At Northside High School, students participated in the first school-wide club day of the school year. All students signed up and participated in a variety of clubs that suit their interest. Students could choose from 33 sponsored clubs with a focus on academic, community service, wellness, and hobbies which were all facilitated by NHS Staff. School wide club days will continue to be offered throughout the school year.

At Hidden Valley Middle School, students in robotics class engaged in a tug of war competition. Each team had one hour to build a robot before competing against one another to see who could build the most effective robot. Students demonstrated collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity as they learned about coding, gears, motors, leverage, and connection points.

At Glenvar Middle School, students investigated “crime scenes” around the science classroom to identify broken lab safety practices. The students moved through five police crime scenes, analyzing what safety rules were violated and how accidents could have been prevented. This activity highlights the importance of lab safety rules in protecting students, keeping experiments running smoothly, and creating a responsible science learning environment.

At Hidden Valley Middle, students presented digital portfolios through student-led conferences (SLCs). During their presentations, students shared the Opportunity Ready work they have been doing this year and presented artifacts centered on collaboration, critical thinking, and communication. Additionally, students discussed their progress with a growth goal they had set for themselves, how they have met schoolwide expectations, and a project they were particularly proud of.

At Herman L. Horn Elementary, students in Ms. Witt's 4th Grade Science class conducted research on various ocean animals and developed PowerPoint presentations to share their findings with classmates. Ms. Coffey, the Instructional Technology Resource Teacher, collaborated with the students to design and create a 3D printed movable version of each animal. Following their presentations, each student will be able to take their 3D print home as a keepsake of their learning experience.

At Burlington Elementary,students explored the life and culture of the Pueblo Native American tribe. Students discovered that the Pueblos resided in multi-story terraced structures constructed from clay. To enhance their understanding, students were provided with clay to create models of these traditional homes, incorporating elements such as animals they would hunt, ladders, and other relevant features.

At Hidden Valley High, Mr. Harris' students incorporated a bank while exploring the exponential functions of simple, compound interest, and the monthly payment formula as well as simulated the dynamics of the banking system at large. The simulation required students to support a potential borrower with the help of an investor as well as borrow from the Federal Reserve if required. Students crafted a final presentation, a reflection using our ORG performance outcomes, and archived their work in their online portfolio.

At William Byrd Middle, students participated in a Science Showcase. Students presented their Science Fair projects to their parents/guardians, community members, central office staff, and to high school students. It was an exciting night in which students demonstrated a tremendous amount of pride in their final products. The projects showcased students' ability to communicate, critically think, collaborate, and showcased their creativity.