Sports at Channing Hall

Channing Hall has a great Middle School sports program throughout the year for both girls and boys.

            Channing Hall Charter School athletic teams compete in the Utah Charter School Sports League (UCSSL) which is a sports league organized and run by athletic directors at participating charter schools across the state. The league consists of around 30 different public charter and small private schools across Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah Counties.

            Channing Hall offers extra-curricular sports year round, with opportunities for every student to participate. Our sports teams focus on teaching Channing Hall students good sportsmanship, athletic skills, social awareness and fitness concepts they can carry on into high school and the rest of their life.

Fall Season: August – October

Boys & Girls Cross Country

            The cross country teams have been competing at Channing Hall since 2010. The boys and girls cross country teams practice together and travel to races together, but they race separately. Both boys and girls races are two miles. There are no try-outs for either cross country team; it is open for all 6-8^th grade students to participate. The season consists of 6-8 meets, a regional qualifying meet, and a state championship meet for teams and individuals who qualify. There is a small fee for participants to buy their own uniform.

            Awards and Accomplishments: The 2011 girls cross country team placed 2^nd in the state.

Co-Ed Volleyball

            The co-ed volleyball team has been competing at Channing Hall since 2011. The team consists of both boys and girls who practice and play games together. Try-outs are generally held during the first week of school and open to all 6-8^th grade girls and boys. The season consists of about 15 matches, with the top 4 teams in the division moving on to the state tournament. There is a small fee to supplement the cost of referees.

            Awards and Accomplishments: The 2011 volleyball team advanced to the quarterfinals in the state tournament.

Winter Season: November – February

Girls Basketball

            The girls’ basketball team has been competing at Channing Hall since 2007. Try-outs are generally held the second week of November and are open to all 6-8^th grade girls. The season consists of about 16 games, with the top 4 teams in the division moving on to the state tournament. There is a small fee to supplement the cost of referees.

            Awards and Accomplishments: The 2010-11 team played for the state championship, but lost, finishing 2^nd in the state. The 2009-10 team finished 2^nd in the south division final tournament.

Boys Basketball

            The boys’ basketball team has been competing at Channing Hall since 2007. Try-outs are generally held the second week of November and are open to all 6-8^th grade boys. The season consists of about 16 games, with the top 4 teams in the division moving on to the state tournament. There is a small fee to supplement the cost of referees.

            Awards and Accomplishments: The 2009-10 team won the state tournament championship. The 2011-12 team advanced to the quarterfinals in the state tournament.

Spring Season: March – May

Co-Ed Soccer

            The co-ed soccer team has been competing at Channing Hall since spring of 2009. The team consists of both boys and girls who practice and play games together. Try-outs are generally held the second week of March and are open to all 6-8^th grade boys and girls. The season consists of about 12 games, with the top 4 teams in the division moving on to the state tournament. There is a small fee to supplement the cost of referees.

            Awards and Accomplishments: The 2009 team finished 2^nd in state during the regular season. The 2010 & 2012 teams advanced to the quarterfinals in the state tournament.

Channing Hall at the Capitol- Charter School Night

Utah Charter Network held its annual Charter School Night on Capitol Hill on Monday, February 4, 2013.  Members of the Utah State Legislature hosted tours for constituents and families throughout the state.  Individuals and families wandered through the building’s corridors and back halls with Utah state legislators as tour guides.   Attendees and constituents were able to visit with lawmakers about General Session agendas and budget issues.

Channing Hall students, parents and board members visited the Capitol to show our support for charter schools. 

Board President Michelle Crowley said, “We had a really great tour of the Capitol. It was terrific!”

Parent, Jenn Wall, explains about the experience and the process of legislation:

“It was FABULOUS!  I took my 2 CH kids with me and they couldn't get enough.  The leaders gave a little introduction and then split us into small groups to tour the whole beautiful building.  I have been there many times but had no idea the history and amazing stories behind most of the rooms.  We started in a room where a new Bill gets reviewed for the very first time.  Then we saw the Senate Chambers and even got to sit in the Senate President's office where we got to meet him face to face.  He reminded us of the importance of staying involved and up to date on Bills that can possibly affect our schools and education system.  He was so sweet with the kids and won them over by giving them some candy :)  My appreciation changed that night for what these fine people do for us for minimal pay, and hours of reading and studying each day during this busy legislative month and a half.  

There are some things that the communities of Salt Lake need to remember for sure.  Every time a new bill gets put in front of the Committee, we as the public and people of this State need to be proactive about what these Bills mean and stand for.  More importantly, what it means if it makes its way to the top!   The best opportunity to influence a Bill is during its infancy .  The discussion of the Bill will start in front of a Board and they will give ANYONE there the right to say why they are FOR or AGAINST it.  After much thought and counsel, it then will be passed or declined due to a majority vote of the Board/ Committee.  If passed, it then moves to the hands of the Senate Committee and goes through the same process.  If the Senate signs it off then it will proceed to the House.  After the House's approval it then goes straight to the Governor who can sign it off or has the power to veto it.  

We can all be involved in this amazing process.  Go to le.utah.gov to learn more about each Bill and then take a look at their calendar for the day and time you can go and have your voice heard. Take your children there and teach them how laws are born and how grateful they should be that we get to live in a country where we have a say.”

This year there are several bills being presented that can affect charter school funding formulas for the SITLA funds that charters share as well as Average Daily Maintenance (ADM) funding. Our charter association, Utah Charter Network, is working on our behalf to help work towards fair treatment of charter schools. You can follow what they are doing through their website. 

3rd Grade Heroes-"Living Museum"

For an hour on an ordinary Thursday, Channing Hall 3rd graders recently turned the gym into a "living museum". Before Christmas break, each student chose a historically significant hero. Over the break they researched and wrote an essay on their hero's life. The students not only learned about their hero but they had the opportunity to become their hero. The 3rd graders dressed up and presented to parents, fellow students and many Channing Hall faculty. Those lucky enough to attend this fun event were able to meet Abe Lincoln, Leonardo da Vinci, Martin Luther King, Helen Keller, Rosa Parks, George Washington, Michelle Obama, Joe DiMaggio and many more, all in one room!


Miss Melisa Young, a 3rd grade teacher:
I look forward to the living museum project all year. It is a wonderful opportunity for the students to be inquirers and learn about important hero figures throughout history. When the students make their heroes come alive they also bring to life the important attributes that made them a hero. Through learning about various obstacles and accomplishments that their heroes have achieved they understand the meaning of empathy, tolerance, and caring. I am so proud every year when I watch my students work so hard and communicate all of their knowledge to their peers and parents.

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE HEROES?

I Have A Dream

 

"Channing Hall has laid down some good, basic ground rules.  They have told us that we will NEVER regret an act of kindness, and I never have." - S

 

With the upcoming Dr Martin Luther King Holiday we asked our 8th graders what their dreams and aspirations were. Here are a few more quotes.

"Channing Hall has inspired me to be a better person by teaching me the qualities in a great person." - MW

"Channing Hall has a great program that helps students think deeper.  For me, it's really helped how I express my ideas to others." - TC

Check out the video for more examples as well as some of our Middle School teacher's thoughts.

Operation Christmas Child

“Nebojsa had epilepsy and often went to the hospital for treatment. When he received his (Operation Christmas Child) box in the hospital, he opened it impatiently. Inside, he found a hat and gloves, candies and a school set, including a compass and ruler. When he saw this, Nebojsa started crying. His mother explained that he was failing math class because he told the teacher he forgot his supplies, but the truth was that his family didn’t have the money to buy them. He held the supplies in his arms for a long time, with tears in his eyes.“  An Operation Christmas Child shoebox recipient.*

Hard Working Channing Hall volunteers for Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child delivers shoe boxes filled with Christmas gifts to hurting children around the world.  This month Channing Hall students joined to collect and pack over one hundred shoeboxes for Operation Christmas child. This month the organization that runs Operation Christmas Child, Samaritan’s Purse, delivered the symbolic 100 millionth shoebox to 5-year-old Brenda Valdez in the Dominican Republic.  But despite these impressive numbers, it still takes one box at a time to make a difference for one child at a time.

At Channing Hall, Tomas Hollenbach was the initial spark to fire up the giving spirit in our school. Here is how his mother, Dulce, describes it. “At the age of 8 years old, Tomas was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor (DIPG) but Tomas was still determined to share his faith with the entire world.  For the last two years of his life Tomas celebrated his birthday by asking his family and friends to make shoe boxes instead of buying him gifts for his birthday, he also got his school and other organizations involved. His helping spirit inspired friends, family and even his nurse to make shoe boxes. He also raised money for OCC by setting up Lemonade stands in the front yard of his house. Tomas loved Operation Christmas Child. Most of all, Tomas loved sending presents to kids around the world so that they can receive a gift and learn of God's love for them.” To learn more about Tomas’ life please go to www.akid4christ.com.

 At Channing Hall we have carried on continuing Tomas’s dream. This year the Middle School joined in the effort with the elementary classes headed by Melissa Young and Tomas’s mother. 

 With the help of Channing Hall community, immense piles of supplies were donated and these then were boxed up after school by the students. Donations consisted of Hygiene supplies, school supplies, toys and a bit of candy. Plus each box also had a personalized Christmas card made by our students.

The IB program encourages service and teaches caring which our whole community has stepped up to demonstrate with this project.  Not to mention a great start to our Golden Rule Project!

Thank You and Happy Holidays!

Just part of the supplies that were donated

The "special touch" added to each box from our students

Service

*http://www.facebook.com/OCCshoeboxes

IB LEARNER PROFILE

One of the great things about being a teacher in the IB program is that we don’t only teach content, we also develop character.  This is done through the IB learner profile, which contain ATTRIBUTES and ATTITUDES we try to model and help the students understand.  It is important to understand that these are not learner “profiles”, but one profile that we work on developing in each student. 

Risk Taker    

● Have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies

● Brave and articulate in defending beliefs

Thinkers       

◊ Apply thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems

◊ Make reasoned, ethical decisions

Inquirers       

◙ Acquire necessary skills to conduct research

◙Show independence in learning and develop a natural curiosity

Knowledgeable         

► Explore ideas and issues that have local and global significance

► Acquire a balanced and in-depth understanding

Communicators       

☺Express ideas and information confidently and creatively

☺ Work well collaborating with others

Principled                 

■Act with integrity, honesty, fairness, justice, and respect

■Take responsibility for actions and the consequences that accompany them

Open-Minded          

☼Understand and appreciate your culture, & be open to the values and traditions of others

Caring                       

♥Personal commitment to service and act to make a positive difference to others and the environment

♥Show empathy, compassion and respect towards the feelings of others

Balanced                   

▬Understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being

Reflective                  

●Able to assess and understand strengths and limitations to support learning and personal development

* Taken from the Middle School MYP Student Lead Conference Handout

What is IB and MYP?

From the MYP Coordinator

-Lindsay Allen

It is a rewarding profession being a teacher in the Channing Hall Middle Years Program.  We provide our students with a challenging academic IB framework that involves all students in their own unique learning processes.  This encourages students to make connections between school and the real world, and helps them become critical and reflective thinkers.  We see our students grow more confident in themselves and their abilities, and we see them mature into thoughtful, compassionate adolescents. 

We have worked for several years to meet the rigorous standards set by IB, and to prepare for our authorization visit, which should take place this spring. The students and parents are as much a part of this process as the teachers.  Because of this, we wanted to share information with our (Channing Hall) families about the International Baccalaureate program.  It is our hope that in this newsletter, you will gain a clear perspective of the mission and vision of the IB program, and understand how we as teachers in the Channing Hall MYP are excited to be a part of this innovative and rigorous educational program. 

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Program is a non-profit educational foundation, motivated by its mission and focused on the development of a balanced student.  International Baccalaureate was founded in 1968, and is currently being taught in 3,463 schools in 143 countries to approximately 1,050,000 students. The program is the most widely recognized pre-university educational program. In fact, five IB World Schools in the United States were featured in the “Top 10 of Newsweek’s 2011 High School Rankings”.

The Middle Years Program is taught between grades six through ten, for students between the ages of 11 to 16.  The MYP was started in 1997 and is now offered by 980 World Schools.  Channing Hall was officially accepted as an IB MYP candidate school in 2011, and hopes to become an authorized IB MYP in 2013.  

It is a program of international education designed to help students develop the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and skills necessary to participate actively and responsibly in a changing world.  IB promotes intercultural understanding and respect, not as an alternative to a sense of cultural and national identity, but as an essential part of life in the 21^st century.