Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School Blog: Take Charge

There’s something to be said for hands-on learning in the classroom… and something else entirely when hands-on learning extends beyond the classroom. That was exactly the idea behind Spring Session at its conception in 2013 - a joint creation between former Mathematics Department Chair John Guenther and then-Assistant Head of School Josh Bubar. The goal, according to current Dean of Faculty Maura Henry, “was to have a more experiential week of mini courses so students could engage with the world.”

At Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall, Health and Wellness courses look different. All students at CH-CH receive 6-7 weeks of wellness lessons during class meeting times, and the type of lessons and the content they engage with change and grow with each student each year. 9th and 10th grade programs are specifically designed to help students settle into high school life. Once students reach 11th grade, they get the opportunity to choose their own wellness curriculum. This unique program to CH-CH is allowing students to engage in Health and Wellness topics they’re interested in, boosting engagement, and providing students with essential real-world skills.

Ian MacPhail, CH-CH History Department Chair, Co-Director of Campus Life, and Head Boys' Lacrosse Coach shares his insights on student clubs, leadership opportunities, and the vibrant club culture at Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall.

On the heels of his win for a regional Heartland Emmy® Award in the category of Best Documentary, Topical, the Alumni Office had the chance to catch up with Ryan Gates ‘98, President & CEO at PANO Marketing. Ryan gave us the backstory to his award-winning film and all that brought him to this moment, a story that extends all the way back to CH-CH.

Allen is a last name that appears across campus; on buildings, in yearbooks, in the school’s history, and seen through sculpture. David Allen (DA) '93, son of Margaret Allen, is a sculptor who created two pieces as part of the Campus as Canvas initiative, The Core and The Sphere. In an interview, Allen gave insight into his work on campus, The Core on the island by South Hall and The Sphere in the courtyard at the Learning Commons. 

As we embark on the new 2022-23 school year, I reflect upon the challenges facing school leaders and schools over the past two years while, at the same time, identifying the opportunities moving forward. We experienced a tumultuous two-year stretch weathering a global health pandemic, as well as other historic socio-political events and economic headwinds in America. Working through this unprecedented set of challenges, we look forward to moving beyond, identifying new opportunities, and leveraging many of the strengths making CH-CH such a special community.

 Jules R.G., a member of CH-CH’s Class of 2021 recently gave his senior presentation, which included this message on the 2020 election:

Over the past two school years, the Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School athletics program shattered centuries-old school records by securing twelve championships from their boys and girls varsity programs. With a championship mindset going into the winter 2019-2020 season, the Chargers were eager to bring home another trophy for their respective basketball leagues.

To honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s call to service, CH-CH students continued the tradition of creating and leading MLK workshops to bring diversity and inclusion to the forefront, while giving their peers opportunities to understand experiences different from their own.