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		<title>Our Blog (Virginia Chance School)</title>
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				<title><![CDATA[Inquiry-Based Learning]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/1896467</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[Joy and learning through curiosity and investigation.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2024 10:28:47 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Progressive Education Tenets in Action]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/801378</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[Progressive Schools, traditional schools, boarding schools, day schools, college-prep schools, parochial schools, public schools, private schools, magnet schools and home schools…the choices are many! Making the right choice for your child can be a bit daunting for parents. As a Head of an independent school, I get to answer the question, “What’s so special about your school?” and “What does it mean that Virginia Chance School is a progressive school?”]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Tue, 12 Mar 2024 10:39:17 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Nature-Based Learning]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/1862326</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[No Bad Weather Here!]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:31:20 -0500</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Open House!]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/2187467</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[Join us on Friday, April 17th at 9:30AM!

A classroom buzzing with questions. A campus alive with discovery. A community where challenges become opportunities to grow. Here, curiosity sparks learning, resilience is practiced every day, and confidence carries students forward into an ever-changing world.

At Virginia Chance School, students don’t just learn - they thrive.
Join us for our Open House and see it for yourself!]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:58:00 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Developing a Growth Mindset]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/1713516</link>
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				<pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:01:54 -0500</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[The Art & Science of Literacy: Finding Joy in Reading]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/1862362</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[Why read?
As a child, I hated to read.  My school experience was that teachers would put us into reading groups - red birds, blue birds, yellow birds and we all knew what that meant! Some of us were good at reading, some weren’t, and the colors ensured everyone knew too.  Then, in the 5th grade, I discovered the book Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink. Caddie was an adventurous girl with unruly locks - she was my kind of gal.  I learned that books could help us travel to new places, make new friends, learn about others’ experiences and understand the world around us.  It took some time, but I eventually became quite the bookworm and a lifelong learner.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:33:18 -0500</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Why I Love Chance School]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/1913491</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[Dr. Ashley Anderson, a parent at Chance School, wrote an article explaining why Chance School was the best choice for her family. Enjoy the read!]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:35:00 -0500</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Gratitude Attitude in our Children: Why and How?]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/844111</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[Thanksgiving is the time when we all pause to count our blessings, to give thanks, be with family and friends, and be grateful. While it is always good to stop and focus on gratitude at this time, it is even better to continue this attitude of gratitude all year long if we are to experience the benefits.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Fri, 22 Nov 2024 14:31:00 -0500</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[TWO Teachers in EVERY Classroom = Double the Benefits]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/950081</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[Visit any classroom at Virginia Chance School, and you will see two highly qualified teachers.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jun 2023 11:33:20 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Set Up for Success!]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/1946733</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[Happy New Year! As families think about having a great school year, it could be helpful to consider borrowing from some of our teachers and implementing these strategies at home, too. Here is a Top 10 list for Setting Up for A Successful School Year!]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:32:20 -0500</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Worry Free Unstructured Play: The Hummingbird Approach]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/843840</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[For most parents traditional unstructured play seems pretty unrealistic in today’s society. Justified unease has lead to unrealized positive outcomes for children- until now. There is a happy medium: the hummingbird approach, observing from a distance, but always keenly. While the hummingbird parent is vigilant in observing, the idea is that the child doesn’t feel the full presence of the parent and thus free to develop those positive benefits of unstructured play.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jun 2023 11:11:36 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Play-Based Early Childhood Education: Are Children Playing or Learning? A Resounding YES!]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/843967</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[Today, I saw an engineer building a robot, an artist painting a masterpiece, an explorer going into the woods, a mathematician measuring volume and gardener planting seeds. Today, I witnessed a doctor taking care of patients, an athlete running and jumping, a musician singing and playing an instrument, a dancer performing, a negotiator working out a problem. Today, I watched an architect building a skyscraper, a king giving a royal decree and a sculptor manipulating clay.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jun 2023 11:10:09 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Math All Around Us: K/1 Introduction to Math]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/801379</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[This weekly newsletter is authored by K/1 Co-Teacher Team, Alayne Vokurka and Heather Isham.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jun 2023 11:09:42 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[How to Respond When Your Child Says, “I hate you!”]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/844133</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[You probably don’t need a bit of help pouring out that love or responding when your child says, “I love you!” and “You are the best mom ever!” (I saw both of those on a written note today for one of our moms). We all know how to respond with “I love you too” or “I love you on Valentine’s Day and every day that is not Valentine’s Day too”. I wonder though, would you like to think a bit more about how to respond when your child screams, “I hate you!” (Or perhaps, “I hate Billy!” I hate Martie!”).]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jun 2023 11:41:57 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Teaching Social Emotional Skills]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/853808</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[By taking the time to teach our children social skills in the classroom, we are giving them skills that they will use all of their life, whether at home with family, in high school with friends or with coworkers at a job.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jun 2023 11:09:03 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Our Graduates Performance]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/801380</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[We have completed a three-year comprehensive search and survey of the Middle Schools of our graduates to collect data – the empirical and the anecdotal – to track our graduates from the last three years. We have compiled their grades, test scores, teacher comments, report cards, and information about their student activities and involvement.  These results are from children who have attended other independent, public and parochial schools.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jun 2023 10:32:14 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Social and Emotional Learning: Why Your Child’s Future Depends on It!]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/1103358</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[These five Social/Emotional tenets - self awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, social awareness and relationship skills - are the most critical social and emotional learning competencies for effective learning to take place in a classroom and for an individual to reach his or her full potential.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jun 2023 10:17:35 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[ERB Testing: What Parents Need to Know]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/1592422</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[The good news is that while standardized tests do play a role in our world, much of our concern, particularly around ERBs, is an overreaction. One of the benefits of a school like Virginia Chance School is that our children are protected from high-stakes testing (definition: testing with a direct consequence attached to the result). We are truly able to use these tests as they were designed—to inform our teaching practice and your child(ren)’s learning.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Wed, 08 Mar 2023 10:05:29 -0500</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Zones of Regulation]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/1659676</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[The Zones of Regulation curriculum is a platform we use all throughout Chance to strengthen our social-emotional learning. The learning activities we will explore this year are designed to help the students recognize when they are in different states called "zones," identify others' feelings, and use strategies to process challenging emotions to return to a calm, peaceful state. This ability to consciously regulate their actions, in turn, leads to increased control and problem-solving skills.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Mon, 19 Sep 2022 13:48:51 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Grace instead of Guilt]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/1207250</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[Choosing grace over guilt. How do you stop the guilt, turn off the “You should have (or shouldn’t have)” and “You aren’t a good parent, worker, teacher, spouse, partner, etc.”? How can you give yourself grace and put that guilt out of your mind and out of your heart? Here are six suggestions:]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Tue, 09 Nov 2021 13:20:06 -0500</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Positive Play: How intentional inclusion builds the foundation of healthy friendships!]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/843944</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[“You are not a member of our ‘club’!”- “Go away!” – “You were not invited to play this game!” – “We don’t want you on our team.”

Positive Play, this is not. These powerful words of exclusion, even while reading them now as an adult, can evoke a strong emotional response. There is a way early on in childhood to change that dynamic in a profound way, but first, think back- were you ever the recipient of these types of remarks? Were you possibly the child who sometimes made these comments to others? There were times when I landed on both sides of this kind of exclusion during my childhood, and I am sure I am not alone. The school playground or after school neighborhood gatherings were the prime locations for these types of exchanges during play.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Fri, 25 Oct 2019 11:13:51 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[HELP for the Holidays!]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/1140390</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[In the midst of all the fun, excitement and upcoming plans for the holidays, are you or your children feeling a bit stressed? Here are 7 ideas to make this time more enjoyable and manageable for both you and your child.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jun 2023 11:12:15 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Talking with Your Child About Race and Equality]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/1149969</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[Talking with young children about race and identity issues can feel daunting for parents and even educators. We want to provide you with a few resources that address why we should start or continue these conversations and some suggestions to help you along the journey, especially as we celebrate Martin Luther King’s life and legacy on Monday.]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jun 2023 10:18:05 -0400</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Helpful Anti-Racism Resources from the Faculty, Staff, and Administration of Virginia Chance School]]></title>
				<link>http://www.chanceschool.org/apps/news/article/1239794</link>
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					<description><![CDATA[Dear Families and Friends of Virginia Chance School, 

As a school, we are dedicated to providing a culture of mutual respect. We invite each other to understand and value multiple perspectives, identify and reject stereotypes and biases, and work for equity and peace within the school and beyond. We all have a role to play, as educators, parents, and community members. Here are some resources that were sent out to faculty and staff that we've found helpful:]]></description>
				
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				<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2023 13:45:39 -0500</pubDate>
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