Cape Henry Collegiate is committed to creating a culture of professional learning that enhances professional growth and development. As a community, we believe that the most meaningful professional learning occurs in an environment that is collaborative, hands-on, embedded with teacher choice, and grounded in best instructional practices. The C.A.P.E. Institute is an embedded professional development program named for and focused on Collaborative, Academic, Professional and Engaging learning experiences and facilitated by CHC Faculty.
No matter the C.A.P.E. Institute course I have been enrolled in, my brain is always activated with new information. I have loved each of my courses and benefited from taking them. I greatly appreciate this built in community of professional development that is offered to me within the school year calendar.”
Ms. Andrea Elliott
Lower School Teacher
2024-2025 C.A.P.E. Institute Offerings
All faculty will either facilitate or enroll in a course as members of the C.A.P.E. Institute. C.A.P.E. Institute courses begin in August during pre-service week and continue through November.
Focus: Elevating Academic Excellence | Facilitator: Mrs. Gabrielle Kenison, Director of Learning Support
The Writing Revolution Part 2: Take the skills from our first CAPE Institute to the next level with paragraphs and compositions. We will allow time to create activities for classroom implementation. In this workshop, we will also review research-based practices for effectively incorporating the TWR strategies learned previously in their classroom instruction, including best practices for planning and implementing TWR, how to use assessment to inform instructional decisions, and ways to create an engaging and motivating writing environment.
Bitmoji classrooms enhance academic excellence by creating engaging and visually stimulating learning environments, fostering student connection and motivation. They allow for creative organization of materials, promoting independent learning and collaboration. This beginner's guide course provides step-by-step instructions for creating and using Bitmoji classrooms, including customization, integration of educational resources, and creating task cards tailored to curriculum objectives. Participants will develop proficiency in utilizing Bitmoji as an educational tool, enriching their teaching and student experience.
Focus: Elevating Academic Excellence | Facilitator: Mr. Jonathan Torch, STEAM Director, and Mr. Darion Carr, Technical Director
Faculty and staff members will get the opportunity to gain access to and learn how to safely utilize the new Atherton Family Fabrication Lab in the Clarke+Ervin Center for Innovation and Performing Arts. Come learn how to safely use a CNC machine, table saw, miter saw, drill press, nail gun, and hand tools to bring your creations to life! Gain some technical skill confidence while thinking about the possibilities of utilizing this new space for one of your future classroom projects. This course will provide a great opportunity for employees to think outside the box in helping make their student coursework/projects a bit more hands-on and more real-world oriented. There is a great satisfaction and pride that comes with technical skill learning and fabrication.
Focus: Elevating Academic Excellence | Facilitator: Mrs. Pam Zettervall, Technology and Media Instructional Specialist
Get ready for a journey exploring innovative tech use across all division levels. From Oculus basics to Stop-Motion movies and beyond, this course is for everyone, regardless of experience. Share your learning goals, and be prepared for surprises learned from the ISTE Conference this summer. All you need is an open mind, a playful attitude, and a willingness to persevere through challenges. This course focuses on teacher growth and enhancing curricula for our digital native students, ensuring they thrive academically and prepare for the future.
This course explores the benefits of art therapy in improving cognitive and sensorimotor functions, fostering self-awareness and emotional resilience, enhancing social skills, and reducing stress and conflicts. Participants will learn about the positive impact of active art-making on mental health, including reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety and regulating cortisol levels. Through the course, faculty will gain tools to manage their own stress and apply studio habits to their classrooms, promoting a positive and supportive environment for their students.
Focus: Fostering Diversity and Inclusivity | Facilitator: Dr. Elsie Harold Lans, Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging
Why continue to wonder? This course is designed to provide CHC faculty and staff with a better understanding of persons who are deaf or hard of hearing and to learn more about inclusive communication strategies. Participants will explore the causes (etiology) of hearing loss, the impact on learning and development, Deaf culture, and ways to communicate and collaborate to create an accessible environment in diverse settings. Additionally, participants will gain exposure to American Sign Language (ASL) to enhance their communication skills and further support an inclusive environment.
This course teaches faculty and staff how to use mindful movement and meditation to create a calmer mind and body personally, as well as incorporate grounding activities in their classrooms. Mindful movement is shown to foster creativity, enhance student performance, and relieve stress. You don't need to be a yoga expert to benefit from this course—just an open mind and willingness to try. Sessions will cover various breathing techniques, mindful movement activities like yoga and pilates, and mini-sessions for busy schedules, culminating in creating personalized mindful activities.
Focus: Promoting Wellness | Facilitator: Mrs. Megan Mattson, Middle and Upper School Art Teacher
Active art making offers numerous benefits for managing stress, anxiety, and promoting mental wellness both in and out of the classroom for students and faculty. Faculty can learn key studio habits that can be applied to various learning scenarios. Participants will discover how art therapy enhances cognitive and sensorimotor functions, cultivates emotional resilience, promotes insight, enhances social skills, and reduces conflicts and distress. Beyond relaxation, active art making can help with depression, anxiety, expressing emotions, processing complex feelings, and provides many other mental health benefits.
As faculty and staff, we grapple with balancing academic rigor and student wellness. How can we push students to excel while ensuring they have a balanced and happy experience? This course explores the tension between high achievement and well-being, focusing on adolescent mental health and the college process. We'll discuss developmental appropriateness, current mental health trends in grades 6-12, and best practices for fostering resilience in students.
Focus: Promoting Wellness | Facilitator: Mrs. Kathy Thompson, Middle School Art Teacher
Nature journaling involves using words, pictures, and numbers in a notebook to record observations, questions, and connections. You don't need to be an artist or naturalist to start; these skills can be learned through practice. Nature journaling enhances observations, curiosity, gratitude, memory, and joy, fostering a deeper connection with the environment. It's a creative practice that improves thinking and memory, acting as a lens to focus attention and develop naturalist skills. Nature journaling can be integrated into various classroom subjects, enhancing learning, and promoting personal wellness through art and meditation in nature.