Author: REW Writers

“This whole area loves to run,” declares Francesca Conte who, with her partner James Gill, operates Bad to the Bone Endurance Sports. Both have a long-time passion for running and organize running events all over the country. “Physical fitness is a huge part of life here. It’s always been part of the culture here simply because it is such a great environment.”

This is reflected on DailyFinance.com—a website devoted to helping readers “live a better life financially”—which recently named Charlottesville as the #6 healthiest small city in America. The basis: a Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index including healthcare coverage, low incidence of diabetes and obesity, optimism, fresh produce consumption, and frequency of exercise

Marathon Is A Big Positive
On April 5th, Bad to the Bone will operate the Miller Lite Charlottesville Marathon, the Whole Foods Charlottesville Half Marathon, the Charlottesville 8K Run, and the popular Kids’ Mile.

“The Charlottesville Marathon was our first event,” Conte recalls. “We both had been professional runners—that is, we ran for companies who sponsored us. James saw the need for a destination marathon and we had experience in the industry, and knew many companies and sponsors. So we did it.”

The 2002 inaugural event attracted about 350 registered runners. And this year? “We’re expecting 2300-2500,” Conte says. “Many are from Virginia, DC, and Maryland, but about a third are from other states. We usually have all the states represented—minus Alaska—plus international entries.” In the past, runners have come from Japan, Sweden, Italy, Spain, and other countries.

“The marathon really kicks off the running season in Central Virginia and it’s such a great place to come in the spring,” continues Conte. “The New York Times named us as one of the top five destination marathons in the whole country and Runner’s World Magazine lists this is one of the Best Races in the Best Places.”

And who can argue with the beauty of spring in Virginia? “We have people who come, run, and stay to buy a place,” Conte points out. In addition, the runners and their supporters have a big financial impact on the area. Projections set that impact at close to $1.3 million counting hotel rooms, meals, and shopping. “We estimate close to $1million just on the Downtown Mall,” she says. “Hotels are filled early.”

“I have done this race twice and love it every time,” was the online post of an Alexandria runner last year. “The course is beautiful, the officials and volunteers are so nice, and the finish line is fun and lively. If you’re looking for a great, scenic run with great people, I would definitely recommend this race.”

Other Running Events
A very different event is the late-summer Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler. Open to runners and walkers, it raises funds for the UVa Cancer Center Breast Care Program. Last year set a record by raising more than $370,000—the most in its 31-year history.

“I love volunteering for the Four Miler Training Program,” says REALTOR® Sara Greenfield, founder of Charlottesville Fine Homes and Properties. “There are hundreds of women who join the program, get inspired, and get fit as well as contribute to a good cause.”

There are many other local runs and races. For example, Bad to the Bone celebrates Halloween by mounting the quirky Danger! Zombies! Run! Local running clubs also organize a variety of races.

Running Clubs
“There are some great running clubs in our area,” says marathon organizer Conte. “The largest is the Charlottesville Track Club.” The CTC helps sponsor more than 25 race events in our community including the Women’s Four Miler, the New Year’s Day 5K and, the upcoming Charlottesville Ten Miler on March 29th. This year the event will raise funds for Charlottesville’s Barrett Early Learning Center.

“The Charlottesville Area Trail Runners are another group,” Conte notes. Members train together and usually meet for weekend group runs in various locations and terrains. Their website has a detailed list of more than a dozen running trails in the area including length, elevation, approximate time, technicality, maps and photos.

“Another great group,” continues Conte, “is associated with Crozet Running.” Crozet Running is a store operated by fitness devotees John and Michelle Andersen. Their website has a running-related blog and lists local runs.

Another store is Ragged Mountain Running Shop, which has been in business for a long time. Most local sports stores also offer running products. “If you’re new to running, it’s good to go to a place where people really know what you need for running,” Conte recommends. “If you already know, you can find what you need in most sports stores.”
In short, whether you are a long-time resident or new to the region, a marathoner or someone who jogs around the block, you can find races as well as just-for-fun running trails and companions in our area.

Marilyn Pribus lives in Albemarle County near Charlottesville. She once finished in the top 1500 of a 10K run.

How many books do you read each year? How many do you first hear about at the Virginia Festival of the Book? A five-day celebration designed to honor book culture and promote reading and literacy, the festival has enchanted readers, encouraged writers, and made Charlottesville a book lover’s paradise every March since 1994.

This year’s 20th annual festival, March 19-23, largely on and around Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall and the University of Virginia grounds, will feature 134 events for adults and oodles more – 71, to be exact – for kids. Most are free.

Thanks for Twenty

As an anniversary gift, the festival is presenting free evening programs with poets Gregory Orr and Patricia Smith and novelist Alice Hoffman. Free tickets may be reserved at vabook.org or at the UVA Arts Box Office. “These are our gifts back to the community, thanking them for the twentieth anniversary,” says Susan Coleman of the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, which produces the festival.

Orr and Smith will read from their work during the Cities of Poetry program, Wednesday, March 19 at 8:00 p.m. at the Culbreth Theatre. Orr founded the MFA Program in Writing at UVA , where he has taught since 1975. He has published eleven collections of poetry, and his memoir, The Blessing, was one of Publisher’s Weekly‘s fifty best non-fiction books of 2003. Smith’s six volumes of poetry include Shoulda Been Jimi Savannah and Blood Dazzler. She was a finalist for the 2008 National Book Award and recently won the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize from the Academy of American Poets.

Alice Hoffman has written young-adult and children’s fiction, but she’s best known for blending fairy tales, romance, and magical realism in adult works like Practical Magic (1995) and The Story Sisters (2009). Toni Morrison called her novel The Dovekeepers “a major contribution to twenty-first century literature.” Hoffman’s newest novel, Museum of Extraordinary Things, is a love story set in early 20th-century Brooklyn. An Evening with Alice Hoffman: A Twentieth Anniversary Event, will take place on Thursday, March 20 at 8 pm in the Culbreth Theatre.

Homecoming

Five acclaimed writers who have delighted audiences at previous festivals will return for Homecoming: A Conversation with Some Favorite Authors, Saturday, March 22 at 8:00 p.m. at the Paramount Theater. Sonia Manzano is author of The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano, a young adult novel set in New York City’s Spanish Harlem in 1969, plus the picture books No Dogs Allowed! and A Box Full of Kittens. She’s also a star and Emmy Award-winning writer on a certain beloved television show. “We always have lots of young men who want to come see her,” Coleman says, “because they fell in love with her when they were little boys watching Sesame Street.”

Festival favorite Lee Smith’s eleven honors include the 2002 Southern Book Critics Circle Award, and the 2010 Lifetime Literary Achievement Award from the State of Virginia. Our annual literary blowout “ is my favorite event in the world,” Smith says. “It is like a family reunion. It is so exciting to meet new writers and see old friends. Also, writing is a two way transaction, you know, requiring both writer and reader . . . but we seldom get to meet our readers face to face. I love this opportunity to hear from them for a change.” Smith’s 17th and most recent novel, Guests on Earth, proposes a solution to the unsolved mystery of the fire that killed Zelda Fitzgerald and eight other patients in an Asheville, North Carolina mental hospital in 1948. 

Poet, children’s book writer and playwright Kwame Alexander has created more than 1000 student authors through his Book-in-a-Day program. His debut young adult novel, He Said She Said, is a Junior Library Guild Selection.

Joanne V. Gabbin edited The Furious Flowering of African American Poetry and directs the Furious Flower Poetry Center at James Madison University. Gabbin is author of Sterling A. Brown: Building the Black Aesthetic Tradition.

Poet and “literary activist” E. Ethelbert Miller has written two memoirs, The 5th Inning and  Fathering Words: The Making of An African American Writer. He directs the African-American Resource Center at Howard University. Homecoming program tickets are $20.

Gardening

For Garden Lovers from Henry Thoreau to Today is for everyone dreaming of spring. Young adult fiction author Ruth Kasinger blogs on the intersection of gardening, history, and science. Her new book for grownups is A Garden of Marvels: How We Discovered that Flowers Have Sex, Leaves Eat Air, and Other Secrets of Plants. Michael Sims has written on everything from E.B. White to Victorian vampire stories. Fresh Air book critic Maureen Corrigan calls his latest work, The Adventures of Henry Thoreau: A Young Man’s Unlikely Road to Walden Pond), “a rich, entertaining testament to the triumph of a young man who never comfortably fit in, but who made a place for himself, nonetheless.” The program takes place at New Dominion Bookshop, Thursday, March 20 at 6:00 p.m.

Little Stories

The ability to pick up a book and read it at will is something most adults take for granted – but not the proud adults on the Voices of Adult Learners program, Thursday, March 20 at Buford Middle School. The event will feature 16 stories chosen from more than 100 submissions by new local readers, many of them recent immigrants, in GED, ESL, or volunteer literacy programs. The reception takes place at 5:30 p.m.; readings begin at 6:00 p.m. Audience members will receive a small book with the winning stories. This annual reading “always turns out to be a breathtaking cross section of life,” says Susan Erno, of Charlottesville’s Adult Learning Center. “It’s a wonderful snapshot of our community in little stories.” 

Irish-American

Kathleen Curtis Wilson was such a popular guest in her last festival appearance that her books sold completely out. Wilson will join Mary Lyons this year for Two Stories of the Irish in America, Friday, March 21 at 2:00 p.m. at City Space. Wilson’s Textile Art from Southern Appalachia: The Quiet Work of Women features 43 bed coverlets and 2 quilts and demonstrates that the region’s renowned textiles were created to satisfy aesthetic – not financial – need. Lyons’s The Blue Ridge Tunnel: A Remarkable Engineering Feat in Antebellum Virginia tells the story of the Irish miners and African-American slaves who hand-drilled and blasted the Nelson-to-Augusta- County railroad tunnel. Heartwood Books owner and festival co-founder Paul Collinge of the Blue Ridge Tunnel Foundation, which hopes to restore the tunnel for trail hikers, walkers and bicyclists, will speak as well.

Publishing Day

“In Charlottesville,” says the VHF’s Jane Kulow, “If you don’t know a writer, you must know ten people who want to be a published writer.” That’s for sure, and that’s why each Publishing Day, Saturday at the Omni Hotel, is packed.

This year writers and scribblers of all sorts will want to hear one of the country’s premier publishing experts, Jane Friedman, in the Digital Publishing Landscape program, Saturday, March 22 at 10:00 a.m. Formerly publisher of Writer’s Digest, Friedman is web editor of Virginia Quarterly Review and teaches digital publishing an online writing at UVA. She will speak on what it takes to succeed in today’s rapidly changing publishing world. Seven more “Pub Day” events are scheduled, including programs on building author’s platforms, hooking editors on the first page, and publishing literary work.

StoryFest

While published and aspiring writers trade tips and secrets at the Omni, kids will enjoy

their own day-long literary treat, StoryFest. For the first time, the festival has worked with local schools and community creative writing teachers to develop programs for teen authors. In First Page Panel for Aspiring Teen Writers, Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at Village School, teens 13 to 18 can receive anonymous feedback from authors Tommy Hays, Andrew Auseon, Carrie Brown, and Susann Cokal. Interested teens should submit one page of their writing to  VABookTeenWriters@gmail.com.

In Q & A for Teen Writers, Saturday noon at Village School, writers, creative writing teachers, and editors will answer questions about improving writing, studying writing, and writing for a living.

Wild About Reading, Saturday, March 22 at 10:30 a.m. at the Virginia Discovery Museum, will facilitate face-to-face encounters between Virginia wildlife species, animal and human. The first 100 young humans will receive a free wildlife-themed book. 

In the 19th annual Kids Book Swap, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Oakley’s Gently Used Books, kids can trade their own gently used books for others they haven’t read.

Chip Kidd has been designing book covers for Alfred. A. Knopf since 1986. Publisher’s Weekly calls them “creepy, striking, sly, smart, unpredictable covers that make readers appreciate books as objects of art as well as literature.” USA Today calls Kidd “the closest thing to a rock star in graphic design today.” He will talk about his career and his new book, Go: A Kidd’s Guide to Graphic Design, at 4:00 p.m. in the Monroe Room of the Omni Hotel.

StoryFest spills over into Sunday this year, with appearances by two-time Newbery Medal Recipient Lois Lowry and National Book Award recipient Kathryn Erskine. Lowry’s latest book, Son, completes her celebrated Quartet series, set in a seemingly perfect future world. “I have always been impressed by Lois Lowry’s books,” Erskine says. “She is able to say so much and convey so much emotion in strong, stark prose. Number the Stars [about the Danish Resistance during World War II] is one of my favorite books, and I’m excited that The Giver [the first in the Quartet series] is going to be a movie, since so many kids have read that book.”

Born in the Netherlands, Erskine settled in Virginia after living in South Africa, Israel, Canada, and Scotland. In her award-winning 2010 novel, Mockingbird, an 11-year old girl with Asperger’s finds healing from grief as she learns that life isn’t always black and white. In her latest book, Seeing Red, 12-year old Frederick “Red” Porter discovers dark family secrets when his father dies and his mother wants to sell the family’s car repair shop. 

“Growing up, I spent more time overseas than in the U.S.,” Erskine says. “Seeing Red is inspired by the racism I saw as a child, both in the south and in South Africa. I didn’t want today’s youth to forget the people and events of the Civil Rights and post-Civil Rights era.  I also want them, and all of us, to think about what still needs to be done.”

An Afternoon with Lois Lowry and Kathryn Erskine takes place Sunday, March 23 at 2:00 p.m. in the Culbreth Theatre. Tickets are $10 for adults and $3 for children in grades K-12.

Authors love readers. And readers love authors. “I have been coming to the festival from California for years, and wouldn’t miss it,” Kathleen Curtis Wilson says. “The way it’s organized makes it easy to attend numerous presentations each day and still have time to visit with friends, enjoy a stroll on the Mall, and peruse the huge number of books that I want to buy.”

Kathryn Erskine lauds Charlottesville’s “rich writing community of poets, novelists, and historians,” and the festival’s “southern hospitality yet worldly outlook. We’re a city of readers and book lovers. Sure, people come from all over but I still like to claim it as our hometown literary event.”

– Ken Wilson

Going “green” is a good strategy for homeowners to save energy and money at the same time. When you look around any home, you’ll see that doors and windows have a big potential to be energy drains—letting in cold air in winter and hot air in the summer. While even Energy Star windows and doors can let in air, older doors and windows are especially vulnerable. Check for obvious leaks by shining a bright light around the edges while someone is inside to see. Then use putty caulk or rope caulk to seal cracks, both on the inside and the outside. 

Next, install weather stripping which comes in easy-to-install styles from sticky-backed foam to bronze. If air sneaks in under your doors (or windows), think old-fashioned draft stoppers also called “snakes.” They can be purchased inexpensively or you can create your own from fabric remnants or old socks filled with sand or even use a rolled-up towel. With a window, you can just leave the snake on the sill, but for coming-and-going convenience through a door, it’s easy to secure a vinyl “door sweep” to the bottom of the door.

Especially for single-pane windows, plastic film insulation is an inexpensive, although not highly durable, option. It comes in kits, can be applied with tape and in some cases a hair dryer is used to shrink it into place. The film can be removed easily at the end of the season and can sometimes be reused. Once the film is installed, you can’t open the window, however, so be sure it is sealed and the lock (which often serves to make the window seal more snug) is secure. You won’t be able to reach window blinds either, so you must decide whether you want blinds open, closed, or partly closed.
A more expensive, but practical energy-saving tactic is a vestibule—a small room with an outside door on one side and a well-insulated interior door on another. (Many commercial establishments have them.) A vestibule serves as an air lock, preventing icy (or sweltering) air from pouring in when people are coming and going. It also helps to keep out pollen and dust out.

If you lack a vestibule, but have a large foyer, creating an indoor vestibule could be as easy as framing in a wall for that second door. An exterior vestibule can also be built on an existing porch or veranda. It’s also a great option for a high-traffic door where kids are always coming and going. With a bench for boot removal, hooks for coats and jackets and some shelves for storage, it also becomes a mudroom. All a simple vestibule needs is a floor, basic wall framing, a roof, a window or two, and a door. Since it’s unheated, non-insulated windows and doors work fine.

A “door” that many people forget about, is attic access through the ceiling. If it’s simply a removable panel, glue two slabs of 2” rigid foam board insulation to the back and add weather stripping around the lip of the opening.

Attic access with pull-down stairs, however, is more complicated because of the folding steps themselves which rest atop the access panel when it’s closed. These hatches are not always well insulated, but there are several strategies. Attic stair “tents” are available in a variety of styles for purchase. A less expensive option for a reasonably handy homeowner employs rigid foam insulation and duct tape to build a light-weight, well insulated and easily removable “box” to provide protection from cold. The vent for whole-house fan can also be a big heat loser in winter and should be covered with insulation.

Remember, the sun is your ally in winter, so open your blinds to sunshine whenever possible. When the sun isn’t shining, close your blinds or drapes to keep the warm air inside. If you don’t have drapes, you could temporarily tack up a heavy beach towel in particularly cold weather.

In summer, the sun is not your friend so block direct rays with those same blinds and drapes. If your budget allows, purchase insulated “honeycomb” blinds, which work year round. You might be able to supply one room at a time with insulating blinds until your house is completely furnished.

For a longer-term strategy, plant deciduous trees near the house to block the sun in the summer, but let it shine in during cold weather. Framing windows with trellises supporting deciduous vines for shade in summer and sun in winter is practical and attractive at the same time.

There are useful how-to videos about caulk, weather stripping, insulating window film, attic access insulation, door sweeps, and even building a vestibule on the Internet.
So remember, some energy-saving tactics are inexpensive and immediate while others take time and money. Thinking green can become a rewarding way of life, both philosophically and economically.

Marilyn Pribus lives near Charlottesville in Albemarle. In winter, she welcomes the morning sun streaming through a window into her home office. In summer, that same window is completely shaded by a maple tree.

Forty-seven Local REALTORS® Recognized for Excellence

Congratulations to 47 REALTORS® of Greater Charlottesville for being recognized in the 2013 CAAR Professional Honor Society class. The distinguished group of professionals is committed to raising the bar for the industry and being a role model in the local community. CAAR members earn points throughout the year in four focus areas: association involvement (attending events); professional development activities (earning certifications/designations or instructing real estate classes); leadership roles (serving on local, state or national committees or earning awards); and sales production.

More than 100 CAAR members attended the traditional brunch ceremony on Thursday, March 6 at Farmington Country Club. To date, a total of 155 different REALTORS® have achieved this pinnacle in the program’s history. Voice of the Cavaliers and Director of Broadcasting for Virginia Athletics Dave Koehn served as Master of Ceremonies to announce the following 2013 Honor Society members:

1 – 4 Years Honor Society Recognition

Jack Crocker

Pam Dent

Bonnie Field

John Ince

Tele Jenifer

Sherry Orrell

Kathleen Ritenour

Kay Sands

Tom Woolfolk

5 Years Honor Society Recognition

Michael Guthrie

6 – 9 Years Honor Society Recognition

Tammi Campbell

Kelly Ceppa

Brad Conner

Sasha Farmer

Kathy Markwood

Denise Ramey

Margaret Ramsey

John Updike

10 Years Honor Society Recognition

Carol Costanzo

Gaby Hall

11 – 14 Years Honor Society Recognition

Byrd Abbott

Marjorie Adam

Linda Broadbent

Pat Crabtree

James Dickerson

Alice Fitch

Barbara McMurry

Donna Patton

Sue Plaskon

Marina Ringstrom

Barbara Seidler

Greg Slater

Sabrina Thompson

Drake Van de Castle

15 Years Honor Society Recognition

Pat Sury

16 Years Honor Society Recognition

Rives Bailey

17 Years Honor Society Recognition

Anita Dunbar

Judy Savage

18 Years Honor Society Recognition

Kim Armstrong

Tim Carson

Pat Jensen

Bill May

Percy Montague

Ginny Nelson

Trish Owens

Pat Widhalm

Arleen Yobs

The event was made possible through the generous support of brunch sponsor Stanley Martin Homes; awards sponsor Student Services Moving & Storage; and event sponsors Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and Real Estate Weekly. Check out the Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS® Facebook page for more photos from the event. Congratulations to all the winners.

Real Estate News & Views

CARR Member Ginger Slavic Honored with Good Neighbor Award 

Better Homes & Garden/REIII REALTOR® Recognized for Volunteer Work for Ronald McDonald House

The Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS® (CAAR), the voice of real estate in the Central Virginia region, has announced Ginger Slavic as a Good Neighbor Award recipient. This recognition program highlights local REALTORS® who dedicate significant time and interest to projects that make a lasting impact on our communities.

“The REALTOR community is so inspired by Ginger’s energy and devotion to creating a home-away-from-home atmosphere for families in need,” Anita Dunbar, CAAR president-elect and associate broker at Montague Miller & Company, said.

Slavic has been involved in Ronald McDonald House Charities Charlottesville since the late 1980s, where she typically volunteers at least 40 hours each month. Currently she serves as president of the board of directors. About 900 families each year have benefited as a result of her volunteer activities.

Given her professional background, Slavic has been invaluable in the extensive facility renovation project over the past year from consulting with the architect and builder to processing the paperwork for a $200,000 grant from the RMHC global organization. She also has recruited other local residents to volunteer and donate.

“Ginger’s expertise has been invaluable to us during this major renovation project,” Rita Ralston, executive director of RMHC, said. “The Charlottesville Ronald McDonald House will be a beautiful respite for families dealing with very difficult circumstances. Ginger always keeps those families in the forefront of her mind.”

Slavic has been an active CAAR member since 1988. A $100 donation was made to Ronald McDonald Charities in her name.

About CAAR –
The Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS® (CAAR) represents more than 1,000 real estate professionals in Charlottesville and Albemarle and the surrounding areas of Greene, Fluvanna, Nelson, Louisa counties. For more information on CAAR, pick up a copy of the CAAR Real Estate Weekly, visit www.caar.com, or contact your REALTOR®.

Low Cost Rabies Clinic
The Fluvanna SPCA announces a low-cost, drive-thru rabies clinic to be held March 29 at the Augusta Cooperative at 8173 Scottsville Road in Scottsville from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  Rabies vaccines will cost only $10 and will be good for one year or three years, if proof of a prior current rabies vaccine is presented at the time of the vaccine.

“The Fluvanna SPCA presents these drive-thru rabies clinics as a service to the community,” says Jennie Shuklis, FSPCA Executive Director.  “We’re working to help people retain their pets and keep them healthy by making this legally-mandated rabies vaccine affordable and available.  It’s a drive-thru clinic because we ask that people keep their dogs in their cars, and cats in cat carriers, until veterinarian Jim Starkey is able to give the vaccine.  Then people and their pets are free to go about their day!”

The Fluvanna SPCA is a no-kill shelter located in Troy, Virginia, serving approximately 1000 animals per year.

For more information, please call the Fluvanna SPCA at 434-591-0123 or email director@fspa.org.  You may also find more information at www.fspca.org.

Jimmy “Magic Man” Miller Bracket Breakfast for Piedmont CASA
“I love everything about this team.  The chemistry, passion, unselfishness … I wouldn’t want to play us!” – Jimmy Miller about the UVA men’s basketball team

For the first time in 33 years, UVA men’s basketball won the ACC regular-season championship. And for the first time ever, Jimmy Miller – selected Most Valuable Player in the 1984 NCAA Eastern Regional Championship – is hosting a Bracket Breakfast, right here in Charlottesville.

At 7:00 a.m. Monday morning, March 17, a group of basketball professionals are gathering at the Omni Hotel on the Downtown Mall. Norman Nolan, Barry Parkhill, Junior Burrough, and Wally Walker are the panelists – lively bracketologists who are going to share stories, tips, and picks for the Final Four. The emcees will be David Koehn, UVA Director of Broadcasting and Voice of the Cavaliers, and Rachel Ryan, Newsplex Anchor and Reporter.

Three members of the UVA men’s basketball coaching staff will be there, too: Assistant Head Coach Ritchie McKay and Assistant Coaches Ron Sanchez and Jason Williford.

Over a big breakfast and steaming cups of coffee, ticket holders will get inside stories about the tournaments, and inside scoops on the Final Four. Then they get a chance to fill out their own bracket – and win a giant 60” LG Plasma Screen TV from Crutchfield.

For more information or to purchase tickets, go to the Bracket Breakfast website, or call the Piedmont CASA office at 434-971-7515.

It’s all for the benefit of Piedmont CASA – Court Appointed Special Advocates. The children it serves range in age from newborn to 18 … they live in Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Greene, and Louisa … and they are victims of abuse and neglect. The worst cases end up in court, and that’s when judges appoint Piedmont CASA Volunteers to represent the best interests of the children – hundreds of them each year.

Research shows that children with CASA Volunteers spend less time in court, less time in foster homes, and find safe and permanent homes faster – all keys to breaking the vicious cycle of abuse and neglect. No other organization performs this service, and they do not charge fees.

Haydn Meets Gershwin At Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra Concerts
Unlikely travel companions Franz Joseph Haydn and George Gershwin explore London from two different centuries when the Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra continues its 39th season on March 22, 8:00 p.m., at Old Cabell Hall on the U.Va Grounds, and Sunday, March 23, 3:30 p.m., at Monticello High School in Charlottesville.

Conducted by Music Director Kate Tamarkin, the concerts open with Johannes Brahms’s Variations on a Theme by Haydn.  Haydn’s joyful and humorous Symphony No. 104, dubbed the “London”, provides the other bookend.  In between, the orchestra’s Principal Trombone, Nathan Dishman, performs the Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra by Launy Grondhal, a Danish composer from the early 20th century.  Rounding out the program is the world premiere of London Town Fantasy by Virginia composer Antonio García.

London Town Fantasy was commissioned by the Charlottesville Symphony Society, a non-profit organization that provides administrative, financial and marketing support to the orchestra.  García, who is also an Associate Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, has taken Haydn’s “London” Symphony as his point of departure in this new work for trombone and orchestra.  He includes a clever fusion of the theme from the symphony’s finale with a nod to George and Ira Gershwin’s famous ballad, A Foggy Day (in London Town), recorded by Wynton Marsalis, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, David Bowie and many others.

Nathan Dishman is a member of the music faculty at the University of Virginia.  During the 2013-14 academic year, he is serving as a Visiting Professor at Morehead State University in Kentucky.  He also maintains a busy freelance schedule, playing regularly in orchestral, jazz, recording and church settings.  He is a former member of the acclaimed Fountain City Brass Band, Kansas City Symphony Brass Ensemble and Des Moines Symphony.

Both performances are sponsored by Castle Hill Cider.

Know the Score pre-concert lectures will be presented 45 minutes before each concert.  Free of charge, these informative and entertaining lectures by McIntire Department of Music Chairman and Associate Professor of Music Richard Will offer both novice and experienced patrons a deeper appreciation of the performances.  Friday’s lecture will take place in Minor Hall; Sunday’s lecture will be held in the Forum at Monticello High School.

Free parking is available in the U.Va Central Grounds Parking Garage, located on Emmet Street, on Saturday night and at the high school on Sunday afternoons.  Both venues are wheelchair accessible.

Tickets are $10-40 for adults and $10 for students.  U.Va students may request one complimentary ticket in advance.  Tickets may be purchased at The University of Virginia Arts Box Office, (434) 924-3376, 12:00-5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday in the lobby of the Drama Building at 109 Culbreth Road, or online at www.artsboxoffice.virginia.edu.

All University of Virginia employees are entitled to a 20% discount on tickets to individual performances.  This offer does not apply to subscriptions or previously purchased tickets.

Remaining dates in the orchestra’s Musical Kaleidoscope season are:
April 26-27
• Mussorgsky – Triumphal March from Mlada
• Shostakovich – Symphony No. 5
• Mozart – Symphony No. 25 for Piano and Orchestra with world-
renowned pianist Anne-Marie 
McDermott
Sponsored by Katherine and Richard Douglas

From the time of the earliest colonists, farms and estates have played a pivotal role in Virginia’s history and economy. The first settlers cultivated food crops to feed their families and early on adopted tobacco as a major cash crop, which continued to grow in importance until well into the 19th century. It was Virginia colonists in the 17th century who first introduced tobacco to England, opening what may have been the first foreign market for this commodity.

Over the years our state’s economy has become more diverse and urbanized, but the rural areas continue to dominate. The Virginia Department of Agriculture reports that farming is the state’s largest industry by far, generating $52 billion annually and creating over 350,000 jobs.

However, farming is not the only reason people move out to the country. Many buyers like the privacy and the ability to take long walks on their own property. Others want to own and ride horses or tend large gardens free from the prying eyes of well meaning neighbors.

Regardless of the reasons, farm and estate properties continue to be popular. While the market slowed some during the down turn of the last few years, it is coming back to life today as more and more people take advantage of lower prices and interest rates to enjoy all of the benefits that come from living in Virginia’s rural areas.

Farms vs Estates

While we often group farms and estates together, they are not necessarily the same, although they may share some characteristics.

“Estates are on a large tract with a significant house,” said Justin Wiley with Frank Hardy Inc., who added that farms often lack this kind of grand dwelling. In addition to their size, estates may have historic significance and be listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Donna Patton, with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate III, suggested a property could have as few as 20 acres, but should have at least 6,000 square feet to be considered an estate. She added that while estates are typically priced in the millions of dollars, you may be able to buy a farm for several hundred thousand.

Steve White, with Roy Wheeler Realty Co., explained that while many estates may be considered farms, the opposite is not necessarily the case. He described a 4,300 square foot house on 14 acres he once sold. Although it had a generous amount of square footage, the property would more appropriately be called a mini-farm rather than an estate because of the home’s contemporary style and its relative newness; it was built in 2008.

Bunny French, with Loring Woodriff Real Estate Associates, described a farm as a “working facility.” This means you would expect the owners to be raising crops or animals such as chickens, llamas, horses or cattle for the market. An estate can also be a farm, but will be distinguished by having a grand house.

In some cases rural properties don’t fit either category. Murdoch Matheson, with Frank Hardy, Inc., described an historic rural property, which (while it boasted 150 acres), had a house that was too small to fit the estate category, yet it was no longer a farm.

Farms and Estates Buyers

Rural properties have appeal to a broad range of buyers, French said. She has worked with relatively young people in their early 40s who purchased large parcels of land. Others are families who appreciate the rural lifestyle. They like the quiet, French said, and particularly enjoy the privacy. These are also the people who love to go out every day and enjoy a long walk knowing they never have to leave their own property.

Often the buyers are local families who want enough property to subdivide amongst various children and grandchildren, White added. They 
aren’t all local, though. He described a recent buyer who came from the northeast looking for just this kind of property in the $3 million range.

“We see a scattering of people from all over,” Wiley said, and that includes DC and Florida as well as the northeast. However he has also worked with families from both California and Texas. The topography of our area appeals to the Texans, he explained, and they also appreciate the weather and the seasonal changes.

Wiley added that traditionally the largest group of farms and estates buyers from out of the area came from the northeast. However, that changed after the financial crash in 2008, as the northeast was particularly hard hit by that event.

Farms and Estates Market

Like the rest of the real estate market, the farms and estates sector has seen some recent improvement.

The market has “picked up some,” Wiley said. He explained that it is improving from the lower price ranges and up. A year ago the biggest improvement was in the $1.5 million price range, but today that extends up to $2 million. Larger properties are also selling, said Wiley who cited a recent sale for $8.5 million.

“We have never been this busy,” said Rick Walden with Virginia Estates, who had negotiated five successful contracts by the middle of January. One recent contract was for a $5 million historic property in Augusta County on over 600 acres, which is also a dairy farm. His other listings are “all over the state,” he said, and buyers come from everywhere.

Some of Warren’s recent clients include local people from as far away as Colorado and New York, all of whom are in the market to buy wineries. He is also working with someone from India looking for a country inn north of Charlottesville, and someone from England looking for an historic home.

The $1 million buyers are out and about, White said, and properties are selling but frequently they require lots of negotiation. He recently sold a $1.7 million property, his only piece of land sold in the last four years. Before the deal was concluded, the parties negotiated a lower price as well as the addition of several acres to the piece to make it an even 100 acres.

White described another situation where a seller turned down the first offer he received as well as the buyer’s counter offer. The buyer waited awhile and was rewarded for his patience. After a period of time, the seller changed his mind and decided that the offer was a good one after all. White cautioned that negotiations today require more patience, but added that when the parties are willing to participate, the sales are happening.

French agrees that the farms and estates market is improving. The prices have adjusted downward, she explained, and “quite a few of the larger parcels are moving.”

“There is also more stability in the market,” White added. He explained that it’s no longer a market that favors either the buyer or the seller, but reflects an overall stability which benefits everyone.

Marketing Farms and Estates

Compared to more conventional homes, farms and estates are larger and more complex. The market is also much narrower as there are many fewer buyers who can afford these properties. As a result, their marketing is somewhat different from what may be done for other kinds of homes.

These days everyone has an online presence as the vast majority of buyers, and especially those out of the area, start their searches there. “We use a combination of Internet marketing and hard copy ads in glossy publications,” Wiley said.

White uses a professional photographer to take the photos he needs to display his farms and estates listings in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The photos then become a visual tour for visitors to the MLS and also to multiple websites, which automatically pick up and display new listings as soon as they are entered.

Like many farms and estates agents, White takes listings in our area and around the state. To help with marketing and showing properties that are further away, he often teams up with a local agent who can help extend the marketing effort and be available for showings.

Marketing of farms and estates is on a “larger scale,” French said. She added that she always includes lots of pictures and multiple views to show off not only the house but also the barns, outbuildings, the land and any views. Her company has a marketing program that includes an Internet presence but also involves ads in bigger publications such as the New York Times and the Washington Post. “We target where our buyers are, and many of them are in the northeast,” she continued.

Unlike his competitors, Warren explained that his company relies “100 percent on the Internet,” for their marketing and doesn’t do any media ads.

Both Warren and French acknowledged that there are always farm and estate sellers that don’t want splashy ads. Warren frequently lists properties that have active businesses, such as wineries. In those cases the owners often are concerned about keeping the sale of the business a secret.

French said sometimes sellers are concerned about the vulnerability associated with strangers coming onto their property and into their homes. For that reason, agents also don’t do open houses for these kinds of listings, she added.

Land Conservation
A special feature of the farms and estates market is the potential to conserve the land and protect resources, such as water or migration routes, by using conservation easements. These easements are legally binding agreements that continue at the sale or inheritance of the property. The result is large areas that are guaranteed to remain country properties, assuring the continuation of this rural lifestyle.

Conservation easements are a benefit to the community because they keep the land “beautiful and open,” French said, “and protect the integrity of Mr. Jefferson’s village.”

“The conservation easements protect the land and impact value,” White said. They also offer a “huge tax advantage,” he added, which appeals to property owners. On the other hand, by definition, they limit subdivision even for family. This means when there are multiple heirs it is likely they can’t each receive a piece of a family farm if the property is under a conservation easement. The ultimate result may be that a multi-generational farm can’t stay in the family as the heirs may be forced to sell to assure that everyone receives their share of any inheritance.

Wiley described the conservation easement as “a great tool for selling farms.” He cited the tax credits and the preservation of the property. He added that Virginia is one of only three states where the state tax credits can be sold to someone else. That means if the owner of the property can’t use them, they still benefit from putting their land in an easement.

While conservation easements are found everywhere, Albemarle County is especially well represented. Walden explained that you will find just about every large property protected this way in Albemarle.

Celeste Smucker is a writer, blogger and author. She lives near Charlottesville.

Whether it’s buying a college-town condo for a son or daughter in school, a vacation home, or a property for eventual retirement, investors are putting their money into Central Virginia property. And the market for real estate investment properties is definitely bullish.

Much of the attraction is in the “livability” of our area, which is mentioned repeatedly in publications like Money Magazine. In the past two years, Charlottesville has been rated America’s Smartest City by Luminosity.com, #4 Book-Loving City and #4 Most Romantic City by Livability.com, #4 Best Small City For Working Women by nerdwallet.com, one of America’s Best Intergenerational Communities by Met Life & Generations United, and the second best Small Community City for Overall Well-Being by Gallup. Another major positive is the economic stability of our region, which translates to a generally safe investment climate for real estate.

“As far as a positive return on investment, real estate dominates,” declares Bill May of ERA Bill May Realty. “My wife and I own a number of homes we don’t live in.” He notes that the stability of the economy in the area, especially because of the University of Virginia, makes investment properties a good deal. “If you’d bought real estate in 2000, it would have appreciated today more than the stock market,” he says. He adds that he can’t speak for the whole country, but he can for the Charlottesville region.

“Owning second properties in the Charlottesville urban area is good because you can always find tenants,” he says. He cautions that such an investment may not be profitable initially. “Many times a property you buy will not rent for enough to cover your mortgage payment with PITI [principal, interest, taxes and insurance], but over a period of time it will cross that line.” In the meantime, he points out, “You have someone helping you with payments, building equity, and gaining appreciation.” Some put their money in real estate for an additional reason. “Some people like real estate investments because you can touch them as opposed to stocks and bonds,” May says. “You can always rent a property for some price, no matter how bad the market gets. You can’t say that about some stocks that have just gone away.”

REALTOR® Michael Guthrie of Roy Wheeler Realty Co., notes that some out-of-town investors buy condos or a pied-a-terre in Charlottesville for themselves to use for football weekends or for their children who are students at UVa. “They might buy a condo along JPA [Jefferson Park Avenue] or a little house along Stadium Road. A significant number of people do this.”

Buying living quarters for a student can be a shrewd investment, agrees Pam Dent, a REALTOR® with Gayle Harvey Real Estate. She recalls working with a man who was looking for a house to buy for his daughter while she was attending UVa. “He wanted something walking distance to the grounds,” she says. “The plan was to rent rooms to her friends, then when she graduated, he would keep it as a rental property.”

Potential retirees are also looking at property in the region. In fact, that’s nothing new.

In the mid-1990s, Ray and Joy Calfo were living in Pittsburgh, Pa, but looking ahead to retirement. After reading complimentary reports about retiring in our region and considerable reconnaissance in several states, they purchased a lot at Lake Monticello in Fluvanna County. Finally, in 2007, they left Pittsburgh, rented a local place and built their retirement dream home.

Dent isn’t surprised at the Calfos’ tactics. “I find a number of people I work with are retirees or getting close,” she says. “For example, I recently sold a house in Glenmore to a retired couple. They already have a home in Maryland, but eventually want to be in Charlottesville because of the medical facilities. This will become their primary residence and the one in Maryland will become their secondary.”

She also worked with a Virginia Beach couple who bought a short-sale home. “They got a good price and for now this will be their getaway home on some acreage,” she says. “They’ll have a garden and when they eventually retire, it will be their primary residence.”

This may be the perfect time to get into real estate. Last year’s home sales in the Charlottesville region were up 10 percent from 2012 making it the second consecutive year of double-digit gains. “There are some great buys in Charlottesville and surrounding counties,” concludes May of ERA Bill May Realty. “The long and the short of it is: this is a good place to own property over the long haul. Let it accumulate. Study what prices have done in our area. Real estate investment around here keeps up with inflation and keeps up with return. I’m bullish on it, absolutely.”

Marilyn Pribus and her husband live in Albemarle County near Charlottesville.

News & Views

Piedmont Housing Alliance Has Low Cost Mortgage Funds For First Time Homebuyers

Low and moderate-income first-time homebuyers in the greater Charlottesville area have a new opportunity to access low-cost mortgage funds between now and June 30, 2014. Local affordable housing provider Piedmont Housing Alliance (PHA) received an allocation of $2.7 million in Community Homeownership Revitalization Program funds from the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA).

First-time homebuyers who complete the VHDA First Time Homebuyer’s Class through PHA can apply through any local VHDA lender for these 30-year mortgages at 0.5 percent rate reduction over the standard VHDA rates (calculated daily; recently 3.125 percent). The income profile includes buyers with gross family incomes up to $87,400 (1-2 family members) and $101,200 (3+ family members); lower income limits apply in Louisa County. Additionally, buyers may be eligible for down payment assistance from PHA for up to 20 percent of the purchase price.

“We are tremendously excited for our first time homebuyer clients,” said PHA’s Executive Director, Frank Grosch. “This represents a huge opportunity for them to get into an affordable home at a great long-term interest rate.”

“PHA is grateful for our partnership with VHDA and local VHDA lenders who play a key role in home affordability throughout the state,” added Deputy Director Karen Reifenberger. “Long-term home ownership remains a critical element in anchoring community stability and promoting family financial security.”

Piedmont Housing Alliance is a non-profit affordable housing provider for the Thomas Jefferson Planning District in Central Virginia, including the city of Charlottesville and Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson counties. It is a “one-stop shop” for the full range of affordable housing services, including free housing counseling, access to affordable financing, and down payment assistance. PHA also develops and manages properties to ensure a supply of high-quality affordable housing to both renters and buyers. PHA is a HUD-certified housing counseling agency and a VA state Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO), and is certified by the US Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).

Albemarle’s Flexible New Zoning Code More Business Friendly

Like most municipalities, Albemarle County has zoning regulations in place to protect property values, promote public health and safety, and support both residential quality of life and business success. A big part of this is keeping industrial uses separate from residential so that the latter are spared the noise, odor and other unsightly or incompatible aspects of manufacturing or the traffic, congestion and lack of privacy associated with retail areas or office parks. Similarly, commercial zoning traditionally separates uses such as commercial, office space, and manufacturing.
Over time, supply and demand can put pressure on existing zoning regulations. For example, in Albemarle County, almost 200 acres originally zoned for light industrial have, over time, been lost to retail and office space reflecting demand and therefore higher returns on investment in these types of development. This loss of acreage and continuing competition from non-industrial uses (which made it much more difficult for businesses that fall into the light industrial category to find an appropriate location or to expand an existing business) was a big part of the impetus behind the recent zoning law changes.
At the same time that the county had begun to address these problems and inconsistencies in the zoning code, the Central Virginia Partnership for Economic Development identified a list of target industries for Albemarle County, many of which would have been forced to locate in areas zoned light industrial according to the old regulations. These included businesses such as fitness and sports centers, bio-medical device manufacturing, R & D companies and communications and other IT equipment manufacturing firms. This incongruence between the desire to attract certain types of businesses and the lack of places for them to locate, also contributed to the design and implementation of the new code.
In addition to the shrinking space, there was another difficulty with the old code in that definitions did not distinguish between businesses according to their size or environmental impact. This meant that a large manufacturing plant would be categorized and treated the same as a small family operated business with just a handful of employees working with hand tools.
The zoning code did permit exceptions in some limited cases. However, to take advantage of this, businesses had to apply for a special use permit, an expensive process that also takes county staff time and is costly to tax payers.
In recognition of all of these issues, Albemarle County initiated a three year process that ended with making significant changes in the code as it pertains to companies, which formerly were strictly relegated to a light industrial status. The result is a more flexible code that allows for the growth and expansion of new businesses that don’t fit neatly into the retail or office categories, but which, nevertheless, could easily blend in to one of these settings. This is accomplished in part by recognizing the differences between traditional manufacturing firms and those that are smaller with minimal environmental impact creating more opportunities for the latter to find suitable locations.
New Zoning For Smaller Low Impact Businesses When we think of infrastructure that supports business, concepts such as roads, railroads, fiber optic cable or water and sewer may come to mind. However, the zoning for a particular location is also a big part of the infrastructure, since not only does it determine the kind of businesses that will be welcome there, but consequently impacts the whole character of that area.
Carolyn Shears is a commercial
REALTOR® and Senior Vice President with CBRE Charlottesville, and her clients include some of our area’s large employers. Prior to the Albemarle County zoning changes, she was having difficulty finding suitable new locations for several businesses that needed to expand. This experience caused her to recognize the very limited supply of properties that were a good fit for companies like these due to the county’s zoning restrictions. In each instance, the businesses were engaged in work defined as light industrial by the zoning code. This meant any new location had to be zoned for this, even though the manufacturing process of Shears’ clients did not have the type of environmental impact for which the code was originally written.
She cited the example of a manufacturer she worked with during this time which did light assembly of printed circuit boards. Unlike traditional manufacturing concerns which use noisy, heavy equipment and require hard hats and special protective gear, this one had workers sitting at tables using small screwdrivers to do their assembly work. While they may have fit in with a different setting such as some office complexes, because the business description used the word assembly, the company automatically fell into the light industrial category greatly restricting where it could locate.
As a result of these kinds of zoning restrictions, one of the businesses Shears worked with during this time was unable to find a suitable location in Albemarle and, though they didn’t want to leave the area, were forced to relocate to another county. “We lost a good employer when that happened,” Shears said. Of course the county also lost some of its tax base.
Another of her clients stayed in Albemarle and is “getting by,” but the location they found is not the best for their needs, Shears explained.
Impact and Scale In contrast to those situations, today’s new zoning code takes into consideration both the scale of a business and its environmental impact. Susan Stimart, Economic Development Facilitator for the county said, “the old code did not address impacts or scale. A 400 square foot operation was treated exactly the same as one with 50,000 square feet.” A good example of such a business is the small brewery that has become very popular in recent years. These operate without much in the way of “notice or complaint,” Stimart said. Under the old code they would have been forced to locate in an industrial area even though they have little in common with large scale beer manufacturing plants.
Today they have more options, but under the old system the only relief was to seek a special use permit. To obtain one, the business owner had to pay $2,000 up front, a prohibitively large fee for many, and go through a six-month public notification process. Since time is money, this was also expensive, Stimart explained. What’s more, there was no guarantee of approval.
“Over time our staff collected many anecdotes about businesses having difficulty finding an appropriate location,” Stimart said. It became obvious that the code was out of date and no longer fit the needs of our current economy. Shears agreed, saying that the business model of today’s firms is much more likely to be software based than heavy equipment based. This contemporary business model, however, is out of synch with a zoning code based on the industry of a different era.
Albemarle’s Target Firms In April of 2012 the Central Virginia Partnership for Economic Development released a Comprehensive Target Markets Report, which identified target industries for each of the counties it serves. While the impetus to update the zoning code started before the release of this report, the research represented there “helped inform the later phases of the zoning changes,” Stimart said.
In recommending particular target industries, the report considered those that offered relatively higher wages and were a good match to county assets such as skill-sets and education levels. They also targeted firms that would provide a lot of jobs.
Amongst the recommendations were many industries that fit the light industrial category as defined in the old zoning code. For example, the bioscience and medical device industries were high on the list of desirable targets, including R & D firms and medical equipment and pharmaceutical manufacturing companies. Also on the desirable list were IT and defense security firms, including communications and electronic equipment manufacturing. Other suggestions included perishable prepared food manufacturing, wineries and breweries.
Unfortunately, while much of the desired infrastructure was in place to welcome companies such as these, the zoning code made it difficult for them to find space. The new zoning code, however, is having an impact on firms such as these. Stimart described several R & D firms, which prior to the changes would have been forced to look only in areas designated as light industrial. Thanks to the new zoning “they have successfully secured locations without having to only look at light industrial zoned properties.” She explained that this is particularly helpful for R & D enterprises and start-ups that need only a relatively small space like 1,000 square feet or less.
One place labs and R & D firms can now locate, Stimart added, is the downtown Crozet district. However, not all small businesses are welcome there without a review process. Even a small 400 square foot food processing company can’t locate there if it falls into the category of manufacturing, processing and assembly unless it has a storefront such as a grocery store, bakery or other specialty food shop. On the other hand, a company making a product like tomato sauce, which doesn’t lend itself to retail, would have to seek a special use permit.
Flexibility Built into the New Code Most discussions of the new zoning law emphasize its flexibility compared to the old system, which was based on a very rigid separation of different land uses. This had begun to change some in more recent times, Stimart said, when walkability became popular. The concept of the walkable neighborhood led to the development of communities like Old Trail or Belvedere, which feature shops and offices in the center of the subdivision. They also include other types of uses such as The Lodge, a retirement community at Old Trail, and the new Senior Center that will be located in Belvedere.
The new code also makes it easier to mix different types of commercial uses in one business. For instance, food manufacturers are now permitted to increase the percentage of space that they can devote to retail sales of their products, helping them build local brand awareness, Stimart explained.
Check Zoning Regulations Carefully Before Leasing Given the importance of being in compliance with the zoning code, and especially given the recent changes, Stimart recommends that prospective tenants check the regulations carefully and don’t necessarily rely on the building owner to provide accurate information. She cited the example of a building north of town, which at one time was zoned residential and became a nonconforming restaurant and then lost all commercial nonconforming use. In spite of that, the owner leased the building to a retail carpet business. Not only was this inconsistent with zoning laws, it bypassed the architectural review board, which should have weighed in on the exterior appearance of the building. After some complaints the county was forced to close the business down due to lack of compliance with the code.
Celeste Smucker is a writer, blogger and author. She lives near Charlottesville.

Charlottesville City Schools: Marked by Excellence, Innovation, and Community

The City of Charlottesville highly values education, shown in its strong Charlottesville City Schools. With an enrollment of 4022, the division offers six neighborhood elementary schools (preschool-4); one upper elementary school (grades 5-6); one middle school (grades 7-8) and one high school. The schools are marked by their commitment to excellence, innovation, and community.

Excellence
Every school is fully accredited within Charlottesville City Schools, one of only 36 divisions in Virginia to accomplish this feat in 2013-14. Similarly, on the SAT test, CCS students outperform their peers statewide and nationally by wide margins. Charlottesville High School offers more than 30 college-level courses, and CHS students earn scores of 3 or higher on 74 percent of their Advanced Placement exams. Outside the classroom, students demonstrate academic excellence in many ways. Already this year, the Scholastic Bowl/Pop Quiz team has placed first in the nation in two different competitions! The science club BACON (Best All-Around Club of Nerds) placed fourth nationally in the Zero Robotics competition (where their coding operated robotic satellites on the International Space Station). The Debate Club has logged a string of tournament victories, with 10 students qualifying for the state competition.

Charlottesville City Schools are also committed to excellence in the arts. The high school orchestra is internationally acclaimed with a planned summer tour of France; at a 2013 competition in New York, the group won “Best Overall.” Similarly, the high school band was one of ten selected to perform in Governor McAuliffe’s inaugural parade. At Buford Middle School, a full 56 students qualified for all-district band or regional orchestra. Walker Upper Elementary students recently offered an inspiring presentation of Peter Pan, and from March 21-23, the high school’s spring musical will be Sweeney Todd, with sets designed by sophomore Daniel Neale, winner for Scenic Design at the 2013 Virginia Theatre Conference. Artists at Buford and CHS have earned state and national acclaim.

CCS student-athletes achieve excellence, as well. The football team, coached by the area’s Public School Coach of the Year, has made back-to-back play-off appearances, while the boys’ basketball team is a perennial stand-out. The golf team enjoyed what the Daily Progress called “a magical season,” and the field hockey team dominated the regular season (13-2-1).

Innovation
Excellence is sustained by innovation. Committed to research-based best practices, Charlottesville City Schools is an early adapter of trends and technology. The brand-new science labs at Buford Middle School and CHS are in partnership with the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Curry School of Education. The partnership teaches science through the lens of engineering, supported by technology such as 3-D printers. Faculty and students from U.Va. have also introduced engineering to the City’s younger students at special in-school activities and events. Aside from 3-D printers, technology is important in all classes. All City students work with laptops, i-pads, smartboards and other technology, and beginning in sixth grade, students receive their own tablets. CCS has also been a leader in virtual education, with 26 credit classes available to students in Charlottesville and other communities.

Aside from technology, City schools innovate in other ways. Beginning in kindergarten, children study Spanish so that all sixth-graders take Spanish 1 for high-school credit. The City Schools’ emphasis on world languages also includes AP-level Mandarin. CCS partners with other groups for inventive programming, such as the City Schoolyard Gardens’ outdoor garden-classrooms or the Richmond Ballet’s “Minds in Motion” activities for fourth-graders. For two years, the Paramount Theatre has invited artist Kevin Reese to help CHS and Buford students create stunning Calder-style mobiles for their schools and the community (at the Downtown Transit Station and the Smith Aquatic Center). CCS also offers progressive preschool programs, with classes for qualifying children as young as three and a highly successful record of preparing at-risk students for kindergarten.

Community
Excellence and innovation occur in a diverse and strong community. Charlottesville City Schools prepares many students to follow in their parents’ steps by attending elite universities, but CCS also assists first-time college attenders to blaze a trail for their own families. While the City schools offer classes in French, German, Latin, Mandarin, and Spanish, in addition, they teach English to students who speak Arabic, Burmese, Krahn, and Nepali, just to name a few of languages spoken at home by students. Each year, CHS hosts “Celebrate Diversity,” which invites students – both native Virginians and immigrants from around the globe – to sing, dance, read poetry, and offer other tributes to world cultures.

The City’s neighborhood elementary schools nurture lifelong friendships, yet also equip children to welcome new people into an ever-changing community. Since August, CCS has welcomed325 new students who have moved to the community, and an additional 300 students from other divisions choose to attend our schools. Neighborhood schools with a global orientation expose City students to a wide variety of experiences, viewpoints, and opportunities—preparing them not only for post-secondary education but also for life.