The fall semester is in full swing at Chrysalis. There’s a slight chill in the crisp fall air that has many of us feeling nostalgic. But that’s not the case for many of our students. The smell of new paper, freshly sharpened pencils, and eraser dust can send some of our students into a panic.…
Read MoreChrysalis is excited to announce our growing music and art program! This fall singer/song writer Michelle Lynn and artist Sean Tribble will be joining the Chrysalis team. They each bring an expertise that will expand the creative offerings for our students. Michelle taught music at Chrysalis years ago, and we’re excited about her return. She…
Read MoreDid you know that school refusal is a diagnosis? Many people associate school refusal with defiance or truancy, but often that is not the case, particularly for a Chrysalis student. Outpatient clinicians are noting that they’re seeing an increased number of students who are refusing to attend school. By definition school refusal is the refusal…
Read MoreIt’s that time of year again at Chrysalis School … the time of year I both love and dread. Love, because it is the season of program graduations, and there is nothing more inspiring and humbling and wonderful than to witness the culmination of a student and her family’s work and progress here at Chrysalis.…
Read MoreIt was a brisk February morning when my Ornithology class first ventured outside in search of birds. There was little promise of a sighting, yet the stillness of the day amplified the slightest movement or sound. The students eagerly scanned the landscape for any evidence of our quarry. There were a few glimpses of fleeting…
Read MoreI hate sounding cheesy, but I’m not sure how to avoid it when I get to brag on our students here at Chrysalis. In March, we went to the state regional of the national Poetry out Loud competition. Both of our girls made it to the next round, so last weekend, I had the honor of bringing…
Read MoreAnswer: They were all topics addressed in this year’s Poetry Out Loud poems recited by our students on February 11th! It’s so exciting to have brought Poetry Out Loud back to Chrysalis for a third year. This National Poetry Recitation contest always begins in November for our students, when they first select their poem and…
Read MoreThis summer I had the joy of teaching “Seeing My Time,” an executive functioning (EF) curriculum by Marydee Skylar. Roughly twenty bright-eyed young ladies showed up every Monday for eight weeks to gather tools to sharpen executive functioning skills. The profile for teens and adults that benefit from this class is as follows: poor time…
Read MoreThis time of year as the grass turns green, the sun edges out behind the clouds, and the flowers develop buds and blossoms, I always begin to look forward to summer. The departing of Spring always has a reflective quality to it as well. I think back over the year remembering where we started, and…
Read MoreLife is a mystery in all kinds of ways. It’s almost impossible to imagine, in advance, where we’ll land, to whom we’ll connect, to what we’ll be drawn, what we’ll accomplish, or who we’ll ultimately become along the way. There are surely hints and clues about these mysteries, many of which I suspect we often…
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