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What's HOT the week of December 6, 2021

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The Great Moon

by Juan Ramón Jiménez


The door is open,

the cricket singing.

Do you walk naked

through the field?


As an eternal water

everywhere comes and departs.

Do you walk naked

through the air?


The sweet basil does not sleep,

the ant is at labor.

Do you walk naked

through the house?

Important Dates

Dec 17

  • One hour early dismissal
  • End of fall quarter for Running Start students


Dec 18–Jan 2

  • Winter break (no school)


Jan 17

  • CSCA board meeting (6:30–8:30 pm, Zoom)


Jan 20

  • Martin Luther King Day (no school)


Jan 26

  • End of 1st semester


Jan 27

  • Day between semesters (no school)


Feb 1

  • Seattle Promise Scholarship application deadline


Feb 21–25

  • Midwinter break (no school)


Apr 7

  • End of 3rd quarter


Apr 11–15

  • Spring break (no school)


May 30

  • Memorial Day (no school)


Jun 14

  • TCS graduation (2 pm, Memorial Stadium)


Jun 18

  • Last day of school

Looking for something to celebrate? Dec 6 is:

  • Saint Nicholas Day
  • National Pawnbroker's Day
  • National Miner's Day
  • National Microwave Oven Day
  • National Gazpacho Day

Quick Resources

Attendance or 206.252.9875


Bell Schedule


School Website


TCS Staff Contact List


SPS Website


SPS Academic Calendar


SPS Covid Dashboard


TCS Health Services


CSCA Board Contacts


CSCA Meeting Schedule


Last week's Dragon's Fire

Bulletins

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New In This Week's Dragon's Fire

  • How You Can Support Art at TCS
  • 2021/22 Annual Fund Drive Update
  • New Items on the Bulletin Board

TCS News

How You Can Support Art at TCS

Ms Janet has provided us with this message about how you can support the art program at TCS:


Thank you, thank you, thank you for the fabulous donations of found objects, which have sparked epic amounts of joy and creativity! Many of you have asked how you can further support the TCS visual art program. I have created an Amazon wish list of materials that we need for the art room. Requested items include fluorescent light filters, full-spectrum lamps, art supply upgrades, and more. The list is a work-in-progress and will be updated throughout the school year. There is no pressure to contribute, of course! If you choose, click on the link to buy items to be sent directly to TCS. Thank you!

Holiday Assistance

If you are in need of assistance this holiday season, TCS has some gift cards that may be able to help your family. Please email Ms. Hayes at mrhayes1@seattleschools.org for more information on receiving a gift card.


Additionally, please click on the links below for more comprehensive resources during the holiday season:

SAT & PSAT Scores

12th graders who took the School Day SAT should have received their scores on CollegeBoard, Nov 4. 10th & 11th graders who took the PSAT will receive their score on December 6 or 7, 2021 on College Board. If you have not already done so, be sure to create a CollegeBoard account now. For more information about the test score please visit the CollegeBoard website. Any questions, please reach out to Mr. Rho at ewrho@seattleschools.org.

Updated Request for Art Supplies from Ms Janet

Hello TCS students & families! I wanted to send out a huge appreciation for all of the amazing donations we have received. Students working on assemblage sculptures have found many treasures to use in their artwork. Thank you so much for supporting the arts at TCS!


We are still welcoming donations of:

  • Yarn and fabric/felt/lace
  • Springs, beads, any small parts (no more bottle caps, please, we have plenty!)
  • Old keys and padlocks
  • Rocks, small branches/sticks, shells, seedpods, other small items from nature
  • Small old toys, game parts, figurines, toy cars, dice, playing cards, etc.
  • Old watches, small clocks, jewelry
  • Utensils, cookie cutters, other small kitchen items
  • Old maps, ticket stubs, sheet music, doilies
  • Old shoes (no more sneakers, though, please!)

CSCA

2021/22 Annual Fund Drive Update

The CSCA would like to thank all the families who have donated to the Annual Fund this year. We are at the half way point of the Annual Fund drive and we have so far received 51% of our $10,000 goal. If you haven’t contributed yet, we ask that you please consider donating now. Your contribution helps fund drama, writers in the school, guest artists and speakers, instructional materials, family support fund, senior prep consulting, teacher appreciation, school events, and much more!


You can donate now online via Paypal, where you have the option of choosing a one-time or monthly donation (you do not need a Paypal account to donate).

Donate

Smart is not Easy:

What Research Says About Highly Capable Learners

This presentation from the Washington State PTSA will cover the latest research and neuroscience about highly capable learners, informing the most pressing concerns students are facing at home well as in the classroom. We’ll discuss the social-emotional characteristics of HiCap learners, ranging from perfectionism and twice exceptionality to grit and executive function difficulties, as well as the recent neuroscience that is helping explain where these characteristics may be originating, giving us big insights on how best to support students. We’ll also touch on the most important considerations for equitable identification of highly capable students, and why universal screening is not just a good idea, but a social justice issue.


When: Dec 8, 7–9 pm

Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/216595461857

Username: class2@wastatepta.org

Password: WSpta2021!

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This year's virtual Reflections celebration will be on Dec 12. You can register here if you'd like to participate. TCS has one entry in the visual arts category. We'll let you know how our entry places once judging has happened.

Bulletin Board

The Bulletin Board section publishes information about art, photography, film, theater, writing, and other programs and competitions outside of TCS that might be of benefit and interest to our students. If you know of an opportunity that our students might want to hear about, contact the Dragon's Fire at dfsubmitarticle1@gmail.com.

Call for Actors, Directors, Designers

On Dec 11 and 12 Penguin Productions' Bonfire Collective will be workshopping 5 brand-new plays written by our Penguin youth playwrights (one is a TCS student!) for a public performance in the Seattle Rep's Poncho Forum Sunday, Dec 12, 4 pm.


We are inviting youth ages 14-19 to register for the weekend as actors, directors, designers, etc.


Rehearsals:

Sat, Dec 11, 12-5 pm (lunch provided!)

Sun, Dec 12, 12-3:30 pm (snacks provided!)


Performances:

Sun, Dec 12, 4 pm


Registration is free, though donations are appreciated. You do have to register in order to receive up-to-date information about scheduling and to place a lunch order!


Register here.


Questions? Email Shana Bestock at shana@penguinproductionsseattle.org.

Everyday Unseen Art Exhibition

Everyday Unseen

(www.everydayunseen.com) is foundry10's annual art exhibition featuring young, emerging artists from around the United States. Each year participating artists submit 1-5 pieces of artwork of any medium that goes along with the theme. The work gets displayed collectively online and in-person with a gallery opening celebration. We are honored this year to be hosted by Museum of Museums. The show is an opportunity for young artists to express themselves, connect with each other, and experience showing work in a gallery. 100% of the sales from the work go to the youth, and we provide them with stickers, prints and business cards of their designs to sell or distribute as they see fit. We also provide them with a $50 stipend for participating, or a $50 gift card to BLICK art materials. On Feb 26 we will have a gallery opening night in-person and streaming online! Artists are welcome to socialize, network, perform, and present.

This year we are excited to announce that the Everyday Unseen Youth Leadership Council has been established to give youth direction over the gallery! The EU YLC is comprised of 3 artists between 16 and 19 who collaboratively decided the gallery theme and assisted in gallery direction.


2022 EU Theme: Find the Gap

A gap has two sides. Gaps can be spaces between identities, aspirations, histories, or expectations. To cross a gap you must work through, build over, or learn to exist within it. Find the Gap is about exploring how we interact with these rifts in our lives and beings. It is an active act of being in the present and examining the space in between us. It is time we are given space to acknowledge, reach through, and expand ourselves. Let's find our gaps."


Apply here through Dec 16.

Become a 2022 tSB Prophet!

Shred mountains, learn new things, gain friends and make an impact on your community through The Service Board’s Core Program!


Each year, tSB brings together a group of high school students and adult mentors from a diverse range of academic, racial, cultural and economic backgrounds to engage in our six-month Core Program (CP).


As a tSB Prophet, some of the fun things you’ll get to do include:

  • Learn how to snowboard at resorts across the Pacific Northwest
  • Participate in fun interactive workshops around social justice education and personal development
  • Volunteer in your community through service learning projects that’ll count toward High School graduation requirements
  • Make dozens of new friends to last a lifetime
  • Learn more about yourself and your community
  • Make connections with caring adult and peer mentors
  • And more!


Things to Know Before You Apply

  • tSB meets Wednesdays & Saturdays from Jan–Jun
  • On Wednesdays, we engage in active workshops centered on our youth-led, social and environmental justice, and personal development curriculum. Some of our recent workshop topics have included: self care, food justice, gender & sexuality, art & social justice, financial literacy, and more!
  • On Saturdays, we go snowboarding at some of our local mountains or participate in service learning projects across the Puget Sound!
  • Come ready to participate in service. By participating in tSB, youth can receive up to 80 volunteer hours.
  • We provide the gear, snowboarding lessons and transportation to the mountain. There is a small fee to participate, but nobody will be turned away for inability to pay – scholarships are available. Over 90% of tSB youth participants are on full or partial scholarship.


Apply to be a 2022 tSB Prophet now!

Centering Youth Voice: The Youth Bill of Rights Project

The Youth Bill of Rights (YBOR) is officially happening! We are excited to kickstart this youth-led project and share how young people across King County can participate and directly support the well-being, health, and happiness of their peers and communities.


Ultimately, the YBOR project will identify the wants and needs of children and youth across King County to help guide leaders as they make decisions that affect the health, happiness, and hopes of young people in our region. The idea for this project was proposed by youth leaders in 2015. We’re now ready and excited to support their vision and bring it to life!


Through our survey, we will hear directly from youth what rights they think that they should individually and collectively have as a community. After multiple rounds of engagement with youth across King County, our YBOR youth leaders, and supporting partners will create a document called the Youth Bill of Rights. This bill will be presented to our local policy decision makers, the King County Council.


There are a couple ways that youth can participate over the next couple of months:



Learn more about the YBOR project.

2022 More Music @ the Moore Auditions

Auditions are now open for STG’s 21st Annual More Music @ The Moore! Seattle Theatre Group (Paramount, Moore, Neptune) will be selecting the region’s most talented emerging artists, ages 14–21, for a performance at the Moore Theatre.


MM@M is seeking a great variety of style and genre including world, cultural, popular, classical and contemporary music. Bands, ensembles, and soloists are all encouraged to audition. Once selected, in person rehearsals are required, so being within 30 miles of downtown Seattle is advised.


Artists will receive:

  • Payment
  • Mentorship from music industry leaders
  • Opportunities for collaboration
  • Professional performance experience in a renowned venue with experienced crew
  • Highlights on STG’s social and newsletter platforms reaching 60,000+ people
  • Professional photo and video
  • Meals provided at rehearsals and performances
  • Possible future performance opportunities


Read more including how to submit your audition tape.

Generating a Generation of Change

One of the biggest questions the youth development sector has had to grapple with is how we can authentically support young people especially during these hard and trying times. For our third event in our Thriving Leaders series, we’ll hear from young people directly about what they believe they need in order to thrive. We’ll learn strategies to center youth decision-making and leadership in our programs and organizations, challenge adultism, and explore models for adults to share power with youth. We will also dive into several mental health practices and strategies that support both youth and adults. Adults and youth age 14 and older are strongly encouraged to attend.


This event will take place virtually on Zoom, and participants will be strongly encouraged to participate actively through the chat box and group discussions, when applicable.


DAY 1: Dec 7, 5–7:30 pm

DAY 2: Dec 14, 6–7:30 pm


Read more and register.

Listings in the Bulletin Board section for any specific commercial or organizational product, process, or service, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by The Center School or the CSCA.


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