~Joy Harjo, "A Map to the Next World"

New in this week's Dragon's Fire

(from Dr. Casey and the CSCA Board)

Happy Thanksgiving TCS community. COVID-19 is hitting our global society and our local one hard, creating a time of intensity and great angst for students, staff, and families. We are living in a time when people are in deep denial of the 12 million Americans infected with the virus and the greater than 250,000 who have lost their lives to a pandemic unwavering and uncompromising on the socio-economic, racial, political or cultural fronts that we use to define our affiliations and identifications. We are in a time of reflective narrative where recalling the values that define us helps in remembering that this too is just one moment in time, which will pass. Thinking about where we will be when we come out of this time of pandemic and political and racial unrest is important in redefining our values and our lives and those of our students.

Although our students may appear resilient during this time, families and staff, please continue providing support to them so that they can have hope. Students are trying to navigate the current world happenings and they need our connection to show them how to create connection and remain connected with self, family, friends, and their academic community. Families can create love and connection for students in so many ways that include watching a corny movie, talking, setting up a tent in the living room for indoor camping, supporting them in virtual community service, or creating an artistic card of condolence for Superintendent Juneau who lost her father and 27 members of her Blackfeet tribal community to Covid-19. The biggest gift that parents can give students is the present of their presence. The before is gone and what we have left is today as we make our preparations for tomorrow.

Have a safe and joyful Thanksgiving!

Did you miss the Nov 9 presentation from Dr. Jason Kilmer on stress management, student anxiety and depression, and ways parents can help? You can still view the slide deck to see what Dr. Kilmer discussed. Dr. Kilmer is an associate professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington. Read Dr. Kilmer's biography.

This is a strange and unusual year. Volunteering doesn't look the same as before, but we need volunteers just as much as ever. While we don't need you for baked goods or in-person events, there are still many ways to help. Maybe you can even create a whole new way for us to do an event virtually or in a socially distant way. We need your time and creativity!

Please fill out the survey to indicate what events or types of events you are interested in being part of. We also want to know what untapped resources you have to offer (for example, special skills or expertise in an area of interest to students or parents). And who knows, maybe at some point we might want you to send in cookies again!

Thanks for participating in this survey. It will take all of us coming together to make this year a success for our students and community!

The Center School seeks to extend learning beyond the classroom by involving our students in the city and the world beyond. To help support that effort, the CSCA seeks additional funds from families twice a year. The Annual Fund in the fall and the auction in the spring are the primary ways the Center School Community Association raises money.

We are now two weeks into our fall Annual Fund campaign. We know these are challenging times for families, and we only ask you to give what you can.

The TSC community is one of the things that drew us all to this school. While CSCA needs money to fund our mission, there are other ways you can support our community:

Regular exercise has many benefits that seem particularly important in this time of upheaval. While exercise is beneficial to the body in many ways, it can also help our teens with mood regulation, better sleep, and self-esteem. In a time when our kids are spending even more time indoors and on screens, there are clear benefits to getting outside for your exercise.

For more info visit: https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/exercise-wise.html.

It is Washington State law that everyone must wear a face covering that covers their nose and mouth when they are outside of their home. Because some people may be infected with COVID-19 without showing any symptoms such as a cough or fever, wearing a face covering is key in slowing the spread of the virus. Some examples of face coverings include cloth masks, bandanas, scarves, surgical masks, and N95 masks. To effectively decrease the chance of infection, face coverings should be worn properly. A proper face covering has to cover both your entire nose and mouth, otherwise you increase the chance of being infected. We can all do our small part in containing the COVID-19 virus by wearing our face coverings properly!

As winter weather sets, SPS would like to remind families to continue with safety practices advised by King County and Washington State: wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer when you cannot wash, wear a cloth mask covering your nose and mouth, practice social distancing, and avoid gathering in groups. COVID-19 cases are on the rise in King County, so please do your part to stop the spread! See the King County COVID-19 resource page.

Please join us Dec 9, 5:30–7 pm for an evening of learning about how you can help your 9th grade student have a successful high school experience. We will discuss graduation requirements, homework and study strategies, college readiness and more!

Or call in (audio only):

+1 206-800-4125,,565580431#  United States, Seattle

Phone Conference ID: 565 580 431#

Dragonwear is our school merch! The design on it is made by students, so if you want a chance at having your design on Dragonwear this year, please submit your art by Nov 30.

Designs must be black and white line art (digital or traditional) and must include a dragon and the text "Center School" and "2020–2021". Appropriate language and imagery only, please. Submit as a png with a white or transparent background using the form on the ASB website.

Even if you don't want to submit art, please fill out the interest survey so we know what kind of Dragonwear people are interested in buying.

The new ASB website is up! It includes up-to-date information on ASB meetings and events. There are also resources for clubs as well as students interested in joining ASB. (The Dragonwear submission form is on the "Upcoming Events" page for easy access.) We hope this website will be convenient for you and future students/families!

Now that you know the benefits of getting some daily exercise (whether you do it inside or outside), why not use some of the flexibility in our online schedule to crush your PE requirement! High school students in WA state must complete 1.5 credits of PE in order to graduate. That translates to a total of 225 hours of exercise (.5 credits = 75 hours) over four years. If you exercise 1 hour a day, five days a week, you can easily complete .5 credits in a semester.

What kind of exercise counts towards the PE credit? Just about anything that gets your body moving! Here are some ideas:

If you want to try something new and can sign up for a class (crew, archery, etc.), that's great. But you can definitely complete your PE credit entirely with resources available for free and from your home. Get creative! This is great practice for real life when there are not scheduled PE classes every day and fitness is 100% up to you. Find activities that require you to move your body that you enjoy!

Download the Alternative Learning for PE Credit form here. It's also available on Ms. Hayes Schoology page and on the TCS website.

At this time, the expectation of the College Board is to have students test in person, and there is not an option for online exams. We do not know if SPS will be open for in-person learning when tests are administered in May. If we are not open and the College Board does not offer an online option, students may not be able to take the AP exams. SPS is currently working with the College Board on this issue. We will keep you posted as more information becomes available.

This year, each AP exam is $102. There is no fee for students receiving free and reduced price lunch. Fees will not be collected until second semester (the payment window is Feb 1– Mar 5).

All Students who wish to take AP exams must register by Nov 12. Read instructions for registering.

If you need the join code, please contact your AP Teacher or Mr. Rho at ewrho@seattleschools.org.

SPS will remain remote with limited in-person instruction through the end of the first semester. This means that through Jan 28, in-person instruction in our buildings is limited to a small number of students receiving special education services. A leadership team has been re-convened to inform next steps. Due to changing Covid conditions, there is no guarantee that buildings will reopen next semester. Read the full announcement about the building reopening plan.

Free two-year college program offered in Seattle Colleges with 130 programs to choose from. Learn more about Seattle Promise and apply! If you have any questions, contact TCS Seattle Promise Outreach Specialist, Ms. Savannah Daniels (she/her):

Join us Dec 3, 4:30 pm for a Zoom presentation by Barry Erickson, UW Professor and Executive Director of Professional Sales Program. Prof. Erickson will be sharing information about the UW Foster School of Business, programs they offer (including the Sales Program), and other opportunities. Please attend if you are interested in learning more about an education and career in business. Read the flyer for more information.

The bulletin shows scholarships with a due date in Nov or Dec. See Naviance for a comprehensive scholarship list with due dates beyond Dec 2020.

Learn about the world by living in it! Amigos International provides volunteers ages 13 to 22 the safest, most authentic service and immersion experiences in Latin America and the United States. Living and working in a new community gives you the chance to improve your Spanish, make an impact, gain confidence, and build leadership skills. You'll get to see the world in a truly unique way.

View Ridge Elementary School needs volunteers to help elementary students with homework in reading, math, and other subjects. Hours are: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri after 3 pm and Wed after 1:45 pm.

For more information, contact Denise Koenig, School Secretary, at dbkoenig@seattleschools.org.

Volunteers first need to go through the SPS Volunteer Application. For remote volunteering, they would be considered “Category B Volunteers" (Category B is remote, working 1:1 with students). Read about the volunteer application process. If you are interested in becoming a virtual volunteer, please view the virtual volunteer guide and find how. For more information about being an SPS volunteer, read the SPS handbook.

​Ignite Worldwide aims to provide girls with equal access to STEM education during their school day so they are aware of STEM opportunities and have the social and cultural capital to secure and thrive in a STEM career. Ignite has many great opportunities for our female TCS students who are interested in the STEM field, providing visits to big industries in the Seattle region such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and others. Coming Dec 2: Microsoft STEM Workshop: Learn Code with Microsoft Small Basic.

TIPS hires teens ages 15–19 who are passionate about giving back to their community and pairs them to intern with nonprofit causes. We provide students with a paycheck and a platform to develop professional skills so they can learn how to act on issues facing their communities. Learn about internships.

Application Deadline: Mar 5, 2021

Machinist's Inc. facility in South Seattle is offering entry-level internships to high school students who will learn directly from aerospace machinists, inspectors, fabricators, and management to begin building skills into manufacturing careers. The schedule is part-time for 12-week, part-time schedule. Interns will work with master craftspeople and experienced technicians on the shop floor.

Does your family need a little extra help this Thanksgiving? Please see the attached list for food assistance resources around the Puget Sound.

Seattle Parks & Rec department is providing free community spaces for students grades 6–12 to engage in SPS remote learning. Students are required to bring their own laptops or tablets to access learning platforms. Lunch is provided daily. Registration is required. Find locations and register here.