~Brad Aaron, What You Missed That Day You Were Absent from Fourth Grade

New in this week's Dragon's Fire

This year has been a struggle for all of us, and more than ever CSCA needs your support for our Annual Fund drive. The CSCA seeks funds from families twice a year: the Annual Fund in the fall and the Auction in the spring are the primary ways the CSCA raises money. Last spring we had to cancel the auction because of the Covid-19 lockdown. This means that the CSCA has not raised any funds so far this year. While we're not physically in school, we use those funds to support our teachers and students in a variety of important ways. We know these are very challenging times for families, we ask you to give what you can.

Can't donate right now? That's okay! You can also donate anytime via the link on the school website. Or contribute by check or credit card using the form in the Annual Fund letter that went out last week.

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!

All immunizations available for children. Flu shots available for adults.

Meridian Center for Health

10521 Meridian Ave N

Call 206-296-4990 to schedule.

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.

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.

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.

TeenTutoring was created by a trio of students at Roosevelt High School to help other students succeed in the online school environment. If students need a little extra help or parents need a little extra time (for those elementary school parents), TeenTutoring.org is here for them. We have tutors available to help with a variety of subjects, and appointments can be booked online. Tutoring is virtual, using whatever video conferencing platform works for the student. All tutoring sessions are free.

Becoming a TeenTutoring tutor also offers an opportunity to earn service hours.

Instagram: teen tutoring_

Email: teentutoring20@gmail.com

Website: Teentutoring.org

Join Seattle Goodwill for a maritime seminar for youth, in partnership with the Youth Maritime Collaborative. The seminar will be held Dec 2 at 2 pm.

The Maritime sector contributes over 140,000 jobs in WA state and we want your students to have access to this profitable industry. This event will provide a great opportunity for networking, career pathways into maritime, and resources for youth to enter the maritime industry.

Contact Khalia Williams-O’Neal (Goodwill Youth Program Assistant) with questions: (206) 371-9689.

​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.