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A CSCA Publication

What's HOT the week of September 27, 2021

6b5b6eb8-c193-4aa6-b6bf-0420179f1428 image

For Allen Ginsberg

by Dorothea Grossman


Among other things,

thanks for explaining

how the generous death

of old trees

forms

the red powdered floor

of the forest.

Important Dates

Oct 8

  • State in service day (no school)


Oct 13

  • School day PSAT (10th & 11th graders); school day SAT (12th graders)


Oct 14

  • Picture retake day


Oct 21

  • CSCA board meeting (6:30–8:30 pm, Zoom)
  • Curriculum night (6:30–8 pm, details TBA)


Nov 1 & 2

  • SBAC/WCAS (9th, 11th, & 12th graders)


Nov 3

  • Reflections entries due (5 pm, electronic submission)


Nov 4

  • End of 1st quarter


Nov 5

  • AP exam registration & fee deadline


Nov 11

  • Veteran's Day (no school)


Nov 16

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


Nov 18

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

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

New in this Week's Dragon's Fire

  • Vandalism at School is Not a Joke
  • Behavior Issues at School
  • Wednesdays are Instructional Days
  • Helping Kids Find Purpose in School & Life
  • Senior Credit Checks
  • Graduation Dates on Are on the Calendar
  • A Short Guide to TCS Terminology & Acronyms
  • Notes from the Sep 30 General Meeting
  • CSCA Web Pages are Up to Date
  • 2021/22 CSCA Board & Committee Chairs
  • Reflections Update

Please Talk to Your Student

Let's take a moment to get real. We're all thrilled that our kids are back in the building, but it hasn't been an easy start. We are still in a pandemic, our school district is facing a major budget shortfall, and our kids are returning to in-person learning with some social and emotional deficits that are, frankly, affecting everyone at school. Our teachers and staff are all working multiple jobs right now to help our kids get the education they deserve, and we thank them for the many hours and all the heart they are putting into that. As parents, we need to support that effort by both talking with our kids about our expectations for them at school and by modeling the social behavior we want to see in them. Please take some time to read through the segments below and talk with your student.

Vandalism at School is Not a Joke

There has been a TikTok suggesting to students that vandalism in public schools is fun, and we have seen some graffiti in the 3rd floor restrooms as a result. Please remind your students that TCS rents its space from the Armory. We are well loved because our students have always been respectful, honorable, and accountable, but our residence here is not a given. Vandalism puts an undue burden on our hardworking maintenance staff and reflects poorly on our school community as a whole. Please have a conversation with your students about being respectful citizens of the larger Seattle Center community.

Behavior Issues at School

Dr Casey has let us know that there has been an increase in disruptive behaviors at school including drug use, sex in the gender neutral bathroom, disrespect toward staff and teachers, harassment of other students, intentional interference in lessons, and a general sense of academic disengagement among some students. Please check in with your student about behavior expectations when they are at school. Yes, our kids have been home for a long time, and reintegrating into a day-to-day social routine might be challenging right now, but we need to help our kids get there.


If your student has an issue with a teacher, staff member, or another student, please talk with them about appropriate ways to address their concerns. Be clear that you are listening to them and will help them find a way to resolve the issue, but that being disruptive and disrespectful at school are not acceptable. Conflict resolution is a skill that can be learned.


If you suspect that your student needs more support than you can provide at home, there are school-based resources to help. Both counseling and addiction support are available through the teen health center. If you are having trouble locating the service that will best support your student and your family, please reach out to Dr. Casey at blcasey@seattleschools.org.


And please remember that school-year transfers are possible. If you or your student have come to feel that TCS is not the right fit, please reach out to Dr. Casey at blcasey@seattleschools.org or Ms. Hayes at mrhayes1@seattleschools.org

to begin the transfer process.

Wednesdays Are Instructional Days

Yes, Wednesdays were asynchronous last year. They are not asynchronous this year. While the Wednesday schedule is different because of our block schedule and shorter because of district-wide early release, it is a school day and your student should be at school. Please have a conversation with your student about being at school and engaged on Wednesdays, and set that as a clear expectation from home.

Helping Kids Find Purpose in School & Life

In an infinite variety of ways, we've all been in survival mode for the last 18 months. When the present and future feel so uncertain, it's no surprise that our students are having a hard time connecting with their educations. But there are things we can do to help our teens find a sense of purpose in school and life that will allow them to get through high school. They don't have to like school, but they do have to find ways to do the work so they can achieve their own goals in life. Below are some articles with strategies for helping teens find purpose:


What to Do if Your Teen Hates School

Seven Ways to Help Teens Find Purpose

Helping Teens Discover Values to Live By


Consider getting a copy of Christine B. Whelan's workbook The Big Picture: A Guide to Finding Your Purpose in Life.

TCS News

Senior Credit Checks

Our counselor, Ms. Hayes, will be meeting with seniors during the month of Oct to review their graduation requirements. Once students meet with Ms. Hayes, she will send home an email to senior families with information about their student's graduation progress. Ms. Hayes will be scheduling meetings with senior families who are not on track to graduate.


Read more about graduation requirements on the the SPS webpage.

Graduation Dates Are on the Calendar

If you like to plan ahead, mark your calendar, SPS has announced 2022 graduation dates. TCS graduation celebration will be Tue, Jun 14 at 2 pm at Memorial Stadium. Here's hoping we can graduate this year's seniors in style! Check the full list of high graduation celebrations.

A Short Guide to TCS Terminology & Acronyms

  • R&R: Recruitment and Retention Committee
  • Dragon’s Fire: CSCA Weekly Newsletter
  • BLT: Building Leadership Team
  • PLC: Professional Learning Committee (Teachers come together for a community of practice on Race and Equity, Academic Interventions, and Social Emotional Learning)
  • TPS: Theater of Puget Sound
  • The Commons: open area where kitchen is located
  • MASH: Mentorship Advisory Study Hall (last 45 min of the day, except Wed)
  • ASB: Associated Student Body
  • MUN: Model United Nations
  • OEE: Outdoor Environmental Education (no field trips)
  • RJA: Racial Justice Alliance
  • SAGA: Sexuality and Gender Alliance Group
  • Center Mentors: Students who mentor students
  • Dragon Wear: TCS swag

Join ASB!

ASB is an amazing student-run club where you can plan events, learn about budgeting, and work with the staff and Center community to make changes you want to see in our school! You also earn service hours towards graduation and get to add a great extracurricular to your college applications! This year we will make posters and a video of speeches for your grade level classmates to watch before voting. Come to ASB in Ms. Neel's room (room 369) at MASH on Mondays to learn more about ASB and how to run. There are a variety of positions you can run for and we especially need freshman and sophomore officers. If you have any questions you can ask our chief officers Maddie T. and Nid L.

CSCA

Notes from the Sep 30 General Meeting

Thank you to everyone who attended last week's General Meeting Our meetings are open to everyone in the TCS community (not just CSCA members) and focus on what is going on in our community. As many of us have learned, high school is a time of differentiation and growing independence for our students. This is a good thing as they move toward their adult lives. But it can leave us feeling disconnected as parents. One of the best ways to feel connected and learn about what is happening in the building is to attend CSCA meetings.


Most of the conversation from our first general meeting are spread out by topic through the newsletter, but we did conduct two points of business: voting in our new board and approving our annual budget. You can see this year's board and committee members below. We encourage you to look at this year's budget to see how CSCA supports our students, staff, and teachers throughout the year.

2021/22 CSCA Board & Committee Chairs

President

Erika Borges

erikaborges@me.com

VP

Suzanne Waller


Secretary

Myra Parke


Treasurer

Becky Shrade


Communication

Monica Payson

monica@paysley.net

Dragon’s Fire Editor

Monica Payson

dfsubmitarticle1@gmail.com

Membership

Monica Payson

monica@paysley.net

BLT Parent Rep

Erika Borge

erikaborges@me.com

Co-Auction Chair

Lina Trujill

linarosetrujillo@gmail.com

Co-Auction Chair

Paul Chiocco


Direct Drive Chair

Brenda Barnes

bbarnes@clarkbarnes.com

Co-Recruitment & Retention/Community Reach-out Chair

Nancy Alton

nancya@altonworks.com

Co-Recruitment & Retention/Community Reach-out Chair

Susan Campbell


SPS Liaison and IDEA Chair

Shawna Murphy

southernstreetkids@yahoo.com

Arts Chair

Michael Schwart

mxschwartz@gmail.com

Reflections

Monica Payson

monica@paysley.net

Volunteer

TBD


If you are interested in filling an open role or would like to help out on a committee or with events, please contact CSCA president, Erika Borges, at erikaborges@me.com.

CSCA Web Pages Are Up to Date

Thanks for your patience as we went through the permissions process to edit our pages on the TCS website. Our pages are now up to date with this year's board and meeting schedule. A huge thanks to Dr. Casey and the fantastic SPS web team for helping us jump through all the hoops.

2021/22 CSCA Meeting Schedule

Everyone in the community is welcome to join both our board meetings and our community meetings. Meetings are a great way to meet other parents and stay up to speed on what is happening at our school and within the district. Your voice is always appreciated! Meetings are held monthly via Zoom. We will send out meeting links 48 hours prior to each meeting.


  • Sep 23 6:30-8:30 pm Board Meeting
  • Sep 30 6:30-8:30 pm General Meeting
  • Oct 21 6:30-8:30 pm Board Meeting
  • Nov 16 6:30-8:30 pm General Meeting
  • Nov 18 6:30-8:30 pm Board Meeting
  • Dec 16 6:30-8:30 pm Board Meeting
  • Jan 20 6:30-8:30 pm Board Meeting
  • Feb 17 6:30-8:30 pm Board Meeting
  • Mar 17 6:30-8:30 pm Board Meeting
  • Mar 22 6:30-8:30 pm General Meeting
  • Apr 21 6:30-8:30 pm Board Meeting
  • May 19 6:30-8:30 pm Board Meeting
  • Jun 9 6:30-8:30 pm Board Meeting
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TCS students, show off your creativity and skill! Reflections is an annual competition put on by the national PTA. This year's theme is "I will change the world by ...". Students have the opportunity to win and move on to state and even national competition. Students can enter in one or more of the following categories (follow the links to read the rules for each category):



Entry deadline is Wed, Nov 3 by 5 pm. Entries should be submitted digitally using the electronic entry form, which will be available soon. If you need help photographing 2D or 3D art, please contact Reflections Chair, Monica Payson, at monica@paysley.net. Please also reach out for help with artist's statements, supplies, entry forms, and general support.

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.

Sister, Speak!: Solo Show Creation

Oct 5–Dec16, 2021

Tuesdays & Thursdays 4–6 pm and Saturdays 11 am–1 pm

Ages/Grades: Ages 13 - 19 


Actor, poet, and playwright Allyson Lee Brown leads this ten-week playwriting intensive designed exclusively for Black and Brown girls and femme-identifying individuals. Join us as we reclaim our freedom of thought, breath, and voice. From inception to production, create a ten-minute solo show that speaks to your experiences as a young woman today – the resilience, the triumph, the difficulties, and the authenticity. This is your time. This is your truth. This is your story. This workshop is part of the Seattle Rep's "Black is the Light" program.


Register.

Bonfire Collective: Youth Voices and New Works Festival, with the Seattle Rep

Who: Artists ages 14 – 19 can register for parts 1, 2, and/or 3


Retreat for Actors, Directors, Designers, Writers, Producers, and Instigators

Writers can come with works-in-progress and collaborate with actors, directors, and dramaturgs to develop their ideas. Actors can come with ideas of roles they wish someone would write for them. Directors can come with ideas for plays. But everyone is welcome to come as a blank slate. By the end of the weekend we anticipate we’ll be overflowing with ideas! The weekend concludes with a “show and tell” sharing of work and performance of works-in-progress. When: Sat, Oct 2, 11 am–2 pm and Sun, Oct 3, 2–5 pm. Where: UHeights Center (5031 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105).


Cohort for Playwrights and Writers

We’ll be partnering with the Rep’s youth writers to continue developing new works! Writers will have seven weeks to develop their scripts in this youth-led cohort. For two hours each week, you’ll have concentrated writing time, plus feedback sessions led by the Rep’s Alex Reed and Penguin’s Shana Bestock and Annika Prichard. When: Sundays, Oct 10–Nov 28, 7–9 pm. Where: Seattle Repertory Theatre (155 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109)


New Play Festival for everyone mentioned above, ending with a performance for the whole community! Actors, directors, and designers return to bring the new scripts to life. Directors may also direct a Climate Change Theater Action Play. The weekend culminates in a performance for the community. When: Sat, Dec 11, noon–6 pm, and Sun,Dec 12, 2 to 6 pm. Where: Seattle Repertory Theatre (155 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109).


Read more.

Register.

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Submissions for our newest project, a zine curated for and by teen artists of color, are now open. The theme of our debut issue will be “You”. Feel free to interpret that in any way that you’d like. The creator of the best submission, as judged by our team, will win a prize of $100. Applications are open to teens from the greater Seattle area. Submissions can be of any medium: ​poetry, playwriting, photography, illustrations, etc.

Visual artists: Please submit a one- or two-page spread that is 8.5 by 5.5 inches. Writers: Please format your writing on pages that are 8.5 by 5.5 inches in size. All submissions can be either landscape or portrait orientation. You can find examples of submissions here. You can submit as many times as you would like, and there is an option to submit anonymously as well. All work must be original.​ We are accepting rolling submissions. Contributors will receive a free copy of the zine. Submit here.

Metamorphosis (performance opportunity)

Who: Students ages 14–19


When: Rehearsal Mondays and Wednesdays 6–8:30 pm, from Oct 11 to Nov 22. Tech on Mon, Nov 29, Wed, Dec 1, and Fri, Dec 3, 6–9 pm. Performances on Sat, Dec 5 at 4 pm and Sun, Dec 5 at 6 pm.


Where: Live and in person! Rehearsals at UCUCC (4515 16th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105). Performance at UHeights (5031 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105).


Prepare to be transformed. Tony Award-winning Mary Zimmerman’s smash hit Metamorphoses is a play of such grace and beauty that the memory of it lingers long after the lights have gone down. All theatrical elements are at work to conjure the force of Ovid’s myths into gorgeous imagery, provocative moments and breathtaking storytelling. Experience magic and enchantment, bawdy humor and deep sincerity, told in a provocative mix of both contemporary and classic styles.


Suggested Donation: 275 (for families in need) / 375 (market rate) / 475 (for families that can. There is no obligation to pay for our programs.


Register.

Poetry/Spoken Word: Writing Joy & Beauty Through Difficult Times w/ Freehold Theatre Lab/Studio

Black, Indigenous, Brown and Asian students join Daemond Arrindell as the complex nature and intersectionality of the concepts of joy and beauty are explored through the work of Black artists. Using their work for inspiration, students will write and perform their own work.


Online Oct 3–Nov 9 on Sundays and Tuesdays from 6-8 pm.


Currently offering two scholarships to take this class. Email info@freeholdtheatre.org for more info!


Registration open now! 

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TeenTix, in partnership with The Colorization Collective (a teen-run organization that promotes diversity in the arts) is excited to announce that applications for the 2022 Winter Cohort of our Mentorship for Teen Artists of Color (M-TAC) program are open! This program will specifically allow teen artists of color to hone their artwork under the guidance of professional mentors of color. This is a great way for teens to better their craft, build connections in the arts community, and present their art!


This mentorship is for teens interested in music and writing. Teens will be put into either a music or writing cohort, and each group will be paired with a professional artist/mentor of color to create or workshop a piece specifically for the program showcase.


Read more to see the schedule.


Applicants must be ages 13-19 and a current TeenTix member to participate. Not a TeenTix member yet? Don't worry! Sign up for free here! Applications are open now and close at midnight PST on Oct 24.


If you need assistance filling out the application, please contact Anya Shukla at colorizationcollective@gmail.com.


Apply here!

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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