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A CSCA Publication

What's HOT the week of September 6, 2021

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

Beginning

by Lia Purpura


In the beginning,

in the list of begats,

one begat

got forgot:

work begets work

(one poem

bears

the next).

In other words,

once there was air,

a bird

could be got.

Not taken.

Not kept.

But conjured up.

Important Dates


Sep 7

  • Scheduled first day of school


Sep 22

  • CSCA board meeting (Zoom)


Sep 29

  • CSCA general meeting & dinner (school)


Oct 12

  • In-school SAT


Oct 14

  • State in service day (no school)


Oct 20

  • CSCA board meeting (Zoom)


Nov 11

  • Veteran's Day (no school)


Nov 14

  • CSCA general meeting (TBD)


Nov 17

  • CSCA board meeting (Zoom)


Nov 24–25

  • Thanksgiving & Native American Heritage Day (no school)


Dec 12

  • Alumni brunch


Dec 15

  • CSCA board meeting (Zoom)


Dec 16

  • 1–hour early dismissal


Dec 19–30

  • Winter break (no school)


Jan 2

  • New Year's Day observed (no school)


Jan 16

  • MLK Day (no school)


Jan 19

  • CSCA board meeting (Zoom(


Feb 1

  • Last day of first semester


Feb 2

  • Day between semesters (no school)

Has Your Student Moved On?

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Quick Resources

Attendance or 206.252.9875


Bell Schedule


School Website


TCS Staff Contact List


SPS Website


SPS Academic Calendar


TCS Health Services


Last week's Dragon's Fire

Teen Health Center

TCS Students can get medical and mental health services at the Ballard Teen Health Center. To schedule, call or text clinic coordinator Say Tuitele at 206-390-3355. Or email at Sailau.Tuitele@swedish.org.

New in This Week's Dragon's Fire

  • Welcome to the CSCA Newsletter
  • First Day of School?
  • Welcome New Families: A Few Words About TCS
  • Understanding the Block Schedule
  • Getting to School
  • Running Start: Key Dates
  • Running Start: General Information
  • Lots of Opportunities on the Bulletin Board

CSCA

Welcome to the first issue of the Dragon's Fire for the 2022/23 school year. The DF comes out every Mon (unless Mon is a holiday) and is packed with information about what's happening at school and in the district. It's also the main conduit of information for our PTSA, the Center School Community Association. The calendar section at the top of each newsletter is the best place to find dates. We update the calendar weekly with new information, so check back often. We print synopses of our board and general meetings (if you can't attend) as well as information about opportunities outside of school that might interest our students. We love feedback! Please send your comments and ideas to editor Monica Payson at dfsubmitarticle1@gmail.com.


In the coming weeks, look for more information about the CSCA, what we do and how you can help. In the meantime, we'd love for you to join!


School News

First Day of School?

School is currently scheduled to start Sep 7, but SPS is saying that an on-time start is unlikely given the current state of negotiations with SEA. The District will announce updates on Tue afternoon. Watch your email! We will also keep you posted about TCS specifics regarding back to school. Hang in there everyone!


If school does start as scheduled this Wed, this week's schedule will be as follows:

Welcome New Families: A Few Words About TCS

It's different. It's a little weird. It's wonderful. That's why we chose The Center School! Even under ordinary circumstances TCS is not your run-of-the-mill high school. You and your student probably chose to be here for the arts focus, the community, the intimacy, the tolerance for difference, and the fantastic location. But there are some things to get used to:

  • The Armory is a strange place to go to school. It can be a little hard in the first week for new students to get the hang of navigating the warren of rooms we call a school. (We have been told that a certain student got lost on the ramp on their way to theater class on the first day of school in 9th grade and might have cried. We also know that they figured it out and never had trouble finding the theater again.) So, ask for help. You will figure out the space.
  • The Armory is a wonderful place to go to school. There is so much happening in and around the Armory building. Seattle Center is home to Seattle Opera, PNW Ballet, The Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, TeenTix, and the ANT Gallery to name just a few. (Read a comprehensive list of Seattle Center organizations.) Students have access to all of that and to the businesses inside the Armory Building. Employees inside the building know and look out for our students.
  • That said, there is an additional responsibility to going to school in the Armory. The Armory is not our school; rather, we are guests in a public building that hosts many organizations and visitors from around the world. Please help your student understand that they need to treat the entire Armory with respect. Students who are disruptive or destructive within the Armory can be barred from entry by Armory security effectively causing their expulsion. Dr. Casey works closely with Armory Security, but she does not have ultimate control over who is allowed in the building.
  • No, there are no lockers. Students need to carry everything they need with them throughout the school day. Get a bag or backpack that is comfortable to carry and large enough for everything you need.
  • The schedule changes from day to day, but it's not hard to get used to. (We have been told that a certain student went to the wrong class a few times, but not that many and nobody minded.) For many students this means more time to dig into their material and fewer disruptions during the day. It can mean having some breathing room with more challenging classes. And it means we have MASH—a time for one-on-one meetings with teachers (wow!), clubs, and for getting homework done. Wednesday is the only day with all six classes. See The Center School schedule here.
  • There's no gym and no PE. Students must complete and log PE hours on their own in order to complete their state PE requirement for graduation. So start counting your dog walks, interpretive dance class, stage combat, and, yes, even your walks to and from the bus stop. Read more about the PE requirement and get the Alternative Physical Education form.
  • There's no lunchroom. Students are welcome to bring their own lunch or buy lunch in the food court. They can eat in the commons, on the balcony, in the food court, or outside. That's so much cooler than a lunchroom.
  • TCS has the strangest community-building tradition we've ever heard of. Eleventh and twelfth graders, it's up to you to carry this on. Ninth and tenth graders, tell your families about it after the first community meeting.

Understanding the Block Schedule

What?! Different classes every day? It's actually not that hard. Mon and Thu are odd days (periods 1, 3, and 5). Tue and Fri are even days (2, 4, and 6). Wed are all classes and early dismissal. Sometimes the Wed scheduled is changed on weeks with a Mon holiday so that all classes get equal time. See, that wasn't that hard! But just in case, we're providing the graphic below (thanks, Ms Neel!).

Getting to School

There are nine bus stops and 18 bus routes in easy walking distance of Seattle Center. You can find bus stops on Queen Anne Ave N, 1st Ave N, 2nd Ave N, 5th Ave N and Denny Way. The Seattle Center is also served by the monorail, which runs from Westlake Center right to the Armory building. If your student is planning to bike, there are bike racks all around campus.



TCS is aware of transportation challenges for West Seattle families. On Tue, Aug 24, CSCA parents, SPS transportation, SPS board member Erin Dury, and Dr. Casey participated in a problem solving meeting to discuss solutions for students coming from West Seattle and White Center. We will provide information from that meeting in upcoming issues.

Running Start

Key Dates

Running Start families, please keep in mind that SPS schedule changes do not affect Seattle College dates. Below are key dates for RS students. You can also download the full year calendar


  • Sep 26: Fall quarter begins
  • Oct 31: Winter quarter registration begins for returning students (get your enrollment verification form signed and returned to your RS office well in advance)
  • Nov 7: Winter quarter registration begins for new students
  • Dec 15: Fall quarter ends

General Information

Running Start can be a great way for high school students to push themselves or to take classes beyond those offered at TCS. But it is also easier to feel disconnected from school. Scheduling can also be confusing students taking classes at both TCS and RS. We'll do our best to run information and reminders to get you through the year smoothly. Parents and students who want to connect with a peer about their RS experience can contact Monica Payson at monica@paysley.net.

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.

Macha Youth Voices Playwriting Seminar

Macha Theatre Works(MTW) is excited to announce that submissions are

open for the 2022–2023 season of Macha Youth Voices. This Playwriting for Solo

Performance workshop is for teens 13–18. Participants will create a personal story based on a prompt and develop it into a theatrical original work. This series includes one-on-one guided meetings with a professional Macha mentor leading to a public workshop reading of the final piece.


Fall Cohort: Oct 22–Dec 12, 2022 Submission Deadline: Oct 1, 2022


Spring Cohort: Jan 14–Mar 13, 2023 Submission Deadline: Dec 30, 2022


No previous experience in the arts is needed.


Get more information and apply.

Misty Mint Magazine Call for Submissions

Misty Mint Magazine, a youth-run literary journal with support from the Hugo House Youth Programs team, is now accepting submission for their very first issue! The theme for this inaugural issue is “The Unexpected”.


Submissions are open to youth ages 5–19 from until 9 am on Fri, Sep 25.


Check out the general guidelines and the submission form here.

Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival Call for Submissions

Submissions are now open for MoPOP’s Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival (SFFSFF or “siff-siff”).


Your chance to have your work screened at the 2023 festival.


Get more information.

Sound Off! Music Showcase Call for Entries

Gain access to studio time, mentorship from local artists, a killer performance opportunity at MoPOP's Skychurch Stage, and more!


Everything an upcoming youth artist may need to kick off their career & meet awesome peers!


Learn more and submit.

The TeenTix Arts Podcast (TAP) is a group of teens who produce a monthly podcast focused on arts and culture.


  • Learn about arts orgs around you!
  • Work with like-minded teens!
  • Broadcast your work with TeenTix!
  • Be the first to hear about Teen Opportunities!


Learn more and apply now!

Intiman Theatre's Starfish Program

A free after-school program for high schoolers to gain hands-on skills from professional mentors across the fields of drafting, lighting, sound, and more!


Learn more and apply.

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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