& what if hope crashes through the door what if

that lasts a somersault?

hope for serendipity

even if a series of meals were all between us

even if the aeons lined up out

of order

what are years if not measured by trees

New in this week's Dragon's Fire

Interested in animation? Join the Career Connections virtual field trip to Pixar, Wed, May 5, 3–4 pm. You’ll hear from the illustrators/animators and coders. Ask questions, make a connection, find a mentor! Email Ms. Wyn for the Zoom link. (Sponsored by IGNITE, Inspiring Girls and non-binary students in technology evolution)

Hi TCS Community,

Mr. Alex here, visual arts teacher who first started teaching art from room 362 in The Center School four years ago. Later this year, in June, I will teach from this tiny, cozy classroom as the TCS visual arts teacher for the last time. Then, I will say my goodbyes.

In late March I applied for a newly opened visual arts position at Franklin High School. In mid-April I interviewed, was offered, and accepted the position. Franklin HS created and funded this position with the intent of the new hire melding visual arts and social justice in their classes. I cannot imagine a better mix of my skillset and passions than what this position is calling for. For those of you who don't know, I graduated from FHS in 2006, student-taught there, and taught there for my first year in Seattle Public Schools. In a sense, I am going home.

This news may be unexpected, but I will do my part to make sure TCS is set up for a smooth transition to whoever the new art teacher will be. Things will be different, but different doesn't mean worse and change is inevitable. The next art teacher will bring a new voice, fresh set of ideas, and different ways of teaching to TCS.

I will save my goodbyes for another day. I am sharing this news with all of you today simply to keep you informed. My time at TCS has meant more to me than I can put into words ... warts and all. Saying goodbye to our students later this school year will be one of the hardest things I'll ever do as a teacher. I will leave TCS a far, far better educator than when I first arrived four years ago. For this, and the incredible students I've been blessed to teach, I am deeply appreciative.

Thank you for reading this lengthy message!

Congratulations to seniors, class of 2021. You will be the first TCS class graduating at Memorial Stadium at 2 pm on Jun 15. We are working to have an all school attendance to celebrate you. Thank you for your hard work in completing your senior year with senior projects and academic coursework. We am proud of your focus and your tenacity in keeping the dream alive towards graduation and next steps beyond The Center School. Graduation planning is beginning this week. Seniors, it’s your graduation, so create a memorable and fun celebration day of activities.

Please make sure your students continue to follow the safety protocols for in-person school.

Students who have opted out of the hybrid model will continue with asynchronous learning on Mon and Tue afternoons, but please do note the timing changes on the schedule below for synchronous classes on those days.

You can view the current bell schedule any time using the Bell Schedule link in the sidebar at the top of the newsletter.

Is one of these critical positions a good fit for you? Please reach out to Erika Borges at erikaborges@me.com for interest or more information.

What a fantastic Auction Week we had! Because of generous folks like you, we were able to raise $26,690. We anticipate receiving another $2750 in company matching gifts!

Thank You: Thank you to everyone who helped make our 2 auctions so successful! The volunteers, donors, attendees, bidders, students, teachers, and staff. So many came together to make it all happen. Thank you!

Pick Up: If you need to pick up your prize(s), please contact Angie Johnson at angiejohnson@usa.net to make arrangements.

Matching Gifts: If you contributed to one of our auctions please ask your HR Department and let us know if your company has a matching gifts program. Email Rosina at RosinaAuction@gmail.com to make arrangments. Some companies who have participated in the past are: Starbucks, Microsoft, Wells Fargo, Boeing, Paccar, QuoteWizard, Liberty Mutual Group, and Alaska Airlines.

Thanks everyone for supporting our students at TCS!

Read the CDC's full guidance for how to keep yourself and your community safe after being vaccinated.

Check the Career Center page for more information. Questions? Contact Mr. Rho at ewrho@seattleschools.org.

The PIP Program for Girls virtual summit is designed for girls, by girls, to learn about different areas of interest. The summit is two days long and is on Jul 10 and 11. On the day of education, you will hear from women across industries as they share how they have built their careers and overcome challenges. On the day of action, you will get inspired to pursue a mini project through workshops hosted by professional women. Over these two days, students will experience presentations by leading experts in several industries, panels discussing female-centered issues, live Q&A sessions, and connections with girls all over the country.

Sign up for the PIP Program. If you have any questions, please email thepipprogramforgirls@gmail.com. Visit the PIP website.

Three artists will be commissioned to create three artworks, each unique to one of the new RapidRide Expansion lines and featured on a series of limited-edition ORCA cards to be released at the inauguration of each new line.

Young people (ages 16–25) residing in King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston and Whatcom Counties of Washington State and who identify as visual or graphic artists are eligible to apply. Applicants may be pursuing education and/or a career in the arts, but this is not a requirement. In fact, artists with non-traditional and out-of-school training are encouraged to apply. Artists must be able to share a portfolio of 6 work samples created in the last three years in order to be considered.

Finalists will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:

May 5