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What's HOT the week of January 31, 2022

Choices

by Tess Gallagher

I go to the mountain side

of the house to cut saplings,

and clear a view to snow

on the mountain. But when I look up,

saw in hand, I see a nest clutched in

the uppermost branches.

I don’t cut that one.

I don’t cut the others either.

Suddenly, in every tree,  

an unseen nest

where a mountain  

would be.

New In This Week's Dragon's Fire

• A Word from Dr Casey
• 2021/22 Annual Fund Success
• Vote Yes on Props 1 & 2
• New Items on the Bulletin Board

Greetings TCS Students, Families and Staff,

Friday we transitioned into 2nd Semester at The Center School. The end of 1st semester was seamless for many and a blur for others who are still navigating the end of a grade marking period into a 2nd semester of expectations that defines the rest of our school year. We celebrate success for a school reopening in a pandemic that continues to define the business of educational equity and access. As the Principal of The Center School, I am proud of the work that staff, students and families have done to create coherency and expectations in the learning process for students who continue to show the brilliance of learning ownership and accountability. We have navigated variant surges, significant absenteeism, positive viral cases, fear of transmission, hopes and dreams of a new day that defines a normalcy measured pre-pandemic in mask-less smiles and overall human engagement.

Our world has changed drastically in this pandemic along with the business of doing school. We have all had to adjust and redirect in accessing education and providing instructional expertise in that regard. Lesson designs have been adapted in meeting the learning needs of our students and bridging the gaps in their learning. Social emotional learning and mental health concerns have predicated how students access learning. We are on many pages in resolution as a smaller learning community quickly adapting to change and learning access during a time of pandemic variances and surges, constant Robocalls and letter attachments around positive cases and excused absences. We are not in school normalcy even as we transition into the second half of school towards hope and possibilities.

I applaud our school community in working towards building trust and alliances during a time that defines our resilience and tenacity. The recent Fall School Climate Survey in 2021 include 83% of our students feeling a sense of belonging and 85% surveyed feel that they are being served by staff in regards to social emotional engagement and 91% feel that staff care about their well-being and learning engagement. We are building community here.

Thank you TCS staff, students and families for your ongoing support. And as we transition into 2nd semester, we will remain strong in our resolve to provide educational and social emotional platforms that are accessible for all students and families. We thank you for choosing TCS as your school community. Welcome to 2nd semester and new beginnings everyone.

Dr. Barbara Casey

Principal

The Center School (TCS)

blcasey@seattleschools.org

206-252-9855 vm

2021/22 Annual Fund Success

The CSCA would like to thank all the families who donated to the Annual Fund this year. We raised $10,070.59 and met our $10,000 goal, and there are still monthly contributions trickling in! Knowing that we are in a time of financial instability, meeting our fund-raising goal is evidence of the strength of the Center School community. Thank you for your generous financial support during this tumultuous time. Through your donations the CSCA will continue to support drama, writers in the school, guest artists and speakers, instructional materials, family support fund, senior prep consulting, teacher appreciation, school events, and much more in the coming year.  

Brenda Barnes

Annual Fund Coordinator

School levies (propositions 1 and 2) provide our students with:

• Nurses
• Technology
• Athletics
• Special education
• Technical programs
• Safe buildings

Please vote yes on February 8!

Center Field Day

Center Field Day is an annual community-building day organized and led by The Center Field Day Subcommittee, an official body of ASB. CFD 2022 will feature a virtual keynote speaker along with two workshops that students will sign up for in advance. Workshops in the first session are serious, often focusing on education or social justice topics. Workshops in the second session are fun and can be pretty much anything that follows school rules and COVID-19 district policies. We hope to improve community connections and provide opportunities for students to socialize across grades, classes, and interests. Look for more details and the schedule for the day as we get closer to Feb 9.

TCS Open Houses

Please spread the news! The Center School will be hosting two virtual open houses (via Teams) for prospective students and families. Please forward the flyer to anyone you know who might be interested.

Mon, Jan 24

5–6 pm

Link: https://bit.ly/center124

See the flyer.

Seattle Promise Scholarship: New Deadline Mar 1

Seattle Promise is a college tuition and success program launched by Seattle Colleges, Seattle Public Schools, and the City of Seattle following passage of the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy in 2018.

Seattle Promise has three core components:

1. Free tuition at any of the Seattle Colleges: North Seattle College, Seattle Central College or South Seattle College for up to two years, 90 credits or a student's first degree, whichever comes first.
2. Equity scholarships, which provide flexible funding to students, for books, transportation, housing, etc. for those with financial need.
3. Student support and advising beginning in the junior year of high school and lasting through completion of a degree, certificate, credential or transfer to a four-year institution.

All Seattle Public High School graduating seniors are eligible for the Seattle Promise program regardless of grade point average (GPA), income, ability or country of birth. Applications are now open. Learn more and apply here.

9th & 10th Grade Classroom Presentations

Ms Hayes and a guest TCS student will be visiting 9th and 10th grade Language Arts classes on Feb 9 and 16 to present on graduation requirements and study strategies. Ms Hayes will email out the presentation to families after the presentation dates. Find more information on graduation requirements here.

Wed, Feb 9

Period 1, Ms. Neel 8:55–9:40 am

Period 2, Ms. Neel 9:45–10:30 am

Period 3, Ms. Carroll 10:40–11:25 am

Wed, Feb 16

Period 1, Mr. Grays 8:55–9:40 am

Financial Aid Applications Now Open

Seniors and parents of seniors: It's time to secure college funding! Applications for federal and state financial aid (FAFSA and WASFA) are open. A complete FAFSA or WASFA is required for most scholarships, grants, and loans. Apply early to get as much financial aid as possible. Read more on the SPS website.

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.

Penguin Youth Leaders invite teens to join them for the next Penguin Artistic Cohort retreat Mon, Feb 21.

Retreats are our time to connect, play, deepen our skills, work with special guests, and hone our performance piece.

• Explore leadership through acting
• Bring a social justice lens to both leadership and theater
• Connect with peers
• The PAC is collaborating on a multi-disciplinary exploration of empathy and connection that weaves together their passions and interests: Shakespeare, Original Work, Music, and Movement. They are working towards a public performance in the spring.

No prior PAC involvement necessary. Teens are welcome to join at any time in the process.

Register for the retreat.

TeenTix is proud to announce a new creative writing workshop series in partnership with On the Boards! Participants will have the chance to develop a piece of creative writing based on viewing a show at On the Boards and with the mentorship of professional writers. Sessions are in March, April, and May 2022, and are free to participate! For full workshop details and information about the performances you’ll attend, see here!

Sign up for one, two, or all three workshops!

This workshop is open for teens 13-19 years old. Must be a TeenTix member to participate.

The Vera Project is seeking applicants for Digital Production Lab, a free, multi-month media production career training program for youth ages 15-24.

Program participants get hands-on experience in audio, video, and design production; opportunities to meet with diverse artists and industry leaders; and direct access to paid production work with local organizations.

Learn more apply by February 7!

An Exploration of Shadow Puppetry

Feb 12 from 1:30-2:30 pm

In-Person Only

From Northwest Film Forum. Puppetry artists Cassandra Bray and Zane Exactly will lead participants through a 1-hour workshop, using overhead projectors and a projection screen to explore the fundamentals of shadow puppetry manipulation and construction. This workshop will guide participants of all ages on how to transform simple materials into unique and bold shadows. Experiment and play with us as we explore different shapes, textures, colors and characters to breathe life into new stories and ideas.

Read more and register.

Ink & Tape: All Ages DIY Animation on Film!

Feb 13, from 1-3 pm

Online & In-Person

NWFF, Henry Art Gallery, and Interbay Cinema Society present a fun, hands-on, DIY 16mm film animation workshop in which students will decorate film strips with markers, washi tape, and scratches to create thrillingly analog animation. Absolutely no experience necessary! This free workshop will be offered both in-person and online, but virtual access is limited to WA & OR residents.

Read more and register.

Creative Storytelling with Sockz Theatre

Feb 20 from 1–2 pm

Online Only

From Northwest Film Forum. Become a dynamic storyteller in this hands-on virtual workshop with Sockz Theatre! Learn how to integrate character voices, sound effects, and found-object puppetry to tell original stories or classic fables. This workshop is designed to help encourage imagination and radical creativity for the entire family.

Read more and register.

How to Make a Documentary: From Soup to Nuts

Feb 19 from 3-4 pm

In-Person Only

From Northwest Film Forum. Learn the nuts and bolts of documentary filmmaking in a presentation by Sally Rubin, including an overview of how to develop a story, how to prepare for production, how to complete your film, and how to ensure that your film will have a life out in the world after completion. This workshop is suitable for people of all ages, including kids, and will have you up and running with your film idea in less than an hour!

Read more and register.

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.

Dragon's Fire wants to hear about what's going on in our school community. Please submit articles and images to Dragon's Fire by 5 pm Friday afternoon for inclusion in the next newsletter. Read our submission guidelines.

If you have comments, corrections, or additions to Dragon's Fire, please contact the editor at dfsubmitarticle1@gmail.com. We welcome your feedback!

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