Blast | 11/7/11

Sunday, May 20 2012

BLAST Information Center

BLAST Subscriptions

The Weekly Newsletter Published by the CSCA. A must if you want to know what is going on at Center (and in case you haven't noticed, teenagers are not the most forthcoming, so really, you'll know nothing without it.

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BLAST Article Ideas

Do you have an idea for a BLAST article?

We want to know what you know, and we want to know what you need. Send us your specific content, or your ideas for content. If you have Blast content to get out this week - please submit it by Friday at 3 pm. The Blast goes out late Sunday night, and covers school life for the following week.

Things we like to know:
- School News, in and out of the building
- Opportunities for Center School students (volunteering, classes, performances, etc)
- Student, staff and faculty accomplishments beyond the school.
- And the ever-favorite "misc."

By now you've seen the motley collection of stuff that qualifies for the Blast -- if you've got something that fits that very elastic category, send it in. Make sure you tell me what's going on, where and when it's happening, and how to get in touch with the people involved, if participation is the goal. And let me know how long you think it should run.

To submit news, events, or calendar items to be included in the Blast, send an email with subject line "News" to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Event Submissions

If your happening or event has a time and place, is of general interest to the CSCA and TCS community, tell us about it. Your event will be listed on the CSCA site and appear in various places depending on your event category.

Basic Essential Event Information

Title: Title of your event. Should be an official name.

Date: When is it? Include all dates, start and end date.

Time: When, again. Please provide a Start and End time. If we do not have an official End time, we will estimate a reasonable length but would really rather not. Make a guess so we don't have to.

Event Description: The narrative description of your event, or, "the Blurb." What will happen at the event? Who will be presenting the event? Is someone of interest appearing, e;g., Superintendent, School Board Member, Principal, etc.? What do attendees need to know? This should be a brief overview.

Because date, time and venue are already published, this information is not as important in the description. Plan to restate date, time, and place after your blurb. If you restate title, date, time and place at the beginning of your blurb, it will be redundant for readers who will already have that information in the preceding text.

Place: Event Venue.
Where is it? Use official names, e,g. "Seattle Repertory Theatre," = good, "The Rep" = bad. Just assume your reader is unfamiliar with the area and may have to look up the address. In the case of the SRT, it is already in the system complete with the official address and automatic directions using Google Maps should the reader require the information. Complete, accurate information is crucial. Please include:

Address: - As in street address. Include city, sate and zip code at minimum.
Website URL: - As in internet address.
Images: If at all available - and they usually are. Bonus Points: Provide an image of the venue or space. These are usually readily available on the venue webpage. Simply right click on logos or images and download to your device and attach or send a link to the images.

Note that once an event venue has been entered, it is permanently in the system. Therefore a number of frequently used venues are already entered.

Additional Information (useful, but not required)

Event Contact: Name, email and phone

To add your event to the CSCA Calendar, email details to:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If your event has a longer description or ties to broader issues, feel free to include it and submit the story to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Deadlines

Deadline Submission Guidelines

Deadlines are just that, but for our purposes, events requiring less description. Deadlines will appear on the calendar for the day and time they are set to expire. Less information is required for deadlines. These are typically published to keep readers mindful - and provide them with a resource they can find - of important deadlines throughout the year. e.g., SAT Test Dates, Registration Deadlines for programs, colleges, what have you. The following information is necessary.

What's the Deadline? For example, SAT test sign ups, Financial Aid forms, register for this or that.

When: Date and Time necessary. When is it due? In the case of Mail-in, dated material, e.g., Postmarked by April 15th, 2012. Otherwise, provide time and date.

How do I meet the deadline: Describe what needs to be done to fulfill the deadline. e.g., All forms must be completed and postmarked by April 15, 2012, or, "delivered to the Hall of Arts and Sciences office located at room 267, University Building by 5:00 p.m. October 18, 2011. Admittedly, there are fewer "drop off" deadlines, but they exist.

Where can I find more information? Typically, this deadline notice is not the primary communication for readers. This is intended to be a courtesy reminder, therefore we don't need to provide in depth details in our notice. However, we should include a link to more information on the deadline. As the Deadlines tend to be nationally known in the case of SAT or ACT testing, providing a URL for the deadline is both easy and helpful to readers.

To add a deadline to the CSCA Calendar email the above details to:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

TCS & CSCA Event Calendar

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Blast | 11/7/11

CSCA 2011-2012 - The BLAST | The Center School Newsletter 2011-2012

View The BLAST Online | View BLAST Archives

7-13 November 2011

When we shift back to standard time, it's like we're thumbing our nose at winter -- see, it's not really that dark when we get up in the morning. So live it up for awhile, as we head toward chillier times, and a new school schedule next week (check "Coming Attractions" below)

In the meantime, reporting from my grown-up job as a dance critic, I want to say that Eric Hipolyto Jr, Center School alum (and brother of current student Enrico) made an excellent debut in the Gold and Silver pas de trois at Pacific Northwest Ballet last weekend -- it's a tricky, tricky piece of dancing!

sandi kurtz
submitarticle@csca.thecenterschool.net
sandik@drizzle.com
206-523-6553

Center School Connections
The Center School - Center School at SPS
Center School Community Association (aka PTSA) - CSCA
Facebook - CSCA on Facebook
CSCA Meeting Minutes - CSCA minutes

Remember, to unsubscribe to this newsletter, click on the link at the bottom of the page to get to the CSCA website.

This Week at the Center School

Not the Usual Schedule
Monday, 11/7 – blocks 1/3/5
Tuesday 11/8 – blocks 2/4/6
Wednesday 11/9 – blocks 2/4/6
Thursday 11/10 – blocks 1/3/5
Friday 11/11 Veterans Day, no school

Quick, Hand It In
First quarter grades are due 14 November, so this would be a good time for students to check the Source and their backpacks.

The Regular Stuff
Homework Club meets after school Tuesday and Thursday.
No Friday Coffee with Ms Bristova this week.

Center School Directory
A copy of the 2011-2012 school directory will be distributed to students on Monday 7 November in their first period classes. (if they don't have a first period, or just missed the sailing, they can sign one out at the front desk). Unfortunately, not every family has their contact information in the directory, but it is as comprehensive as we could make it. If you find that you cannot find yourself there, send your information in to Tracey Lott, care of the front desk at tlott@seattleschools.org -- the CSCA may distribute an additions-and-corrections amendment as a PDF file later in the year. In the meantime, many thanks to Editor Extraordinaire Cindy Dieter!

One Last Dance (Class)
Everyone is welcome to the final dance class, led by Cornish College teachers-in-training, Tuesday 8 November, 8:30-10:30 am (check it out with your morning teachers, though). The last session was a big hit (check out the evidence here) and this next class should be ever so much more so. Class meets in the TPS Room B, 4th floor -- no previous experience required, and PE credit available!

CSCA Tuesday
The Center School Community Association (CSCA) meets on the second Tuesday of the month -- come add your two cents to the mix on Tuesday 8 November, 6:30 - 8:30 pm at the Center School.

The CSCA is the Center School's Parent, Teacher, Staff & Student Association - everyone is welcome to attend the monthly meetings. Do you have something you would like to add to the meeting agenda? Please contact Sam Star at: president@csca.thecenterschool.net
November draft agenda: 1) Treasurer's report on contribution and expenses. 2) Principal's update: What's happening at school? This is a good time to ask your question(s) and/or give your comment(s) to Ms. Britsova. 3) Review and possibly amend the CSCA's standing rules. We have a proposal to encourage students to participate more fully in the CSCA. 4) Fund-raising progress? Do we need to consider scaling back our CSCA budget for this school year?

Lastly, we are still seeking someone who would please take over as CSCA Secretary for the remainder of the year. Main responsibility: Take notes during the CSCA monthly meeting. The Secretary is also a member of the CSCA Executive Committee.

Coming Attractions and Past Accomplishments

Tweaking the Time Table
In order to meet the specific requirement for the number of minutes in the school year, the Center School schedule has to shift a bit. You can find the details here, but the gist is that school starts at 9:20 every day except Wednesday, lunch is slightly shorter, and classes are slightly longer. This new world order goes into affect on Monday 14 November.

Center School Ski Bus
Registration forms for the Center School ski bus are now available at school and on the CSCA website. Sign your student up now to make sure it happens. The ski bus will be on Wednesdays for 6 weeks beginning January 11. It leaves school around 2:30 on Wednesdays and returns around 10:00. Bus only: $150; Bus and lift ticket: $330. Rentals are available for an additional cost. They are predicting an La Niña year. Don't miss out! Questions? Julie Vergeront, jvergeront@yahoo.com, 206-459-1862.

Outside the Center School

Election Day
Step One -- find ballot
Step Two -- find black pen that works
Step Three -- fill out ballot
Step Four -- Do the origami, get the ballot in the first envelope, then get it in the other envelope, sign it and put a stamp on it
Step Five -- get it in the mail so it's postmarked on Tuesday
Step Six -- There's no step six -- you're done!

So What Does Arts Inclusion Mean, Anyway?
Center School Arts Liaison Margaret Chodos-Irvine, who is a working artist in her regular life, has opened up an online conversation and resource bank in her new blog Pebbles in the Jar. Some of the materials will be of interest to artists and parents hoping to make connections to each other through the public schools, but mostly this is a chance to learn more about how the arts fit into the K-12 curriculum.

Volunteer for Advanced Learners
Seattle Public Schools is seeking unpaid volunteers to serve on the newly formed Advanced Learning Program Task Force, for terms of up to one year. The task force will consist of approximately 20 members including one or more district staff, principals, teachers, parents and community representatives. Late afternoon meetings will be held monthly beginning in late November at the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence. Responsibilities will include participating in public meetings, reviewing descriptive data, and weighing the competing interests and constraints surrounding future services for APP and Spectrum. Seattle Public School parents, principals, teachers and community members with an interest in advanced learning programs are encouraged to apply. Interested individuals should submit background information and reasons for their interest via email with "Advanced Learning Task Force" in the subject line to: advlearn@seattleschools.org no later than Monday 14 November.

Beyond High School

Testing, Testing
ACT register by 11 November for test on 10 December
register for ACT
SAT register by 8 November for test on 3 December
register for SAT

Last, But Not Least

For those of you who are devotees of street art, a retrospective of the graffiti at the old Tubs in the University District.

Time Lapse Tubs

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CSCA Mission

The Center School Community Association (CSCA) works to support the students, teachers and staff of The Center School in Seattle, WA. Your membership and support makes this possible. Our goal is to provide our members with opportunities to help shape the present and the future of CSCA and The Center School through the sharing of ideas and experiences.