THIS WEEK AT CENTER SCHOOL

College Information Night for Students with IEPs/504s

Wednesday, December 9 - 6:30pm to 8:00pm

The Center School

College Planning begins with learning the differences between high school and college. For students with disabilities the law changes as students transition into postsecondary education. Geared towards parents AND students with disabilities planning on attending college, 9th-12th grade.

Enjoy an evening of information. Speaker:  Debra Zawada from the Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology (DO-IT) Program. For more information regarding, DO-IT http://www.washington.edu/doit

Pizza provided!

For more info about this event, e-mail vamarfin@seattleschool.org

CSCA Board Meeting

Wednesday, December 9 – 6:30 pm

We welcome and encourage all to attend the board meetings, however time and location of each meeting changes.  Please contact a board member for information and to RSVP; we have potluck dinner meetings (in different homes) and need to ensure space and food for all wishing to attend.  If you are interested in attending the December meeting, please contact Paul Dieter at riverwader@mac.com.

UPCOMING

Workshop Day – Community Service

Wednesday, December 16

Center School students will spend the morning doing some sort of volunteering. We are currently gathering information on opportunities in the community.  Right now we have three confirmed opportunities for small groups of students, and one for between 10 and 100.

There are a number of things we would love parent help with:

1.      Contacts – people currently involved with organizations that could use a group of Center School Students on 12/16

2.      Contactors - parents interested in making emails and phone calls to find/connect organizations for 12/16. Some teachers and students are/will be doing some of this as well.

3.      Day of help - parents interested in helping out on workshop day, accompanying students to workshops, etc.

4.      Coordination - a person who would like help plan/ coordinate the event.

Folks interested can contact Nathan Chipps at ngchipps@seattleschools.org. Thanks!

CSCA Ski & Snowboard Bus

Registration Deadline:  Friday, December 18, 5:00 pm

NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL

Night Out at the Seattle Rep for TCS Community

Thursday, January 14, 2010 - SAVE THE DATE!

TCS students, family, and friends will have a wonderful opportunity to see the full dress rehearsal -- the night before opening -- of the Seattle Rep's production of "Speech and Debate." Directed by Andrea Allen (who works with TCS kids) and written by young playwright Stephen Karam, "Speech and Debate" is a completely modern, hilarious and heartbreaking look at the struggles of being a teen today. Tackling issues of politics, homosexuality, and self-expression, "Speech and Debate" is recommended for ages 14 and above, and is sure to trigger lively discussion among audience members.

This special evening for TCS community will start with hearty finger foods (pot-luck) and no-host bar at 6:00 p.m., followed by a short introduction to the play by Andrea Allen before the 7:30 curtain. The play runs for 90 minutes with no intermission.

Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults.

 You can send a check to CSCA with the names of attendees and "Night at the Rep" on the envelope now to reserve your spots. More ticket info to come.

Thanks to the generosity of the Seattle Rep, all proceeds will go to TCS. Questions? Contact Sabrina Friend at (206) 783-5863 or sabrinafriend@yahoo.com

Criteria for Student of the Month

Please see the attached document for information about criteria for the Student of the Month program at TCS.  In November, the focus will be on academics.

VOLUNTEER AT TCS

Help Us Track Parent Volunteer Hours!

Ever wonder what it is like for your kids to find community service hours, do the paperwork, get is approved and hand it in for recordkeeping for graduation?

Well... you will get to see what that is like. We are asking all parents that volunteer your valuable time to the Center School, to start logging your hours in. Went to a meeting at Uptown on how parents can help at Center? Write it down. Been doing emails for finding volunteers? Write it down. Came in to school to clean out the microwave in the commons area? Write it down. If you have already put in hours since Sept, give us you best estimate.

Contact Nancy Hom at skallywag@comcast.net and she will record it all for the school. She also has forms she can send you to fill out electronically and email back, or you can print and hand write your hours in. Libby and Kathy will also keep a clipboard at the front desk with a log. Please remember to sign in and sign out when volunteering at the school. A form will also be on the CSCA website soon.

This info that we gather will be an important indicator on Center School parent participation. This could be helpful for prospective parents touring school or for funding opportunities.

Sophomore and Junior Parents Please Pay it Forward!

We have had no response to the call for a senior event coordinator volunteer.  Most of us want to make senior year and the events surrounding high school graduation a special time for our children.  The best way for junior and sophomore parents to learn more about The Center School's senior traditions is to GET INVOLVED THIS YEAR, BEFORE YOUR CHILDREN ARE SENIORS.

Learn working alongside me, as I did last year alongside the senior parent coordinator before me.  Because once my son graduates, I will no longer be at TCS, and unfortunately my knowledge of senior events leaves also. 

I also would like to thank all those senior parents who have volunteered for senior events.  If you are interested we still have many spots that need to be filled.  Please contact Laura Burns at lbsupler@comcast.net or 206-935-6229.

DISTRICT NEWS

The Seattle School Board unanimously adopted new attendance area boundaries on November 18, 2009. The implementation of the new plan will take place in phases, beginning in the 2010-11 school year; the assignment rules for the current 2009-10 school year will remain the same. Current SPS students may remain at their schools through the highest grade as long as the services the student needs are available at that school. We have created a new Implementation Web site to help families remain informed about the implementation of the new student assignment plan and development of the transition plan. The transition plan will consider, among other factors, kindergarten sibling grandfathering, transportation and developing educational programs for buildings that will open in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

One of our next steps is to identify the grade K-4 students who currently attend school outside of their new attendance area boundary and contact their families by mail to gather information about whether they have any incoming kindergarteners. This information will help inform our efforts as we create the transition plan. A School Board work session on the transition plan is scheduled for December 16th and the School Board is scheduled to vote on the plan in January.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Roots of Empathy Presents Mary Gordon

Tuesday, December 8 – 7:00 to 9:00 pm

Town Hall

Roots of Empathy and ParentMap are partnering to bring internationally renowned speaker Mary Gordon to Seattle for a free public event on Tuesday, December 8th from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Town Hall. Mary Gordon is the Founder/President of Roots of Empathy, an evidence-based classroom program whose mission is to build caring, peaceful and civil societies through the development of empathy in children and adults. Roots of Empathy is offered in thousands of schools across Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. Thanks to a three year grant by the Kirlin and John & Nancy Sabol Foundations, Seattle Public Schools was the first major US urban school district to welcome Roots of Empathy into a number of our elementary schools. For more information click here. 

Survey re:  Old Hay School

As you are probably aware, the District plans to reopen the Old Hay school in the fall of 2010 as a way to alleviate the overcrowding in the Queen Anne and Magnolia. The district has proposed making this an option school (an All City Draw), with a Montessori or International curriculum. However, they have not made a final decision.

This is your chance to voice your opinion! A Magnolia parent has volunteered her time and created a short survey to assess the level of community interest in various program options. This is not a SSIA initiative, but I am helping to distribute it to make sure as many families as possible have a chance to weigh in.

Please complete this quick 10 question survey about Old Hay to give our district officials the feedback they need to make the best decision for our neighborhoods.  Since this survey has been sent out to multiple groups, please do not complete the survey more than once.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=J7YkDxlWDLuiVvQxIEVctw_3d_3d

- Lisa Moore, SSIA

Paid Math Tutor Positions with SSIA

Parents, Guardians and Community Members:

Successful Schools in Action (www.schoolsinaction.org) is seeking individuals interested in part-time, paid math tutor positions for our middle school programs at McClure and Catharine Blaine. In your resume or letter of introduction, please include the following:

·        Any knowledge of school district curriculum, or other mathematical skills

·        A description of your experience working or volunteering with students 

·        Your availability to work a part-time, flexible schedule between 4 and 10 hrs/wk.

Training will be available.  This position pays $13/hr.

Resumes and letters may be sent to Flo Minehan: FloMinehan@schoolsinaction.org

Email only please.

SSIA is an equal opportunity employer.

P.E. OPPORTUNITIES

SERVICE LEARNING

Remember! TCS students are required to complete 60 hours of community service before graduation. It's never too early to start!

Tree Planting in Previously Knotweed Infested Areas

Saturday, December 12 - 9:30am to 12:30pm, Maple Valley

It's estimated that about 34 million Christmas trees are cut down each year in the US.  Come replenish the earth and plant native trees before the holidays.

Jingle Bell Run

Sunday December 13 

Volunteer for up to 5 hours.  Don’t forget to bring a Service Learning form for signatures.  Duties that you can provide:  Coat check, greeter, registration, will-call, T Shirts, directions, 5K marshal, finish line, water/food and more. Go to seattlejinglebellrun@arthritis.org for registration and, if under 18, a parent/guardian permission form to bring with you to the event.

INTERNSHIP & JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Washington State Senate Page Program

Each year, hundreds of middle and high school students take part in the State Senate’s page program.  Pages, a paid position, provide invaluable services to legislators and staff during the legislative session.  But, most importantly, they receive a hands-on civics lesson.

During their week of service, pages, who are 14 to 16 years of age, attend classes in the page school designed to teach students about state government and the legislative process.  They also listen to guest speakers, tour the buildings on the capital campus, and learn how to draft bills.

To find out more, visit:  http://www.leg.wa.gov/senate/administration/pageprogram/

You can contact Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles office to apply:  http://senatedemocrats.wa.gov/senators/kohlwelles/

COLLEGE & CAREER EXPLORATION

From The Center School’s College/Career Center

Attached is a listing of scholarships that may help you with finances as well as some useful and free college preparation web sites.

-         Barbara Quintana, College/Career Center Specialist

Available on Thursdays at The Center School

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

COLLEGE TESTING

SAT Test Dates

To register online:  www.collegeboard.org/sat

ACT Test Dates

To register online:  www.actstudent.org/regist/

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