New in this week's Dragon's Fire

TCS Community:

I’d like to introduce myself as your CSCA President this year. If you are a returning family, welcome back! And welcome to families who are new to The Center School this year! It’s hard to imagine that the last time we were all on campus together was March 13th. And it's difficult to accept that as we start the new school year, we are doing so remotely. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us all to do things differently, and school life is not immune to the need for change.

As we begin the 2020-2021 school year under the distance learning model, I’m reminded why my son choose The Center School last year. At its core, The Center School is built on community. This is one of the key pillars of TCS, and is something we don’t often get to see in larger schools. Every year, for the first two weeks of school, TCS focuses on giving the students the ability to get to know one another in order to build connection and a sense of belonging. These connections are built upon throughout the school year, something I know many of us are keenly aware our students are craving. The other focus during these first two weeks, are the teachers and staff truly getting to know the students; no one is lost in the shuffle and this time spent getting to know the students results in fostering great learning relationships. Throughout this past week of working through glitches and the fine tuning of our new virtual classrooms, the one thing that was stable was The Center School’s commitment to creating a community for our students.

So, what about us parents, guardians, and family members? Well, this year, more than ever, we need to stay committed and involved so we have the resources and support to respond to the unique challenges of recreating a virtual school this year. The CSCA is working with Dr. Casey and our fantastic TCS staff on new ways to reimagine Community Communication, Clubs, Virtual Commons, Community Events, Teacher’s grants, Curriculum Night, and on, and on.

Much of what the CSCA is able to do is through volunteerism and donations. There are many ways you can be involved, both big and small, whatever fits your needs. Since TCS is not a neighborhood school, our students and their families are coming from all over the city. The CSCA is an incredible way to stay connected with what is happening at the school and meet other parents.

Where to start (this week):

We would love to see you join CSCA in whatever way you feel you can best help. All help and talents are encouraged and appreciated. The more voices we have representing our school and our students, the stronger the school will be and the better experience our students will have.

I am honored to be serving as the CSCA President this year. I look forward to working with students, families, and staff to make 2020–2021 another successful school year at The Center School!

Sincerely,

Erika Borges, CSCA President

 A great way to feel more connected to The Center School is to join the CSCA Board! We need new people to fill positions that are still open.

If you'd like to volunteer contact Molly Goldman at molly.goldman@gmail.com.

One of the best ways to stay connected to what's happening at school and to meet other parents is to attend our board and parent/guardian meetings throughout the year. Upcoming meetings are posted in the Important dates section at the top of the Dragon's Fire. Zoom links will be sent out via the Dragon's Fire distribution list prior to each meeting. See the list of dates for the full school year.

To join online, go to MemberPlanet. Click "View The Packet" and then follow the prompts to log in or to set up your new account. It's easy to sign up and there are a lot of great member benefits!

MemberPlanet is our official membership, financial, and communication software provider. It only takes a few moments to fill out your information in the database and you can even pay your CSCA membership dues online.

Note: Even if you choose not to join the CSCA at this time, please put your information in the database so we can keep you in the loop about what is happening at TCS.

Amazon donates 5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the CSCA. Donations allow CSCA to fund the programs that make TCS the amazing place it is!

One of the ways TCS stands out from other schools is the community we build: one which many students have been seeking throughout all their years of school. During this time of remote learning, we need to build our community virtually. And MS Teams is our way to do just that!

Everyone at TCS is part of the “TCS – All Community-O365” Team. This is our central communication hub outside of classroom meetings. It serves as a virtual community allowing for general announcements and channels for more targeted non-classroom conversations (career and college readiness, interfacing with administrative staff, etc.), faculty-sponsored clubs, and even a space to share student-created media (which is so important to us as an arts-based school). Basically, if the discussion would “normally” happen on campus, it can now happen in Teams!

Please make sure your student can see the TCS – All Community team. If not, have them go to the “Join or Create a Team” option and enter the code c1fhhh0. Be sure to download the Teams desktop app for full feature functionality.

In the TCS – All Community team, students will have access to all kinds of channels. They are welcome to explore! Here are some highlights:

Encourage your student to join in and help create a TCS virtual community!

Feeling Confused about online school? You're not alone! As we move into the first week of regular online classes, we're providing the following at-a-glance resources to help you understand daily schedules, online tools, and communication channels.

Attendance will be tracked for online classes. If your student will have an excused absence or tardy, please follow the regular attendance procedures by calling or emailing Kathy Webb in the attendance office:

Email: kawebb@seattleschool.org

Phone: 206.252.9785

Parents will continue to receive robo calls notifying them of tardies and absences just like during regular school.

Edward Rho, TCS Career Center Specialist is available via the College and Career Corner channel in Teams to connect with students. Please check out the TCS Career Center page for career opportunities, scholarships, internships, and financial aid posts/updates. If your student needs to speak with Edward about their career choices after high school, please reach out to him in Teams or email him at ewrho@seattleschools.org.

Also check out the TCS Career Center page.

Flu Shots: Flu shots are the single best way to protect students, staff and families from getting influenza. Flu and COVID-19 symptoms are similar. The Center for Disease Control recommends everyone over six months to be vaccinated against the flu. Following COVID precautions, Seattle Visiting Nurse Association (SVNA) offers 32 drive through flu shot clinics at 16 school buildings Sep – Oct 2. Parents can register all family members for a flu shot online. SVNA accepts Apple Health, Medicare, and most private insurance (not TriCare or CIGNA) as well as credit cards. Make your appointment through the Seattle Visiting Nurse Association's online form.

School-based health centers also offer flu shots to any SPS student. Flu shots and other services are available with or without insurance. To get a flu shot at a school-based health center, contact the center directly. See a list and map of schools with school-based health centers. TCS students often use Ballard Teen Health Center (206-390-3355).

Expanded Health Services: All SPS students can access mental and physical health services through our many school-based health centers. Services include well-child exams, sports physicals, immunizations and flu shots, mental health support, reproductive health care, access for health insurance, and prescriptions for medications for chronic conditions such as asthma.

Typically TCS students access the Ballard Teen Health Center (but they are allowed to go to any Teen Health Center in the District). The staff at the Ballard Teen Health Center can see students by appointment on Mondays and Fridays. Please call 206-296-4639 or email the nurse practitioner karen.boudour@swedish.org to make an appointment or contact TCS nurse Amnah King for help setting up an appointment.

These are particularly stressful times for teens. Check out these resources for extra support for teen mental health:

All students who qualify for free or reduced price meals receive meals free of charge. Apply for free and reduced price meals for your student using the SPS safe, private, and secure application. You can also apply using a paper application in a variety of languages.

Did you know that if you are 16 or 17 years old, you can sign up now to be automatically registered to vote when you turn 18? In order to qualify as a Future Voter, you must be at least 16 years old, a US citizen, and a WA resident. Every US citizen who is 18 or older or will turn 18 by Nov 3 can vote in the upcoming election. So get registered to vote and be part of the change you want to see!