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A CSCA Publication

What's HOT the week of October 3, 2022

After Apple-Picking

by Robert Frost



My long two-pointed ladder's sticking through a tree

Toward heaven still,

And there's a barrel that I didn't fill

Beside it, and there may be two or three

Apples I didn't pick upon some bough.

But I am done with apple-picking now.

Essence of winter sleep is on the night,

The scent of apples: I am drowsing off.

I cannot rub the strangeness from my sight

I got from looking through a pane of glass

I skimmed this morning from the drinking trough

And held against the world of hoary grass.

It melted, and I let it fall and break.

But I was well

Upon my way to sleep before it fell,

And I could tell

What form my dreaming was about to take.

Magnified apples appear and disappear,

Stem end and blossom end,

And every fleck of russet showing clear.

My instep arch not only keeps the ache,

It keeps the pressure of a ladder-round.

I feel the ladder sway as the boughs bend.

And I keep hearing from the cellar bin

The rumbling sound

Of load on load of apples coming in.

For I have had too much

Of apple-picking: I am overtired

Of the great harvest I myself desired.

There were ten thousand thousand fruit to touch,

Cherish in hand, lift down, and not let fall.

For all

That struck the earth,

No matter if not bruised or spiked with stubble,

Went surely to the cider-apple heap

As of no worth.

One can see what will trouble

This sleep of mine, whatever sleep it is.

Were he not gone,

The woodchuck could say whether it's like his

Long sleep, as I describe its coming on,

Or just some human sleep.

New in This Week's Dragon's Fire:

• Have You Returned Your Start of Year Forms?
• CSCA Board Meeting Recap
• Join Us Oct 13 for Our First Family Meeting
• Thank You 9th & 10th Grade Families
• Junior Class Families: Won't You Join Us?
• Why Rejoin the CSCA
• Problems with the Membership Form?
• Running Start Fall Quarter Schedule
• New Items on the Bulletin Board

Have You Returned Your Start of Year Forms?

If you have not yet done so, please fill out and return the Emergency Release and FERPA forms to Ms Tracy at tlott@seattleschools.org or via your student. Please note that these are separate from the Data Verification form available on the Source. Please don't make Ms Tracy hunt you down. These forms are for your students' safety. All forms are available in a variety of languages on the SPS website.

Board Meeting Recap

Kids are back!

We laughed and nope, this time we didn't have to cry! Dr Casey and Ms Hayes (our school counselor) reported that school has started out much more smoothly this year. Students are engaged and energized without the anger they came back with last year. They also seem to have caught up in their social maturity and are interacting positively with staff and each other. If your student is struggling, you will hear from Dr Casey and Ms Hayes, but for the most part, students seem happy to be at school. If your student is tired when they come, it's because they're putting their energy into school!

Teachers and staff are our partners:

Parents, many of us chose TCS because we knew our kids needed something other than the big industrial high school experience. If you're coming off a tough pandemic or middle school experience, it can be hard to readjust to a collaborative environment where kids are valued as individuals. Some of us aren't used to staff and teachers who know and genuinely care about our kids. But that's TCS! Remember that you chose this school for a reason. If you're not sure how to handle a concern with staff, contact any of your CSCA board members to talk things through (you can find CSCA emails here). It's our collective experience that TCS staff are responsive and collaborative in addressing issues with our students' best interests in mind. Our teachers and staff are our partners!

New support staff:

We have a number of fantastic new staff this year to support our students' well being. These include our care coordinator, Angel Graves, who has taken over coordinating 504 plans and our part-time school psychologist, Heather Schilling, who is managing IEPs. Please be patient as we work through your students' individual plans. About 40% of TCS students have either a 504 plan or an IEP and teachers and staff are working hard to meet their needs. This is an area where collaboration between families and staff is key to student success. Look for more information coming up on how you can help your student advocate for their own needs at school.

Cell phones in class:

Please remind your students to turn off and put away their cell phones during class. Dr Casey hasn't had to take away any phones yet this year, but there are a few students who are having trouble disengaging from the digital to participate in class.

Campus safety:

Just a reminder that the our school is in a busy public building in a busy part of the city. There are part of the building that are off limits to students for safety reasons. Staff work hard to keep eyes on your student during the day to ensure that all TCS students remain safe and accounted for. Please remind your students to respect off limits areas for their own safety. We are also very fortunate to have Armory security watching the building and they know many of our students by sight. Students can contact security with any safety concerns at 206-684-7272. 

Join Us Oct 13 for Our First Family Meeting

We've had so many families join the CSCA this fall! We hope to see you all at our first parents and guardians meeting Thu, Oct 13 at 6:30 pm via Zoom. Join us for an informative and light-hearted evening to start the year off right:

• Meet your board and committee members (we're a funny, not very serious bunch of fellow parents)
• Hear from Dr Casey about how the year has started and how you can partner with teachers and staff to help your students take charge of their academic experience
• Hear from our counselor (Michele Hayes), our care coordinator (Angel Graves), and our college and career counselor (Edward Rho)
• Ask questions

We'll meet in person for some socializing before curriculum night later this month, but let's start the year together next Thu!

Look for the Zoom link next week in the DF and in a separate email invitation.

Thank You 9th & 10th Grade Families

Wow and thank you! We so appreciate such strong engagement from our 9th and 10th grade families. So many of you have joined the CSCA this year. And so many of you have expressed an interest in helping with committees and events. We'll be in touch soon to find out more about how you'd like to be involved. We're looking forward to getting to know you all!

Junior Class Families: Won't You Join Us?

Your students are the only class who started high school fully remote. What a way to start this time of important academic progress, social growth, and new independence. No wonder you feel disconnected. But TCS is still your school for another two years. It's not too late connect with your school community. Join with other families to share the joys and hardships of parenting teens and to help steer our special school into a post pandemic future. Won't you join us?

If you'd prefer to mail a check, download the membership form and mail to the address on the form. If you would like help with dues, please contact member chair, Monica Payson. 

Why Rejoin the CSCA?

If you joined the CSCA in previous years, please take a moment to rejoin. Our membership list does not roll over from one year to the next, and we won't know that you're still interested unless you log in and rejoin. Your membership helps us support our students and teachers and keep our unique school thriving. You can rejoin in minutes using our online system, MemberPlanet.

The system will prompt you to pay dues again. If you can pay again, your dues go to support our parent organizations that represent us at the city and state levels. But we also understand that dues can be stretch. Please contact member chair, Monica Payson, if you would like help with dues. We value your participation!

If you'd prefer to mail a check, download the membership form and mail to the address on the form.

Problems with the Membership Form?

Ahh, the vagaries of the internet. We've been told that Firefox doesn't like our MemberPlant membership platform. If you're having trouble with the renewal form online, try launching the form in a different browser. If that doesn't work, please don't give up. Contact membership chair, Monica Payson, at monica@paysley.net for help. Or join the old fashioned way by sending in a paper membership form.

Help Fill Ms Neel's Snack Box

Ms. Neel’s classroom snack box is almost empty! Help keep it stocked with nutritious foods for TCS students! Shop via the Amazon classroom wish list with requested snack boxes. Or deliver non Amazon donations directly to Ms. Neel in room 369. Please make sure they’re pre-packaged, single-serving, and healthy goodies. The snack box is located under Ms. Neel’s desk in room 369 and is open to all hungry students. No one should be learning on an empty belly. Thank you!

School Day PSAT & SAT

The school-day PSAT and SAT are coming up on Wed, Oct 12. The test will start at TCS at 9 am. Students will need to arrive at school and be in the at the commons 30 minutes prior to testing for preparation. We're still working on logistics for specific rooms because we don't know how many students will be testing. We will post final details when they are available.

If your junior or senior student has not already filled out the testing survey, please have them do so now. Survey results help us plan appropriately so that all students who want to test can do so.

• 11th grade: https://forms.office.com/r/X8gSGUM8ns
• 12th grade: https://forms.office.com/r/Xb0jgptcwQ

Questions about testing? Contact Mr Rho at ewrho@seattleschools.org.

Skills Center in the 2022-23 School Year

We have classes in a wide range of career pathways at several locations around the city. Any high school student may take school year Skills Center courses, however these courses tend to fit more easily into the schedules of 11th and 12th grade students.

• Classes run 2.5 hours, Monday through Friday (early dismissal on Wednesday).
• Students earn three high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) credits.
• Some courses offer chances to earn math, science, fine arts, or English high school credit, dual college credit, and industry certifications.
• Some courses may lead to opportunities for internships, pre-apprenticeships, and apprenticeships.
• Students may take a Skills Center course at any location, regardless of the high school they attend.
• Transportation is provided to and from Skills Center courses from a student’s home school during the school year.

Sign up online and talk to your school counselor to make sure the class fits your schedule.

Please let us know if you have questions about Skills Center classes. Email skillscenterinfo@seattleschools.org with questions, and follow us on Twitter @SPSSkillsCenter for updates and photos.

Check out our application.

Fall Quarter Calendar

Important Academic Dates for Fall Quarter:

• Oct 7: Last day to drop a class without a “W” on the transcript
• Oct 31: Registration begins for Winter Quarter
• Nov 18: Last day to withdraw from a class (a “W” will be on the transcript)
• Dec 15: Fall Quarter ends
• Dec 19: Final grades for Fall Quarter available
• Jan 3: Winter Quarter begins

Holidays/No Class Days in Fall Quarter 2022:

• Nov 2: Faculty professional development day 
• Nov 11: Veteran’s Day
• Nov 24 & 25: Holiday

School Day PSAT & SAT is for Running Start Students Too

The school-day PSAT and SAT are coming up on Wed, Oct 12. The test will start at TCS at 9 am. Students will need to arrive at school and be in the commons 30 minutes prior to testing for preparation. We're still working on logistics for specific rooms because we don't know how many students will be testing. We will post final details when they are available.

Running Start students, please fill out the testing survey to signal your intention to participate. Survey results help us plan appropriately so that all students who want to test can do so.

• 11th grade: https://forms.office.com/r/X8gSGUM8ns
• 12th grade: https://forms.office.com/r/Xb0jgptcwQ

Read more at the PSAT and SAT from SPS.

Questions about testing? Contact Mr Rho at ewrho@seattleschools.org.

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.

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.

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