CSCA Publication
WHAT'S HOT Week of December 17, 2018
As 2018 comes to a close, please consider making a donation to help CSCA continue providing support to TCS. Our funding makes a difference!
Please click here to give to our Annual Fund or return the donation form mailed in November. Thank you!
IMPORTANT DATES

DEC 17-21
HOLIDAY SPIRIT WEEK!


DEC 18
4pm
Building Leadership Team meeting

DEC 18
6:30-8:30pm
CSCA Board Meeting 
All are welcome! 

DEC 21
Alumni Brunch
10:25-11:25
Loft 3
See details--->

DEC 21
Staff Appreciation!
COOKIEPALOOZA
Warm up those ovens, it's time to show staff some love with cookies!

DEC 24 '18 - JAN 4 '19
Winter Break
Happy Holidays!
 
JAN 15
MLK Assembly
McCaw Hall 
(Community Meeting Schedule - No MASH)
 
JAN 24
6:30-8:30pm
TCS Open House for Prospective Students

JAN 31
6-8pm
Community Service Night

MARCH 29
TCS Beach Party & Auction

FRIDAYS 
Coffee/Tea w/ the Principal
Per Scheduling with the  Front Office 206-252-9850

Please check the school website regularly for complete schedule and updates! 
 




 
Ms. Neel is a new and already beloved TCS educator. Help her stock her classroom with
this wish list!

Mr. Scilletta has set up this wishlist to help get supplies for his upcoming science project on soapmaking.

We are also still looking for:

  • Fridge without automatic defrost (Science Dept.)
  • Two black wheeling office chairs (Science Dept.)
  • White, black, or gray mat board - the larger the better (Art Dept.)
  • Wood frames (new or used) with glass and hanging wire on the back. In good condition, less-ornate black preferred in 8x10 minimum up to 18x24 (Art Dept.)
  • People who are willing to cut beveled windows in mat board (cutting party to be announced)
 
Please let  Molly Goldman
know if you have a lead or would like to sponsor these needs.  Thanks! 
REMINDER: Reminder: TCS students get discounted monorail passes. Bring student ID or transportation notice (or have Ms. Tracey print out a notice that you attend TCS) and show at monorail office to get your $25 monthly pass.
CENTER SCHOOL 
PARKING INSTRUCTIONS
We have parking passes at the front desk. If you have access to a printer, we can email you the pass for the date of your visit. Just email either Tracey Lott or Kathy Webb with the date of your visit and we will email you a pass for that exact date. 
DISTRICT CALENDAR
Click calendar icon for
upcoming events :

(CSCA) CENTER SCHOOL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
The CSCA is our PTA. Our purpose is to work the for betterment of Center School for all students. 

2018-2019 Executive Board

Co-Presidents

Heidi Raykeil Malinda Bailey
Co-Vice Presidents

Hannah Morgan TBD
Co-Secretaries

Leanne Larkin Maizun Blackbird
Co-Treasurers

Andrea Anderson Frank Lockhart

 
The Center School Parents is a closed group.

DRAGON'S FIRE WANTS YOU!   

Dragon's Fire wants to hear about what's going on in our school community.

Please submit articles and pictures to  Dragon's Fire  by 3 PM on Friday 
to be in the following week's newsletter.

Do you know anyone who should be getting Dragon's Fire but isn't? Just send them this link! 


Amazon donates 5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases  to the CSCA which funds the programs that make The Center School what it is. 

DRAGONWEAR 
Click here to purchase TCS gear. 
This is great way for the ASB to raise funds for their programs and events!

This is the last issue of 2018! Watch for the first one of 2019 coming on Sunday, January 6th. We hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday break!
A MESSAGE FROM DR. CASEY
Thank you, CSCA and parents, for an amazing and productive 2018 in The Center School community. Your support at the Open Houses proactively contributes to recruitment and retention of students calling TCS home. The mini-grants and the financial support in classrooms and staff professional development are vital in providing a diversity of project-based learning experiences and opportunities for TCS students. The Center School enrollment continues to hold steady at 247 exceptional students who actively define and provide a foundation of artistic creativity and resonance within a school community committed to social 
activism and racial diversity. Your partnership and your support are vital to the school's mission to "empower and inspire all students to positively impact our world".
 
As we navigate into our final week of school engagement in 2018, remember that for some students the absence of school could present social-emotional hardships and disconnect so please check in with them this week and let the school know if supports are needed from our resource base. We are excited to step into Winter Break from December 24 - January 4, 2019. It is within this excitement that we extend Happy Holiday greetings from our school house to your homes.

 

Have a wonderful Winter Break everyone and thank you. It remains an honor serving as your Principal at The Center School.

 

Dr. Casey (Barbara)
LAST CALL FOR COOKIES!
We still need your help in showing  our amazing school staff some love this holiday season! Sign Up Here!

If you can't contribute cookies, you can always give to the Annual Fund that pays for the luncheon appreciation in spring. And, of course, students and families can participate on their own with notes of thanks and appreciation!
TCS ALUMNI BRUNCH- SPREAD THE WORD! 
Please help get the word out to TCS alums: Come reconnect with aging staff members and connect with the next generation of Center School students; they could use your insight! This tradition, begun by Molly Pritchard, includes free food and beverages and takes place at  10:25 AM - 11:25 AM in Loft 3, near the school's entrance. 

We could use a few parent volunteers to help purchase and set up food and clean up. This is always such a fun and inspiring event to attend! Please let Molly Goldman know if you can help out. 
SEATTLE CENTER TRANSPORTATION UPDATES
Dr. Casey recently received this information and is passing it on to TCS families. 

is maintained on the Seattle Center homepage. It's tailored to Seattle Center, and it has links to other information pages related to Metro bus service, light rail, Monorail and Arena construction. The page is updated weekly.

And check out the most updated Realign 99 information from WSDOT.
PSAT SCORES ARE IN! 
Ask your 10th or 11th grade student to see their PSAT Score Report, which will be given out through next Wednesday 12/19 in the Humanities classes. 
 
The report contains a wealth of information, besides just the actual score (reading/writing, math, and total).  Each student has a unique access code that links to Kahn Academy, the free, personalized SAT practice course that provides practice SAT subtests and also hones in on specific skill areas for improvement in test-taking and also general academics (hello 10th graders!).
 
Students are given their actual test booklet from the 10/8/18 exam, because the report also provides individual feedback on each specific test question.
 
Note:  the School Day SAT administration here at TCS is Wednesday, March 6th, 2019
 
For more questions after reviewing the report, contact:
 
Head Counselor (& Testing Coordinator)
The Center School
(206) 252-9852

LEVY NEWS FROM OUR SUPERINTENDENT
There have been recent changes in how schools are funded in Washington state. While new state funding addresses some critical longtime funding needs, not all state dollars collected from Seattle homeowners will stay in our district. For Seattle Public Schools, the new funding formula has created a gap between what the state funds and what our students need to succeed.  Voter-approved levies help bridge that funding gap .
 
In February 2019, Seattle voters will be asked to renew their commitment to our students and consider replacing two critical levies - one that funds day-to-day operations including educator and staff salaries, Special Education, and textbooks and instructional materials; and one that funds the maintenance and renovation of our aging schools and new construction (BEXV).
 
You can watch and share this video to get a better understanding of how school funding works at SPS and the steps we are taking to bridge the funding gap. Additionally, the Office of Public Affairs has created a folder of printable resources, including a one-page overview, a map of BEXV proposed projects, and talking points. Resources will continue to be added to this location. And, in case you missed it, Chris Reykdal has published an Op-ed in the Seattle Times about the importance of our levies.
REMINDER FOR PARENTS!
Now is the time to make sure all students, including Seniors, are passing their courses with a grade of 60% (or above if you're applying for college) in order to earn credit for graduation.

Parents/Guardians can help by collaborating and asking if you can assist with:
  • Making sure homework is completed AND TURNED IN. 
  • Setting goals and calmly asking about progress.
  • Confirming grading policies and timelines.
  • Tracking D and E grades to develop an action plan to correct.
  • Getting plenty of sleep and eating properly.
  • Finding ways to de-stress in a healthy way and remaining calm.
TEENTIX NEWSROOM:  CALLING ALL WRITERS
Are you a teen who is...
Passionate about the arts? An avid writer? Cool? Collaborative? Creative? Punctual? A critical thinker? Interested in working with t een editors? And, most importantly, do you want to get your work published and get PAID? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, the TeenTix Newsroom is the place for you!  Don't wait to apply - the form closes this Friday, December 14. Click here! 
COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY
Green Lake Elementary School needs help with their sets for their upcoming production of The Lion, The  Witch and The Wardrobe. They need a few creative artists to paint a winter backdrop scene, a spring scene, The Wardr obe, and a few other projects. What a great way to earn community service hours-painting sets for little kids! 

Sets need to be completed by January 25th.  If interested, please contact the director (and TCS parent) at  [email protected] . 
JOBS, INTERNSHIPS & OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Check out the links below for a wealth of opportunities available to TCS students!
TWO MESSAGES TO SENIORS FROM MRS. D

1. 
THIS IS YOUR LIFE...

Last week I had an opportunity to meet with almost every TCS Senior to discuss post-secondary plans and completing the FAFSA.  I'd like to thank Mr. Greenberg for allowing me to pull students out, and thank each student for being so open and honest. 

Some of our students have taken charge of their plans and have already been accepted into college programs. Others have made plans to work and have already found jobs. For some of those who are struggling a bit we've scheduled a meeting for this coming week. Many college deadlines are fast approaching with a December 31st application due date.  

IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING WITH DEVELOPING OR COMPLETING YOUR PLAN, PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY FOR AN APPOINTMENT FOR NEXT TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY.

This is your life. Having a plan will reduce your stress; reduce your parents/guardians' stress; increase your options; help you go where you want to go with confidence.

2. Senior-itis is not a Myth!   
Senior-itis is a real thing and sometimes it starts when you're a Freshman. Please don't get caught in the loop of not getting your homework done - especially if you're a Junior or Senior. Colleges and employers are looking for folks that demonstrate an ability to complete tasks in a timely manner and create a final product that they can be proud of. You can do this. All it takes is a bit of planning and belief that you're worth the time and effort. And, just in case you're wondering...

You completely, totally, absolutely, definitely are worth your time! 

So  Students & parents/guardians, p lease feel free to stop by or send Mrs. de Normandie an email if you need some help getting motivated or organized. Here are a few tips to help get you started:
  • Making sure homework is completed AND TURNED IN. 
  • Setting goals and calmly asking about progress.
  • Confirming grading policies and timelines.
  • Tracking D and E grades to develop an action plan to correct.
  • Getting plenty of sleep and eating properly.
  • Finding ways to de-stress in a healthy way and remaining calm.
SAT / ACT TESTING DATES AND INFORMATION
Click these links for information. Questions? Contact Mrs. deNormandie.
GAP YEAR INFORMATION FAIR
February 13, 2019
Roosevelt High School
1410 NE 66th St., Seattle, WA 98115
Presentation: 6:00pm - 6:45pm
Fair: 6:45pm - 8:30pm

Register for the Gap Year fair and only give your contact info to programs that really interest you and have scholarships/volunteer opportunities.
SCHEDULED COLLEGE REP VISITS!  
Look on Naviance to see the calendar of which colleges are sending representatives to TCS

Tuesday, 1/8
12:30pm		 Pacific Northwest College of Art
Taylor Mund
SCHOLARSHIPS       
Soon we'll be celebrating the holiday season with a couple of weeks off. Please take some time to relax AND  make plans to spend someone else's money by applying for scholarships.

Scholarship tools can be found by navigating to Colleges Home > Scholarships & Money.
The Center School Website | http://centerhs.seattleschools.org/