The Arts Curriculum

Over the past several months, the teachers and I have spent a great deal of time discussing program changes for the coming years, especially as they relate to the arts.

As stated in our Mission, students at The Center School experience a rigorous core academic program that emphasizes the arts and technology. This year all students completed exploratory classes in music, dance, drama, and the digital arts.

Next year 10th and 11th graders will continue their studies in the arts to a greater degree. Students will be asked to choose a "pathway" in one of three areas: lit erary, performance, or visual arts. They will be expected to attain mastery of their chosen pathway, as evidenced by a performance assessment before they graduate.

Recently we asked students to indicate their interest in a variety of courses — including, for example, studio art, digital art, drama, dance, creative writing, yearbook, and jazz band — and we were very satisfied with the result; selection of arts classes was balanced across the three pathways.

One of the unique features of our small school is that although the number and scope of arts electives is smaller than is usually found in large high schools, students will have an opportunity to take many of them.

We plan to offer 11th graders advanced studies in workshop settings in which they can pursue their studies in greater depth. This work will evolve into introductory internships in the latter half of the 11th grade, and a more extensive internship experience in 12th grade.

We are fortunate to have partnerships with a variety of Seattle Center organizations, and are talking to them about a greater involvement in our arts program (and core classes as well) beginning next year. Their engagement with our school is invaluable.

In the coming months the teachers and I plan to continue our work on the core curriculum as well as the arts curriculum; we will develop graduation performance assessments in each core subject just as we do for the arts.

As students progress through this school, our focus will always target a challenging, standards-based instructional program that prepares each student for a successful and meaningful post-secondary educational experience.

Judith Peterson, Principal

Christopher Drajem, Humanities and Drama

"One of the greatest joys of teaching at The Center School is that it feels like coming home to me," says Mr. Drajem. "For as long as I have lived in Seattle, I have worked in one capacity or another with the various theater organizations on the Seattle Center campus, and it is a real treat for me still to be involved with those organizations as a member of The Center School staff."

Mr. Drajem is originally from Buffalo, New York (where he was recently housebound for two days in a De cember snowstorm). He attended John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio, where he majored in English and minored in Political Science. After working for two years as a substitute teacher in Buffalo, he moved to Seattle in 1993 and fell in love with the Pacific Northwest.

After a brief stint as a bicycle messenger, he interned at the Seattle Children's Theatre and taught drama at the Bainbridge Performing Arts Center. He continued to teach drama for the SCT and Seattle Repertory Theatre, and worked as the production stage manager on Bainbridge Island. "I also acted in many sparsely attended productions at numerous small fringe theatres," he says, "and worked as a member of Open Door Theatre, an educational theatre company promoting personal safety and sexual abuse prevention in King and Snohomish Counties."

As a director and educator, Mr. Drajem worked for Seattle Children's Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Two Roads Theatre Ensemble (in residence at McClure Middle School), Studio East, and Endings Unlimited. He also worked on staff at the Seattle Children's Theatre as the Dramashop Coordinator, scheduling and conducting workshops for students who attended SCT productions.

He received his teaching certificate and Master's degree from Antioch University in Seattle, and completed his student teaching at Franklin High School last year. "A portion of my Master's work involved an integrated oral history and drama project at Franklin that I hope to implement here at The Center School," he says. This is his first year teaching full-time.

During his limited free time, Mr. Drajem enjoys reading, cross country skiing, hiking and travel. He is the proud co-owner of his first home, on Beacon Hill, with his partner Patrick.

Summer Opportunities

Would you like to spend time this summer working in a national park, learning how to row a shell, or becoming a naturalist at the aquarium? The summer is an excellent time to work on fulfilling graduation requirements in service learning and physical education.

I have been collecting fliers and contact information for various organizations and programs that offer opportunities for students during the summer. Many of these programs have sign-up deadlines in the spring.

Please contact me if you are interested in earning P.E. or service learning hours this summer. Remember that service learning hours and P.E. hours must be pre-approved, so be sure to plan ahead!

High School Planning

In the next several weeks we will be solidifying our academic and elective program for next year. Students have already given us feedback regarding their specific interests in the arts. We will use our advisory classes to continue that discussion and to work with students in developing plans on how they will move through The Center School's academic program.

I am near completion of a Personal Learning Plan that students will use to help in their planning. This plan will include the tracking of credits and planning for tests like the PSAT, SAT and ACT.

Also, it is not too early to begin discussions with students about their post-high school plans and what they need to accomplish now in order to fulfill those plans. I am currently evaluating software to use with students to help them explore career interests and aptitudes, as well as college searches, which will help with this process.

Brian Vance, Counselor

The CSCA became an official member of the Washington State PTSA on Feb. 6. We are PTSA Unit #6.15.463.

Please see the enclosed ivory sheet for minutes of the Feb. 4 meeting.

Parent Meeting March 26

The next parent meeting will be held on Tues., Mar. 26 at 7:00 p.m. at the Center House Performance Studio, which is located on the first floor of the Center House. (Known as the lower level to some, it is on the same level as the Children's Museum.)

Among the topics to be discussed will be the new space. We hope to see you there!

Lately in Advisory Senate we have been planning quite a few events.

The most recent event we held was a movie night, on Jan. 31. We rented 18 movies, which ran all night long (not in all the rooms, however — some people slept!). It was a lot of fun. Parents donated a good amount of food, including $150 worth of pizza from Nancy Searle (Tyler's mom). We even had an old-fashioned popcorn machine, loaned by Lori Hansman (Jamie's mom). Admission was $6, and about 75 people showed, so we made a good profit.

Another event we are planning is a casual spring dance. It is going to be held around mid-March, in an as-yet undecided location.

We have considered having a talent show, and discussed the possibility of going to camp for two or three nights near the end of the school year. We will need some parent help to make this happen. Thank you.

Emma Epstein, 9th grade

It's said that Socrates learned to dance when he was 70 because he felt an essential part of him had been neglected. At The Center School, we like to think our scholars are gaining a leg-up (pun intended) on learning with their participation in the quarterly dance class.

From toe-taps to tango-turns, students are exposed to a variety of dance steps and styles. All told there are approximately ten genres of dance taught, from Ballroom to Ballet to Brazilian capoeira. However, teaching dance at The Center School is not just about steps and choreography. I believe that we're teaching students to live better lives.

Dance is a physical and mental discipline. Students are provided opportunities to develop body strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, creative problem-solving skills, self-discipline, organizational skills, and the ability to learn cooperatively. (They could even be credited with laundry skills for washing their required dancewear!) In addition to all this, and the bonus endorphin-rush in their brain, they gain Arts and P.E. credits.

We try to provide opportunities to appreciate dance as well as study it. So far our program has included visiting artists such as Kevin Spencer of MOAZZ, Jolayne Berg, and the Seattle Sonics DanceTeam; free field trips to the U.W. World Dance series and the Moore Theatre; and backstage tours and attendance at dress rehearsals of Pacific Northwest Ballet. The behind-the-scenes efforts of planning and producing a performance can be as interesting as the pirouettes themselves. In short, we expose students to many different aspects as well as styles of dance.

I am a fitness instructor certified by the American Council on Exercise (ACE). I am interested in getting kids to move and understand how their bodies work. Knowledge of kinesiology, anatomy and physiology helps everyone move safely and maneuver like a dancer, whether their stage is a snowboard, basketball court, kungfu mat, city sidewalk or the basement stairs.

The benefits of dancing are many: from increased motor skills, to cardiovascular health, to lean body mass, to brain development (teenagers' brains are still physically growing), the list goes on and on.

Finally, as well as being artful, dance is an expression of life. I often think of something e.e. cummings said: "I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing than to teach ten thousand stars how not to dance."

Wyn Pottinger-Levy, Dance teacher

Thirty-seven lucky students recently completed six Wednesday afternoon trips to Snoqualmie Pass for snowboarding and skiing. P.E. credits were earned and a great time was had by all.

Many thanks to The Center School Community Association for sponsoring this terrific program and to the parent volunteers who helped me put it together and make it a success.

Special thanks to Gary Reed and Mark Lundsten for serving as emergency drivers; chaperones Andy Edwards, Ann Hirshi, Georgi Krom, and Debbie Overman; Georgi Krom, Steve Krom, and Ruth Leers, who supervised equipment check-in; and Jennifer Brown, who did all the initial record-keeping.

We generally had great snow and marginal weather, but nothing seemed to slow the boarders and skiers down or dampen their enthusiasm. Our last trip was the best of all: good snow, good weather, and free pizza for all. As an added bonus, we capped off the season with a special all-day trip to Stevens Pass on Feb. 27.

We not only had a lot of fun, we also generated about $1,000 in parent contributions. We have a surplus and will create a scholarship fund for next year. We know that some students wanted to come this year but couldn't because of financial concerns. We hope that all who want to participate next year will be able to.

If any parents want to help out in this fun program next year, look for volunteer opportunities in the fall.

Chris Murray, Parent Coordinator, Winter Sports Program

The Center School has been granted a charter for a chapter of the National Honor Society. As soon as grade point averages are calculated for the sophomores, those qualifying will receive an activities form to complete. The faculty council will convene in mid-March to select the first group of inductees, and an induction ceremony will be held in late April.

The enclosed lilac sheet details the NHS selection process and dismissal procedure.

If you have any questions, please contact NHS advisors Ms. Spinler at the school, or Winnie Bachwitz at 283-4371 or editor@eskimo.com.

Congratulations to February's students of the month: Elizabeth Brose, Lauren Overman, Anthony Simon, and Kamiko Utsunomiya.

Mar. 4 CSCA meeting, 5:00 p.m. at the school
Mar. 5 Informational meetings for prospective students, 1:00 p.m. & (for 11th graders) 6:30 p.m.
Mar. 6 (Wed.) - 4:00 p.m. dismissal
Mar. 8 No school (in-service)
Mar. 13 (Wed.) - 4:00 p.m. dismissal
Mar. 14 Informational meeting for prospective students, 7:00 p.m.
Mar. 15 No school (in-service)
Mar. 19 Informational meeting for prospective students, 1:00 p.m.
Mar. 26 Parent meeting, 7:00 p.m., Center House Performance Studio
Apr. 1 CSCA meeting, 5:00 p.m. at the school

Q: What is "Focus?"

A: Focus is another name for Interdisciplinary Studies, the project-based course directed at making connections between subjects.