e-Newsletter: October 2006

IN THIS ISSUE
Students Flip for Parkour
Andy Smallman at Garfield High School??
Alumni Update
October - Looking Ahead

STUDENTS FLIP FOR PARKOUR
The first slate of Parkour tutorials ever offered at PSCS began in September and is quickly becoming a favorite session! Twelve students regularly attend volunteer Tyson Cecka’s class and take part in a mix of Parkour specific conditioning, drills, and techniques. Students learn the technical breakdown behind each roll, vault, spin and jump. And though these basic movements are a critical foundation for all Parkour activity, the "sport" cannot be grasped by looking at the physical aspect alone.

Parkour practitioners, also known as traceurs (trace-ers), believe that by challenging yourself physically, everyday life situations become easier to deal with. When an "obstacle" or difficult situation arises in daily life, a traceur can see this as any other obstacle and apply the same skills and techniques to overcome it quickly, efficiently, and without disruption to their intended path.

Parkour, much like PSCS, is not about competition, breaking records, or battling for approval, but rather independence, self-knowledge, and the ability to adapt. Unlike other sports where the aim is to triumph over a competitor, in Parkour you are competing only against yourself. "Instead of rivalry", says co-founder Sebastien Foucan, "there's a real sense of community amongst those who take part."

Interested in learning more about Parkour?  Link to an article in the Seattle P.I. here - http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/252602_parkour19.html or visit http://washingtonparkour.com.

ANDY SMALLMAN AT GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL??
PSCS Director Andy Smallman spent two mornings this past month as a guest lecturer in a class at Seattle’s Garfield High School.  He has been recruited each of the last five years to speak to Steve Miranda’s philosophy class.  Steve is one of those incredible hard-working public school teachers, someone trying to effect change from the inside.  About his reason for wanting Andy to visit, he says, “I'm asking students to critically examine our culture and to dream a new paradigm. We need to see examples of how people are living today, so that we're not just pipe dreaming when we talk about shifting our culture. The reason I'm interested in PSCS is that it represents the opposite of impersonal bureaucracies. It seems to represent human connection, local roots, and value for consensus.”

For Andy, this annual visit has become something he looks forward to.  It gives him the opportunity to talk about PSCS with young people outside of PSCS and has always led to a great exchange.  The Garfield students, by and large, seem impressed by the educational model being offered by PSCS, so much so that each of the last two years, including this one, Andy has gone back a second time to present his “Mr. Rogers lesson.”  This lesson is essentially an introduction to humanistic psychology and the “hierarchy of needs” developmental theory of Abraham Maslow, a major inspiration for PSCS.  Andy uses Mr. Rogers as an example of a self-actualized human being, the apex of Maslow’s hierarchy.

ALUMNI UPDATE
The Alumni of PSCS are one of our most valuable resources. They are important ambassadors who can return much of their newfound knowledge, experiences and connections from their working life to PSCS.

One such ambassador, Mia Karpov (’95-’99), is preparing for a trip to Kenya with the non-profit organization Village Volunteers. Village Volunteers was founded with the belief that partnership is a key factor in the renewal and healing of areas plagued by poverty and disease. Through collaboration based on friendship and the commitment to human rights, volunteers like Mia have the opportunity to strengthen ties across the boundaries of international borders, race, gender, age, and culture.

When asked about what PSCS has meant to her, Mia responded by saying that “PSCS offered me endless opportunities within the school and greater community.  It is an invaluable skill to meaningfully connect with people no matter where you go.”

PSCS truly appreciates all the support we get from alumni, whether it be volunteering their time to help current students, new graduates, or fellow alumni.  Without our alumni we could not do all that we have done and continue to do.  As PSCS continues to flourish and grow we need our alumni friends more than ever. This coming year we will be making every effort to contact as many alumni as we can in an effort to reconnect the school with you, the alumni, who have made it such a special place.

For more information about Mia Karpov’s work in Kenya’s rural village clinics, orphan feeding programs, and schools, visit http://miakarp.livejournal.com.

OCTOBER – LOOKING AHEAD

ASHLAND TRIP
PSCS teaching staff member Nic Warmenhoven and student Tristan Schneider are co-facilitating a week-long trip to Ashland, Oregon to attend the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.  Ten students, including Tristan, will accompany Nic and PSCS parent Julie Spangler to Ashland and back from October 9-13.

NO SCHOOL
There is no school on Friday, October 20 in order to allow the staff a day to work together without the presence of students.  These in-service days will happen twice this year, the second being on March 16.

POTLUCK
PSCS is experimenting with a different potluck schedule this year by holding our potlucks mid-quarter rather than the Sunday before a major break.  The first one for this year is slated for Sunday, October 22, from 5-8pm.  The school is currently scouting locations so if you have a space you are willing to donate please let us know.

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