e-Newsletter: May 2007

IN THIS ISSUE
Latkes, Fencing, and Photography Oh My!
Senior Credos
Alumni Update
More Babies!
Summer School Update
May - What's Happening

LATKES, FENCING, AND PHOTOGRAPHY OH MY!
The annual PSCS Student Showcase took place on April 27th and was truly an unforgettable night. The evening kicked off with international cuisine expertly prepared and carefully displayed by the 5 students in this year’s cooking class and teaching staff member Anoo. If you were fortunate enough to arrive before all the food was devoured, then your plate was filled with delicacies such as kabobs, empanadas, latkes, and much, much more.  Parents, students, staff, alumni, volunteers, and friends also worked their way through room 211 to enjoy a diverse cross-section of student work from throughout the year. Among the projects displayed were those in photography, glass blowing, writing, stand-up comedy, filmmaking, animation and drama. There was even a live demonstration conducted by the fencing class. 

The second half of the evening was reserved for the unveiling of the graduation projects of the 2007 PSCS senior class. But in order to get to the auditorium where the projects were on display, guests were first funneled through a guilty pleasure dessert gauntlet of items, also prepared by the cooking class. Struck by the smell of chocolate simmering in fondue pots, the view of cookies, chocolate bomb cakes, and strawberry flan (not a bad way to build ambiance), everyone eventually made it inside the auditorium, desserts in hand.

PSCS graduation projects are year-long, large-scale undertakings intended to challenge our seniors, advance a personal passion, and give them practice in the skills necessary to make things happen. As people entered the auditorium to get their first glimpses of this year’s projects, a collective “wow” could be heard, followed by a quiet reverence, akin to tourists visiting an ancient cathedral or mosque. Then touring the room, those in attendance excitedly viewed projects from the following disciplines: Animation, Painting, Parkour, Clothing Design, and Sustainability. As was clearly evident, PSCS seniors Kaitlin, Megan, Melissa, Thomas, and Terra all demonstrated high levels of self-expression, intrinsic motivation, and commitment to the community.

Basking in the glow created by the excellent food, the awe-inspiring work done by PSCS students, and the collective pride we all feel in the projects completed by the seniors, everyone settled in for a delightful and silly slide show that effectively honored the school year. And with that, the evening was completed on a gratifying and impressive note.

PSCS would like to thank everyone who made this year’s Student Showcase so successful, from the students who exhibited great commitment and integrity, to the behind-the scenes work of parents, volunteers, and staff. We would also like to thank our sponsors: Safeway, Essential Bakery, and Glazer’s Camera. Without the full support of a caring PSCS community, special nights such as these would never come to fruition. So thank you!

SENIOR CREDOS
Now that this year’s seniors have completed and presented their graduation projects, we’d like to turn your attention to another year-long endeavor on which they’ve been working, a statement of belief, what we’ve come to call the credo.  PSCS students spend considerable time exploring and considering their values and morals, discovering principles that guide them, as well as experiencing and reflecting on things that are important to them.  They are involved in countless activities that challenge them to consider what matters to them, what they stand for.  In their senior year, we guide our students through a process that helps them reflect on these experiences in order to formulate and express what they believe at this point in their lives as graduating students.  This expression takes the form of a written statement that is read aloud by the senior late in the school year.

With the help of their advisors, seniors develop material for their credos through a process of inquiry made up of interviewing people and engaging in meaningful texts.  Listening to other people talk about their values, especially people one respects highly, helps the seniors consider their own.  And in engaging in relevant texts (and by text we mean almost anything – a novel, poem, play, film, short story, essay, lecture, work of art, etc), seniors deepen their inquiry. By this point in the school year, each of our seniors has interviewed three people and studied three texts, reflecting on each and presenting these reflections to their advisors and then to the other seniors and staff members.  They are in the last phase of this project, the writing of their credos.

If you are not a currently enrolled student or staff member and are interested in being present for any of this year’s credo presentations, you are required to submit a request in writing to school director Andy Smallman (andy@pscs.org).  Andy will take these requests to the seniors for review. The principle behind this requirement is based on wanting to honor the seniors by not overwhelming them with curiosity seekers and gawkers. Credo presentations take place from 2:20-3:10 on the following days: May 30 – Megan; May 31 – Kaitlin; June 5 – Terra; June 6 – Melissa; June 7 – Thomas.  Requests are due no later than Friday, May 25th.

ALUMNI UPDATE
John-Michael Spangler is one of the 11 founding PSCS students. He participated in many meetings that took place before the first day of school in September, 1994. As a student he got dubbed the "PSCS Poster Boy" for his deep involvement in the school and ability to articulate the school's philosophy. There is a long-standing joke that Johnny will one day run the school, something that seems even more possible with his return to PSCS as a volunteer this year. Here, in his words, is what he is now doing and what PSCS has meant to him.

John-Michael Spangler (Enrolled 1994 – 2000)
There is a personal fulfillment that comes from exploring new and exciting possibilities, thinking about new ideas and expanding the feeling of Self.  We have all felt that moment of standing in self-confidence and knowing that we could handle anything that came our way.  It is this experience that PSCS gave me.  In those tender developmental years I was mentored and encouraged to explore my interests and take responsibility for my own life.  During the time that I was forming my core self image, that picture of my Self that I would carry with me throughout my life, I was allowed to step beyond the confines of what others felt I should be doing and encouraged to find it for myself.  Because I was trusted, I took responsibility for my own development and that is a skill that I will be using for the rest of my life.

I am now working with kids with autism, tutoring them in social and academic skills.  Though my job is amazing, I am also a full time student pursing a degree in developmental psychology.  Because of the skills of self-direction and responsibility I learned at PSCS, I am going beyond the "A" student and becoming the one who others come to for help.  PSCS gave me a confidence that sits at the core of who I am and, as I go through life, I realize that it is being recognized by others.  During that critical time in my life when others were busy defining themselves by the social pressures of school, I was defining myself by the excitement of discovery and self-motivation.  PSCS, through its respect, encouragement and philosophy of trusting the individual, helped me develop skills that go beyond mere academia.  I was given the chance to discover who I wanted to be and it is in that gift that I owe my thanks to my old school. 

Now I have returned to PSCS as a volunteer, facilitating classes such as Swing Dancing, Improvisation, Social Studies through Documentary, and Leadership Games.  It is amazing to see from the "other side" how special of a place PSCS is.  Having experienced for the first time the mindset of the traditional student through my college classes, I return to PSCS with a whole new respect for the skills and self-confidence that I was allowed to find.  PSCS did not give me these skills, did not design a curriculum so I could learn how to be Johnny Spangler.  PSCS created an environment where I could explore, learn, experiment, and feel safe being wrong.  The school did not show me a door, but opened my eyes to all the doors around me, being close at hand for support, allowing me to find the door that was right for me.

MORE BABIES!
Two baby girls have been born to members of the extended PSCS community, both on April 26th.  Friend and supporter Steve Miranda, who teaches at Garfield High School in Seattle and invites Andy to speak to one or more of his classes each year, and his wife are the proud parents of Nina Eliza Miranda.  Steve reports, “She's beautiful and happy, and so is her mother. She was born at 11:03am and came across the finish line at 19 inches and 7 lbs., 7 oz.”

PSCS volunteer Lindsey Own gave birth to lovely Charlotte on the 26th at 4:24pm. Apparently more metric in orientation than Nina, Charlotte weighed in at 2.5kg and 44.5cm in length. She was born three weeks early and is small, but really strong. Mother, daughter and new daddy, Chris, are all doing well and should be home soon.  Charlotte has already been busy designing and programming her own website - http://penelope.dhs.org/~charlotte/.

SUMMER SCHOOL UPDATE
PSCS is providing a unique summer program designed for students in grades 6-12.  We are contracting with teachers who will be facilitating intensives (a week long, teacher-facilitated collection of activities based on a specific theme or topic) for approximately 4-6 students on five different weeks over the summer. For completing an intensive, high school students will earn .25 state high school credit.  To learn more, including course descriptions, please visit http://www.pscs.org/summer2007.htm.

MAY– WHAT'S HAPPENING

VISITATION DAYS
Our May visitation days are Wednesday, 5/2, 5/9, 5/23, and 5/30. It is difficult to understand PSCS without coming to school and observing our activities and student life. Seeing the school in action can make the difference between having a basic appreciation of our philosophy and the aha! of really "getting" how it works. For more information visit http://www.pscs.org/admission/visiting.htm.

PARENT MEETING
Wednesday, 5/9, 7-9pm in Room 211.

BOARD MEETING
Tuesday, 5/8, 7pm.

INTENSIVES WEEK
Monday-Friday, 5/14-18.

NO SCHOOL
Monday, 5/28, Memorial Day.

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