e-Newsletter: April 2008

IN THIS ISSUE
Student Showcase
Boatbuilding Intensive Floats!
"An Enemy..." A Success!
April - What's Happening

STUDENT SHOWCASE
Through innovative approaches, passionate teaching, and an engaging curriculum, PSCS creates an atmosphere where students are free to discover themselves. This process of self-discovery is constantly on display at PSCS and, as a staff, we are fortunate to witness it every day. From oil paintings and short stories, to miniatures, monologues, and animations, the opportunities for self-expression at PSCS are endless.

On April 25, 2008, the extraordinary talent of PSCS students will be proudly displayed at our annual Student Showcase. This event, which runs from 6 to 9 pm, allows community members the opportunity to see the “products” of a PSCS education. For those of you who thought that the only products were self-actualized, conscientious global citizens, well, my how you will be proven wrong. That’s just the beginning!

While the night’s festivities will include work from the entire student body, a good portion of time will be set aside to highlight our 2008 Senior Rose O’Kane. PSCS graduates must demonstrate high levels of self-expression, intrinsic motivation, and commitment to the community. The crowning development and expression of this commitment is the conception, completion, and presentation of a graduation project.  This year Rose has been learning to sew and design clothing, and her creations and photographs of models wearing her designs will be presented.

The student showcase will take place on the second floor at the University Heights Center and will include the use of our classrooms, public space, and the auditorium. Refreshments will be provided courtesy of student and community volunteers, and works of all sorts will be on display.  We hope you will join us for an unforgettable night.

BOATBUILDING INTENSIVE FLOATS!
During the March intensives week, nine students working under the tutelage of staff member Scobie Puchtler transformed room 211 into a boat shop, producing two beautiful Geodesic Airolite canoe frames from clear douglas fir, white ash, clear cedar, and small stategic pieces of oukume marine plywood. Splinters were endured, dust and shavings were created, and hands unacustomed to the demands of constant physical work got sore, as the two boats slowly emerged from a pile of sticks to become elegant, lightweight pieces of functional wood sculpture. The frames continue to get attention as time allows, and will be launched later in the spring.

These unique canoes use a combination of traditional boatbuilding techniques to create a very lightweight wood frame, which is then laced with high-tech kevlar fibers for added stiffness. Finally, the frame is covered with heatshrink Dacron fabric (the same covering technique used on fabric aircraft wings) to create a strong, translucent hull 12 feet long and weighing less than 13 pounds. The finished boat can be carried easily in one hand.

For an impressive visual history of the five days of boatbuilding please visit http://PSCScanoes.notlong.com.

"AN ENEMY..." A SUCCESS!
Thanks to the hard work of teaching staff member / director Nic Warmenhoven, the cast, crew, and volunteers, as well as the support of all the donors and the community, the 2008 PSCS Spring play was one of our most successful yet! Through ticket sales (two nights sold out!), concessions, and donations, we were able to recoup our costs and even raise some extra funds for the school. We again heard from members of the audience impressed by the quality of the production and the talent within the PSCS community. Parent Bob Zawalich has donated DVDs he recorded of the performance, which are available for sale in the school office for $10-$20 (sliding scale).

APRIL – WHAT'S HAPPENING

SPRING BREAK
Classes resume on Monday, April 7th.

BOARD MEETING
Tuesday, 4/8, 7pm.

SPRING POTLUCK!
Our Spring Potluck will take place on Sunday, April 13 from 5 to 8pm at the Wallingford United Methodist Church at N 42nd & Bagley N. Dish assingments by last name will be forthcoming via the PSCS email list.

STUDENT SHOWCASE
Our annual student showcase will take place on Friday, April 25 from 6 to 9pm at the University Heights Building 2nd floor. Further details above.

VISITATION DAYS
Our next two visitation days are Wednesdays, 4/16 and 4/30. 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 really "getting" how it works. For more information visit PSCS Admissions.

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