From the President

I hope that you were as impressed with our first electronic newsletter as I was! What a perfect wealth of key information in one place – be sure to keep it handy! Kudos to Carolyn Waterbury-Tieman, Beth Poulton, Melissa Frank, and Jerry Tieman for this effort! (You can navigate to the various sections of the newsletter by clicking the links on the Table of Contents menu on the right). BUT, please do not rely upon these monthly newsletters to neglect personal interactions and, most particularly, regular attendance at our monthly FOAS meetings. Our next meeting is Tuesday, August 19th at 6 pm.

A multitude of thanks must also go to the squadrons of devoted drama production experts among us who, led primarily by Laura Justice Slone, Lynsey Sugarman, and Joanna Sykes, over this summer break have sorted, organized and catalogued the massive, accumulated array of costumes, accessories, props, construction tools and set pieces owned by FOAS. The current significant problem is that we have no place within the school to store these things and Marilynn needs them removed from Helm Hall yesterday! We have a meeting scheduled with Superintendent Silberman to discuss this immediate need and anticipated future facilities needs, but, in the meantime, if anyone has any leads on climate-controlled storage space that could be leased for free or at significant subsidy, please call me at 859-539-9622.

It’s time to begin our 2008-2009 school year with The Lafayette Back to School Reception, the 4th Grade Ice Cream Social and the Bluegrass Back to School Picnic! Then please be ready to support our first critical fundraising effort – Innisbrook – which will launch immediately after school starts!

Thanks for your support of SCAPA!

Kathy Warnecke Ryan

From the Principals

Bluegrass

Letter from Marilynn Cunningham

Dear SCAPA parents, guardians and grandparents,

We are counting the days as we make plans for your SCAPA student/s to return to school on August 13, 2008. We feel the excitement and the anticipation of the first day of school. Can you recall that time in your life when you were leaving the vacation behind and beginning a new school year? If you can, tell your stories to your students. They love to hear them.

Building relationships are important for student success. Family relationships are carved within the family, but school-parent relationships are formed within the professional learning community of schools and families. To work together we need to create structures to promote communication between families and schools.

The first structure for families and staff to come together will be the Back to School Picnic on August 17, 2008 from 2:00 – 5:00. Please set aside that time for SCAPA. There will be activities for students, opportunities for parents to get to know each other and ways for parents to get more involved.

This is my fourth year as Principal of SCAPA. As may already know, we produced “The Wizard of Oz,” my first year, 2005 - 2006. At that time, I outlined a five year plan or focus along the story line of “The Wizard of Oz.” The first year, I would travel down the yellow brick road and observe the outstanding school of SCAPA. The second year, I would lead the effort of putting the heart in the tin man—focus on our school spirit, culture and climate. The third year, I would lead the effort to put the brain in the scarecrow—focus on building the capacity of research based practices for teaching and learning. This year, my focus will be on building courage for the lion. “I am principal, hear me roar!”

It takes courage to assume the rights and responsibilities of living in America AND making the best of our public school systems. I invite you to join with me this year as we collaborate in a professional learning community (a community committed to working together in an ongoing process of teaching and learning to achieve better results for our students). It takes courage to develop structures to offer each individual family unit with all our different opinions, perspectives and arts to connect at a level of doing what is right for the students and the school. Frankly, I will need your involvement—if you don’t have an idea of how to get involved and are willing to help, call me. We can talk about this and take the next step together. Therein becomes the power of conversation. See you on August 17, 2008 at 2:00.

Sincerely,

Marilynn Cunningham

Lafayette

Letter from Vicki Ritchie (New LHS Principal)

Dear Students and Parents, School will start before you know it and we are working on getting ready for students. First we have planned a Freshman Workshop to help freshman students acclimate to LHS. A letter should be coming in the mail to each freshman student the last week of July. Each freshman student is assigned to a one day session here at LHS on August 6th, 7th, or 8th. In addition, we have a Freshman Orientation Night for parents and students scheduled for August 7th at 7:00 in the evening. Information on that event is also included in the letter.

Our upperclassmen will receive a letter towards the end of July with information about paying fees and filling out forms before school begins. Like last year, there will be several sessions available during the week of August 4-8 for parents to get these administrative tasks completed (7:30-9:30, 11:30-1:30 and 4:00-6:30). This information will also be posted on our website soon.

We do have one major change for the upcoming school year. This year, peanuts, peanut butter, sesame seeds and shellfish will not be allowed at school due to some students with severe airborne allergies. More information about this will be on the website and communicated to parents and students at the beginning of the school year.

I am looking forward to seeing all of the students soon. I have the SCAPA Back to School Reception on my calendar for August 11th!

Sincerely,

Vicki Ritchie

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Calendar of Upcoming Events

(Please check the SCAPA website regularly for updates)

• Wednesday, August 6, 4:45-5:45pm, 6th Grade Fee Session, Multi Purpose Room (MPR)
• Thursday, August 7, 9am-1pm, 4th & 5th Grade Fee Session, MPR
• Thursday, August 7, 9:30am-Noon, 4th Grade Orientation
• Friday, August 8, 3:30-6:15pm, 7th & 8th Grade Fee Session, MPR
• Sunday, August 10, 2-5pm, 4th Grade Ice Cream Social, MPR
• Monday, August 11, 5:30-5:55pm, New Student/Parent Meeting
• Monday, August 11, 6-7:30pm, New 6th Graders and Parents Meeting
• Monday, August 11, 7-9pm, Lafayette SCAPA Back to School Reception, Lafayette Cafeteria
• Wednesday, August 13, First day of classes
• Sunday, August 17, 2-5pm, Bluegrass SCAPA Back to School Picnic
• Monday, August 18, Kick off for Innisbrook fundraiser
• Tuesday, August 19, 6:30pm, Friends of the Arts School (FOAS) meeting, Bluegrass SCAPA library
• Friday, August 22, No school for kids
• Monday, August 25, Deadline for submitting information for September Lines and Notes
• Monday, August 25, 8:29-10:55am, Middle School Harrassment student training, Helm Hall
• Monday, September 1, Labor Day, No School
• Monday, September 8, 6-7:30pm, Bluegrass SCAPA Open House
• Tuesday, September 16, 6:30pm, FOAS meeting, Library
• Friday, September 26, No school for kids
• Tuesday, August 26, 6:30pm, SCAPA Reunion Committee Meeting, Helm Hall
• Thursday, September 25, Deadline for submitting information for October Lines and Notes
• Monday, September 29, 8:45am, Picture Day, Helm Hall
• Tuesday, September 30, 6-8pm, Bluegrass SCAPA Audition Information Parent Meeting, MPR and Arts classrooms

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Announcements and Reminders

Innisbrook Sale

Please support the FOAS in their annual Innisbrook sale beginning August 18! All proceeds will directly benefit the SCAPA students throughout the school year! Just visit www.innisbrook.com and enter the school number 105365 to place your order! FOAS receives 50% profit on all sales all year!

Friends of the Arts School (FOAS) Meetings

The next Friends of the Arts School (FOAS) meeting will take place on Tuesday, August 19, at 6:30pm in the Bluegrass SCAPA library

Mark you calendars for the remaining meeting dates in 2008-09:

• September 16
• October 21
• November 18
• December 16
• January 20
• February 17
• March 17
• April 21
• May 19

Production Season

Arboretum Birdhouse Project

Encourage your artistic kids to create a one of a kind birdhouse for the Arboretum Birdhouse Display and Auction in August. Visit the Arboretum or their website, www.ca.uky.edu/Arboretum, for more information and a registration form. Be sure to make a note that your submission is from a SCAPA student. Entry form and fee due Tuesday, August 5; entry due August 8. Display and benefit auction August 15-24. Come out and support the Arboretum!

SCAPA Reunion

The 21st Anniversary Reunion will take place on Saturday, December 27, 2008 from 7-10pm in the Multipurpose Room at SCAPA Bluegrass. Mark your calendars! For more information about how you can help with this event contact Carolyn Waterbury-Tieman @ carolyn.tieman@fayette.kyschools.us or 273-5218

Silent Auction

The SCAPA silent auction is scheduled for August 17th. That's just 4 days after the start of school!! Deadline to donate items is August 16th.

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Recent Events

SCAPA Celebrates the Freedom to be Creative

In spite of the threat of rain, about 30 SCAPA students and parents marched in the July 4th Parade in downtown Lexington. Participants dressed in their SCAPA Artswear. Several students carried representations of their arts major. Cameron and Cody Taylor dressed up as Willy Wonka and a candy maker. We played the soundtrack from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory as we marched along. Red, white and blue playbills with the 2008-09 Production Season printed on them were handed out to the crowd along with candy for the children. Numerous SCAPA families and alums were in the audience and cheered us on.

Next year, we hope to have a greater presence in the parade including a flatbed truck and/or a float. If you would like to serve on the planning committee for next year’s parade, please contact Cheryl Taylor at ctaylor4@lfucg.com, 224-3788 (H), 396-9070 (C), or 425-2800 (W)

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SCAPA Spotlights

This section is reserved for recognizing accomplishments by SCAPA students, parents, faculty and staff. Please send accomplishments to Melissa Frank (melissa@melissavoiceover.com), academic accomplishments to Beth Poulton (bpoulton@insightbb.com) and anything else to Carolyn Waterbury-Tieman (carolyn.tieman@fayette.kyschools.us). Space limitations will determine how many we can include in any given month. The poem below provides an overall celebration of the spirit of SCAPA to get us started.

Multiplicity by Beth Bollinger, 9th grade I can be a writer Scrawling words onto the page They come too fast for me to write down Spinning and twisting in my head Contorting into sentences Shifting into paragraphs Letting out my heart Giving it to the paper And anyone who chooses to read What I have written Words, lines, sentences, Paragraphs, pages, chapters All coming from my soul Characters and plots Weaving in and out Forming new ideas and thoughts In the readers mind That is a writer’s job. I can be a singer Letting the notes flow out of me Melodies jumping and leaping Turning notes that someone has written Into a mysterious complexity A flow of sound Or turning the words and notes I have written Into an outburst of spirit Showing it all in my voice Loud or soft High or low Never afraid to perform The listener’s ears will jump They are filled with the intense emotions Portrayed in the lyrics And in the melody That is a singer’s job. I can be a dancer Turning, spinning, leaping Swirling through the air in a blur Letting the music course through me Letting my body move for me My feet, my hands, my legs All moving as one Trusting my feelings And the beat of the music Spin, leap, jump, roll, twist Whatever the music tells me, I do Contorting choreographed moves Into performing wonders Making the audience leap along Feeling the beat of the music And seeing the soul Let loose in the blur of my feet That is a dancer’s job. I can be an artist Letting my hand guide me Turning a blank page into a picture Patterns of shapes, colors, lines All meaning whatever I desire The paints spreading across the page At my command Colors turn into pictures That turn into meaning From vibrant reds To calming blues The artist sets the mood I can take a page and give it depth Like you’re looking though a window Into another time and place Taking what I see in my mind And showing it to the world That’s an artist’s job. I can be an actor Taking what people give me And making it real Putting myself in the character’s place Becoming the character Feeling the emotions Saying the lines Like I would in real life Ignoring the people watching me Getting lost in the scene Moving to the desired place As if it was my own desire I perform many times And I still feel the excitement The nervousness gets waved away As I get caught In the whirlwind of the stage That is an actor’s job. I can be a musician Letting my instrument be my voice From keys, to strings, to brass I play them all I, performing as one part Of a great composition Making music with others Or playing solo Taking all the emotion and complexity Of any song I play And releasing it My instrument as the medium Learning every song I can Determined to perfect every melody Every note, every rhythm, every song The voice of my instrument Singing as my own That is a musician’s job I can be all of these I am all of these Letting out my soul In many different ways Proving that art comes in many forms Each form taking a new shape A new feeling, a new exuberance But the same outburst of emotion As everything becomes clear An explanation for everything Is found in every simple artwork Sometimes it’s performing And sometimes the art is just for me A picture, a voice, an experience Through many different arts I find my calling Enhancing myself, and the world And that is my job.

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Academic News

Submit information to Beth Poulton (bpoulton@insightbb.com)

Elementary

Middle School

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Arts News

Submit infwormation to Melissa Frank (melissa@melissavoiceover.com)

Bluegrass

NEW 2008-2009 HAIR/DRESS CODE

…Mrs. Bingham BALLET MAJORS ~ DANCE COMPOSITION II MINORS ~ DANCE ELEMENTS GRADE 7

MAJORS (ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL): HAIR: All female majors required to wear bun with hair net daily for practice of appropriate neatness for dance class. This means hair grown to length to meet these standards neatly. “Alternate dance hairstyle days” periodically designated by Mrs. Bingham….hair still pinned neatly out of face, in covered elastic secured with heavy hair pins or clips to stay in place neatly full class. No Ponytails Anytime! ATTIRE: Required is one black “sunback style” leotard ( for casual outreach performance uniformity) AND one suntan “sunback style” leotard (to wear under costumes); other ballet-style leotards choice of color and style of dancer. Dance shorts allowed (no printing). In cooler weather dance sweater or top, and legwarmers is appropriate. Males wear fitted t-shirt (white/ black), black heavy men’s tights or fitted ¾ length elasticized pants. SHOES: Ballet shoes (females-pink; males-black ) and approved pointe/ pre-pointe shoes.

MINORS (COMPOSITION II ) HAIR: Females need to grow hair long enough to stay out of face with headband or clip, longer hair put up neatly in “clipped ponytail”, (hairclip over ponytail to keep neatly in place full class.) ATTIRE: Required is one black “sunback style” leotard, and black tights (for casual outreach performance uniformity). Dance shorts allowed/ - not required (no printing).Additional leotards style choice of dancer… recommend at least two (clean leotard each class!). No jazz pants/sweatpants unless appropriate for guest artist. SHOES: Have two styles to show dancers first week of school, price range $30 (Dance Distributors).

DANCE CORE CLASS GRADE 7 ATTIRE: sweatpants, lightweight pants without large outside pockets/buttons/metal clasps etc., or gym shorts; t-shirt (not oversized) or similar shirt, or dance attire - No Jeans! Aim is ease of movement safely. SHOES: ballet, jazz, pedini’s, dance sneakers, or tennis-socks (rolled back to expose heel to prevent injury). HAIR: females’ regular hairstyle, ponytail if long; males if hair long wear headband to keep out of face. ALL CLASSES -- Remember “Daily FIVE” (possible 5 pts each day) on time for start of class ~ proper hair/attire ~ positive attitude toward self/others independent work toward potential ~ thoughtful focus full class.

Lafayette

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Club and Team News

Submit information to Beth Poulton (bpoulton@insightbb.com)

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Alumni News

Submit information to Carolyn Waterbury-Tieman (carolyn.tieman@fayette.kyschools.us)

Look for Alumni news to appear in this area in future newsletters...

The Art of Parenting

Knowing Your Medium is a Necessity

Last month, I outlined the effective practices of artists and suggested that we might also apply these to parenting. This month we will focus on the first one, that is, artists meticulously study their medium in order to understand and anticipate how it will respond to their applications. This intensive effort to become familiar with the nature of the medium is an ongoing process.

Every medium possesses its own unique properties which can be directly affected by environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity. Therefore, the artist must observe how the medium responds in a variety of situations. Each type of medium necessitates a different level of involvement on the part of the artist. Some are applied with gentle strokes (watercolors) while others require vigorous manipulation (clay) and still others demand considerable force (marble).

In addition, every medium has its limitations. While the artist determines the parameters for a piece in terms of size, scope, theme, for example, the medium selected restricts what the artist can do. Although the artist directs the creative process, this is best accomplished with a knowledge and respect for the medium’s characteristics.

Finally, equipped with knowledge, experience, skills and tools, artists apply, carve, shape, mold and sculpt the medium toward the vision they hold in their mind. Every artist interacts differently with their chosen medium, thereby accomplishing different results. Ultimately it is the relationship between the artist and the medium that determines the outcome.

What happens when we attempt to apply this effective practice of artists to parenting? Some of us have the opportunity to begin getting to know our children before they are even born. Others must wait until that momentous occasion when they are delivered into our arms. Still others of us become parents or guardians to children of various ages and stages of development. Regardless of how or when our children come to us, the process of discovering who they are and how they respond to the world around them is ongoing.

Like the artists’ medium, each child possesses unique qualities and characteristics that are directly affected by both internal conditions, such as physical well-being, emotional maturity, intellectual capacity, as well as external conditions, such as the family atmosphere, social conditions and cultural expectations. While every child requires affection, attention, protection, direction, and communication, the formula for meeting these needs differs for each one. When we take the time to observe how a child reacts in varying circumstances, the benefits are immeasurable. Armed with this knowledge we are better prepared to interact in ways that fulfill their needs. When all of a child’s needs are being met, they are much more capable of achieving their full potential.

Unlike the artist’s medium, our children are constantly changing, growing and developing. They can think, act and speak for themselves. As they change, their needs change as well. Therefore we must persist in our efforts to understand and anticipate these changes. Every parent interacts differently with every child, thereby accomplishing different results. Ultimately it is the relationship between the parent and child that determines the outcome.

I read somewhere that, “it is one thing to be dedicated to the idea of parenthood and quite another to be dedicated to the practice of it.” The reality of it is that the relationship we create with our children lays the foundation for every other relationship they will ever have, be it with their siblings, peers, teachers, spouses and of course, their own children. While artists may choose to work with different medium in the course of their career or decide to pursue other interests, the art of parenting demands a lifetime commitment.

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Prior to her role as SCAPA Arts Facilitator, Carolyn Waterbury-Tieman was a Parent/Family Life Educator and licensed Marriage and Family Thereapist. She was the author of The Parents’ Toolbox for The Lexington Family Magazine as well as Pastoral Parenting for the Church of the Resurrection newsletter.

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Volunteer Opportunities

More information about opportunities to volunteer will be appearing in this space.

Please be aware that a records check is required in order to participate in volunteer activities in the Fayette County School system.

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FOAS Board Officers and Representatives

Executive Board

SCAPA Bluegrass Representatives

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