From the President Terri McGrawHello SCAPA friends!
As we say goodbye to our 8th graders, we welcome our new incoming 4th graders and their parents. “Friends” wants to let every 4th grade parent know that THEY are automatically a member of our form of a PTA which we call Friends of the Arts School or FOAS. We look forward to getting you plugged into our organization. We are not your ordinary PTA, we are much more and need all parents to volunteer. Whether you have an hour to volunteer or a whole day; we look forward to helping you find your area of interest. I want to THANK every one of our parents for their invaluable service to our school. We could not pull off what we do without our parents. Thank you for your help with teacher needs throughout the year. FOAS was able to contribute $5,000 in teacher grants this year to help our children in their classrooms. With this said, I want to THANK our sponsors VERY MUCH for their generous donations which allows us to help our teachers & our kids. I look forward to seeing you at school!!! |
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May 2011
Table of Contents
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From Beth Randolph, Bluegrass PrincipalDear SCAPA Family, This edition of Lines and Notes will be especially important to keep handy. The many events on the calendar are easily accessible from this newsletter. Plus, you might want to regularly ask your child for any letters or flyers sent home to keep you updated on what’s happening around the school. One noteworthy event that all parents will want to be involved in is the election of parent representatives to the SBDM Council. More information about the election will be coming your way in the next few days. If you’d like to run, let Terri McGraw know, and then start writing a brief bio to let the other parents become more familiar with you and why you would make a great representative. Once all nominations are collected, the election will begin and we want a great turnout for that. I’m looking forward to a wonderful and memorable month ahead. Beth Randolph
From Vicki Ritchie, LHS PrincipalDear Parents and Families,
Our music students in choir, band, and orchestra will perform at Singletary Center on May 16, 18 and 19. We invite all our parents and community members to enjoy any or all of the evening concerts. Our softball, baseball, tennis, and track teams are competing throughout May and would also welcome everyone to come out and support their efforts. Our students have already accomplished many things this semester. Our sophomores earned a #13 state ranking on their PLAN scores in the fall. This is up from a #25 ranking two years ago. We have several students who were selected as Governor’s Scholars or Governor’s School for the Arts. Many other students have earned various scholarships and honors throughout the year in academics, art, music, and sports. We have shared much of this information in our Good News report on the website each month. In addition, our awards ceremonies will be held on May 10 for underclassmen and May 12 for seniors to further honor the achievements of our students. As our year races to a close, I would like to thank all of the parents for their support of their students and our staff. The countless volunteer hours at Honors Night, Homecoming Dance, Prom and other activities are greatly appreciated. We could not do it without you. Vicki Ritchie It’s About Kidsby Carolyn Waterbury-Tieman As you all know by now, Mr. Stu Silberman has decided to retire as superintendent of Fayette County Public Schools at the end of this academic year. I have to admit that when I first heard the news, I panicked! My immediate concerns were, “What does this mean for us? What will happen to SCAPA? What about our Center for the Arts? Who is going to be our advocate at Central Office?” Rather selfish of me, I know. But after 23 years of SCAPA, many of which have been spent fighting for survival, and now finally with the first real hope of getting a Center for the Arts built, not an unjustified reaction.
Following this announcement, through some investigation, I learned that since SCAPA was established in 1987, Fayette County has had 7 superintendents and SCAPA has had 11 principals, numerous changes in faculty and staff, as well as annual student/parent turnover. So SCAPA has survived multiple transitions in leadership through the years at every level. I found it reassuring to discover that the success of SCAPA does not rest on the shoulders of any one person. From the beginning, SCAPA has been blessed with a core group of parents, teachers, and administrators dedicated to creating an example of a world class arts school. Because SCAPA is built on sound educational and philosophical principles, I am confident that it will continue to not only survive, but thrive in the years to come. The responsibility for the future of SCAPA rests on all of our shoulders. Speaking of the future, while Mr. Silberman assisted Fayette County in making great strides in countless aspects of education during his seven years as superintendent, his legacy for me will always be, “It’s About Kids.” Three simple words. Easy to remember. Easy to say. A daily challenge to live. The “It’s” in “It’s About Kids” could mean any number of things. Obviously, “It’s” could refer to education – “Education is About Kids.” But I think “It’s” is even broader than that. “It’s” is the future. The Future is About Kids. The future is about kids because kids are the future. If we really, truly subscribed to this notion, we would make such different decisions than we continue to make as families, as schools, as communities, as countries, as a world. In order for the future to be about kids though, the rest of us have to be willing to act like adults – to take on the responsibility for making decisions that are in the best interest of kids. When you are responsible for the welfare of kids, whether directly or indirectly (which in actuality includes all of us) every decision made has implications for kids. This is true whether we recognize it or not. This is true whether we accept it or not. This is true whether we want to think about it or not. When you choose to live “It’s About Kids”, you choose to carefully consider the potential impact of every decision you make on kids, whether they are yours personally or kids as a whole. The choice to live “It’s About Kids” means choosing more thoughtful planning, more social conscience, more work, more hassles, more responsibility, more worries, more messes, more uncertainty, more caution, more demands, more complexities, more other focus, less self focus, less free time, fewer tangible rewards, etc, etc. For many people, parents and non, “It’s About Kids” is simply more than they are prepared to commit to. The costs appear to overwhelmingly outweigh the benefits. The benefits are not obvious enough. You can’t touch them, save them up, set them out for others to see, or even see them yourself. In fact, the benefits may not come to fruition during your lifetime. If you have not experienced the joy of making decisions that are in the best interest of kids, it is extremely difficult to explain. There is no fanfare. There are no prizes. Nobody knocks on your door and proclaims you a winner. But if you pay attention, if you listen carefully and watch closely, you will experience the rewards. They often take the form of a beaming smile, a sigh of relief, a grateful look, a quiet conversation, a heartfelt thank you, a gentle touch. Kids becoming all they can be is the currency in which you will be compensated. And as you commit yourself to helping kids make the most of the best of themselves, you will discover the best version of yourself as well. Prior to her role as SCAPA Arts Facilitator, Carolyn Waterbury-Tieman was a Parent/Family Life Educator and licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. 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. (Please check the SCAPA Calendar regularly for updates)
LHS SCAPA Drama Majors present “Uncle Vanya”Set on a country estate in Russia in 1905, Uncle Vanya tells a story of love misplaced, mismatched, and misunderstood. It is a comedy – be prepared to laugh at the misfortunes of others. Announcing the Dates (no titles yet, but we’re working on it) for the 2011-12 SCAPA Production Season
LHS SBDM Results for 2011-12The Lafayette High School SBDM Council member election results from this past weeks are:
KCCT Testing: April 25-May 6.Attention All New Incoming 4th Graders and Parents!New Fourth Grade Parent/Student Orientation will be held on Tuesday, May 10 from 6:00-7:15pm in Room 113 (Helm Hall) of Bluegrass SCAPA, 400 Lafayette Parkway. We can’t wait to see you! Broadway Bound Announces Their Summer CampsBroadway Bound Conservatory (1st-8th Grades) For more information contact Mary Joy Nelson at (859) 494-3937 or kctcbroadwaybound@yahoo.com Metropolitan Tuition Rate at UC-CCMThanks to the efforts of Jacob Yates’ and Nick Blackburn’s families, students from Fayette County now qualify for the Metropolitan Tuition rate at UC-CCM, which is only $120 more than in-state tuition. This will really benefit SCAPA kids that are interested in the conservatory at the University of Cincinnati! Meal Prices for School Year 2011-12 will NOT change. They will remain as they are this school year. |
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Jackie Knight Awarded Interlochen ScholarshipJackie Knight, sophomore creative writing major, has been awarded a full scholarship ($4,000.00) to attend the summer creative writing camp at Interlochen. She was also invited to attend the Iowa Young Writers Camp at University of Iowa. These honors are the result of her winning a Gold Key in the regional Scholastic Writing and Art Awards. Way to go Jackie! Keep on writing! Governor’s Scholars ProgramCongratulations to the following SCAPA students who have been selected to attend the Governor’s Scholars Program this summer:
And good luck to these SCAPA students who have been chosen as alternates:
We are proud of you! SCAPA Students Win Essay ContestStudents from SCAPA Bluegrass had the opportunity to participate in an essay contest sponsored by the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass. The Emilie Szekeley Holocaust Remembrance Essay Contest encourages young writers to focus on the significance of this historical event as it relates to their lives today. Amir Abou-Jaoude, 7th grade creative writing major, entered the contest on his own. The students in Mrs. Gunn's Language Arts class, after hearing Mrs. Ela Weissberger speak, were inspired to learn more about this period in the history of the world. They spent time reading Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, reading The Cat with the Yellow Star about the life of Mrs. Weissberger, and discussing poetry written by children who were in the concentration camp at Terezin, in a collection called "I Never Saw Another Butterfly". Students of the MonthCongratulations to the following students of the month for exhibiting outstanding character values! Be sure to read their individual profiles on the wall in the Bluegrass SCAPA foyer.
SCAPA Student Wins Flute ContestChloe McIntosh, sophomore band major, won first place in the senior division of the Fred Moore Memorial Flute Contest sponsored by Lexington's Firebird Chamber Ensemble. She and the winner of the junior division were featured as soloists in the Flute Symphony Orchestra's spring concert on March 19. Congratulations, Chloe!
SCAPA Well Represented on 2011 List of GSA Acceptances
We wish all those who attend a enriching, meaningful, and memorable experience!
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2010-11 has been such an exciting year for SCAPA’s science program! Last month we received the LabQuest data collection devices and probes that our school obtained through a district technology grant (for more information about the LabQuests, visit http://www.vernier.com/labquest/). Before the end of the school year we will receive our SmartBoards (also awarded through the district technology grant). And we recently received word that, thanks to a $300,000 gift from Lexmark, Fayette County middle schools will each be receiving approximately $25,000 worth of technology, including more probes for our LabQuests, laptop computers, hot plates, digital microscopes, digital balances, and more! We are eager to get acquainted with all of this great equipment and get it into the hands of our students!
BG Band
LHS Orchestra LHS Band
LHS Vocal
We would like to make plaques to hang outside each of the arts rooms with the names of graduates and what they are doing professionally. Mr. Love has one on the wall just outside his door. Every year he takes his new 4th graders out in the hall, reads the names of past students and what they are doing, and tells the current students that if they dedicate themselves to their work, someday their name will be on the plaque. This is a great motivator! We want every arts teacher to have the opportunity to do the same thing. Please send me your name, year you graduated, major and what you are doing professionally so that we can expand and maintain this tradition. My address is carolyn.tieman@fayette.kyschools.us. We are looking forward to hearing from you and celebrating your success.
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The Arts Roundtable is a place where we can share valuable information about the essential role of the arts in our lives and the lives of our children. (Please submit items to Carolyn Waterbury-Tieman, carolyn.tieman@fayette.kyschools.us, by the 20th of each month.) |
This story first appeared in The Washington Post.
The Violinist. . .
Something To Think About . . .
THE SITUATION
In Washington, DC, at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.
About 4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
At 6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
At 10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.
At 45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
After 1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $200 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.
This experiment raised several questions:
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . . .
How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?
Submit information to Carolyn Waterbury-Tieman (carolyn.tieman@fayette.kyschools.us)
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The Arts Bookbag is a place where we can recommend books about the arts that we have found to be informative and inspiring. (Please submit titles to Carolyn Waterbury-Tieman, carolyn.tieman@fayette.kyschools.us, by the 20th of each month.) |
Children
SCAPA FUNdraising Opportunities
There are 3 ways that you can financially support SCAPA all year long with minimal effort!
Remember that when you contribute to SCAPA it benefits every student, grades 4-12, in every arts area. You can make a difference!
General Mills Corporation, sponsor of the Box Tops For Education program, has been involved in giving to educational programs since 1996. Over the past 13 years, participating schools have earned over $300 million dollars in funding. The Box Tops program is a simple way for our school to receive money without having to write grants, sell products, work hours, or buy things we don’t want or need. As a parent, relative, or friend of SCAPA, all you have to do is clip the “Official Box Top Coupon” off of the products you already buy and use. A complete list of these products can be found at boxtops4education.com. After clipping, send the box tops to school with your student. Each homeroom teacher has a container in their classroom for collection. Each month, the box tops are collected and counted, with the top collecting homeroom earning a prize. Come on SCAPA Penguins, keep clipping and collecting those box tops. Let’s make this an awesome box tops year.
Please download a copy for each of the FCPS approved volunteers in your family. Completed forms may be turned in to Ms. Barbara Talbert at the front office of Bluegrass SCAPA. Thank you so much for your commitment to making SCAPA great!
Please be aware that a records check is required in order to participate in volunteer activities in the Fayette County School system.
Welcome to all of our new SCAPA families!
We are so happy you have joined us. This newsletter is one of our primary means of communicating with you. Please check the Calendar of Upcoming Events as well as Announcements and Reminders to keep updated on all the exciting activities and events. Take a look at the format and check out each section. We will be announcing new Friends of the Arts School Board Members next month. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the various board positions, committees and representatives so you will know who to contact when you have questions. If you have information you would like to submit for the newsletter you may email it to Carolyn Waterbury-Tieman, carolyn.tieman@fayette.kyschools.us. Remember that working together we can make sure that our children get the most out of their SCAPA experience! 
Well, it’s finally here! The last few weeks of school, can you believe it? As we wind down the year, we prepare to say farewell to our 8th graders. The 8th grade showcase will be held on May 20th at 1:00pm for the school and again in the evening for the public. The 8th graders will be served a formal dinner at SCAPAcelli’s on May 23rd at 5pm. The 8th grade ceremony will be on March 31st at 5:00pm to accommodate their trip to New York the next day. We wish all our 8th graders the best as they go on to high school!
April flew by us and now we are in the final weeks of the school year. It has gone amazingly fast to me, and I know this last part will blaze by so quickly we won’t know what has hit us. The May SCAPA calendar is bulging with events and we will see each other coming and going as the kids make their last memories for this school year. So take a deep breath while testing continuing these first two weeks of May because the SCAPA after-school and evening calendar will be slow, but once these weeks are over, the end-of-year events begin and I know you won’t want to miss any of them, especially those that pertain to your child.
May is one of the busiest months of the year at Lafayette. Our Advanced Placement students will be taking their AP tests for the next two weeks. Other students will complete their MAP assessments, and everyone is preparing for the semester final exams. We know that our staff and students are putting their best efforts towards success on all of these assessments.
