Puget Sound Community School

Application deadline set for Friday, March 2

steve — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:41:55 +0000

The Board of Trustees recently approved an increased enrollment goal, which has allowed us to extend our application deadline to March 2. Families interested in applying for fall 2012 can download the application here.

For more information on the application process, click here.

The Century Club fundraiser: thank you!

steve — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 18:32:20 +0000

We did it. We did it! We reached our goal of 100 people each donating $100! We’ve got a celebration party planned that I’d like to tell you about, but more on that later. First I want to say THANK YOU.

Thanks to everyone who contributed, to everyone who forwarded these messages to friends and family, and everyone who offered positive energy, encouragement, and enthusiasm. If we’re going to build something extraordinary together, it’s going to happen because everyone contributes what they can. Everything, from making a major donation to posting something positive about PSCS on your Facebook status, it all adds up. It all matters.

Here it is, the 2011 Century Club:

Jen Moon
Christian Gschwend
Anonymous
Anonymous
Laura Widman
Steve Widman
Ann Josefczyk
Anonymous
Anonymous
Taelore Rhoden and Perri Rhoden
David & Julie Spangler
Lena McCullough
Chloe Shaw
Steve Morton
Melinda Shaw
Andy Smallman
Steve Miranda
Stacia Snapp
Peter & Deb Kahn
Michael & Debi Murphy
Anonymous
Deb Schaack & Jutta Schneider
Dave Thrasher
Anonymous
Anonymous
Doug Forbes
Ron Rabin
Michele Egan
Rosalind Schuessler
Kim Haber & Eddie Montag
Juliene Gschwend
Steve Arnold
Laurie Bauman
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Abbey & Anthony Maschmedt
Adrienne Karpov & Ed Miles
Sara Brown
Paul Martin & Sandie Grummann
Mary Martin
Kristin Jakobsen
Eleanor Goodall & Paul Hill
Linda Stevenson
Peter Stevenson
Andy Martin
Judy Blair
Anavadya & Kolin Taylor
Jacqueline & Michael Stein
Jen Graves
Mike Rotskoff
Kaitlin Spangler
Joe Turk
Kathe Rutsala
Gloria Thiele
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Curt & Mayela Hill
Heidi Fivash
Vivian Vassall
Anonymous
Sue Williams
Ellis Reyes
Steve Griggs & Doris Kogan
Debra & Bradley Music
Adam Feuer & Lena McCullough
Jon Elizondo & Grace Bell
Larry Dohrs and Wiworn Kesavatana
Alex Allred
Brenda Miranda
Joe Miranda
Nina Miranda
Sam Miranda
Shari Miranda
Carib Smallman
Al Smallman
Malcolm & Lara Hooper
Kathleen Green
Chris Lassen
Jenn Johnson
Sheri Pewitt
Vanessa Riley
Betsey Bell
Julie & Michael McKelvey
Steve & Tiffany Thiele
Sara Keogh
Karen O’Connell
Tina Dawson
Trey Gunn
Marja Brandon & Rob Drake
Cathy Short
Debbie & Mike Bontatibus
Doug Baugh
Sheri Pewitt
Julie Charles
Lyn Lambert
Michael Coffey
Thorly James
Mary Felstiner

I want to express gratitude to two board members in particular, Judy Blair and Vivian Vassall, for their leadership on this campaign. In addition, I’d like to acknowledge our lead donors for their generosity and inspiration. Thank you to William & Suzanne Wittmann, Duncan Moore & Stacey Watson, Alex Cho Snyder, Michael Chui, Simon Weinstein, Kristine Forbes, Mark Southworth, Eric Menninga & Karen Cowgill, Susan & Larry Morris, and Greg Morris.

Finally, I want to thank our board president, Dana Bettinger, who offered an extraordinary matching challenge of $10,000. In turn, Dana wants to thank you. Here are her words:

I feel fortunate to have grown up in a family where philanthropy was just a part of life. No one made a big deal about it, but we always understood that we were lucky to be able to live life the way we did, and that it was important to support the things that mattered. In high school and college, I started to be politically active and I started volunteering; I held up signs, and I traveled some very long distances to attend major rallies and marches in Washington D.C. Often, my friends and family members came with me.

That was also the time when I started getting asked for money on a regular basis (funny how those things go hand in hand, right?) and although I began with donations of only ten or twenty dollars, I went ahead and said yes to some of the people who were asking. Yes, because I was young, but I thought that I could probably forsake a dinner or two at the local pizza place now and then. Yes, because I wanted to support the organizations that were doing the work that I thought was important in the world. Yes, because I could.

Although some people debate whether Margaret Mead ever actually said it, I have always loved what is frequently repeated as one of her most famous quotes: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Today, I am still fortunate, because as the president of PSCS’s Board of Trustees, I get to be part of a group of thoughtful, committed, passionate people who truly believe that we can change the world.

I’m absolutely delighted that so many of you have stepped up to meet this challenge in such a generous way, and I hope that even more of you will be inspired to help us change the world as we continue to progress through this year. It is an incredibly exciting time to be a member of the PSCS community, as we head into our first formal strategic plan and determine what the future holds for us—and none of it would be possible without all of you.

* * *

Now, let’s celebrate! But in honor the extraordinary amount of work ahead of us, I’m calling this a work party. On Wednesday, Oct 17 at 7 p.m., we’re gathering at PSCS’s International District campus to connect with Barbara Green, the strategic planning consultant hired by the Board of Trustees. Barbara will give you an overview of the strategic planning process, and then engage you in a series of activities designed to collect data needed to build a strategic plan.

In short, we need your input. We need your ideas.

Please make every effort to attend this event. We hope that it will be an evening of celebration, of reconnecting with friends, and taking the next step in the process of building something extraordinary together.

If you can, please RSVP to steve@pscs.org and let me know if you think you’ll be attending. It’s going to be a big, big day for PSCS.

In community,

Steve Miranda
Development Director
Puget Sound Community School

Volunteer Orientation, Thursday Aug. 18

steve — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:04:59 +0000

The volunteer program at PSCS connects people of high character who want to share something they’re passionate about with a group of super cool teenagers. There are opportunities for pitching a class that might meet once a week for 10 weeks, or maybe you just want to offer a 90-minute workshop on a topic that makes your heart sing. And if you’re not sure if you want to volunteer but just want to learn more about the school, that’s great too.

The orientation will take place at PSCS’s International District campus (660 S. Dearborn St.) on Thursday, August 18 from 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

For a list of classes that have been offered in the past, visit http://pscsclassarchive.wordpress.com.

Feel free to email steve@pscs.org if you have any questions!

“Our Own American Life” from PSCS Radio

scobie — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:54:58 +0000

Students Jasper, Lorenz, Aiden and Jamie, working with staff member Scobie Puchtler, have created an 18 minute audio piece modeled on the NPR syndicated radio show “This American Life”. This episode of “Our Own American Life”, entitled Playing With Fire, explores the themes of danger, fun, and collateral damage through the recollection of two stories about boyhood adventures.

__________________________________

Click on the title below to play:

Our Own American Life: Playing With Fire

IMPORTANT CREDITS:

Big thanks to our musical friends, the innovative local band Operation ID, for giving us permission to dip into their new album “Legs” for many of the musical tracks used in this piece.

Thanks also to PSCS Volunteer Ron Hemphill for the generous loan of his mobile digital recording device.

Graduation set for Saturday, June 4

steve — Tue, 24 May 2011 18:40:34 +0000

Our annual graduation ceremony will be held at The Bathhouse Theatre at Green Lake. The event, which will begin at 10:30 a.m., honors each graduate individually.

Each senior will be introduced by a special friend or mentor, before reading his or her credo. Then, we will open up the space for appreciations and memories. Here’s the schedule:

10:30 – 11:15: Clare Stemmer

11:15 – 12:00: Aaron O’Toole

12:00 – 1:30: Community Potluck at Green Lake

1:30 – 2:15: Kestrel Wenig

2:15 – 3:00: Tristan Schneider

If you can only attend part of the ceremony, please plan to arrive or depart during the potluck. As a courtesy to the seniors, we ask that you not enter or exit in between students.

Please plan to attend this very special event!

Seniors shine at the annual Student Showcase

steve — Mon, 02 May 2011 22:05:46 +0000

The annual Student Showcase event on May 13 provided an opportunity our four soon-to-be graduates to present their senior projects. Here are the videos below.

“10 Stories in 10 Days” fundraiser a big success!

steve — Mon, 02 May 2011 20:50:18 +0000

Thanks to everyone who supported our “10 Stories in 10 Days” spring fundraiser! In case you missed it, feel free to follow the links below and read all about it.

Story No. 1: Workplace of the future

Story No. 2: PSCS extends beyond the students

Story No. 3: Miracle school

Story No. 4: Learning isn’t about being perfect

Story No. 5: Safe is risky. Risky is safe.

Story No. 6: We have to decide

Story No. 7: Everyone gets a seat at the table

Story No. 8: Why didn’t you tell me?

Story No. 9: The Meaningful Life

Story No. 10: The big idea

We received one last donation right after the last story that put our final total for the campaign at $22,050. Thank you, PSCS family!

PSCS all-community potluck this Saturday!

steve — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 18:13:45 +0000

The event, which is set for Saturday, April 16 from 2-5 p.m., will be co-hosted by PSCS parent Mike Rotskoff and Interim Director Steve Miranda. It will be held at Jackson Place Cohousing (800 Hiawatha Pl. S. 98144) about a half mile east of PSCS.

Childcare will be provided upon request (email steve@pscs.org), and Mike is going to be running the grill. So bring some veggie burgers or sausage links or whatever you’d like to to barbecue, or maybe you’d prefer to bring a salad or fruit or a dessert. Whatever you decide to bring, join us for community and fun conversation, connect with old friends and meet new ones.

Please email steve@pscs.org (or call his cell phone 206.228.1638) if you have questions, hope to see you there!

Thanks for coming to Music Cafe!

steve — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 22:12:53 +0000

For those who were not able to attend, check out this video of the closing performance.

New album: “Margaux In Tall Places”

liana — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 21:04:31 +0000

During intensives week, a group of students spent time in “Echo Studio” writing and recording an album. Seven students with varying musical backgrounds and a range of musical interests collaborated in small groups to write music and lyrics, recording a total of six songs by Friday afternoon. The final product, Margaux In Tall Places, is complete with album artwork full of pictures that chronicle our week in the studio.

You can listen to the tracks online by visiting the PSCS Bandcamp website.