Weekly Bulletin October 2 - October 6, 2017 | Week 6 |
MESSAGE FROM BAA HEADMASTER, MS. CLARK |
At Boston Arts Academy, we believe in student voice. We have a proud tradition of student leadership: BAA students have had seats on the Boston School Committee; have been leaders in the Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC); have given testimony at Boston Cultural Council events; have advocated for the arts and for education with City Councilors and State representatives; and have participated in several major marches and protests over the last five years in the city of Boston. We teach our students that we want them to be artists, scholars, and global citizens, and our mission statement talks about students being "engaged members of a democratic society." Students: your engagement could begin with BAA Student Government! Positions are available for School Year 2017-2018: 9th grade rep, 10th grade rep, 11th grade rep, 12th grade rep 2 Visual Arts reps, 2 Fashion Tech reps, 2 Music reps, 2 Theater reps, 2 Dance reps. If you're interested, please apply through this link. Grade-level candidates will have an opportunity to speak at town hall meetings October 12th. Elections are October 16th. I look forward to seeing the next generation of BAA student leaders. Have a great week! |
CONGRATULATIONS AND SHOUT OUTS |
Theatre junior Jonathan Lopez completed a professional internship at Actors' Shakespeare Project, working as Assistant Lighting Designer for their production of Exit the King, at the Paramount Center at Emerson College. Theatre juniors Janine Mendes and Madelyn Wernig each began season-long professional internships working on lighting for Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Shout-out to Daija Siguenza and Kiara Caceda for volunteering at the BAA library this past week. Great job! |
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS Please also see the appropriate section below for information specific to your art major. |
The BAA Mobile Breakfast Café is back!!! As of last Tuesday, the mobile café is serving BAA students’ favorite breakfast foods from 7:30-8:20am in our lobby. And of course smoooooooooooothies will be served once a week! Now you have two places to get free, tasty breakfast at BAA: the cafeteria or the mobile café. Want to start your own club, bring back a club, or join a club? Do you have an awesome idea to bring your peers and adults together? Interested in starting a Student Club? If you want to start a student club, please complete this form or tinyurl.com/BAAclubs2017 by Tuesday, October 3rd. For more information, please see Mr. Vasquez, Dean of Students. Yesenia Aguilar from ABCD (Action for Boston Community Development, Inc.) will be coming in on Wednesday, October 4th during lunch to share information about the following opportunities:
National Honor Society will meet on Thursday, October 5th in room 216 during lunch. MEFA Financial Aid Seminar for Seniors and their families. On Thursday, October 5th, 6-8pm at BAA a representative from the Massachusetts Financing Authority will give a workshop on How to Finance your education. We will discuss the types of financial aid including, FAFSA, CSS Profile and private scholarships. Students and parents will also find out about what documents they will need to complete the necessary financial aid forms. Students! It's time for BAA Student Government Elections! If you are interested in running for an elected position, please click here to fill out the election form. This link will also be posted around the school and on the student government bulletin board. Please see Ms. Kroesser in Health and Wellness with questions. Applications are due by Friday, October 6th! Elections will take place on Monday, October 16th. Attention students and families: Boston Public Schools has teamed up with Sprint to provide internet access to high school students who do not have internet access at home. The 1 Million Project is a grant that BPS received at the end of last year. No cost to students and families for the device, data, and service. Please complete this survey (https://goo.gl/EGsVof) to be eligible. The survey will also be linked on the library website and iPads. SENIORS: 2018 Class Rings. On Wednesday, October 11th and Friday, October 13th, Mike McCann, a representative from Jostens, will be onsite to provide information on the purchasing of 2018 class rings. Seniors, if you are interested in purchasing a class ring, please see Mr. McCann in the cafeteria during lunch on October 11th or 13th. Fall Teen Night at the ICA. Join the ICA Teen Arts Council for an unforgettable Teen Night! Friday, October 13th, 6-9pm. Organized by teens for teens, the evening features teen-led art tours, art-making activities, and youth performances in the coolest theater in Boston, the Barbara Lee Family Theater. Visit icateens.org for more details on activities. EmersonWRITES is an urban, creative writing lab offering FREE college-style workshops to students grades 8-12 enrolled in a Greater Boston public or charter school. Their teachers are graduate students in Emerson's MFA/MA program in Writing and Publishing, and have been trained to teach college-level writing in the award-winning First-Year Writing Program. EmersonWRITES is guided by the principle that writing is essential to intellectual engagement, self-representation, and access to opportunity. This program seeks to foster individual voice and empowerment through the written word. This program begins on Saturday, October 14th, so apply today! Join Team MYC! Being on the Mayor’s Youth Council (MYC) provides the opportunity for Boston’s young people to come together to advise Mayor Walsh and other City officials on policy and programming. The council also leads Youth Lead the Change, a participatory budgeting process that engages the community in how the City spends $1,000,000 of the budget. For more information or to apply, please click here. (**Note, the website says the application deadline is Saturday, September 30th, but that deadline has been extended. Interested students can still apply.) Boch Center’s Teen Leadership Council. The Teen Leadership Council is a youth employment program specializing in an area of the performing arts (dance, music or acting) to use the arts for social change in their communities. Teen Leaders will work collaboratively to create an educational performance and arts-based workshop on a social justice topic. Teen Leaders will deepen their facilitation and job readiness skills; engage Boston residents in meaningful dialogue about a social justice topic; and operate as change agents in their communities. Click here to learn more or here to register. Applications are due Sunday, October 15th. Urban Improv’s after-school program, Youth Unscripted, is recruiting 9th-12th graders for its 2017-2018 program. You don’t need to be an actor to join Youth Unscripted. They’re looking for young people who are excited to try new things, explore social justice issues and meet other high school students from around Boston. Plus participants receive a stipend! There will be two info sessions on October 5th & 12th for students interested in learning more and seeing the program in action before committing. Students who are interested can fill out an online application here (paper copies will be available during info sessions), or email Jamie Ullrich, Program Manager, for details. Students may also click here for additional details. National Monologue Slam Convention & Competition, November 10th and 11th, in Southbury CT. The National Monologue Slam Convention & Competition provides an opportunity for attendees to network with Industry professionals, compete in a monologue competition, compete in a musical theatre competition, and participate in master classes! Participants in the competition(s) will be judged against similarly aged contestants and can opt to perform one or more monologues in the comedy, drama and musical theatre divisions. Judges will include professional casting directors and talent agents. To read more about the rules and regulations, please click here. Library Raffle: The library is hosting a raffle. Earn tickets by helping the librarians or helping other students. Students can also earn one ticket by completing the Reading Survey. See Ms. D or Ms. Marz for details. Tutors: Need help with an assignment? Tutor available in the library on Tuesday and Thursdays 3-5pm by sign-up only. Please see or email Ms. D to sign up (read@bostonartsacademy.org). Juniors and Seniors: If you are interested in being a tutor, please see Ms. D. This can count as NHS service hours and looks good on college applications. |
COLLEGE AND CAREER dates and deadlines |
JUNIORS: Free SAT Prep & College Admissions Guidance. Applying to college can be overwhelming, but Let’s Get Ready is here to help! Let’s Get Ready begins with the College Access Program, a 9-week curriculum administered by trained college student Coaches that includes SAT prep, college application guidance, college visits, and more. The program is provided at no cost to high school seniors and juniors with qualifying financial need. Programs are offered during the fall, spring and summer and are built upon close partnerships with colleges, high schools and community organizations. Each 9-week program includes:
There is currently a waitlist for the Boston program, but by signing up today, you will be alerted when the spring program begins. SENIORS: MEFA Financial Aid Seminar for Seniors and their families. On Thursday, October 5th, 6-8pm at BAA a representative from the Massachusetts Financing Authority will give a workshop on How to Finance your education. We will discuss the types of financial aid including, FAFSA, CSS Profile and private scholarships. Students and parents will also find out about what documents they will need to complete the necessary financial aid forms. SENIORS: All seniors are REQUIRED to attend an informational session about requesting recommendation letters, hosted by Ms. Lobrutto and Ms. Mandell. You will receive information and materials about recommendation letters and how to professionally ask for them, and attending the info session will be part of your Seminar grade. The info session will be held two times, so please come to whichever one you are able: Wednesday, October 11th or Thursday, October 12th, both from 11:45-noon in room 221 (Flaherty's room). Please be on time! Ms. LoBrutto will be holding drop-in hours in the Alaska Lab every Wednesday from 4:00pm-6:00pm and Friday 1:00pm-3:00pm. She is available to talk to all grade levels about career and major exploration, standardized testing, the Common App, college essays, financial aid, and scholarships. **NOTE: Ms. LoBrutto will not be available for office hours on Friday, October 6th, so please plan accordingly. Boston National Portfolio Day is Sunday, October 22nd @ Hynes Convention Center (900 Boylston Street, Boston). This event is from 12-4pm. National Portfolio Day is an annual event, held in multiple locations across the United States and Canada, produced specifically for emerging visual artists and designers. It is an opportunity for those who wish to pursue an education in art and design to meet one on one with professional representatives from colleges and universities who are accredited. For more information or to register, click here. |
SAVE THE DATES |
For additional details, or for a listing of all events for the school year, please check our website calendar here. Wednesday, October 11 JUNIOR Families MEFA College Admissions Seminar. An experienced Massachusetts Education Finance Administration representative will provide an overview of college admissions, including building the college list, the college application process and basics of financial aid. This seminar is geared toward juniors and their parents. The goal of the seminar is the prepare juniors for their senior year. The seminar will also include information on testing, admissions trends, additional resources and tools to assist you in the admissions process. This event is from 6-8pm at BAA. Thursday, October 12 Gallery Opening Reception: Naoe Suzuki - "Lost and Found". On Thursday, October 12th, BAA will host an opening reception for conceptual artist, Naoe Suzuki. Suzuki will be presenting Lost and Found, the second part of her project as the Artist-in-Residence at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Suzuki explores the interconnectedness of meaning between knowledge and belief, bringing forth forgotten beliefs and asks us what is legitimate, what we may have lost, what we still believe, and what we hope to find. Saturday, October 14 All 10th and 11th graders have a required PSAT exam here at BAA, 7:30am - 12noon. Thursday, October 26 Building meeting, 6pm at Boston Arts Academy: Please come learn about the plans for the new building, the plans for the "swing space" in Dorchester, and the timeline for project approval, the move, and the construction project. Representatives from Boston Public Schools and the architectural team will present. Saturday, November 4 2017 BPS City-wide College & Career Fair. Boston Public Schools invites all middle and high school students to begin preparing to take the next step toward their future, by attending this city-wide college & career fair. The fair has been rescheduled and will now take place on Saturday, November 4th, from 10am-1pm, at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center, 1350 Tremont Street, Roxbury, MA 02120. Participating colleges and universities throughout the country will be available to share information about their school’s programs. There will also be a number of local career agencies and college access organizations on site. Additionally, students and families will be able to participate in FAFSA completion sessions onsite! For a listing of all participating exhibitors, please click here. Saturday, November 11 Senior Dance Project at Boston University Dance Theater. Showtimes are 3pm and 7pm. Tuesday, November 14 Family Conference Day. There will be no classes on this day. Families and students are expected to attend. |
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR FAMILIES Please also see the “Save the Date” section above for upcoming events, and the appropriate section below for information specific to your student's art major. |
Message regarding absences and tardies. When a student is absent or tardy, a call is automatically generated by Boston Public Schools’ central office asking parents to call or write a note. At BAA, it is most important that you send a written note if you want to excuse the absence or tardy; a phone call is not needed. Notes must be received within 5 school days of the date of the absence or tardy in order to be considered for approval. The next Family Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 2nd from 6-8pm at Boston Arts Academy in the first floor conference room, room 133. Elections will be held for Family Council positions and other school-wide family engagement related leadership roles. Come and self-nominate for a leadership role, vote and make your voice heard, and enjoy dinner while meeting other BAA families. Please join us on Thursday, October 5th for BAA's Open House. This is an all day event where you are invited to shadow your student as they attend the classes on their schedule that day. Coffee will be available for families in the main lobby. Please come for as much of the day as you would like and are able. Also, please bring your student's schedule with you so you know where to go for their classes. We look forward to seeing you here! PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF SENIORS: MEFA Financial Aid Seminar for Seniors and their families. On Thursday, October 5th, 6-8pm at BAA a representative from the Massachusetts Financing Authority will give a workshop on How to Finance your education. We will discuss the types of financial aid including, FAFSA, CSS Profile and private scholarships. Students and parents will also find out about what documents they will need to complete the necessary financial aid forms. Attention students and families: Boston Public Schools has teamed up with Sprint to provide internet access to high school students who do not have internet access at home. The 1 Million Project is a grant that BPS received at the end of last year. No cost to students and families for the device, data, and service. Please complete this survey (https://goo.gl/EGsVof) to be eligible. Donations needed for Nurse's Office. Please consider donating the following items if you are able. You can drop these items off at BAA - Attn: Nurse Aboujaoude. You can also order them directly through AmazonSmile (select Boston Arts Academy Foundation) and BAA will get a % of the purchase donated as well. Here are the needed items: Lysol wipes, Lysol spray, Hand sanitizer, Hand Cream, Tissue boxes, Sandwich Bags, Sanitary napkins/tampons, Cough Drops, Advil (200mg). $20K for 20 Campaign, Chaired by Talia Rivera and Tonya Todesco, Caregivers Class of 2019 The 2017-18 school year is Boston Arts Academy’s 20th! As part of our year-long celebrations, the Boston Arts Academy Foundation is challenging the Boston Arts Academy community (caregivers, students, faculty, friends, and staff) to raise $20,000. It would be a great honor to be able to announce during our 20th Anniversary Weekend celebration scheduled for May 18 - 20, 2018, that this community has come together to support the school in such a meaningful way. The easiest way to participate is to make a gift online at bostonartsacademy.org/20kfor20. You can also easily leave a gift in the donation box in the school's lobby. We look forward to your participation! |
DANCE These are announcements that are specific to the dept; for performances see “SAVE THE DATES.” |
Dance clothing is available for purchase in the dance office on Mondays during lunch. There is a limited supply, so students should also purchase dance attire online. See BAA Handbook for details. Saturday, October 7th & Sunday, October 8th - Dancing Through College and Beyond. Seniors interested in majoring in dance in college should visit http://dancewave.org/DTCB Orthopedic Clinic At Boston Arts Academy: The Sports Medicine doctors from Children's Hospital will be holding free orthopedic clinics every month for all dance majors. The first clinic will be held on Wednesday, October 18th, 3-4:30pm. Dancers can sign up in the Dance office if they would like to see the physician. Saturday, November 11th - Senior Dance Project at Boston University Dance Theater. Performances at 3pm and 7pm. Friday, December 8th - Master Class with Sean Curran, New York University Dance Department Chairperson @ NYU TISCH. **This Master Class will include an Audition for NYU’s summer dance program. Friday, December 15th - Dance Theater of Harlem Masterclass taught by Robert Garland. 10:50am-12:10pm. Saturday, December 16th - Dance Theater of Harlem Summer Dance Audition
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FASHION TECHNOLOGY These are announcements that are specific to the dept; for performances see “SAVE THE DATES.” |
Reminder to all families to bring in $30 departmental dues. |
MUSIC These are announcements that are specific to the dept; for performances see “SAVE THE DATES.” |
If you have not done so, please bring in your $30 departmental dues as soon as possible. You can give your $30 to your advisor during advisory. |
THEATRE These are announcements that are specific to the dept; for performances see “SAVE THE DATES.” |
Rehearsals for those cast in our first main stage performance will start on Monday, October 2nd and will be held Monday-Thursday from 3-6:30pm, and some Fridays and Saturdays. Performance dates are December 7th, 8th, and 9th. If you are interested in Actor’s Shakespeare’s after school program, please apply now; Remember they have scholarships available. Please follow this link to apply, and to get answers for any questions you might have. Parents and caregivers please remember to bring in $30 theatre dues for this year. |
VISUAL ARTS These are announcements that are specific to the dept; for exhibitions see “SAVE THE DATES.” |
The Visual Arts Department is pleased to announce Artist in Residence, Naoe Suzuki. She is presently installing a conceptual art installation “Lost and Found” in the Gordon Gallery. In conjunction with this work is an opportunity for the BAA community to write about lost objects in the 4th floor hallway gallery. There will be a reception for her on Thursday, October 12th (5-7pm). All are invited. The Visual Arts Department will be hosting a National Portfolio Day Pre-Session on Friday, October 20th after school for seniors applying to arts colleges. Stay tuned for which college admissions representatives attending. Boston National Portfolio Day is Sunday, October 22nd @ Hynes Convention Center (900 Boylston Street, Boston). This event is from 12-4pm. National Portfolio Day is an annual event, held in multiple locations across the United States and Canada, produced specifically for emerging visual artists and designers. It is an opportunity for those who wish to pursue an education in art and design to meet one on one with professional representatives from colleges and universities who are accredited. For more information or to register, click here. Mac Lab Open Studio Hours: Monday-Wednesday during H Block (3-4pm) Reminder to all families to bring in $30 departmental dues. |
Questions or Concerns? For artistic concerns, contact Artistic Dean, Kathleen Marsh: kmarsh@bostonartsacademy.org For academic concerns, including special education and support for English language learners, contact Academic Dean, Joy Bautista: jbaustista@bostonartsacademy.org For safety and school culture concerns, contact Dean of Students, Edgar Vasquez: evasquez@bostonartsacademy.org For health concerns, contact Nurse Jocelyne Aboujaoude: jaboujaoude@bostonartsacademy.org For admissions information, contact Admissions Director, Blanca E. Bonilla: bbonilla@bostonartsacademy.org For any concerns, feel free to contact Headmaster, Anne Clark: aclark@bostonartsacademy.org Helpful Links: School Calendar, SIS Login, BAA Handbook for Students & Families |