Weekly Bulletin February 12 - February 16, 2018 | Week 24 |
MESSAGE FROM BAA HEADMASTER, MS. CLARK |
Thank you to those families who were able to attend the move update meeting last week. As we approach March, the preparations for our school re-location are beginning in earnest. I am pleased to announce that we have a new member of the administrative team who will be working with me to coordinate the move: Carolyn Meadows. You will begin to hear from Ms. Meadows and from me more frequently between now and June. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing more information, both through social media and through meetings. During honor roll assemblies this week, student government will be sharing this information about our move to Dorchester with students and collecting students' questions. On March 7, during seminar, we will have the first of some circle discussions where students can share their thoughts about our transition. We are committed to maintaining the quality of the Boston Arts Academy experience next year, and we look forward to working with you, the city, and the Boston Public Schools staff to make sure that happens. There are many new opportunities associated with the re-location, and we look forward to sharing those with you too. Have a great week and a great February vacation! |
HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH! |
Do you know Elma Lewis?
Elma Ina Lewis (1921-2004), who was nationally recognized as a visionary arts leader and humanist, founded Boston’s Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts (ELSFA) for black youth in 1950 before foundations and corporations were interested in such projects. The school, which emphasized music and dance, produced many students who found work in Broadway musicals, and who built professional careers in the theater. In l967, she launched the Elma Lewis Playhouse-in-the-Park, which presented such greats as Odetta, Billy Taylor, and Duke Ellington.
In 1968, Miss Lewis founded the National Center of Afro-American Artists (NCAAA). It consisted of professional programs in the visual and performing arts that paralleled the divisions of the ELSFA. Her goal was to bring together in one complex the best in teaching and professional performance, while affirming a populist commitment to arts accessible and ethnic heritage.
NCAAA professional companies in dance and music, often drawing on the ELSFA’s students, flourished, performing in Boston, at Jacob’s Pillow, in Carifesta in the Caribbean, as well as in Brazil, Senegal, and Europe. The creative mix was intoxicating, and from it came many exciting productions including the NCAAA’s well-known production of Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity.
As a visionary, Miss Lewis’ dream was extraordinarily powerful. Tens of thousands were touched directly by her school and the NCAAA performances locally, nationally and internationally. Her vision and work commanded national respect as demonstrated by honors such as the Presidential Medal for Art presented to her by President Ronald Reagan, and her designation as a Fellow in the first group of John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Awardees. Miss Lewis also received the Commonwealth Award, Massachusetts’ highest award in the arts, and myriad other honors including nearly thirty honorary doctorates from universities including Harvard and Brown. To learn more about Elma Lewis, click here. |
CONGRATULATIONS AND SHOUT OUTS |
Congratulations to the following students on their college acceptances and scholarship awards:
Have someone(s) to congratulate or shout out? Please email Ms. Booth --> tbooth@bostonartsacademy.org (be sure to include name and reason for the shout out) |
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS Please also see the appropriate section below for information specific to your art major. |
PSAT scores are now available. Sophomores and juniors should come to Ms. Hairston's office to view their score reports. Free Swim Lessons at the Oak Square YMCA in Brighton for February vacation! If you’re interested, click here to sign up. Honor Roll Assemblies for Term 2 will take place on Tuesday, February 13th. In the last 20 minutes, Student Government will present information about the move to Dorchester, and give time for student questions, which they will record. These questions will be given to both BAA administration, and to our "Circle Keepers" who will lead circle discussions about the move on Wednesday, March 7th. There is also a special schedule on this day: 8:00 - 8:40 Block A Art Connections is a two-section, all majors class exploring visual art themes interpreted by each artist - no matter their major or grade. We will be holding an exhibition from February 13th - March 5th to display and celebrate the success of student's learning and exploration. All are invited to the opening reception on February 13th after school from 3-5pm in the 2nd floor gallery! Investment & Finance Club will meet on Thursday, February 15th during lunch in Mr. Bobrow's room (209). Anyone is welcome to join and lunch will be provided if you reply to Mr. Bobrow by Wednesday. We discuss and learn about any money related topics, including the BAA investment portfolio, which has been earning money for the past 3 years! The BAA Talent Show is on Friday, February 16th at the House of Blues. There will be a special schedule on this day: 8:00 - 9:15am -- Advisory Breakfast 9:15 - 9:30am -- Transition to House of Blues 9:30 - 11:00am -- Talent Show 11:00am -- Student Dismissal February Break is Monday, February 19th - Friday, February 23th. Students return from February break on Monday, February 26th. Have a great break! The Boch Center, with its Teen Leadership Council and Youth Planning Committee will be hosting the Youth Arts for Social Change Summit and Job Fair on Wednesday, February 21st from 12pm-4pm at Hibernian Hall in Roxbury’s Dudley Square. This exciting opportunity for teens and organizations from the Boston and Greater Boston area will showcase youth’s artistic experiences and facilitate discussions on social justice and advocacy efforts we are all working towards in our own communities. For more information and to RSVP, please click here. The Metro-Boston public bike share system, Hubway, is now available at a significant discount to low-income families and individuals. "SNAP Card to Ride" provides $5 monthly memberships and $50 annual memberships to individuals over the age of 16 with their household EBT card. The membership includes unlimited 60-minute trips, rather than the current 30-minute trips, without additional usage fees. Residents who do not receive SNAP benefits, but participate in other public assistance programs, will be able to access the discounted membership program in the near future. Convenient, easy online registration is available for EBT cardholders at thehubway.com/SNAP/. After completing registration, members will have access to more than 1,800 bikes at 194 stations across the four municipalities. Members with smartphone access can use the Hubway mobile app to locate and unlock bikes. Update from your library: The BAA library now has Nooks for student check-out! Students can check out a Nook and read or listen to free library books on any of our three apps. Teens in Print is Boston’s only citywide high school newspaper written by and for teens. Launched by WriteBoston and The Boston Globe in 2004, TiP is a platform for student journalists, essayists, poets, and artists to share their voices. Published quarterly, the paper is delivered to high schools, libraries and community centers across the city. Any 9-12th grade student in Boston can join Teens in Print as a staff writer. Teens meet Mondays from 3:30-5:30 near Downtown Crossing for a deep dive into journalism. Click here to learn more and to join. Applications are now being accepted for the 2018 city spotlights leadership program! City Spotlights Summer Leadership Program is a school-year youth employment program that will hire up to 60 Teen Leaders, 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 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. WHEN: 6 Weeks from July – mid-August, Monday-Friday, 25 hours per week WHERE: Boch Center, 270 Tremont Street, Boston WHO: Boston and Everett residents ages 15-19 COMPENSATION: Minimum wage for 25 hours/week For more information, please click here. Win Prom tix, $5, $10, or $25 Gift Cards! 9th and 12th graders Come to School, 10th and 11th graders Come to School On-Time and Get to Classes On-Time. If you do the following things every month, your name will be entered into a raffle: come to school 95% of the time (less than 1 absence) AND arrive to school on time 95% of the time (less than 3 tardies). Monthly raffle prizes for each grade level are: 9th graders - 2 students will picked for a $10 Gift Card and the opportunity to pick a friend for a 1-day pass for Open Campus lunch 10th graders - 5 students will be picked for a $5 gift card 11th graders - 5 students will be picked for Prom tix or a $5 gift card 12th graders - 2 students will be picked for Prom tix or a $25 Gift Card 2018 HS Apprenticeship Challenge Applications Open. Students 16+ can apply for the BioBuilder Apprenticeship challenge, a specialized program to prepare high school students for paid summer internships in the life sciences. Students will receive a $500 stipend and compensation for the summer internship. The program begins March 24th. Learn more and apply here. For additional information, students may contact Tess Atkinson. The BAA 2018 Summer Arts Study Scholarship is open! Any BAA student in grades 9-11 is eligible to apply, and forms can be downloaded from this link. Scholarship Applications are due on Friday, April 2nd. Any questions or concerns, please see Ms. Marsh. Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) High School Apprenticeship Challenge. The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) is excited to announce the re-launch of their High School Apprenticeship Challenge! The MLSC connects students with employers via an online platform and reimburses host organizations for stipends paid to students. Students must apply online. Interns must be Massachusetts high school students that are at least 16 years old and currently in their sophomore, junior, or senior year. There is no application deadline, but internships will take place between June and August. If you have questions, please email internship@masslifesciences.com. BPS Youth Voices "Creativity Takes Courage" Contest. BPS Youth Voices "Creativity Takes Courage" Contest provides young people an opportunity to create purposeful media to express their ideas for driving change in their community and the world beyond. Winners will be announced in 8 categories. Click here for more information. Deadline: Saturday, May 12th. Updated Tutoring Schedule: Ms. Daniela: M-Th during C block (math help) Ms. Claire: M 1-4, T 2:30-5, Th 2:30-5 Ms. An: W 3-5 Ms. Cara: M 3-4:45 Ms. Susan's writing help: T/Th 3-5 by appointment) The library team is happy to proofread papers. Please email/share to: READ@BostonArtsAcademy.org |
COLLEGE AND CAREER |
Red Pine Scholars Program | Amount: up to $20,000/yr | Deadline: Thursday, February 15th. The Red Pine Scholars Program offers high-performing high school seniors and recent graduates from Massachusetts the chance to attend competitive colleges anywhere in the United States. The Program is dedicated to making college affordable for Massachusetts families and helping students to reach their full potential. If accepted into the program, students receive a four-year scholarship of up to $20,000 annually, plus individual mentoring and funding for enrichment opportunities. Click here for more information and to apply. Yawkey Scholars Program | Amount: up to $25,000/yr | Deadline: Thursday, February 15th. The Yawkey Scholars Program is designed to make college affordable for talented, motivated, low-income students from Massachusetts. It provides a four-year renewable tuition scholarship and other supports to help students achieve academically and go on to be successful and highly productive members of our community. Click here for more information and to apply. JFK-GE Foundation Scholarships | Amount: up $2,500 | Deadline: Friday, February 23rd. The JFK Library Foundation & GE Foundation are offering up to 40 $2,500 scholarships to BPS high school seniors graduating in Spring 2018 who are planning on pursuing undergraduate majors in a STEM field of study. Please pass along this information to high school students. Additional program requirements can be found here. Applications are available here. Microsoft disAbility Scholarship | Amount: $5000/yr | Deadline: Thursday, March 15th. Apply for the Microsoft disAbility Scholarship, a renewable scholarship of $5,000/year, up to $20,000. Applications are open to high school seniors living with a disAbility (as defined by WHO) with plans to major in a STEM field in the fall. Learn more and apply here. For additional information, please contact Tess Atkinson. Tiffany Green Operator Scholarship Award | Amount: $10,000.00 | Deadline: Saturday, March 31st. Established to support women pursuing a career in live entertainment. Fields of study may include but is not limited to: live event operations, production, music engineering and/or other related fields. Click here to learn more, and here to apply.
Live Nation – US Concerts Scholarship Award | Amount: $10,000.00 | Deadline: Saturday, March 31st. Supports students pursuing careers in the five core areas of the Live Nation business: concert and venue promotion; sponsorship and advertising; ticketing; e-commerce; and artist management. Click here to learn more, and here to apply.
Steven J. Finkel Service Excellence Scholarship Award | Amount: $10,000.00 | Deadline: Saturday, March 31st. Established to support the ever-growing customer service expectations of fans, artists and employees within the live entertainment industry. Click here to learn more, and here to apply. Hispanic Scholarship Fund | Amount: $500-$5,000 | Deadline: Saturday, March 31st. The Hispanic Scholarship Fund is designed to assist students of Hispanic heritage obtain a college degree. Awards are based on merit; amounts range from $500 to $5,000, based on relative need. Click here to learn more and apply. Tempus Unlimited Scholarship | Amount: $2,500 | Deadline: Sunday, April 1st. Tempus Unlimited, Inc. is pleased to award up-to two (2) $2,500.00 scholarships per high school for aspiring students who have a disability, and have overcome challenges that will attend higher education after high school. Click here for application and additional details. Ms. LoBrutto will be holding drop-in hours in the Alaska Lab every Wednesday from 3-5pm and Friday 1-3pm. 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. OTHER RESOURCES – Please visit these websites for helpful financial aid, scholarship, and college readiness info:
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SAVE THE DATES |
For additional details, or for a listing of all events for the school year, please check our website calendar here. Thursday, March 8 Gallery Exhibition Opening Reception: "Crossing Borders” BAA’s Sandra & Philip Gordon Gallery 5-7pm Thursday, April 12 - Friday, April 13 Boston National College Fair Boston Convention and Exposition Center Click here for more info and to register Wednesday, April 25 Family Conference Day Wednesday, April 25 Healthy Family Fun Day 8:30-10:45am Friday, May 11 - Saturday, May 12 Dance Springfest, 20th Anniversary Performance Boston University Dance Theatre Thursday, May 31 - Saturday, June 2 Theatre Main Stage Production |
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. |
We've raised $10K towards our $20K FOR 20 YEARS campaign! From the Boston Arts Academy Foundation: THANK YOU to our very generous caregivers, students, and others in the BAA community who have supported our $20K for 20 Years campaign. We are halfway to our goal! Help us continue this momentum by clicking here to give online today. Did you know you can set up a monthly recurring gift? It is a wonderful way to make a truly meaningful gift to support our students. Thank you! The next Family Council meeting is on Tuesday, February 13th at BAA in room 133. The meeting will be held from 6-8pm. Dinner will be provided. Family Council meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of every month for the remainder of the school year. Please note that while spring meetings are currently scheduled to be held at BAA, the location is subject to change based on the Red Sox game schedule. Updates will be provided if there is a location change. To see all notes from this school year's Family Council meetings, please click here. The Metro-Boston public bike share system, Hubway, is now available at a significant discount to low-income families and individuals. "SNAP Card to Ride" provides $5 monthly memberships and $50 annual memberships to individuals over the age of 16 with their household EBT card. The membership includes unlimited 60-minute trips, rather than the current 30-minute trips, without additional usage fees. Residents who do not receive SNAP benefits, but participate in other public assistance programs, will be able to access the discounted membership program in the near future. Convenient, easy online registration is available for EBT cardholders at thehubway.com/SNAP/. After completing registration, members will have access to more than 1,800 bikes at 194 stations across the four municipalities. Members with smartphone access can use the Hubway mobile app to locate and unlock bikes. Do you shop at Amazon.com? Begin your visit at smile.amazon.com and AmazonSmile will donate to Boston Arts Academy! |
DANCE These are announcements that are specific to the dept; for performances see “SAVE THE DATES.” |
The next orthopedic clinic is on Wednesday, February 14th from 3-4:30pm. Dancers can sign up in the Dance office if they would like to see the physician. Monday, April 2 - Saturday, April 7: Nathan Trice Residency Friday, May 11th & Saturday, May 12th: Springfest 20th Anniversary Performance at Boston University Dance Theater |
FASHION TECHNOLOGY These are announcements that are specific to the dept; for performances see “SAVE THE DATES.” |
Parents/Caregivers, thank you for your response to fashion technology dues. If you have not yet sent in your $30, please do so. If you have any concerns please see Ms. Polito. |
MUSIC These are announcements that are specific to the dept; for performances see “SAVE THE DATES.” |
Senior recital qualifier performance exams will take place the week of February 26th - March 2nd. This exam is designed to determine students' readiness to present a senior recital. Seniors must successfully pass the qualifier performance exam with a 2.4 out of 4 (80% or B-) in order to be eligible to present their recital during the week of March 19th. Seniors must present a senior recital in order to be eligible for graduation. Thus, the upcoming exam is critical in determining the graduation timeline for seniors in the music department. |
THEATRE These are announcements that are specific to the dept; for performances see “SAVE THE DATES.” |
Parents/Caregivers, thank you for your response to theatre dues. If you have not yet sent in your $30, please do so, if you have any concerns please see Ms. Rodrigues. |
VISUAL ARTS These are announcements that are specific to the dept; for exhibitions see “SAVE THE DATES.” |
Art Connections is a two-section, all majors class exploring visual art themes interpreted by each artist - no matter their major or grade. We will be holding an exhibition from February 13th - March 5th to display and celebrate the success of student's learning and exploration. All are invited to the opening reception on February 13th after school from 3-5pm in the 2nd floor gallery! |
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: jbautista@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, BAA Library |