Weekly Bulletin February 26 - March 2, 2018 | Week 25 |
MESSAGE FROM BAA HEADMASTER, MS. CLARK |
I hope everyone had a relaxing, restorative February vacation. This bulletin message is the first since the tragedy in Florida. I'm sure I share with all members of the Boston Arts Academy community a range of emotions and reactions, both to the senseless loss of life and to the political discourse that has followed. Superintendent Chang has issued two statements: a statement about the BPS approach to school safety and a statement that represents the city's view that arming school staff is not an acceptable response. Instead, in BPS as a whole, as we have always done at Boston Arts Academy, we will concentrate on creating a safe and welcoming school community, where students know adults and their peers well and where students have authentic opportunities to share their ideas about what the community should be. It is on that last point that I would like to focus my message to students: the importance of student voice. I am incredibly proud of the students who have taken action in Florida: these are young people who have understood that they are not powerless, and they have insisted that their voices be heard. 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." In the coming weeks, I look forward to talking to students about their ideas about what actions should be taken and to supporting them to express their points of view. Have a great week. |
HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH! |
Do you know Arturo Alfonso Schomburg?
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg (1874-1938). Afro-Puerto Rican historian, writer and activist Arturo Alfonso Schomburg was a prominent figure during the Harlem Renaissance. As a child, Schomburg was told by one of his teachers that people of African descent had no history and no achievements. This teacher's words inspired Schomburg to dedicate the rest of his life to discovering the important accomplishments of people of African descent. Schomburg collected literature, art and other artifacts pertaining to people of African descent. His collections were purchased by the New York Public Library. Today, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is one of the most prominent research libraries focused on the African diaspora. Click here to learn more. Unrelated, fun fact about Marvel’s Black Panther: The warrior women known as the Dora Milaje in Black Panther are thought to be inspired by the Dahomey Amazons of West Africa - an all female military corps from the 17th century. |
CONGRATULATIONS AND SHOUT OUTS |
Congratulations to Isaiah Sealy on his acceptance to Manhattanville College and $19,000 scholarship! Congratulations to the music department for a strong showing at the Berklee High School Jazz Festival. The Vocal Jazz Ensemble received 7th place and The Charlie Brown Blues Band took 1st place in their respective divisions. Mayal Levy and Dominic Glaude were singled out in their respective ensembles for Most Valuable Member awards, and David Asturias was given the first ever "Rob Rose Scholarship" giving him full tuition for the Berklee 5 week program this summer! Congratulations to Ms. Ngo, Ms. Ho, and all students who displayed work in the Arts Connections’ Exhibition 21 Weeks. Students from every major are represented in the work. The show will be up through March 5th in the 2nd floor gallery, so be sure to check it out! Shout out to Asmani Huda (sophomore theatre major) was accepted into the ACLU Summer Institute in Washington D.C. The ACLU’s Summer Advocacy Institute brings together a diverse group of students entering their junior and senior years of high school from across the United States to participate in an advanced, first-hand learning experience for the next generation of social justice advocates. Shout out to Ms. Williams who performed in Praxis Stage’s for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf last week. 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. Art Connections is a two-section, all majors class exploring visual art themes interpreted by each artist - no matter their major or grade. Their exhibition, which opened on February 13th, is still up in the 2nd floor gallery. Be sure to check it out before it comes down on March 5th! The first prom committee meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 7th during lunch in the main office conference room. This meeting is open to any and all interested seniors. Boston Youth Job & Resource Fair: Saturday, March 10, 10am - 2pm at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury. Boston teens, ages 15-18, will have the chance to learn about summer job and enrichment opportunities. Please see the flyer here. Boston STEM Fair Open House for students and families. Sunday, March 11th, 1-4pm. Speak with directors, staff, educators, parents, and students about programs in science, technology, engineering, and math. Learn about summer camps, after-school programs, clubs, classes, and activities for pre-K, elementary, middle school and high school students. The Boston STEM Fair will feature a variety of distinct and engaging programs that include, among many others: Robotics, Coding, Game Development, Engineering and Design, Green Chemistry, Tech Entrepreneurship, 3D Design & Animation, App Development, Biotechnology, Computer Science, Global Leadership, Astronomy, Web Design, Bioengineering, Rocketry, and 3D Modeling & Printing. 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. Seniors: Please know that we accept Senior Dues anytime throughout the school year. Senior dues cover a portion of graduation, cap & gown, and the yearbook. You may bring cash or a check, made payable to Boston Arts Academy, to Ms. Gomez in the main office. Senior Dues are $120. 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 |
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. The Boston Pearl Foundation Scholarship | Amount: $1,000-$5,000 | Deadline: Friday, March 16th. The scholarship is hosted by the Boston Pearl Foundation and the Boston Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. The minimum GPA is a B+ average (3.0) and students must identify as a person of color and be a Massachusetts resident to apply. Students DO NOT have to be a U.S. citizen. Click here to apply. 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. Greater Boston Real Estate Board Scholarship | Amount: $500-$5,000 | Deadline: Sunday, April, 1st. The GBREB Foundation provides scholarships to graduating high school seniors that reside in Boston or the Greater Boston area and it will be guaranteed for two years. If students do not receive the scholarship, they may still be eligible for an internship! Click here to learn more and apply. 2018 Jack and Jill of America, Inc. | Amount: $3,000 | Deadline: Saturday, April 14th. The Newton Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., representing a nationwide family organization, is committed to advancing the cultural, social and academic achievements of African-American children. This scholarship program awards $3,000 annually to outstanding African-American high school seniors, who are based in Massachusetts and entering an accredited 4-year university or college upon graduation. Click here for details and to apply. 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, March 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. Families of Seniors: Please know that we accept Senior Dues anytime throughout the school year. Senior dues cover a portion of graduation, cap & gown, and the yearbook. You may send cash or a check, made payable to Boston Arts Academy, to Ms. Gomez in the main office. Senior Dues are $120. 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.” |
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.” |
No announcements. |
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.” |
No announcements. |
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. Their exhibition, which opened on February 13th, is still up in the 2nd floor gallery. Be sure to check it out before it comes down on March 5th! |
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 |