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CACS Mural Exhibit and Reception at FLAX Art Store

August 28, 2010

CACS and FLAX Art and Design hosted an amazing C.A.R.E.S. Mural Exhibit/Open House Reception/Back to School Shopping Drive on August 27, celebrating the hard work of our students while raising funds to support our arts program. Parents, children, and community members filled the store, where they marveled at the beautiful exhibit, participated in family art workshops, and shopped to support the school. FLAX offered a 10% discount to all CACS shoppers throughout the day, and donated 10% of all purchases back to the school. Not only did we enjoy good food, fine art, and excellent company, but we also exceeded our fundraising goals, and left with bins full of art supplies to fill our classrooms.

The C.A.R.E.S. Mural Project, created by our kindergarten through third grade students, was on display at FLAX Art and Design for the entire month of August. Students worked collaboratively in the Spring of 2010 to create the C.A.R.E.S. mural, highlighting five characteristics promoted by the CACS's Responsive Classroom curriculum: Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy, and Self-control. At FLAX, the exhibit included the mural itself, individual student collages and artwork related to the mural, and photos of the students painting the mural.

FLAX owner Leslie Flax commented on the evening, "I was really happy to have the CACS reception at the store. Bringing families and communities together for art- I loved it! I was quite impressed with the level of involvement from the parent volunteers. They were dynamic and full of support for you and your program." CACS thanks FLAX for their generous support of our school, as well as the many family volunteers who helped to make this event happen.

 

 

CACS Partners with Alamo Square Neighborhood Association

August 21, 2010

On Saturday, August 21, the Alamo Square Neighborhood Association (ASNA) hosted its 27th Annual Flea Market, and CACS proudly joined in the fun. Several thousand people attended the neighborhood festivities, where the CACS Family Association hosted a booth with items for sale and an art table with projects for kids. Our music teacher added to the excitement, playing his guitar for us all. Overall, it was a fantastic opportunity to meet our neighbors and share information about the school, as well as to raise funds to support our academic programs.

CACS thanks the many parent volunteers who participated, as well as the ASNA, who donated art supplies to our school and helped make our participation in this event possible.

 

 

Students and Seniors Collaborate in Art

August 19, 2010

On Thursday evening, CACS middle school students and local San Francisco seniors attended the opening reception for an art exhibit celebrating their collaborative artistic friendships. Art created by the students in partnership with the seniors accompanied student-composed biographies of the elder artists. The exhibit resides at Victorian Manor, an assisted living facility located one block south of CACS.

This fantastic display of beauty and creativity was the result of last spring’s middle school art elective class called "Collaboration with Elders and Youth in the Arts (CEYA)," funded by the Institute on Aging. Through creative expression, CEYA helps elders remain connected to the community with the goal of helping them experience improved physical and emotional well-being. Last year, 36 CACS students participated in this inspiring experience. In 2010-2011, CACS is once again thrilled to offer CEYA to promote inter-generational collaborative experiences for our students.

 

 

Computers Running Smoothly, Thanks to Partimus

August 16, 2010

On Sunday August 15, volunteers from Partimus helped refurbish CACS' computers in the school's computer lab and the classrooms. Hard-working computer experts spent a busy six hours installing systems, trouble-shooting teachers' computers, and setting up new equipment. Their efforts help CACS provide access to up-to-date technology for both our students and teachers.

Partimus is a nonprofit organization that provides re-purposed computers running free software to students and schools who need them. CACS thanks Partimus whole-heartedly for their support of our community!

 

 

Student Film To Be Screened at 7th Annual Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema

August 14, 2010

"Feelin' Alright," a film project by 7th and 8th graders at Creative Arts Charter School, has been accepted to the seventh annual Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema, a celebration of local film artists to be held September 2-5 and October 4. Students created "Feelin' Alright" in a Video Shorts class, part of the Middle School Arts Electives Program at CACS. "Feelin' Alright" represents the collective and poetical belief of these students that one of our country's greatest hopes for the future lies in the creation of music and art. This student video celebrates the rich arts integration program that lies at the heart of CAC's unique mission.

In making "Feelin' Alright", students had the opportunity to work directly with Adrian Arias, a celebrated Bay Area artist (originally from Peru) using professional cameras, lighting and editing equipment. Adrian incorporated music, poetry, photography, art-installation, and art-appreciation into the creative process. Students took turns writing script, interviewing, being interviewed, shooting footage, directing, and editing. Eighth grade music students helped to compose and perform the music in the film. "Feelin" Alright" was first screened at LUCASFILMS in March, 2010 as part of the inaugural CACS Heart for the Arts Film Festival.

 

 

CACS Welcomes its New Director

June 21, 2010

The Board of Directors is extremely pleased to announce the hiring of Paul Greenwood as the new Director of Creative Arts Charter School. Paul will be joining our fantastic team of educators, along with recently hired Assistant Director Fernando Aguilar, to lead CACS in its quest to provide students with a high-quality, arts-integrated education that serves the needs of all our children. Paul brings strong skills not only in teaching and learning, but also in strategic planning and development, which will help CACS establish a sounder footing in this difficult economy and develop the structural foundation needed to support our educational mission. Please see the bio below to learn more about Paul's background. We are so thrilled that Paul is joining CACS and eagerly welcome him to our community.

The Board is particularly excited about the collaborative strength of our new educational leadership team of Paul and Fernando. We want to thank Fernando for his service as Interim Director these past few months, and are delighted that he has agreed to serve as our Assistant Director. Fernando is a talented educator with over 10 years of teaching at the elementary and middle school levels in California and New York. His thoughtful approach to problem-solving, deep understanding of how children learn, and passion for equitable education are just a few of the attributes that make him such a valuable leader.

Finally, the Board would like to thank the hiring committee (made up of parents and teachers) who put in so many hours to make our hiring process successful. Your careful deliberation, thoughtful discussions, and atmosphere of respect are the very qualities that make our community so successful.

About Paul Greenwood:

Paul was born and raised in Kansas City, MO, and earned his BA in History from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. He began his career in education as a participant in the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program, serving as an English instructor and international liaison in Hiroshima. Upon returning to the United States, Paul taught 7th and 8th grade and served as Middle School Dean at the Freeman School in San Francisco. During this time, Paul created Journey to Japan, a cross-cultural exchange trip, and has since led four school groups on this program.

In 2003, Paul accepted a faculty position at Drew School in San Francisco, where he taught History. At Drew, Paul designed new curriculum and served on the Admissions, Crisis Planning, and DEALL (Drew Educational Awareness for Lifelong Learning) committees. After beginning a Master's program in Education Administration at San Francisco State University, Paul joined Orinda Academy as the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. In addition to increasing enrollment and the school's financial aid budget, Paul strengthened the school's commitment to student body diversity through partnerships with A Better Chance and KIPP.

Most recently, Paul served as the Middle School Director at the Pegasus School in Huntington Beach. During his tenure, Paul implemented the school's Vision Plan, which involved expanding the arts program, retooling the advisory program, and creating more opportunities for experiential learning all while moving the school incrementally from a traditional pedagogical approach to one that is more innovative and child-centered. In the summer of 2009, Paul was one of 185 principals nationwide to be selected to participate in Harvard University's professional development program in school leadership.

Paul is married and has two sons. He is an avid sports fan, outdoor enthusiast and food lover. Paul could not be more excited to return to San Francisco and join the Creative Arts community.

 

News Archive: Spring 2010