School News

Creative Arts Recovering, Thanks to Supportive Community

Books Inc. Book Drive on Feb. 2

January 22, 2011

The December 22nd Alamo Square Fire caused extensive smoke and water damage to the Creative Arts Charter School library, and we are in the process of rebuilding our collection. To support this effort, we are excited to work with Books Inc. in Laurel Village to host a Book Drive on Thursday, February 2nd from 6 to 8pm. Books Inc. will donate 20% of all sales to the CACS library, and we will also provide a wish list of books for patrons to purchase and donate to our school. Books Inc. is located at 3515 California Street at Locust. We thank them for their generous support of our children, and urge all San Francisco book lovers to join us for this fun community event.

Creative Arts Recovering, Thanks to Supportive Community

January 12, 2011

Creative Arts Charter School has received an incredible outpouring of support following the December 22nd Alamo Square Fire which caused significant smoke and water damage to our school. We are amazed and thankful for the way our community has come together. With the support of parents, staff, the San Francisco Unified School District, our heroic construction workers, and our extended community in San Francisco and beyond, our school is stronger than ever and in the process of making a full recovery from this tragedy.

CACS Sustains Severe Damage in December 22nd Alamo Square Fire — Seeks Donations of Classroom Materials, Books, and Financial Support

December 29, 2011

The five alarm fire that engulfed the two residential buildings adjacent to CACS on 12/22/11 caused extensive smoke and water damage to our school, resulting in a total loss of six classrooms, including our art studio, cafeteria, community meeting space, and library. The severity of this situation can not be overstated as teachers have lost curriculum, their class libraries, and all other materials and supplies related to teaching and learning. Additionally, the school has lost several computers and related hardware, sports equipment, art supplies, and office supplies.

Learn more, including information about how to donate to the fire reconstruction fund.

CACS Middle School Information Night on December 1st

November 4, 2011

CACS is holding a Middle School Information Night for prospective families on December 1 from 6:30-8pm. Join us to learn more about our small school setting and arts-integrated, project-based approach to learning. To attend, please RSVP by November 29 to tours@creativeartscharter.org or call our main office at (415) 749-3509. We look forward to welcoming new families into our community in 2012!

Second Cohort of K and 6th grade Added for 2012-13!

November 1, 2011

On October 13, the CACS Board of Directors approved a new enrollment model, which will grow our school to 432 students by 2016, by offering two sections at every grade level. To serve our students in a personalized and supportive way, we will maintain small class sizes, with 22 students in K-5 classes, and 28 in grades 6-8.

Phase 1 of the plan is to be implemented immediately, and thus, we are excited to announce 22 new openings for kindergarten and 28 new openings for 6th grade next year! Please see the enrollment section to learn more about joining our community.

Creative Arts Is One of Two Statewide Winners of Green Schools Initiative

November 1, 2011

Creative Arts has been selected as one of two winners statewide in the Green Schools Initiative "What's Your Green Dream School" Contest. To qualify, parent volunteers, teachers and students formed the CACS Green Team to design a plan for greening our campus following our current renovation project. Using the Green Schools Initiative funds as "seed money," CACS is excited to begin development of a natural play space and learning garden for students in grades K-8.

The Green Schools Initiative is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the environmental health and ecological sustainability of schools in the U.S. CACS looks forward to our partnership in the coming school year.

Visit the Dia de los Muertos Altar

October 30, 2011

The Dia de los Muertos Altar, or Ofrenda, is on display in the Annex building. The Ofrenda is an all-school collaboration involving grades K-8. Our Kindergartners and 1st graders created colorful paper skulls for the altar. Second graders added beautiful monarch butterflies, which arrive in Mexico at this time of year as part of their annual migration. Students learned about the symbolism of monarch butterflies as part of Dia de los Muertos, and tied their art to their current science studies about butterflies.

Third graders added nicho boxes to the display, while fourth graders covered their faces in plaster to create vibrant calavera masks. Fifth graders contributed papel picado, intricate traditional paper cuttings. Calavera sculptures by sixth graders add detail to the altar, and skeleton puppets by the 7th graders hang above. Eighth graders created paper flowers and papel picado to finish the masterpiece.

Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday now celebrated throughout many parts of the world. It focuses on gatherings of family and friends to remember loved ones who have died. We welcome you to visit this inspiring art collection and meaningful memorial, and to contribute images or writings to our altar.

Hundreds of volunteer hours went into putting on this event, and CACS thanks the students, parents, and staff who worked so hard to make it happen. All proceeds from the event will go to support our school's programs.

Fall Fair Is a Big Success

October 22, 2011

Where can you find Roman gladiators, Harry Potter, Dorothy and Toto, vampires, and Cleopatra? CACS hosted all of these costumed guests and many more at our annual Fall Fair on Saturday, October 22. Sunny skies and abundant community spirit led to a packed event of fun for kids of all grades. With games galore, a cakewalk with delicious prizes, a crafts table, and the ever-popular middle school-sponsored haunted house, students had a fantastic afternoon. Our grills burned throughout the afternoon, supplying hungry families with burgers, hot dogs, and veggie burgers, while everyone cooled off with freshly made agua fresca and savored delicious desserts. Parent musicians entertained diners in the cafetorium with live music, and students delighted in sharing a little pie with our good-natured administration and staff at our annual pie-throwing contest.

CACS Third Graders Win "Best of Show"

October 11, 2011

CACS third graders, in partnership with Walker Warner Architects and Redhorse Constructors, hit the beaches on Saturday for the 28th Annual LEAP Sandcastle Contest and won "Best of Show" for their sand sculpture. Throughout September, students, parents, and members of Walker Warner worked together in the classroom to brainstorm ideas and design their masterpiece. In addition, Redhorse Constructors brought their expertise, tools, and brilliant water-pumping technology to the team. On Saturday, working together, the plans came to life as the team carved the sands of Ocean Beach into a glorious fire-breathing dragon.

The LEAP Sandcastle Contest is an annual event that raises funds to support the arts in schools. Twenty-three elementary schools in San Francisco participated in the contest, along with partnering architectural firms, engineers, and contractors. In addition, thousands of observers attended to marvel at the sandy creativity on display.

CACS thanks Walker Warner Architects and Redhorse Constructors for working with our students to make the event such a success, and congratulates the team on their big win!

Middle School Documentary Premieres at Film Festival

September 3, 2011

CACS middle schooler's film "Day of the Dead, Bruh," created in last year's Documentary Film class, premiered at the Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema Festival on Saturday, September 3. The film documents the Day of the Dead celebration at CACS and in the Mission District. Student art from our altars at the Mission Culture Center, student participation in the annual procession, and the beloved Peace Puppet made by last year's first grade class all feature in the film. The film was a lively and wonderful testament to the collaboration throughout our school and larger community.

Congratulations to our CACS filmmakers for their acceptance into the film festival. We look forward to seeing your future work!

CACS Returns to Alamo Square Annual Flea Market

August 21, 2011

CACS joined the Alamo Square Neighborhood Association (ASNA) for our 2nd year at the 28th Annual Flea Market. Our parent volunteers hosted a booth with items for sale, as well as an exciting art table. Parent and artist David Calabrese taught visiting children about different woods, then assisted in the creation of amazing wood sculptures. We enjoyed meeting our neighbors, celebrating art, and sharing information about the school, while raising much need funds to support our academic programs.

A special thanks to the many parent volunteers who donated materials, sorted merchandise, helped at the art table, and coordinated the even. We also appreciate the ASNA for helping to make our participation in this event possible.

CACS Renovation Update

August 18, 2011

CACS started classes on Thursday, welcoming students back to a campus midway through a substantial renovation project, due to be completed in June, 2012 Our buildings are owned and maintained by the San Francisco Unified School District, and as part of the bond modernization project, the District began updating our site over the summer. Thursday featured the unveiling of our sparkling new kindergarten classrooms, as well as our renovated Annex building, which we will use as a temporary home for many of our classes during the second phase of renovation on our main building. CACS has worked closely with the District to insure that student safety is a top priority throughout the construction process, and students will find minimal disruption to their learning as we complete this project.

When all is done, we will have increased accessibility, bringing the site into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act; upgraded our safety systems, improved our building shell, and modernized our site with updated floors, bathrooms, window coverings, cabinetry, and new paint. We will also have renovated play yards, with new structures, paving, fencing, and greening efforts. We look forward to showing off our remodeled facilities next year!

CACS Exhibits Work at San Francisco International Airport

June 1, 2011

For the months of June and July, come visit the Creative Arts Charter School art exhibit at the San Francisco International Airport. The exhibit includes two displays of art created by students in grades K-6.

Our first display, "The Spirit of Mount Fuji," features wood-block prints that depict Mount Fuji, a prominent symbol of spirituality in Japanese culture. CACS sixth graders created these hand-colored prints as part of their study of geology and volcanoes. Their work is based on Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, a famous series of wood-block prints by master Japanese printmaker Katsushika Hokusai, published in 1830.

Our second display, "Reflections on Self-Portraits," features student self-portraits inspired by the ancient Greek legend of Narcissus, the youth who became transfixed by his beauty while gazing at his reflection in a pool of water. Students drew two images of themselves, one using pastels and another with watercolors to depict their watery reflections.

The exhibition is open to the general public, meaning you do not have to have an airline ticket to access the space; and the airport is open 24 hours a day. The exhibit is located in Terminal One on the Baggage Claim level. CACS thanks the San Francisco International Airport for this opportunity to share our art with our community and Bay Area visitors.

Creative Arts Dragon Band Celebrates Carnaval

May 30, 2011

All those weeks of afterschool practice paid off for the Creative Arts Dragon Band, who performed yesterday at San Francisco's Carnaval, California's largest annual multi-cultural celebration. Following the theme of "Live Your Fantasy," CACS premiered its Willy Wonka-inspired float, decorated from top to bottom with candy art created by students at CACS. Atop our float rode our student musicians, playing guitars, keyboards, and drums, along with a costumed contingent of bubble-blowers and merrymakers.

Our participation in the parade would not have been possible without the leadership of our music teacher, Scott Stone, and the hard work of many parent volunteers, who helped pull the project together. CACS is proud to be a part of the rich arts community in San Francisco, and we look forward to future celebrations!

CACS at Young at Art Festival

May 14, 2011

CACS celebrates our second year of having student art accepted for the annual Young at Art Festival at the deYoung Museum. The Young at Art Festival is a citywide student art exhibition, featuring work from grades K-12 from schools throughout San Francisco. Running May 8-16, the Festival features visual, literary, media, and performing arts.

Students in first grade contributed several Chinese Dragon mixed media pieces, ceramics, and the Day of the Dead Peace Puppet, a whole-class project that was created for the Day of the Dead March last fall. Students in grades 3-5 contributed an array of Sumi-e paintings done in ink. Our sixth graders submitted their Volcano Block Prints, wood-block prints inspired by Mount Fuji and created in conjunction with a unit on volcanoes and geology.

Congratulations to all CACS artists accepted to this exciting exhibition!

CACS Performers Delight Audiences at Spring Show

May 6, 2011

"Wow!" "The best performance yet!" "Amazing!" Families raved about Friday night's performance of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," a musical performed by CACS students in first through sixth grades. The performance was a culmination of months of work by CACS' astonishing team of arts teachers, over 170 students, and many parent volunteers.

CACS theater teacher Lucinda Otto adapted the script, based on the original book by Roald Dahl and the Broadway Jr. musical "Willy Wonka." Her sixth grade theater class took on all the speaking roles of the play with flourish. Dance teacher Kat Healy choreographed dances for each of the grades, which were accompanied by music performed by the fourth and fifth grade music class and sung by the first through fifth graders. Music teacher Scott Stone adapted and composed the songs for the performance, including adaptations of "Candy Man," "Sugar Sugar" by the Archies, and a particularly amusing version of "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leppard. Led by art teacher Leslie Keir, students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 crafted the colorful sets and props, a whirlwind of lollipops and chocolate streams.

CACS salutes its student performers and talented arts staff for the stunning performance. In addition, we thank the many parents who volunteered to assist with costumes, lighting and audio equipment, videography, crowd management, and more. In the words of one student, "This was my favorite performance in all the years I've been at CACS!"

Talent Show and Trivia Night

May 2, 2011

CACS's eighth grade hosted its annual Talent Show and Trivia Night on Saturday, as a packed cafetorium cheered on performers of all ages, shared the delicious international potluck, and celebrated with a trivia competition. Talent filled the stage, including singing, hula-hooping, dancing, magic, comedy and more. In addition, several alumni returned to delight the crowds with their dancing talents. In between acts, families on trivia teams battled for the honor of first place, ultimately won by "The Brainiacs." Lucky raffle winners went home with baseballs signed by Tim Lincecum and Buster Posey, wine, and many other gifts from local vendors and members of our community. All proceeds from the event support the eighth grade's annual field trip. Thanks to all the volunteers and eighth graders who helped to make this night so fun!

7th and 8th Grade Host Art and Activism Exhibit

April 22, 2011

The seventh and eighth graders in the Art Core class recently completed a unit on Art and Activism. For the unit, each student researched an environmental justice activist and created a portrait of that person. These portraits were exhibited at the Mojo Bicycle Café, April 19-26 in honor of Earth Day 2011. At the opening reception on Thursday, students connected their art with environmentalism, hosting an exciting recycling project in the "parklet" in front of the café. Students studied landfill composition and discovered that approximately 25% of all landfill is comprised of discarded clothing. To do their part to reduce waste, students made images to silkscreen onto T-shirts that had lost their luster. Throughout the reception, students gave their silkscreen images away for any with a T-shirt in need of an eco-friendly face-lift.

CACS thanks Mojo Bicycle Café, located at 639 Divisadero & Grove, for their support of our students and their inspiring art.

CACS Annual Heart for the Arts Auction

March 13, 2011

Did you hear sounds of a party on Fillmore Street last night? Parents, family members, staff, and community members celebrated CACS at our annual Hearts for the Arts Fundraiser. Live music from The Champions played while an enthusiastic crowd bid on a wide variety of event tickets, vacation getaways, food baskets, original art, children's toys, and more. Mouths watered over treats from Hog & Rocks, Slanted Door, and Max's Market. As adults danced, chatted, and bid the night away, children played at CACS under the care of our after-school staff, who gave their time to support the school.

CACS thanks the many volunteers who helped to make this event happen. From soliciting donations to cooking and serving food to decorating to cleaning up, families from every grade contributed to making the evening a success. All proceeds from the event will support CACS 2011-12 budget, helping to providing our children with a rich hands-on, arts-integrated learning experience, taught by some of the finest teachers in the Bay Area.

Middle School Students Visit Walker Warner Architects

March 4, 2011

A group of 7th and 8th graders are exploring the world of architecture through their Arts in the Community elective. Yesterday, students visited the office of local architect Kathy Scott to learn about what architects do. They'll be spending the next few weeks working on an architectural project at school, preparing for a juried panel of professionals who will assess their work at the end of the month. This kind of project allows students to integrate art and mathematics, just one example of how art supports the development of other skills at CACS, as well as how CACS works with the local community to enrich students' education. In addition to architecture, students are visiting other arts-related professionals, including filmmakers and photographers. CACS thanks the architectural firm of Walker Warner Architects for their support of our budding architects!

CACS Winter Exhibition

January 4, 2011

Creative Arts Charter School begins 2011 with a celebratory Winter Exhibition of our students' work, hosted by the Mina Dresden Gallery. Join us on Thursday January 13 from 5-8pm for a celebration of the arts at CACS. Visual art from grades K-8 will be on display, accompanied by student musical performances.

CACS applauds the Mina Dresden Gallery for their support of the artistic endeavors of our students, and thanks them for their generous donation of their space. The gallery is located at 312 Valencia Street, between 14th and 15th Street, and can be reached by Muni lines 14, 22, or 49.

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