The Column

Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year at the PALCS Center for Performing and Fine Arts. This school year will be full of exciting events, including theater productions, film festivals, art exhibits, dance and music concerts, field trips, travel to festivals, Friday Night Cafes, and more! I am thrilled to join the CPFA community as Head Administrator and am excited to collaborate with students, parents, faculty, and staff.

I began working remotely from California on August 15th, and after a seven-day road trip to Pennsylvania, I arrived at the facility for the first time on August 29th. When I first arrived, I was overwhelmed! Overwhelmed by the love of teaching exuded by the CPFA faculty and staff; overwhelmed by the amazing transformation of a business park complex into a vibrant center for the arts, and overwhelmed by the aura of a facility expertly tailored to the needs of middle and high school students attending a pre-professional visual and performing arts program.

Over the past year, I have been grappling with a decision; retiring early from arts education and focusing on my penchant for helping homeless animals or seeking an opportunity to join a team of students, parents, and educators deeply committed to arts education. By “deeply committed,” I envisioned a community that embraces arts education not as enrichment but as essential to helping adolescents and young adults prepare for a purposeful life.

None of the arts education opportunities I came across felt quite right–and I was on the brink of deciding to retire early. At that point, Mrs. Lisa Carey, CPFA Dance Department Chair, phoned to tell me about a place called PALCS and the Center for the Performing and Fine Arts. After conversations with department chairs, faculty members, administrative staff, parents, and CPFA founder Mr. Mark Allen, it was evident that CPFA was the place I had been looking for all along.

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead the CPFA students, educators, and staff on this next part of what has been an impressive 18-year journey so far. I am confident that CPFA students will be in a safe, welcoming, positive, and supportive environment where faculty and staff foster a growth mindset, inclusivity, and a strong sense of community.

Finally, as I reflect on the impact of the pandemic years on adolescents and young adults, I would like to share that my primary goal this year is to “take care.” I will aim to help students, faculty, and staff take care of themselves, take care of each other, and take care of the CPFA community. I can’t wait to see the magic that unfolds over the next several months at CPFA.

Steven Dziekonski, DMA

Head Administrator

PALCS Center for the Fine and Performing Arts

• ARTS IMMERSION: Wednesday, September 7 (MS) and Thursday, September 8 (HS)
• Remote Access classes officially begin on September 7 and 8.
  
• The FIRST DAY of regular on-site CPFA Classes will begin on Monday, September 12 (MS) and Tuesday, September 13 (HS).

• CPFA Dinner-and-a-Movie Night Double Feature will be held on Saturday, October 1 from 3:00 - 8:00 p.m.

• CPFA Open House and Pillars Welcome on October 7 from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
  

• Step 1: Log onto your PALCSchool account. From the Lobby, click on "Calendar" on the left side of the page.
• Step 2: Select "Agenda" on the right to select the calendars that you want to view. Deselect the calendars that do not apply to your student.
• Step 3: At the bottom of the page, there is a button to add the calendar(s) to your Google calendar. There are also links to subscribe for non-Google users.
• Step 4: After you have added the calendar to your personal calendar, you can then select your notification settings.

The parents and families of our CPFA students are the foundational pillars of our pre-professional arts program. Their ongoing support and volunteer efforts help us to provide many extra-curricular programs and events that would not otherwise be possible. For this reason, our community of parents and families are called the Pillars of CPFA.

The first Pillars meeting of the year will commence with a CPFA Open House and Pillars Welcome on October 7 from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.

The first two days of on-site attendance features our Arts Immersion program; a day of ice-breakers and important information for on-site CPFA students for the upcoming year. We are excited to announce that the theme of this years Arts Immersion is "LOOK UP".

This first day of on-site CPFA attendance counts towards the attendance policy and all students are expected to participate in the important community building activities! On-site students do not need to bring personal musical instruments or their dance attire for these days.

CPFA would like to offer a huge THANK YOU to everyone who made the Back-to-School Picnic such a huge success! From the wonderful guest appearance of Dr. Karla Johnson, CPFA Chief Academic Officer, to parent volunteers, to Rita's incredible team, and last-but-not-least, to the excited spirit of our student body and faculty, we were able to kick off the 2022-23 school year with a bang.

Every year, CPFA has required all student drivers to register their car information including license plate number, make/model and color of your vehicle, and any/all after school activities you may be a part of. Parking has always been limited and based on a first-come-first serve basis.

This year we will be requiring all students to register for a CPFA parking pass. The form to be considered for a parking pass can be found HERE. These passes are limited to the number of CPFA Student parking spots that are available. Students who are not granted a parking pass will not be guaranteed a CPFA designated spot.

Priority will be given to Seniors, however, please be sure to indicate whether or not you plan to carpool with other students as this will weigh in the distribution of passes. Additionally, there are a number of students who have already registered their car information with Ms. Severson over the 2022 summer: If you are one of these students, do not worry. It has been noted when we received your information. However, please fill out the parking pass form in order to make your registration official.

If you are interested in participating in carpooling for the upcoming school year, please complete the Carpool Map Permission Form linked below [must be completed by a parent or guardian].

Please make sure you have downloaded the Remind app on your phones and any other mobile devices you may have. This is the platform we use to best communicate with our students and families in case of school closings or emergencies.

If you are not on the Remind group for CPFA, you can text @palcscpfa to the number 81010 to get text messages, or download the app and search for @palcscpfa or CPFA Parents. Once you have downloaded the app you will be prompted to enter your email address, enter an emailed verification code, and select your school and role. We are identified as Pennsylvania Leadership Cs and the class is called CPFA Parents. If you have any questions, please reach-out to Ms. Sophia Severson (sseverson@palcs.org)

Dance Instructor, Mrs. Toni Duncan has just added a new title to her name: Yoga Instructor! After completing her 200 hour yoga teacher training, she has decided to bring yoga and mindfulness to CPFA!

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, starting September 20 and 21, Mrs. Duncan will be offering Yoga & Mindfulness to all CPFA students from 7:40 - 8:05 a.m in Dance Studio B. Students should arrive at 7:35 a.m. to participate in yoga postures (asanas), gentle movement sequences, breath work (pranayama), and relaxation (savasana). The objective of the practice is to bring awareness and mindfulness to the breath and the body. Yoga mats will be provided or feel free to bring your own. Links to sign up will be posted each month in the newsletter and on the CPFA facebook page. Please sign up for September here:

• SEPTEMBER Middle School Sign-up

• SEPTEMBER High School Sign-up

Congratulations to these returning on-site students who presented Outstanding Portfolio Reviews at the end of the 2021-2022 school year.

The 2022-23 CPFA Student and Parent Handbook of Policies and Procedures will be released next week. In the meantime, please check out the following department handbooks:

Remote Access Program

Theatre Department
Music Department
Dance Department

Fine Arts Department

Auditions for CPFA Chorale, our high school extra-curricular vocal ensemble, will occur on Thursday, September 8 from 2:45 to 3:30 p.m. and Tuesday, September 13 during lunch. Students interested in the Theatre Department Production Team should plan to audition on September 8, while members of jazz band should audition on September 13. Please refer to the Chorale Auditions page in the Music Department module of the CPFA Homepage in Canvas for details about the audition requirements.

The first business meeting of Chapter #7447 of the Tri-M Music Honor Society will occur online in Mr. West’s Zoom room on Friday, September 16 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. New members in grades 9-12, both on-site and remote, will be attending, as well as returning members. The New Member Induction Ceremony will occur in the CPFA Allen Theatre on Friday, September 23 from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Attendance for all Tri-M members is mandatory, and parents and friends are welcome to attend in person or virtually.

The 2022-2023 version of the award-winning CPFA Jazz Mavericks will be performing at the Malvern Farmers Market on Saturday, September 17 from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Stop on by and bring a lawn chair or a blanket and some cash to buy food from the vendors!

We are excited to kick off the 2022-23 CPFA Theatre Season! For a glimpse of the CPFA Theatre Season 2022/23 Show Announcements please click on this link: CPFA SHOW ANNOUNCEMENTS

The CPFA Theatre Season High School Production Team Interest Meeting is held during lunch on Tuesday, September 13, 2022. All high school students who are interested in participating in extracurricular production team positions (i.e. stage management, lighting, sound, videowall, costume, makeup design / lighting, sound, videowall board operators / set builds / scenic painting, etc.) are encouraged to attend the lunch meeting.

The CPFA Honors Thespian Society Interest Meeting is held during lunch on Thursday, September 15, 2022. The Thespian Society is for serious theatre practitioners who play a vital role in supporting the theatre season and maintaining the CPFA Allen Theatre. Members of the Thespian Society have opportunities to go to state and national theatre conferences among other perks. All high school students who are interested in learning about and possibly joining the society are encouraged to attend. The meeting will be run by CPFA Thespian President Natalie Petro and Vice President Jason Ramoth.

The first show of the season is the CPFA Fall Middle School Play, She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition, written by Qui Nguyen, and directed by Ms. Sophie Gore. Auditions will be held on Wednesday, September 14, from 2:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m in the CPFA Allen Theatre. Audition information can be found on the CPFA Homepage in the She Kills Monsters folder. Please email Ms. Gore at sgore@palcs.org if you have any questions.

She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, however, she finds herself catapulted into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was her sister’s refuge. In this high-octane dramatic comedy laden with ill-tempered fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture, acclaimed playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all. Performances are Thursday, November 10, 2022 - Saturday, November 12, 2022. We look forward to seeing many of you pursue this noble adventure at the audition!

Next up is the theatre season is the CPFA Fall High School Play, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, based on the novel by Mark Haddon, adapted by Simon Stephens, and directed by Jason Greenfield. General Auditions are Tuesday, September 13, 2022 from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. in the CPFA Allen Theatre. Callback Auditions are Thursday, September 15, 2022 from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. Audition information can be found on the CPFA Homepage in the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time folder. Please email Mr. Greenfield at jgreenfield@palcs.org if you have any questions.

The story is about a 15-year-old named Christopher who has an extraordinary brain: He is exceptional at mathematics but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched, and he distrusts strangers. Now it is 7 minutes after midnight, and Christopher stands beside his neighbor’s dead dog, Wellington, who has been speared with a garden fork. Finding himself under suspicion, Christopher is determined to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington, and he carefully records each fact of the crime. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a thrilling journey that upturns his world. Performances are Thursday, December 8, 2022 - Saturday, December 10, 2022. Looking forward to seeing all the wonderfully talented actors at the audition.

The Dance Department is eager and excited to get moving with their dancers in the studio as we start the 2022 - 2023 school year! All information for students participating in a dance class including dress code, concert dates, grading policies and more can be found in the Dance Department Handbook which can be found HERE or on the CPFA Canvas Homepage by clicking the Dance Department icon. The Dance Department Handbook is also posted in individual dance classes. Dancers should be prepared with their clothes and shoes for the week of September 12.

The CPFA Chapter of the National Honors Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA) is in its 7th year and will continue to bring dance and dance education to the community as well as work on fundraising for the Dance Department. The National Dance Education Organization is a program created to recognize outstanding artistic merit, leadership, and academic achievement in students studying dance (http://www.nhsda-ndeo.org/). If you would like more information or are interested in applying, please contact Mrs. Duncan at tduncan@palcs.org or attend the information meeting for new students only on Tuesday September 20 during lunch. Applications are due no later than Friday September 30. Current members do not need to re-submit an application.

Students who have outgrown their gently used dance shoes can donate them to the Dance Department to share with other students. Students can bring in any shoes (tap, jazz, ballet) to their dance teacher and they will be added to a bin located in Studio A. If you are interested in using the shoes, please contact your dance teacher with the style and size you need.

Please mark your calendars for the Dance Department’s Dance Showcase:

Middle School Dance Showcase at CPFA Wednesday November 16, 2022 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. High School Dance Showcase at CPFA Thursday November 17, 2022 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. The National Honors Society for Dance Arts Induction Ceremony will occur before the High School Showcase. Every student in a dance class is required to be part of the Dance Showcase.

CHECK OUT THE FINE ARTS ORIENTATION SLIDESHOW HERE

The Fine Art Department is so excited to dive into a new year of creating art with the students of CPFA. As a reminder regarding Sketchbooks & Art Portfolios: A sketchbook (preferably 8.5” x 11” sewn bound/ any color cover) is a REQUIREMENT for all MS and HS onsite and Remote Access students enrolled in a CPFA course with the exception of the Remote Access Photography course.

Sketchbooks can be purchased at Amazon, Blick, Michaels, School Specialty, and other stores if you wish to purchase one on your own. Or, you can purchase a sketchbook onsite at CPFA for $15.00 cash - ask any Fine Arts teacher in class. If you already have a sketchbook, you may continue using the one you have, however, we greatly prefer the pages to be unlined. Portfolios are optional and will be discussed in detail within class. Students will have until September 30 to acquire a sketchbook: after that the sketchbook must be brought to class EVERY day that it meets.

HS Fine Arts Students, Mark your calendar! Field trip to Philadelphia Art Galleries and Reading Terminal Market - Thursday, November 10, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. This is a NEW addition to the CPFA Google calendar. Details of the trip will be planned in fine arts classes.

Mrs. Robinson is working closely with the NAEA (National Art Education Association) to support her Graphic Design students to “reinvent” the CPFA logo and materials used for public relations for both CPFA and PALCS. Everyone can look forward to hearing and seeing more about our school’s “new look”.

NAHS (National Art Honor Society) - 1st Informational Meeting will be held on Thursday, September 22 during lunch. All returning NAHS students as well as interested new students are invited to attend. If any Remote Access students want to attend, please contact Mrs. Okcuoglu by September 19 so we can arrange attendance via Zoom.

Class swap! Mr. Fuiman and Mrs. Robinson have some exciting changes in the courses they are teaching this year. Mrs. Robinson will teach middle school 5th period Ceramics class, and Mr. Fuiman will teach middle school 5th period Techniques in Drawing & Painting.

Permanent CPFA Alumni Art Collection on display / currently being hung throughout the month of September. This is a “rotating” and constantly moving body of work donated each year by a senior fine art student upon graduation since 2006!

Welcome back to school, CPFA students and families! As the CPFA School Counselor, I am available via email (lmazzio@palcs.org), phone, and Zoom for anything you need. Feel free to contact me for any question, concern, or resource. I am excited for a great year ahead! Here are just a few things to keep in mind as we begin the new academic year:

The last day to add/drop PALCS electives is Monday, September 12th. To make changes to your schedule, please complete the Add/Drop Request Form (located in the “Forms” section of the PALCSchool lobby and on the Guidance CPFA Canvas page) and return it to Ms. Mazzio. Any requests made after September 12th would result in a withdrawal from the course, which is reflected on student transcripts.

Marking Period 1 Progress Check 1 is Wednesday, September 21st. If you are interested in academic support, please reach out to Ms. Mazzio.

The deadline to register for the PSAT and National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) is September 12th. This test will be offered to 10th and 11th grade students. Testing will take place on Wednesday, October 12th at 7:45am at the Advanced Ideas Center (AIC), 1585 Paoli Pike, West Chester, PA. The fee for students to test at PALCS’ AIC location is $18. To register, please visit this link: https://www.palcs.org/make-a-payment/

Our Family Support and Engagement Coordinator hosts a weekly Parent Lounge every Tuesday from 11am - 12pm. No appointment needed! This is a great place to ask any questions you have about PALCS. For more information on the weekly Parent Lounge and the other wonderful programs the Lounge offers, check out this Smore!

Welcome back to CPFA!

The Health Services webpage can now be found on the PALCS lobby. Please follow this link to see the Health Services Page & Information.

If you have not completed your student’s Magnus portal, please do so prior to the first day of in-person CPFA classes. This important information helps the nurse identify health needs such as allergies, illnesses, and emergency contacts.

If your student needs to take medication during the school day, the medication must be brought in by a parent/guardian and be delivered to the nurse. The school nurse must administer all medications, both over-the-counter and prescription. Students are not permitted to carry any medication unless otherwise specified by a doctor’s order (ex. Inhaler/Epi-Pen). Prescription medication brought in must be in the original container, labeled, and have a doctor’s order to be administered at school. Parents/Guardians can find the over-the-counter medication consent form on Magnus.

Updated vaccine records should be submitted directly to your student’s Magnus portal. If your student is not up to date on immunizations or has a pending vaccine appointment, please communicate with the school nurse.

CPFA greatly appreciates donations of water bottles, nut-free snacks, anti-bacterial wipes, tissues, and hand sanitizer. Any donations can be dropped off in the CPFA lobby!

Please contact the school nurse, Jennifer Amanullah (Grablewski), at Jgrablewski@palcs.org, if you have any questions or concerns!

The Health Services Department looks forward to having a great and healthy school year!

Ms. Speer has had a busy summer of professional development and honing her craft. After 10 weeks of focus, hardwork and dedication, Ms. Speer is officially a Certified Level I iTap Teacher! To top it all off, Mrs. Carey and Ms. Speer attended Rhee Gold’s Dance Life Teacher Conference in Connecticut in July. They cannot wait to kick off the year with some new and exciting ideas.

Check out the August edition of The Column HERE for the Welcome Back to School letter, a message from our Nurse, and more!

Email: info@palcs.org
Website: https://www.palcs.org/cpfa/about-cpfa/
Location: 211 Carter Drive suite c, West Chester, PA, USA
Phone: (610) 430-6525