Director’s Notes 09-28-18

Director’s Notes Sept. 28, 2018

Did you feel the chill in the air this week? Fall is here and our programs are really starting to ramp up! Please make sure in this busy time that your students are getting plenty of rest! As the cold weather descends, unfortunately so does cold and flu season. Below you will find some information on flu shots, as well as other helpful info! Always contact me if you have questions!

 

Last out of major participation opportunities coming up for the nine weeks!

Instrumental Music’s first concert of the year is this Thursday Oct. 4th in the Theater. Performance begins at 7pm! This concert is free! Join us!

Visual Artists– the VA’s are having a show this first Friday, October 5th!  It is a teacher/student showcase featuring the works of Katlyn Powell, Briana Galan, and Allison Maldonado, along with Mr. Stevens. It will be at the Flats apartment complex at Big Tex 423 Blue Star, San Antonio, TX 78204.  There will be a tent and tables out next to the Burgerteca Restaurant on the river right next to the Blue Star Arts Complex.  The show will take place from 6pm to 8:30 with a sign in sheet.  There is no designated parking for visitors in the complex so please plan accordingly.

 

Musical Theater Playbill Advertisement

Advertising opportunity in this season’s Musical Theater playbills. If you are interested the form is attached to this email and MT’s have the forms! MT palybill ad form-26h85fu

 

Clear NESA bags

Clear NESA backpacks are here! Designed as a backpack or a secondary bag for students to keep rehearsal clothes, props, and other things they may need to haul around campus. With a clear bag, students don’t have to stress about getting the bag put away before school starts or grabbing it after school. They can have it anytime! Bags are $8 at the NESA office. If you visit my blog you can see pictures of the bags! www.nesadirector.edublogs.org

Homecoming

Homecoming Dance is Saturday, Sept 29th at Littleton Gym from 7pm -11pm.

Students can still purchase a Homecoming dance ticket at the door on Saturday for $25.

 

NESA Senior Dues

Students should have received a form to return with their Senior fee. The $35 senior fee, which covers a senior t-shirt, a senior trip, and graduation stole, is now being accepted in the NESA office anytime we are open and available 8:00 am-4:30 pm. In case lost, the form is attached. Senior dues for attachment-11r5eti

 

Other dates to know:

October 5 – Early Release @ 2:15
October 8- Student Holiday
October 9 – voter registration deadline for the November 6 General Election
October 10- PSAT
October 26th– End of nine weeks grading period

As we enter into the most exciting month of October and Halloween approaches, please remember costumes are not allowed at school. Even on Halloween. Neither is full face paint! This is for safety purposes. Thank you for your understanding!

 

Other fun and informative stuff:

Looking for volunteer opportunities this holiday season? See the attached flyer from the Salvation Army! Salvation Army 2018 Volunteer Opportunities-2b8puxv

The Public Library’s Rock the Plaza event flyer is also attached. RockthePlaza_2018_flyer-1jgzilg

Clear NESA bags are here!

Clear NESA drawstrings bags are here! They are  only $8 and can be purchased before or after school and during lunches at the NESA office. We wanted kids to have something large enough that they could carry their rehearsal stuff, props, art supplies, etc  without a large cost or any hassle with the new system! Also works as an easy replacement backpack, as many kids bags are breaking already! You can even double up! See picture. 🙂 

Director’s Notes Sept. 21, 2018

Director’s Notes 09-21-18

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who came out to Greenback Night! Communication between parents, teachers and students is so important to educational success! Plus, it’s just fun to see everyone!

And Thank you to everyone who came out to the Creative Writers performance at the McNay! It was just beautiful and our students were so professional! Our twitter page has some videos of the event and I know their Creative Writers social media was working on getting some up too!

NESA NEWS

Our students just launched their own digital newspaper!  Check out their work at nesanews.com

SAEF Scholarships

NESA pARTners Student Artistic Enrichment Fund deadline is Oct. 26th , which seems far away, but there are interim deadlines along the way! It can’t be done at the last minute. See NESA pARTners web page for details. https://www.nesapartners.net/saef

 

NESA pARTners vacant positions

Our parent organization still has a few vacant positions left and we need volunteers to fill them!

-Teacher Appreciation Committee: Lunch in the Spring (could use 2-3 people)

-Musical Theater Sophomore Rep

-Fundraising committee 3-4 people (Serve under Fundraising Chair)

-Box office, online sales, Shadow- reports to Mrs. Pagona

Its not too late to just become a member either!

Just visit https://www.nesapartners.net/membership
to join. The member ship is the main fundraiser for the year and the money goes to support all NESA majors! Things like Master Classes, classroom supplies, banquet, SAEF scholarships, and many many others are all made possible by pARTners! Join today!

 

Audition Day Volunteers!

We still need student runners for Creative Writing, Visual Art and Instrumental Music on our audition day October 6th! Stop by the NESA office to sign up!

 

Flu Shots

November 1st, starting at 11:30am, in the Library.  

Students have the opportunity to receive No Cost Flu Shots on campus this year.  They are being provided by the Healthy Schools Organization.  Consent forms went home in the PTA packet and have also gone out via email.

 

Other Dates:

LEE College Readiness Night is Tuesday, September 25, 2018.

 

Have a great weekend!

-Sarah Pagona

Director, North East School of the Arts

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Director’s Notes 09-17-18 Updates for the week

Director’s Notes 09-17-18
Updates for the week

Greenback night

Greenback night for all of LEE HS is tonight! 5:30 is GT parent meeting. 6:00 is PTSA meeting in Auditorium, by 6:45 you need to be in your students 1st period!

Panoramic picture

NESA Panoramic picture is tomorrow at 9am in the Band parking lot. We want everyone there!

Senior panorama is at 12:30pm

Pep Rally, Friday

NESA dancers will perform at eh LEE pep rally this Friday at 8am. If you are a parent wanting to come watch, parking will be available to you in ‘Event Parking’ on the Band practice lot. I will be out there giving out badge stickers as long as the weather holds out, so you feel more official. If you fail to get a badge sticker, you are still allowed to go to the pep rally, we just ask that you leave immediate upon its conclusion. Thanks!

Helpers needed for Auditions

The helpers and runners signup sheet will be in the NESA office starting tomorrow morning. Sign up to help out for our Oct. 6th auditions!

Director’s Notes 09-14-18

Director’s Notes 09-14-18

Chelsie Hightower visits NESA dance

NESA Dance majors danced their hearts out in a workshop with Chelsea Hightower today. Chelsea Hightower performs on Dancing with the Stars and gave an amazing workshop full of fun and hard work! Check out our social media or my blog for some cool pics! Special Thanks to Dena Mabry and Carolyn Gresham for their determination to bring her here for our students and to NESA pARTners for making it happen!

Creative Writing at the McNay

Join Creative Writing on Thursday, Sept. 20th for A Gathering of Writers at the McNay Art museum. Doors open at 7pm.

Flu Shots

Students have the opportunity to receive No Cost Flu Shots on campus this year on October 10, starting at 11:30am, in the Library.  Consent forms went home in the PTA packet, but students can pick up extra copies in the clinic.

Box Office changes and info

Please note we are no longer accepting telephone reservations for show tickets.  Once online sales end, you will only be able to purchase tickets at our box office.  Advanced ticket prices will only be available online.

Online sales for Newsies will begin on Tuesday, October 2nd and will end at midnight, Monday, October 29th.  Online tickets are $12 or $20 for premium seats in the first three rows.  To purchase your tickets online, please visit www.seatyourself.biz/nesa. Tickets purchased at the box office are $15 or $20 for premium seats in the first three rows.  LEE teachers, eligible students and Star card members may reserve their comp seats during box office hours only.  All box office sales will be payable by cash or check only.  The box office will be open from 4:00 to 6:00 Tuesday through Friday of show weeks and will reopen one hour prior to curtain on show days.

Please visit our website at www.neisd.net/nesa for more information or direct any inquiries to nesaticketsales@gmail.com.  We appreciate your interest in NESA productions and look forward to seeing you at the show!

PSAT Blitz!

The PSAT is coming up on Oct. 10th for all 9th, 10th and 11th graders.  This is a great opportunity to practice your SAT skills for college and if you do well on PSAT you can even get Merit Scholar recognition and other things that look great on college applications! And the test is given to students at NEISD schools for free because our district believes in college readiness!
Any juniors that want to participate in a PSAT blitz prep on Sept. 27th– there are a few spots open. They can sign up in the main office starting on Monday.

Las Casas Foundation

For those of you interested, student applications, along with rules and guidelines for all five categories are now available online: http://www.lascasasfoundation.org/education-and-scholarships/joci-awards-and-scholarships/

 

Other Stuff

Afraid to study fine arts in college? Always hearing people say artists can’t get jobs? I was sent this video and I think some might find it really pertinent! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGgCEnsCR_s

Have a fantastic weekend! Always contact me if you have questions!

Sarah Pagona
Director NESA
spagon@neisd.net

 

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Past Director’s Notes

Director’s Notes Aug 31, 2018

I hope you are having a restful and fun Labor Day weekend!

We had a great parent meeting Thursday night! Thank you to everyone who joined us! If you were unable to come, attached you will find some of the information we covered. Also, contact your student’s teacher to see if there was anything they would like to share with you. Websites and social media are always a good place to find information as well! If you did not get the chance to join pARTners, don’t worry. It’s not too late! You can join on their website. Just go to https://www.nesapartners.net/membership

 

RootEd: NESA is looking for a parent who would be interested in being our RootEd representative. RootEd is a local 501c3 grassroots organization that promotes neighborhood public schools through storytelling, advocacy, and education.  They believe a strong public school system for all children creates a robust economy and well-connected community. A RootEd Representative’s primary role is to use social media and word of mouth to promote the great things happening in his or her school. If you are interested in filling this role for NESA, please contact me directly at spagon@neisd.net.

Clarification about clear bag policy: Thank you for your patience as minutiae of the new clear bag policy are ironed out. I did have many parents asking me about rehearsal bags. Students are allowed to carry a regular (non-clear) rehearsal bag to school to put in their locker or other designated area. They should lock it up as soon as possible once they arrive on campus and not carry it to class. If your students designated bag area is not available immediately when they get to campus, then they can carry that bag until the area opens. For example, if a student arrives on campus at 7:45 for a meeting but their area is not accessible until 8:25, they may carry their bag until their meeting is over and they can access their designated area.

I am also looking into selling a NESA logo duffel bag through the school that will be easy to recognize as the students’ rehearsal bag and should help eliminate questions. We are also looking into selling some clear duffel bags to help eliminate the locker hassle. Stay tuned!

 

Other opportunities:

A free educational opportunity through Will’s War production in Seguin; free workshops on Monday September 10th with professionals in the industry focusing on playwriting, lighting, directing and acting. See link for more details.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wills-war-free-education-workshops-tickets-49569212850

 

NESA Director’s Notes 08-23-18

The new school year is upon us and we are looking forward to welcoming the new and old alike to a great 2018-2019 school year at NESA!

 

If this is your first email from me, let me introduce myself. My name is Sarah Pagona and I am the Director of this amazing school. I am always a resource for you and an advocate for our student’s success. Please never hesitate to reach out to me for anything! My email is spagon@neisd.net and my direct office line is (210) 356-1034. My assistant, Yolanda Almazan, a wellspring of information and aid, is also always available at our NESA office line (210) 356-1033.

Please note: Our mandatory parent meeting is coming up this Thursday Aug. 30th! Please come at 6 to join pARTners, purchase merchandise, and sign up for volunteer opportunities. The meeting starts at 6:30.

 

As the school year ramps us it is worth noting that the success of this amazing school would not be possible without team work. That team consists of students, parents, staff and community partners all working together to build superlative programs for our students. 

 

pARTners

The best way you, as a parent, can help support NESA is to join NESA pARTners. NESA pARTners is our parent organization, representing all seven of our majors, and supporting the schools programs and initiatives. They fundraise, provide food, supplies, aid in the classroom and afterschool, help in concessions, tickets sales, chaperone field trips… the list goes on and on! Just this summer they have helped us to find donors and raise funds to install a new safe floor for our Theatre classroom. Really the organization is amazing. Please consider being a part of the group that invests in your students’ success, assists in enhancing their educational experiences, and supports every major at North East School of the Arts. You will have the opportunity to join on Thursday and maybe even take on a leadership role!

 

Reminders:

–          Clear backpacks are mandatory. Store your practice bags in your major’s area as soon as possible upon arriving to school.

–          If driving, please be prepared to park in the shuttle lot. Give yourself some extra time so that being late is not adding to the first day of school anxiety!

–          We will be on a different schedule for the first day of school, so remember to find your designated advisory on the list posted around campus and head to that room at the start of school.

–          School starts at 8:55 and ends at 4:15

 

We are looking forward to seeing everyone on Monday!

 

Pick up times: If your student is staying after school for rehearsals of any kind, please remember to pick them up in a timely manner. If you cannot pick them up at the scheduled time, please arrange for them to go home another way. If you cannot find a good solution, please reach out to the teacher or I am see if we can’t help solve the issue.

As always I will include any cool community opportunities I have found! See below.

 Community opportunities:

Picture You World Photo outdoor photography education program

Picture Your World is an outdoor education program designed to connect youth ages 8-18 to the natural world through the camera lens.   The program manager, a master naturalist, and professional fine art photographer work together to engage youth to their environment, teach conservation and foster creativity.   The cost per workshop is $20 per student.  Fees may be waived for students demonstrating financial need.  Registration is available online at www.greensatx.org/events.  For questions, please contact Carra Garza at carra@greensatx.org, or, (210) 863-1058.

 

LifeArt Film Festival San Antonio 2018 Presents Netflix Original Film Premiere
Friday and Saturday, September 14 & 15, 2018
Free General Admission to all screenings and events with RSVP

https://www.tobincenter.org/box-office/2018-09/lifeart-festival-san-antonio-2018?utm_source=Tobin+Center+Events+and+News&utm_campaign=9ede278f4f-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_16_08_50&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_abb7c511de-9ede278f4f-200688257

NESA Director’s Notes Sept. 7, 2018

Hello friends of NESA! We had a great second week of school. Please see below for some important information. As always, let me know if you need anything. Have a great weekend! 

-Sarah Pagona

 

First Friday tonight!

Join our Visual Artists for their first show of the year! They works so hard all summer to get new pieces ready, now tonight they get to share the results of their toil with the public. The show is up from 6pm to 9pm at the J&M Studios in the Blue Star Arts Complex 1414 S. Alamo St. San Antonio, TX 78210.  (upstairs next to Stella’s and Brick).  Look forward to seeing you all there!

 

Outsiders Film Festival Rescheduled

Due to our recent change in leadership in the Cinema program the Outsiders Film festival has been rescheduled for Dec. 10th.

 

pARTners Meeting

Join us September 12th in the library at 7pm for the first annual pARTners meeting!!!!

 

Upcoming Auditions and Recruitment Nights

See our attached flyer for audition and prospective student dates. Pass them on to a friend!

Fall Audition: Saturday, October 6th  (Applications due Sept. 21st).

Winter Audition: Saturday, January 26th  (Applications due January 11th).

Spring Audition*:Saturday, May 18th (Applications due April 25st) *Note: acceptance of students who audition in May 2019 is based on availability of space.

Visit www.neisd.net/NESA and click on apply to NESA to find forms, FAQs, and more!

Night with NESA, Open House Event, November 13, 2018

Magnet Night @ Blossom Athletic Center ( 12002 Jones Maltsberger Rd ] Oct. 15th, 2018, 5:30-7:30pm

 

Additional Information:

Calling All Teen Artists & Writers!

The 2019 Scholastic Awards will open for submissions on September 12, 2018. On this day, you can create an account on our website and upload your work for the chance to be considered for scholarships and Special Achievement Awards(including two new ones: The ESA Foundation Award for Video Game Design and the One Earth Award). Be sure to check your region’s guidelines and deadlines so you don’t miss out! Need help creating an account? Email us at info@artandwriting.orgLearn more.
NESA teachers will help students apply to this prestigious competition! I know Visual Art and Creative Writing are on it, but sometimes it is just nice to have a little more information as a parent!

 

 

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