trict, but the student body of just over 500 and the small building contribute to the close relationships. As a new school in the ‘70s, it took a lot of time, hard work and experimentation to get CHS to any sort of prestige. At first, the school experienced low enrollment and had difficulty finding enough students to fill its roster. Now, over 400 eighth graders apply for the lottery each year, and only 132 of them are accepted. Followed by an increase in applicants, standardized test scores for CHS have skyrocketed, and it was ranked sixth in the state of Michigan for 2019 SAT scores. Of the first six schools ranked on that list, CHS is the only without an entrance exam. The school has maintained a high position on this list for several years, but Tuzinsky believes there is always room for improvement. “I feel like the moment a teacher thinks ‘I’ve got this,’ or… the moment I think I have mastered my job, I should retire,” Tuzinsky said. “We should always be learning and wanting to do better. I also think because of the amount of student teachers we have it helps us too. I encourage that because they bring new ideas to us. They learn from us, we learn from them. And I think that the desire to continue to learn, like you guys [students], teach them every day, and they’re willing to learn from you.”
Photography By Tai Tworek Senior Robert Maglione reaches into the bucket to grab a white carnation tied with a blue ribbon to give to his favorite teacher.
Beth Portincasa Finds Her Place in the Art Room By Chava Makman-Levinson
Photography By Steve Coron Beth Portincasa , CHS’ new art teacher, sits in her classroom on a sunny morning.
A student rushed through the art room door asking for advice on her current project. Assisting the student as she hurriedly organized the room, Beth Portincasa was already multitasking at 9:30 in
the morning. “They’re keeping me busy,” Portincasa laughed as she reflected on her experience so far as CHS’ new art teacher.
After switching schools several times, from Dearborn to Belleville to all over Ann Arbor, Portincasa is excited to settle down at CHS and stay awhile. After student teaching at CHS under Steve before beginning to teach on her own in 2006, she knew how special the school was and that she wanted to eventually return. “When the job opening came, I knew it was time [to stop moving around],” Portincasa said. “I love the freedom and creativity that come with alternative education.” Portincasa is an artist herself, although with a full-time job and two small children, she rarely has time to work on her own creations. Her art form of choice is sculpture: she enjoys casting, bronzing, and make works of stainless steel. She is planning on teaching some of her sculpting techniques at CHS in Ceramics class this semester and Salvage Art throughout the winter and spring. CHS students have made Portincasa feel welcome and at home. “Even the parents have been supportive,” Portincasa said. There have been multiple unexpected moments that have solidified Portincasa’s appreciation for her new school. “We were doing a little portfolio design in class and I just thought ‘yes, this is why I came here— these kids are just rocking out,’” Portincasa said. “I feel like I can push these kids to work on seriously cool stuff. It has been a long time since I have taught people who are so ready to learn, and it is keeping my eyes open in the art world to see what I can bring to the classroom.”
News
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October 2019
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