Oasis on Ice

This Monday Oasis students enjoyed a classic winter sport in unseasonably warm weather. Don't let the photos fool you- not everyone remained upright the entire afternoon.

Making masks with Jasmina from Sketch!

Guest artist Jasmina teaches Oasis students how to work with plaster to create masks and casts on the theme of survival. Students learned that Vaseline is your best friend (it keeps your eyebrows from coming off with the cast) and that plaster dust is harmless but stubborn. A big thanks to Jasmina for being such a cool facilitator.

Oasis Lunch Gets Depressing

Oasis history students prepare a lunch based on recipes from the Great Depression. On the menu, a 'beef' casserole that was mostly beans and a cake with no butter, milk or eggs. The lunch filled our stomachs, but made us thankful for more contemporary ingredients- like garlic! 

Oasis Winter/Spring Semester Info Sessions Announced!

Are you interested in attending Oasis for the Winter/Spring semester? In order to enroll or just to check out the school, you must attend an info session. Our next series of info sessions are....

Thursday Dec 8th, 1:45
Thursday Dec 15, 1:45
Thursday Jan 12, 1:45

Students must bring a ceredit counseling summary, birth certificate, health card and proof of address (phone or utility bill etc..). Latecomers will not be admitted.

Oasis is located at 20 Brant St, near King and Spadina on the 3rd floor.

More Night of Dread Pictures

This Halloween Oasis students created puppets on the theme of Environmental Apocolypse for Dufferin Grove Park's annual Night of Dread festivities. Each puppet represents a fear about the envrionment and was made entirely out of cardboard, newspaper tape and tape. A lot of tape.

Oasis Haunts Night of Dread!

Check out our work for Night of Dread at Dufferin Grove Park. Our polar bear and evil mouse strutt their stuff on Bloor Street. More photos to come!
Blog T.O Night of Dread

Oasis Does Nuit Blanche!

It's a Stick Up!

 

Sat. Oct 1st marks the 6th annual Nuit Blanche, a free all night contemporary art event that turns Toronto's streets into an art gallery from 7pm to 7am. It also marks Oasis Alternative's Arts & Social Justice Program and Oasis Skateboard Factory's first exhibit as an offical Nuit Blanche event. Students will be creating an installation and displaying their work alongside world renowned street artists as part of the International Adhesive Arts Expo. Visitors will have the opporunity to create stickers, swap with famous artists and Oasis students and see Oasis student sticker series based on the theme of education reform. The event is free and open to all ages, hosted by print studio The Baitshop, 358 Dufferin St, Suite 117.

For more information visit:

http://www.scotiabanknuitblanche.ca/

Oasis Fall Registration is Closed

Oasis Arts and Social Change Program has filled all available spots for the 2011 fall semester. If you are still interested in applying to our program, we encourage you to call back in October to see if any spots have opened. In February 2012 there will be plenty of spots available for the spring semester.

If you are still seeking a school for this fall, the following schools are still accepting students.

Contact Alternative School
Grades 9 -12
http://www.tdsb.on.ca/schools/index.asp?schno=5589

 

West End Alternative School

Grades 10-12

http://www.tdsb.on.ca/schools/index.asp?schno=5569

Triangle Program

Grades 9-12 for LGBTQ youth

http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/triangle/mission.html

Oasis- Back to Cool

It's back to school for Oasis Alternative Arts and Social Change Program. Orientation for new and returning students starts at 11:00pm, Thursday Sept 8th. If you are interested in enrolling at Oasis, it's not too late. Info sessions will be held:

Wed Sept 7th, 9:00 am
Thurs Sept 8th, 9:00 am
Tues Sept 13th, 9:00 am
Thurs Sept 15th, 9:00 am

You will need to bring your credit counselling sheet from your previous school and id. Don't be late! The sessions will start on time and late comers won't be admitted

Oasis Arts and Social Change: A Year in Review



Chanele receives two awards:

Community Development & Math

 The Oasis Arts and Social Change Program had an amazing Celebration and Leaving Ceremony on Friday. Parents, administrators, senior staff -including our Superintendent, students, and Oasis staff attended and participated in space filled to the rafters. It was a deeply moving experience for all of us – the students stepped up and followed through with maturity and authenticity. Lots of tears and laughter burst from the audience. Good news is that we posted our video on YouTube. It is a culmination of a year in review – our work, our triumphs, our activism and our dreams.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsCeG2XaCU4  



Tessa shows off her Vinyl Art

Oasis Alternative Secondary School works with students who are the least well served Oasis Alternative Secondary School works with students who are the least well served at the Toronto District School Board. In spite of this work, the school faced staffing cuts this year that will have deleterious effects on the program we offer students. This video is a powerful statement of work that the we do to help students succeed - sometimes for the very first time. This video is a piece of activism by student and staff. Presented here is a year in review. Sit back and get ready to have your mind blown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsCeG2XaCU4  

Principal Gabi Kurzydlowski, Superintendent Georgina Balascas,
& Media Arts teacher Louise Azzarello

     

Oasis Overhead Projector Magic!

Check out this music video made by the Art of Rock n' Roll class for PS I Love You, a popular indie rock band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHtXPrLO6aU

The best part is that the entire video was made using only an overhead projector, scrap paper, wire, cardboard puppets and a bit of red film. Take a look at the band's website and see just how much those cockroaches look like the band members. http://paperbagrecords.com/artists/ps-i-love-you

Amazing work by some amazing students.

Oasis Vinyl Tap

Oasis art classes have turned dollar-bin vinyl into works of art. Using just spraypaint, tape and a little careful exacto knife work, students have been creating portraits of their favourite musicians. One of our student artists even got her record signed by Alice Glass from Crystal Castles. Apparently Alice liked it so much she asked if she could have it. Nice try. Instead it's up on display at Xpace as part of the Alternative Tentacle alternative school art show. Here is a sample of some of the great work.

Registration at ASC for 2011-2012

Spaces are available at the Arts and Social Change Program for 2011-2012. If you or anyone you know is currently struggling inside or outside of the classroom and is interested in attaining core credits while engaging in art and performance opportunities our program may be the answer. Call our Guidance Counsellor or Curriculum Leader at 416-393-9830 for more information.

Information sessions are scheduled for the following dates and times at our school location (3^rd floor at 20 Brant Street). Each session begins at 9:00 am and lasts 1 hour.

Students must call prior to the information session to reserve a spot:

·   Friday May 13

·   Friday June 3  

·   Friday June 10

·   Friday June 17

The Brant Street location of Oasis Alternative S.S. has 3 classrooms with an Arts & Social Change focus. The Arts & Social Change Program is the only continuous intake program in the TDSB where students earn a range of compulsory and elective Grade 9, 10, and some grade 11 credits through an exploration of the visual, media and performing arts and social justice issues. This program is designed to address the needs of at-risk youth. On-going school-community partnerships allow our staff and students to draw on the resources of the local Art & Design District and activist community organizations. There are no additional portfolio or audition requirements other than a willingness to participate in visual, media and/or performing arts activities.

Cookie Math

Teacher Vanessa Pearson helps students better understand fractions by baking the best ever chocolate chip cookies. Vanessa is on a LTO covering for Jane Fonseca who is on Mat leave...This is the tasty-est math class ever.

Oasis Does Rock and Roll Art with Local Band Bonjay

Oasis' 'Art of Rock n' Roll' class hard at work printing custom posters with members from Toronto's favourite band,  Bonjay. Students are designing and printing original silk screen posters for the band to take on tour with them in the UK. Stay tuned to see the final results!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2011/apr/07/first-sight-bonjay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32C4QAKce7M

Aboriginal Arts Based Project

This semester Oasis was one of the lucky schools selected to take part in the TDSB Aboriginal Arts Based Project. Students worked with J'net AyAy Qwa Yak Sheelth Cavanagh, a textile artist and educator to learn about First Nations history in Canada and the power of art. Using applique and paint, students created their own interpretations of West coast First Nations art and the results were amazing!

Marlon Makes Potato Fritters with ASC Students



Marlon is the best caretaker ever and he know lots about making banana fritters. ASC students and staff send him a big hug and thank you