Oasis Arts & Social Change Program: 2012

Monday, October 29, 2012

Night of Dread Offrenda (Altar)

Here are the finished products combined with Oasis Skateboard Factory students' work on display at Dufferin Grove! Radical cardboard 1, Frankenstorm 0. Happy Halloween!

Oasis Prepares for Night of Dread

Oasis ASC students put the final touches on their memento mori skulls for our annual participation in Clay and Paper's Night of Dread Halloween celebration. The theme of our project this year was "Fear for the Future".

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Oasis- Back to Cool

Welcome back Oasis students! Sept. 2 marks our official registration day. Students still interested in joining our program must attend an info session. Hurry! Spots are filling up!

Info sessions:

Tuesday, Sept 2- 2:00

Thursday Sept 4- 2:00

Prospective students should bring proof of address (a utility bill works), a credit counselling summary and a piece of photo id/birth certificate.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Debut: The Pining "Call it Quits" Official Music Video by Oasis ASC Program

It's finished!
This spring, students in the Arts and Social Change Program at Oasis Alternative S.S took on an unusual art project. They were assigned the task of creating an official music video for local alt-country roots rockers, The Pining, using only a sheet, scrap paper, scissors and an old fashioned overhead projector.

Oasis students work with local artists like The Pining to create real and meaningful projects that have a life outside of the school (check out earlier blog posts to see our Nuit Blanche and Night of Dread contributions). Working on an art project that is presented outside of the classroom and promotes local musicians ensures that students are not only completing their credits, they are making a valuable contribution to the Toronto art and music scene. They are experiencing success as artists beyond the classroom.

Inspired by unrequited crushes and Road Runner cartoons, the 2 min video for "Call it Quits" is a result of hours of hard work, collaboration, problem solving and a few paper cuts. Students from Oasis Arts and Social Change Program hope you enjoy their video.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Information Sessions

Thursday May 31^st

Thursday June 21^st, 2012

Thursday June 26^th, 2012

1:00pm to 2:30pm

Are you interested in the Arts? Social Justice?

Are you between the ages of 16 – 18?

The Arts and Social Change Program at Oasis is the only arts alternative school program in the TDSB where students do not require an arts portfolio upon entry. This increases access for marginalized students who may be interested in the arts but have yet to develop their skills in the area. The ASC offers at-risk students a second chance and fresh approach to earn grade 9, 10 and 11 credits. The staff provides an integrated arts approach to learning with an emphasis on equity and social justice. Through the support of teachers, local artists, and on-going community partnerships, students have the opportunity to profile their social justice arts based work outside of the school and in the Toronto arts community.

Course Offerings 2012-2013

SEMESTER 1	SEMESTER 2
Visual Arts (Grades 9-11) Media Arts (Grades 9-10) Careers and Civics (Grade 10) Individual and Family Living (Grades 9-10) Dramatic Arts (Grades 9-10) Science (Grade 10) Canadian History (Grade 10) Math (Grade 9) English (Grade 10)	Visual Arts (Grades 9-10) Digital Media (Grades 10-11) Geography (Grade 9) Health Active Living Education (Grades 9-10) Science (Grade 9) Film (Grades 10-11) English (Grade 9) Co-operative Education

Students must bring a credit counseling summary to the information session. If possible, please fax credit counseling summaries before attending to 416.393.8280 attention; Joe

Friday, April 20, 2012

The making of a music video.....

Oasis students get creative with paper and overhead projectors as we work on a full length music video for The Pining. Check out their myspace at http://www.myspace.com/thepining and see if we've captured the band members likenesses.

Stay tuned for more photos and our final video!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Last Info Session for the Spring Semester!

Any student interested in registering at Oasis Alternative Arts and Social Change Program must attend an info session.
When: Wed. March 7th, 2:00
Where: 20 Brant St, 3rd Floor
What to bring: A health card, proof of address id and a credit counselling summary

Monday, February 6, 2012

Oasis Arts and Social Change Kicks Off Semester II

We started the first day of the second semester in true Oasis Arts and Social Change style. That is, with a messy street art project with students braving wind, dripping glue and spraypaint mist. Here's our work on the legal artists wall in Rush Lane, a Toronto graffiti landmark. Some schools have tigers and falcons for mascots. At Oasis, we've got a squirrel... with a spraycan.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Fall Semester Info Session

What: A mandatory info session for any students considering Oasis Alternative for their spring semester
When: Thurs. Feb 9th, 1:45
Where: 20 Brant Street, 3rd floor

Bring your credit counselling summary from your previous school.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Oasis End of Semester Celebration- Thursday Jan 26th!

Oasis students, bring your family, friends and best supporters to mark the end of the fall semester. There will be awards, pizza and goodbyes to students who are saying goodbye to Oasis.
Start time: 11:00
20 Brant St, 3rd Floor

All welcome!

ASC Staff: A Small but MIghty Team

Anita Court is our fabulolus Office Administrator. She knows a lot about a lot and it's her job to know. Students and staff alike look to Anita as a confidante and problem solver for anything from getting the bathroom key from a locked bathroom to finding a band-aid for a cut to taking care of a busted printer to putting together the Superintentdent's package and tracking attendance. Anita is the glue that binds the three satellite locations of Oasis.
Jane Fonseca is the Guidance/Phys Ed and Science teacher. She has been working at Oasis for the last six years. She went to school at York University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in the Specialized Honours degree in Kinesiology and Health Science. She also received her Massage Therapy Diploma and at one time was a Registered Massage Therapist (no jokes or massages please). She completed her initial teacher education at York University, Parkdale campus with a focus on Equity and Social Justice. She is always up for a friendly challenge…game on!
Joseph Ghassibe is our fearless leader, CL of Oasis. He has worked in mainstream schools in Australia and Canada. He has worked in alternative programs and other alternative schools. Oasis is, by far, his favourite :-) We are a community, a family and a home. He is proud to be here!
Martin Van de Ven - Our Music and Math Guru has a Masters in composition from U of T and took calculus for entertainment during his undergrad. He has spent much of his adult life as a freelance clarinettist, composer and musical director. Working for local theatre companies such as Jumblies Theatre he has created many works for mixed ensembles composed of amateur, professional and untrained musicians. Recent compositions include a 5 part work for the Toronto Children's Chorus. He performs with Toronto based Balkan/Klezmer band “Beyond the Pale”. He loves helping people find their inner musician, as an added bonus, at OASIS he gets to do the same with Math. Before signing up with OASIS Martin was the Jazz teacher at Earl Haig secondary.