We are excited to celebrate this Thursday, Feb 17th PTA Founders Day, an incredible 125 years of PTA!!!! In our little corner, Parras PTSA has been given the green light to plan activities on campus with volunteers. We are excited to support the school in planning the events that make the Parras experience fun and to prepare for a great celebration of our 8th Graders’ promotion. We also are hoping to have some on campus community events.
While we are excited to be back in the swing of it, this is going to take a lot of work since preparations usually start in August and so we need your help.
We need your time as volunteers and we need donations!
We also need forgiveness that we are going to be asking for your time and money repeatedly in these four short months! Let’s remember our PTA mantra -
“Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something.”
I was so touched this week by the number of parents who gave us extra donations during the Valentine Gram fundraiser - every bit helps! Thank you to all the volunteers who put so much hard work in selling the treats.
As a president, my favorite part of PTSA is being part of a community. I believe we can reignite our strong community at Parras and at the same time be a part of the larger California and National PTA that has done so much in 125 years for public education. Looking back at all the achievements, perhaps the most significant is the establishment of Kindergarten. Now, after long years of PTA advocacy, California will now add Universal TK to our public school system. I am looking forward to continuing that tradition of advocacy for all children and families for another 125 years!
Karen Ford Cull
Parras PTSA President
PTA Founder's Day - Feb 17th
Isn't it amazing that PTA has been around since 1897?! It's safe to say that things have changed since that fateful day 125 years ago. Our founders were women of vision and passion, and we are so proud to take their legacy into the future. We invite you to join in our celebrations, learn about our history, donate to support our future, and create a better world through community service. Here's to the next 125 years!
Parras PTSA is looking for an enthusiastic and science-minded parent who really likes science and wants to chair the annual Parras Science Fair, especially if they have a 7th grader. The fair will be held in April/May.
Did you know that Parras PTSA is part of a team? The RB Council of PTA's consist of 11 schools. All schools are close to achieving 100% membership. At 62%, Parras is behind but we are catching up.
Together, we can do this!
WHY JOIN?Your $12 membership not only helps pay for programs at Parras, it strengthens the PTA's ability to advocate for our children at the local level, the state level & the national level.
3/28: RBPTA Council Happiness Event-details coming
DEI CALENDAR
February~
Black History Month
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history.
15th - Parinirvana Day (Buddhist) - Parinirvana Day, or Nirvana Day is a Mahayana Buddhist holiday celebrated in East Asia. This daymarks the death of the Buddha and is celebrated as Buddhists believe that having attained Enlightenment, Buddha achieved freedom from physical existence and its sufferings. Buddhists celebrate Parinirvana Day by meditating or by going to Buddhist temples or monasteries. As with other Buddhist festivals, celebrations vary throughout the world.
16th - Makha Bucha Day (Thai Buddhist) - Māgha Pūjā is the second most important Buddhist festival, celebrated on the full moon day of the third lunar month in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Sri Lanka and on the full moon day of Tabaung in Myanmar.
16th - Susan B. Anthony Day - Susan B. Anthony Day is a commemorative holiday to celebrate the birth of Susan B. Anthony and women's suffrage in the United States.
17th - Random Acts of Kindness Day
20th - World Day of Social Justice - An international day recognizing the need to promote social justice, which includes efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, exclusion, gender inequality, unemployment, human rights, and social protections.
25th - March 1st - Festival of Ayyam-I-Ha (Baha'i) - The Baháʼí Faith is a religion teaching the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Established by Baháʼu'lláh in the 19th century, it initially developed in Iran and parts of the Middle East. Members of the Baha’i tradition celebrate Ayyám-i-Há, or “Days of Ha." These days are devoted to spiritual preparation for the month-longfast, Alá, that follows. These days are festive times in the community, characterized by hospitality, charity, service and gift-giving.
February 14th is the big day! We’re launching the American Heart Challenge, and I am so excited! Join our school by signing up to support the American Heart Association. Students can improve their own heart health while helping kids who were born with heart defects and people of all ages with heart disease and stroke.
Download the American Heart Challenge app or visit heart.org/AHC to register.
Select a personal health challenge:
Personalize your page and send emails, texts, or post on social media to invite to start fundraising now to change lives!
Any advisement that reaches 50% or more of students raising $10, will earn DOUBLE LUNCH.
Parras Wave Runners Track Season - Info Mtg Feb 17th:
Invention Convention:
COVID-19 Testing
Beach Cities Health District has regular COVID testing Monday through Friday with expanded hours and is located at 514 N. Prospect Avenue. Please use this link to sign up for a test: BCHD Testing Link.The student ID can be found in PowerSchool. The BCHD School Well-Being Line will open tomorrow at 8:00am if you have any registration or testing questions at 310.374.3426, press option 2.
Your Parras Middle School Counselors Making a Difference
The Parras Counseling department is excited to provide you with an overview of the various ways that we are serving the Parras learning community. Here is a quick summary of the great things that we have been up to this winter:
Our first Counselor Corner Newsletter of the school year went out in December. If you haven’t yet completed the interest survey, please do so. We value your input as it relates to your interest in learning more about topics that we can include in future newsletters. Please take this short survey by clicking here.
In January, the counseling team delivered a stress and anxiety guidance lesson to our 7th grade students. We encourage you to review the presentation with your student(s) in order to discuss the various ways that they can better manage their feelings. You will find this informative presentation here.This lesson is great for all of our Parras students, grades 6-8.
In March, our TUPE lessons will be delivered to all 7th grade students during science class! TUPE stands for Tobacco Use Prevention Education. Parras 7th graders will get an opportunity to learn all about the negative consequences of tobacco and other nicotine-based products. To learn more about our TUPE lessons clickhere.
Hang Out Spot takes place every Thursday during lunch. Students are welcome to join the counseling staff in the MPR where we have music playing, fun games to play and art supplies available. If your child wants to make new friends, then Hang Out Spot is the place to be! It is also ideal for students who just need a place to unwind and recharge.
Purchase Game Day shirts for your whole family. Shirt is not sport specific and can be worn at all RUHS sporting event. Proceeds benefit the girls lacrosse program. Get yours today!
JOIN RUHS SAILING!
Interested in an outdoor sport at the beach? Join the RUHS Sailing Team which trains at King Harbor on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30pm to 6:30pm. Regattas are held on various weekends in beautiful locations such as Santa Barbara, Newport Beach, Long Beach, Monterey and San Francisco. FJ boats are provided for high school sailors by the King Harbor Youth Foundation. Come try a class at no charge. For more information check out HIGHSCHOOL & KHYF FJ SAILING - KING HARBOR YOUTH FOUNDATION or email Roger O’Connor at khyfdirector@gmail.com.
Parents and caregivers tend to think of guidelines for screen use as a daily maximum amount of time that's OK. But if you look closely at popular recommendations, such as the ones from the American... read more
Invite a Friend to the Center for Health & Fitness: FREE 3-Day Pass
Lacking motivation to get to the gym? Then grab a friend, make a gym date and hold each other accountable. Having a workout buddy will make exercise more fun, keep you on schedule and get you out of your fitness rut. Ask about a 3-day complimentary pass for a friend today!
