Nov. & Dec. 2009

39110 Rebel Lane, Pearl River, LA 70452

Parent Teacher Student Association

Our PTSA newsletter will be published on line

four times this school year. The issue dates

will be: Nov/Dec 2009; Jan/Feb 2010 &

Mar/April/May 2010. PTSA is for ALL of us.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING PRHS PTSA!

Dear Pearl River High Parents,

The Pearl River High faculty is constantly

looking for ways to improve instruction. We strive

to keep our teacher and school web sites updated so

that your child can keep abreast of what is

happening at school. Remember that parents can use

STI Home to track their child’s assignments and

grades. If there is conflicting information or

incomplete information please contact the office at

863-2591.

We now have wireless internet on our campus.

Along with this new tool, we have six carts each

with 28 wireless laptops that can be moved from

room to room. This helps eliminate having to move

students to a computer lab for research or use of

internet. These carts also have printers which

students can use to print out their work. They can

also save their work on a school server that only

they can access. This alleviates the need for

memory sticks which may get lost or erased.

We will be replacing our old box TV’s with new

flat screen TV’s or projectors. We broadcast daily

announcements and educational programs on our

intra-school TV channel.

We have already replaced the old overhead

projectors with Elmo Projectors. These projectors

can project a handwritten page or a book page on to

a screen. Computer generated power point

presentations or podcasts can also be projected for

the whole class to see.

The use of graphing calculators is encouraged in

our math classes. We provide classroom sets for all

students to use on daily assignments or on

standardized tests.

Promethean Boards are another new educational

tool that we use in our classrooms. These boards

can use a projection from a computer program and

make the lesson interactive. We have several of

these boards already and plan on ordering more as

funds become available.

Although we are committed to keeping up with

the latest technology in the teaching profession, we

still believe the tried and true methods are

important. Some of the resources we use are school

assemblies and guest speakers which occur during

the school year to promote the curriculum, to

encourage student health and safety, and to foster a

productive learning environment. Such occasions

are noted by the teachers in weekly overviews, in

school newsletters, and/or on the school website.

Parents who prefer that their children not participate

in any of these activities should notify the

classroom teacher or an administrator.

The students of Pearl River High have had an

outstanding academic fall semester. We are

especially proud of the 300 students who achieved a

grade point average of 3.0 and above during the first

quarter. They were honored at an Honor Roll

Breakfast held at the school on October 23. These

students hold the record for the most Honor Roll

PEARL RIVER HIGH SCHOOL PTSA NEWSLETTER

Welcome to Pearl River High School REMEMBER: School All Day Every Day …

…No Child Left Behind

P.R.H.S. Office: 985-863-2591

P.R.H.S. Guidance: 985-863-2565

P.R.H.S. Fax: 985-863-5934 Admitted on campus 7:00 am First bell at 7:25 am Dismissal at 2:41 pm

From The Desk Of The Curriculum

Assistant Principal

Mrs. Peggy Redmond

From The Desk Of Our Principal,

Mr. Michael Winkler

students for one grading period in the history of

Pearl River High.

PRHS set another record this semester with the

number of students in our ―Dual Enrollment

Program‖. Our partnership with the Louisiana

College System allows our students to take classes

at no cost which count not only toward their high

school diploma but for which they also receive

college credit. This year we have 285 students

taking advantage of this great opportunity, and

earning college credit in the following courses:

Automotive Tech, Diesel Mechanics, Architectural

Drafting, Construction Tech, Culinary Arts,

Horticulture, Medical Terminology, First

Responder, Certified Nursing Assistant, Welding,

College English, College Pre-Calculus, and College

Psychology. Many of our students will graduate

from PRHS with as many as 12 semester college

credits that will transfer to any Louisiana post-

secondary school. Dual Enrollment opportunities

will continue to be offered during the second

semester.

In November, the Louisiana State Department

of Education released the School Performance

Scores for all schools. For the third year in a row,

Pearl River High earned the highest growth points

on the School Performance Score as compared to

the seven other St. Tammany Parish high schools.

This superior growth over the past three years is due

to the dedicated commitment of the teachers,

administrators, and parents who all provide support

to our students. In addition, we used $53,000 in

bond money to increase the amount and quality of

technology available to students in all of the

classrooms. The teachers and administrators have

worked hard to instill in our students the desire to

come to school daily and to give their very best

each day toward scholastic achievement. As we

look forward to this next semester, our teachers will

continue to prepare our students for the important

tests they must take, including the iLEAP (for 9th

graders), the Graduate Exit Exam (for 10th

and 11th

graders) and the ACT (for 11th

and 12th

graders).

As we bring this semester to a close, we wish

you a wonderful holiday season. Shortly after we

return to school on January 4, we will start working

on scheduling for the next school year. In the next

edition, we will provide the upcoming dates and

times for Scheduling Nights.

Positive Behavior Support emphasizes the use

of proactive, educative, and reinforcement based

strategies to achieve meaningful and durable

behavior and lifestyle outcomes. It helps to improve

the climate and culture of the school while

emphasizing safety, enthusiasm, and self-advocacy.

It is a district-wide program and all schools across

St. Tammany Parish have implemented a PBS

program on their campuses. The PRHS Administration and PBS Team have

chosen to use the FISH Philosophy as the basis for

its school-wide positive behavior support system.

The FISH Philosophy developed from the approach

used by the workers at Pike’s Fish Market in Seattle

to make the workplace enjoyable and conducive to

high productivity. The Philosophy is based on 4

tenets which provide the foundation for positive

employee attitudes and customer satisfaction. PRHS is committed to upholding

the 4 tenets of the FISH Philosophy as

its school-wide expectations. The 4

tenets are:

Be There

Choose Your Attitude

Make Their Day

Have Fun Each of these tenets will be explored in-depth

throughout the school year. A flow chart of Major

and Minor infractions and consequences have been

developed and will be revised as necessary.

Incentive programs for faculty and students are

ongoing. School-wide incentive programs for

attendance and exhibiting the FISH philosophy have

been implemented. Signs and filmed lessons will

remind students of the school rules for appropriate

behavior in the following settings: bathrooms;

hallways; cafeteria; gym; parking lots;

campus/courtyard. Individual classroom rules have

been formulated, taught to students and

implemented by the respective classroom teachers.

Watching the students and faculty at PRHS

strive to ―Be There‖ and ―Make Their Day‖ has

been a great motivator for everyone to ―Choose

Their Attitude‖ and ―Have Fun‖ while immersing

PRHS GOES FISHING…………..

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT

AT PEARL RIVER HIGH SCHOOL By: Andree Bonnaffons, Asst. Principal

The deadline for submission to the Jan/Feb

2010 PEARL JAM is Friday, January 8th:

themselves in the process of teaching and learning.

Teachers are ―baiting their hooks‖ as they ―cast off‖

to ―catch‖ students in their efforts to make PRHS a

positive and supportive environment. I am grateful

for the opportunity to be part of the endeavors to

promote a school climate and culture in which all

students and staff members are winners at the

PRHS FISHING RODEO!

Happy Holidays to you and your families!

YOUR PTSA LEADERSHIP TEAM

for the 2009 -2010 SCHOOL YEAR EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS:

PRESIDENT: Joe Seeley

VICE-PRESIDENT: Missy Beloso

SECRETARY: Colleen Seeley

TREASURER: Yvette Funel ADDITIONAL BOARD MEMBERS:

PRINCIPAL: Michael Winkler

ASST PRINCIPAL: Andree Bonnaffons

ASST PRINCIPAL: Peggy Redmond

DISTPTA LIAISON, TRAINING: Peggy Seeley

CREEKSIDE JHS ADMIN LAISSON: Lisa Virga

CULTURAL ARTS: Brina Faciane

DAD’S CLUB: Needs to be filled!

HEALTH & SAFETY: Barrett Adams

HOSPITALITY: Lynne White

MEMBERSHIP ASST: Renee Chambers

NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Bonnie Milczarek

PUBLICITY: Janet Deets

SCHOOL LIAISON: Marlene Noggerath

STAFF & VOL RECOGINITION: Kimberly Holmes

STAFF & VOL RECOGNITION: Brenda Hano

STUDENT REP COORDINATOR: Peggy Seeley

VOLUNTEER COORDINATIOR: Sharon Horton

WAYS & MEANS: Christina Pineiro

WAYS & MEANS: Debbie Robertson

WEBSITE: Scott Provost

12th

GRADE STUDENT REP: Nicole Koster

12th

GRADE STUDENT REP: Scott Provost

11th

GRADE STUDENT REP: Daniel Horton

11th

GRADE STUDENT REP: Madeline Johnson

10th

GRADE STUDENT REP: Skye Sullivan

10th

GRADE STUDENT REP: Blake White

9th

GRADE STUDENT REP: William Mayfield

9th

GRADE STUDENT REP: Lauren LeBlanc

Nov. 11 Veterans Day Program

Nov. 12 Interims

Nov. 12 School Board Meeting

Nov. 23 -27 Thanksgiving Holiday (No School)

Dec. 1 Talented Music Showcase 7 pm

Dec. 3 Talented Theatre Senior Directional Showcase

Dec. 7 All School Musical Audition 6-8 pm

Dec. 8 All School Musical Audition 6-8 pm

Dec. 10 School Board Meeting

Dec. 10 PTSA Meeting 6:30, (before band concert)

Dec. 10 Winter Band/Choir Concert 7 pm

Dec. 12 ACT test Pearl River High

Dec. 14-18 Semester Exams (no after school)

Dec. 18 End of Second Grading Period

One half day for record keeping

Dec. 21-Jan 1 Winter/Christmas Break

Jan. 4 Return to School

Jan. 7 Report Cards

Jan. 7 Senior reorders and ring redelivery

Jan. 10 ROTC Ball (PR Lion’s Club 7 pm)

Jan. 14 School Board Meeting

Jan. 18 Martin Luther King Day NO SCHOOL

Parent involvement is crucial to the

health and well-being of a child. As a parent, you

are the most important influence in your child's

success in school and in life. In this role, you have a

fresh opportunity every day to get involved with

your child.

Parent involvement in children’s education

allows kids to perform better in school, and

navigate more easily some of the challenges of

growing up, such as bullying.

ARE YOU AN INVOLVED PARENT?

If you would like to submit a

safety poster this year, please

contact teacher, Barrett Adams.

HEALTH & SAFETY

POSTER CONTEST

Student

names are

not shown

due to

new

internet

protection

laws!

Calendar of Events:

He is the person coordinating the SAFETY

POSTER CONTEST at Pearl River High

School. Please see him for contest rules and

entry information. Poster deadline for Pearl

River High School is Tuesday, January 5th

,

2010 at 3PM. Safety Poster Theme is:

―Be Cool … Follow The Rules!

Up, Up and Away with PTSA! As we approach

the holidays, 2009-2010 school year, your PTSA

remains active at Pearl River High School. We have

accomplished a lot and continue to promote student

oriented projects and activities. Please consider

assisting our/your PRHS PTSA during the school

year.

I continue to thank all the parents and students

who continue to join and are supporting more than

5,000,000 other parents, students, faculty, and

community members in the goals of the National

PTA. As of November 30, we have 252 PTSA

members. Our current goal remains 300 for Pearl

River High. WILL YOU BE IN THAT NUMBER?

These programs help support and speak on behalf of

our students through advocacy programs.

As you know by now, our PTSA newsletter is

currently attached to the Pearl River High website.

It is available for all to view. Unfortunately, we are

still trying to get clarification on displaying photos

of PTSA activities and PRHS school activities in

the newsletter, along with student names. Because

of past internet problems with student pictures and

information on other websites not associated with

St. Tammany Parish or any of the schools within the

parish, no pictures or student names are on

PTA/PTSA websites.

We are wrapping up the Reflections program for

Pearl River High School and have had a slow

response this school year. The reflection program

theme for the 2009-2010 school year is ―BEAUTY

IS…‖ This theme was reflected in the entries

submitted. The six categories were: DANCE/

CHOREOGRAPHY; FILM PRODUCTION;

LITERATURE; MUSICAL COMPOSITION;

PHOTOGRAPHY and VISUAL ARTS. Deadline

for submission of entries was Tuesday, December 1.

Pearl River High winners will be presented with

a trophy, ribbon, and/or certificate on Monday

February 8, at 7 pm. The ceremony will follow the

PTSA general membership meeting at 6:30 pm on

that evening. Our reflections program District PTA

winners will be recognized and awarded at a huge

children’s award banquet in March, 2010. At the

state level, the Louisiana PTA reflection program

winners will be recognized and awarded at our State

PTA Convention in April, 2010, in Baton Rouge,

Louisiana.

Other ongoing projects include the PTA Safety

Poster contest, Student attendance incentive

programs, volunteer appreciation & recognition

programs. It also includes training programs for our

PTSA board members.

Fundraising is not the main purpose of our

PTSA but we have commitments to many student

activities this year. We need all Pearl River High

School parents and students to assist us at the

various PTSA fundraiser. Those available to assist

once in a while, or even on a more regular basis,

should contact; Christina Pineiro at 985-290-6428

(ATT cell), Joe Seeley at 985-707-6647 (ATT Cell)

or Sharon Horton at 504-715-5278.

PTSA did some concessions at the JV football

games. Thanks for your support at these games; the

car washes held at the Pearl River Texaco; our

bowling fundraisers at Bowling USA; and at school

ice cream sales every other Friday. Additionally, we

are selling really cool PRHS Rebel lanyards, which

can still be purchased from the school office.

Support the PTSA concessions and fundraisers.

Volunteer to help anytime you can is appreciated.

If you have not yet become a PTSA member,

please consider joining. All you need to do is

complete the PTSA form in this newsletter, and

send to the school office in an envelope with a

check or cash! Dues are only $4 for a single person,

$3 for a student, and two people is $6. Remember,

STUDENTS SHOULD BECOME PTSA

MEMBERS, ALSO! Don’t forget to put the name

of your student’s homeroom teacher on the

envelope.

The National PTA changed the procedures for

submitting and printing your PTSA membership

cards. We have finally succeeded in getting the

cards printed. They will be distributing these to the

respective homerooms during the first or second

week of December.

Our next PTA general meeting will be held on

Thursday, December 10 at 6:30 pm, prior to the

Pearl River High School Winter Concert which will

begin at 7:00 pm.

Corporate PTSA memberships are important to

our school organization. At the end of the

newsletter are business cards from our corporate

sponsors. Please consider patronizing them and

when you do, tell them thank you for supporting

Pearl River High PTSA this year! (If you would like

to become a corporate sponsor, the cost is only $25

per school year and is a great way to advertise your

business!)

Words From Your PTSA

President – Joe Seeley

IT'S THE LAW SELECTIVE SERVICE REGISTRATION

All 18-year-old men must register with the

Selective Service within 30 days of their 18th

birthday! Website:www.sss.gov

College Prep See Mrs. Beaushaw for details

COLLEGE INFORMATION:

SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION:

University of Louisiana Lafayette Scholarship Deadline Nov. 15

Louisiana State University Scholarships

Deadline Nov. 15

Principal's Leadership Award Scholarship

www.Principals.org/PLA DEADLINE:

December 1, 2009

Louisiana Solid Waste Assoc. Scholarship Must

plan a career within the environmental industry

DEADLINE: February 1, 2010

KFC Colonel's Scholarship - www.kfcscholars.org

DEADLINE: February 10, 2010

Abbott & Fenner Business Consultants

Scholarship DEADLINE June 10, 2010

http://www.abbottandfenner.com/scholarships.htm

2010 Gates Millennium Scholars Program Must

be a minority group DEADLINE: January 11, 2010

www.gmsp.org

Dr. Seuss's College Scholarship must write an

essay DEADLINE: February 15, 2010

Louisiana Housing Council Scholarships family

member must have worked for a housing agency or

family must reside or receive housing benefits must

have cumulative GPA of 2.75 or better

DEADLINE: February 15, 2010

Coca Cola Scholars Program apply @ www.coca-

colascholars.org

Lela Christmas Card Art Contest Deadline :

November 6, 2009

Lela Scholarship www.lela.org Our Lady of the

Lake Franciscan Scholarship must have cumulative

GPA of 3.5 or better DEADLINE: February 15,

2010

Lawrence University Scholarships DEADLINE:

November 15, 2009

Overture of the Cultural Season Awards in

Creative Writing, Instrumental Music, Visual Arts,

Dance, Theatre, and Vocal Music - DECEMBER

18, 2009

BigSun Scholarship must participate in a sport

http://www.bigsunathletics.com DEADLINE: June

24, 2010

University of Mississippi Scholarships DEADLINE: December 1, 2009

Foundation for Individual Rights in Education

Scholarship DEADLINE: November 6, 2009

Davidson College Belk Scholarship must attend

Davidson College DEADLINE: November 15 2009

University of Louisiana Lafayette Scholarships DEADLINE: Nov. 15

Louisiana State University Scholarships

DEADLINE: November 15, 2009

Most of the applications for the above

scholarships are available in the guidance office.

Other scholarship information is available at

http://college.stpsb.org All colleges and

universities do not send scholarship information to

the guidance office. There are many web sites

which may be helpful.

FINANCIAL AID:

Financial aid applications available online @

www.fafsa.ed.gov after January 1, 2010 DO NOT

ATTEMPT TO APPLY BEFORE JANUARY!

Deadline is April 15, 2010

IMPORTANT ! Students who are eligible for the

TOPS program MUST fill out a FAFSA (financial

aid) form to be eligible.

TOPS INFORMATION: To calculate your TOPS GPA go to

http://college.stpsb.org/TOPS.htm and scroll

down to ―click here to calculate your TOPS GPA‖

NCAA CLEARINGHOUSE: If you are an athlete who has the possibility of

obtaining an athletic scholarship, you must fill out

the NCAA Clearinghouse Eligibility form. Please

see Mrs. Beaushaw to obtain the form or enroll

online at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net

Seniors who are planning to attend college

and have not taken the ACT should do so as soon

as possible.

HAVE YOU DECIDED WHICH COLLEGE

YOU WILL ATTEND? PLAN NOW!

DO NOT GIVE A CREDIT CARD

NUMBER, CASH, or CHECKS

TO ANY SERVICE offering

“GUARANTEED”

SCHOLARSHIPS”

IMPORTANT: If you receive free or

reduced lunch, you may take the test twice at no

cost to you. See Mrs. Beaushaw for a fee waiver

form.

Test Dates Registration Deadlines *December 12, 2009 November 6, 2009

*February 6, 2010 January 5, 2010

*April 10, 2010 March 5, 2010

*June 12, 2010 May 7, 2010

* Given at Pearl River High School

Test Dates Registration Deadlines

November 7, 2009 October 1, 2009

December 5, 2009 October 30, 2009

January 23, 2010 December 15, 2009

March 13, 2010 February 4, 2010

May 1, 2010 March 25, 2010

June 5, 2010 April 29, 2010

PEARL RIVER HIGH SCHOOL

CODE FOR THE ACT AND SAT IS: 192327

Some universities may require achievement

tests to be taken as well. Registration materials for

both college admissions tests are available in the

guidance office.

Talented Music—Brina Faciane In October, members of Pearl River's Talented

Music class performed at Patton's Restaurant for a

benefit brunch supporting the Rainbow Childcare

Center. Destany P., Nick K., and Colleen S.

entertained guests with a variety of classical, jazz

and Broadway music. Congratulations to all the

Talented Music students for their recent hard work

on their new compositions which will be entered

into the Reflections competition next month.

National Beta—Sylvia Schroeder The National Beta Club sponsor and club

members are helping with the following this month:

Native American Day on Friday, Nov. 20 at

Little Pearl School

Literacy Night on Wednesday Nov. 17 at

Sixth Ward School

Christmas Under the Oaks, December 3

We will also have our annual Christmas party for

members in good standing at PRHS on Thursday,

December 17 during lunch.

Substance Abuse From the American Academy of Pediatrics, here

are some facts about kids and

drug use:

40% of U.S. teens say

they expect to use a drug

in the future.

One out of every five kids in eighth grade has

already tried marijuana.

Teens who smoke cigarettes are more likely to

drink alcohol.

Teens who smoke and drink are more likely to

use marijuana. And those who use all three are

more likely to use other illicit drugs.

Long-term studies show that use of other illicit

drugs among youth almost never occurs unless

they have first used marijuana.

The most important fact you should know: Kids

who learn from their parents about the dangers of

substance abuse, underage drinking and other

harmful activities are less likely to use those

substances. As a parent, you have the power to keep

your children safe and drug-free. Use these

resources from PTA to help you talk to your kids

about substance abuse.

PROJECT GRADUATION, Inc. ―If just one young life is saved, it is all

worthwhile.‖ Project Graduation is an annual

community-sponsored, parent co-ordinated,

alcohol and drug-free event that allows the senior

classes of Salmen, Pope John Paul II, Slidell, Pearl

River and Northshore High Schools to enjoy an all-

night celebration.

Pearl River High's party will be

held after commencement on May 14

from 11:00 pm to May 15 at 5:00 am.

Seniors are able to enjoy a safe

evening of games, food, music, and

prizes with their classmates before they go their

separate ways after graduation. Since Project

Graduation began 18 years ago the organization has

been successful in preventing the needless loss of life

due to an alcohol or drug related accident on

ST. TAMMANY PARISH COLLEGE

COUNSELING CENTER WEBSITE:

http://college.stpsb.org

TOPS Code for the ACT: 1595

IMPORTANT ACT DATES:

IMPORTANT SAT DATES:

graduation night. It takes many volunteers to make

this a special night for the graduates. Any Pearl

River parents interested in volunteering please

call 863-2591 and leave a message in the school

office with Mrs. Noggerath. Seniors can purchase

reservations from Mrs. Fandal in room 311. The cost

is $30 and includes a DVD of the night and a t-shirt.

Checks should be made payable to Project

Graduation. Any individual or business interested

in sponsoring this event can contact Sheryl

Durrett at 985-646-2022. Many thanks to, Carolyn Conravey and Kim

Johnsen for the time they dedicate to Project

Graduation

Preventing Alcohol Abuse Among Teens By Alice R. McCarthy

Statistics indicate that drinking among our

nation's youth (ages 12–17) has remained relatively

stagnant over the past few years. Are you relieved?

Don't answer too quickly.

Consider the following statistics from the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services survey

in 1999:

More than half of U.S. people age 12 and older

report they drink alcohol.

Roughly 20 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds drank

alcohol at least once last month.

7.8 percent of this age group engaged in binge

drinking (consuming five or more alcoholic

drinks in a row).

3.6 percent reported heavy alcohol use in the

month before the survey.

Children as young as 8 and 9 years old cite

alcohol as a problem in their lives, whether

caused by the drinking done by other people in

their lives or themselves.

You may not be relieved anymore. Underage

drinking is a problem in the United States. It's a

problem for families, schools, and communities.

Helping children and youth just say no. Parents

tend to believe that their teens drink because of peer

pressure. But more than 50 percent of students said

"getting drunk" and simply having a good time is

the major motivating factor in drinking, along with

stress and boredom. Parents can help prevent

underage alcohol use by sending a strong message

at home. Here are some suggestions:

Discuss expectations with your children. Then

work with them to meet those expectations.

Keep communication open about alcohol use. If

you overreact to bad news associated with

alcohol use by teens in your community, you are

likely not to get a full story when you bring up

the issue the next time.

Help your children develop a strong sense of

self-esteem, along with the social skills

necessary to withstand peer pressure to drink.

Let them know they are loved and valued.

Plan and spend time with your children on a

daily basis. They need to see how the rules you

have set work with the experiences they have

outside of the home, at school, or with friends.

Let them know you are aware of alcohol use in

the school community, you know they may be

encouraged by their peers to drink alcohol, and

you know they'll have opportunities to drink.

Make an alcohol-free pact with your children

through high school and college. Constantly

remind them about the dangers of alcohol,

including the possible lethal effect of binge

drinking, and suggest other ways of dealing with

stress and emotional problems.

Set consequences for your children's actions. Do

not allow them to think they are "getting away"

with behavior that's unacceptable to the family.

Adults who expect their teens not to drink

alcohol have to be willing to listen to them talk

about the pressures to drink. The more your teen

is willing to talk with you about alcohol, the

better the chances that he or she will not drink.

Above all, parents should set a good example,

so that means analyzing your drinking habits and

adjusting those habits to be consistent with the

message you're sending your teen. Be moderate or

abstain in your use of alcohol.

Alice R. McCarthy, Ph.D., the author of the newly

released third edition of Healthy Teens: Facing the

Challenges of Young Lives. (Bridge

Communications, Inc., 2000. Phone 800-808-9314

to order; the cost is $14.95.) McCarthy also writes

and edits three Healthy Newsletters for parents of

students in school, which reach more than 1 million

readers a year. She may be contacted at the toll-free

number above.

PTSA is committed to being the leading

resource for parent involvement. We offer

comprehensive resources for helping parents get

involved and stay involved in the lives of their

children.

School System Offers H1N1

Vaccinations to Students & Employees Vaccinations against H1N1 virus (Swine Flu)

will be offered free of charge to students and

employees in the St. Tammany Parish Public School

System on five Saturdays in December and January

at specially-designated locations.

The vaccination campaign will take place at a

different school each Saturday, according to the

following schedule: December 5 at Fontainebleau

Junior High School; December 12 at Northshore

High School; January 9 at Covington High School;

January 16 at Fontainebleau High School; and

January 23 at Pearl River High School. The nasal

spray vaccine and shots will be given between 9 am

and 3 pm on those days. Parents and employees

may visit any vaccination location most convenient

to them, regardless of the school they or their

children attend.

Students receiving the shots need to be

accompanied by their parents, and a completed

consent form for the vaccination will be required.

The School System is providing this service as a

convenience for parents who choose to have their

children vaccinated. Parents may wish to review

available information about H1N1 and the vaccine

before deciding whether to participate in this

program. Employees will need to show their STPSB

ID to be vaccinated.

Local health officials recommend that children

under nine years of age taking part in this program

be vaccinated early in December and then get a

second booster shot 28 days later in January.

The School System is working in conjunction

with the Department of Health and Hospitals,The

Office of Public Health, and the Louisiana

Department of Education in the effort.

Mark HINI shot on calendar for 1/23

CRIMESTOPPERS INFORMATION: To help maintain a safe and productive

environment for learning in our schools, the School

System has established a partnership with the

Crimestoppers organization. The partnership

provides an additional security measure that

encourages students, parents, and others to report

information about potential or actual criminal

activity at school. The Crimestoppers program

allows us to utilize a reporting system called the

Safe School Hotline in all our junior high and high

schools.

The local Crimestoppers organization

encourages citizens to help solve and prevent crime

through anonymous calls to a special telephone

number maintained by the organization. The

information is forwarded to appropriate law

enforcement agencies and a special fund is available

to pay a reward for tips that lead to an arrest. The

Safe School Hotline operates in the same way to

help solve crimes and prevent potential safety

concerns on and/or around school campuses, school

buses, and school events. The Crimestoppers Safe

School Hotline system protects the caller’s identity

by assigning a code number to each caller.

The Safe School Hotline number is

1-877-903-7867. Students and parents

who have information about a serious or

potentially serious school safety concern

are urged to call the school principal or

the Crimestoppers Safe School Hotline.

Our PTSA continues to grow. As of December 1

st,

We have 259 PTSA members at Pearl River High.

Your PTA card should be going to your student’s

homeroom just after Christmas. Have your student

check with his or her homeroom teacher.

Please fill out and return to School Office with Payment. Check all that apply: [ ] Single $4;[ ] Family (2 people) $6;[ ]Student $3; [ ]Corporate$25

Adult name(s) to be on PTSA card(s)__________________________

Phone number:_________________E-Mail__________________________

Student home room (so PTSA cards can be returned)_________________

Student name(s) on PTSA card(s) _________________________________

Please fill out this form and return to the Pearl River High Office with proper payment. Mark an

envelope “PTSA Membership” and enclose cash or check.

Thank you for joining during the 2009-2010 school year at Pearl River High School!

The First Annual Junior Ring Ceremony was

held at Pearl River High School, on Tuesday

evening, December 1. The initial plans for the first

official ring ceremony were submitted earlier in the

school year by PTSA board member, Christina

Pineiro. Ms. Bonnaffons was the coordinator for

getting Herff Jones onboard with this project. Herff

Jones, is the preferred supplier of rings for PRHS.

Mr. Clint Ivey, the PRHS Herff

Jones representative agreed

provide the programs, engraved

napkins, frefreshments and the

inflatable ring through which

students could enter. Kay Wells

and Carey Grush, along with

PTSA board members assisted

during the ceremony. The students were presented

their class rings, as their names were announced by

Ms. Bonnaffons and Mr. Winkler. as they walked

through a giant inflatable class ring.

A positive response

to the event was

overwhelming and Pearl

River High School plans

to make the Junior Ring

Ceremony an annual

event. Anyone in the

class of 2011 who would

still like to order a class ring may do so by

contacting Clint Ivey, the Herff Jones Sales

Representative, at 225-927-1383

To All PTSA Members: We are excited to invite

you to join us at our 2nd Annual Louisiana PTA

Legislative Conference. We will be meeting at the

Louisiana State Capitol building in Baton Rouge on

Saturday, January 9, 2010 from 9:00 am until 3:00

pm. Registration and check-in will begin at 8:30

am, and a box lunch will be provided.

We have invited some dynamic speakers to help

us develop strong position statements which we can

then bring to our state convention in April to have

approved as resolutions. If you or your unit

members have any specific topics or concerns that

you would like to see addressed at this conference,

please contact me as soon as possible. Please also

feel free to invite others to join us, such as your

school board members, state legislators, and parents

from schools that may be considering becoming

PTA schools. We are happy to introduce them to

our advocacy programs and initiatives as we join as

one voice to work for every child.

Access our Conference Registration form at: http://www.louisianapta.org/Legislativeupdates.html Please fill out a separate form for each attendee. If

more than one person attends from a unit, one check

may be submitted to pay for those attending. To

ensure that we order enough box lunches, the

deadline for early registration will be December 29,

2009. Registration will be available at the door. See

you in January! Susan S. Strain, DVM, LAPTA

Secretary. November 9, 2009

Keep Up With Your Grades At:

www.stpsb.org STI HOME ACCESS

2nd

Annual Louisiana PTA

Legislative Conference Update

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

For Louisiana PTA/PTSA

The First Junior Ring

Ceremony held at PRHS

TUTORING: MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

6:55-7:25am Mr. Dauterive Rm 207 Mr. Dauterive Rm 207 Mr. Dauterive Rm 207 Mr. Dauterive Rm 207

Ms. Shay Rm 207 Ms. Shay Rm 207 Ms. Shay Rm 207

MATH

2:45-3:30pm Mr. Barber Rm 410 Mr. Barber Rm 410 Mr. Adams Rm 319 Mr. Barber Rm 410

ENGLISH

2:45-3:30pm Ms. Davis Rm 320 Ms. Davis Rm 320 Ms. Davis Rm 320 Ms. Davis Rm 320

SCIENCE

2:45-3:30pm Mr. Adams Rm319 Mr. Adams Rm 319

SOCIAL STUDIES

2:45-3:30pm Mr. Grush Rm 315 Mr. Grush Rm 315

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR PTSA

AT PEARL RIVER HIGH SCHOOL

The new instant alert notification system

The new instant alert notification system

informed thousands of parents and employees about

the early school closures due to Hurricane Ida. The

alert notifications service offers instant

communications through text messaging, e-mail, or

voice call alerts for any emergency situations which

may develop at a school or System wide.

―In times such as this, the alert notification

system proves to be one of the best and most

effective ways to communicate with parents. We

encourage all parents to sign up for this free

service,‖ said Superintendent Gayle Sloan. ―We

continue to post emergency bulletins on our

Website, Channel 13, and local news stations, but

when school closings are announced, the text

messaging and phone alerts are faster and reach

people wherever they are,‖ she stated.

Parents and employees may register for the

service by going to the Alert Notification Log In

Page, on the St. Tammany School Board website at

www.stpsb.org and clicking on the sign up link.

Registering for the service sends emergency

information to parents and employees via special

alerts to phone numbers and other means of

communications they choose, whether it is school-

specific alerts or news about the entire district. It is

used only in emergency situations or unscheduled

school closings. There is also YouTube video

available for viewing that explains how the

notification service works

Internet Safety Begins At Home. Keep your child out of “their”

reach. Monitor your child’s

internet relationships. Active parental

awareness is a must for their

continued safety. For tips on internet

safety, go to www.pta.com today!

Make this Holiday Extra Season

Special! Do Your Best To Help A

Needy Family By Collecting and

Sharing Food, or Volunteer Time

With Them. Always Help Others

Less Fortunate Than Ourselves!

For many of us, the hustle and bustle of work,

household responsibilities, chauffeuring children to

activities, obligations to various organizations, etc.,

leaves us wondering at the end of each week,

"Where has the time gone?" If we're not careful, we

risk ending the year asking that same question and

wondering what happened to all our intentions to

get more involved in our children's schools.

M ―Three for Me‖ is a simple PTA program that

can help you find the time for involvement. It calls

on you to dedicate three hours of your time to the

school over the course of the school year, and asks

that you put that commitment into writing by

signing a ―Three for Me‖ promise card. For many

parents, having that written commitment—and then

getting some good tips on ways to be involved—is

enough to help them find the time to participate

more fully in the life of the school. Your three hours

can be broken up into 10-minute increments or

completed in large chunks, fulfilled in the school, at

home, or in the community. M

M Here are just a few ideas on how to fulfill your

promise: Read a book to your child's class. Make

classroom decorations for the upcoming holidays.

Help out with class celebrations and school

performances. Tutor a child once a week in a

particular subject area. Help a teacher grade papers.

Ask your employer to make copies of newsletters.

If your school doesn't have the ―Three for Me‖

program, visit www.three4me.com to learn how to

get started. PTA PARENT Biweekly Newsletter Oct

2007

Your State PTA

newsletter THE

MONITOR is offered quarterly on line as an e-

mail FREE subscription or, as a FREE mail-out to

Parents, Students and Faculty. To register for THE

MONITOR newsletter, go to www.louisianapta.org

and click on “State Newsletter”. Many links are

provided to other PTA websites.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

FROM YOUR PTSA

Alert Communications System

Notifies Parents in Emergency

THREE FOR ME …

Finding Time for Involvement:

Little Means A Lot!

TELL OUR SPONSORS YOU SAW OUR AD IN THE PTSA NEWSLETTER!

TELL OUR SPONSORS YOU SAW OUR AD IN THE PTSA NEWSLETTER!

YOU CAN SUPPORT OUR PTSA

NEWSLETTER BY BECOMING A

CORPORATE

SPONSOR

Only $25 per year is all it takes. Contact Joe

Seeley, Pearl River High PTSA President at

985-707-6647 or 985-863-9099