Superintendents Corner
What a way to start off the school year with 100-degree days and the AC set on high! I am so proud of our teachers and staff for their perseverance and dedication and the fact that they have not wilted in this late summer heat wave!
I have always loved this time of year, a time when we are getting ready for fall but are still keeping one foot securely planted in summer. That little kid in all of us trying to hold on to the last fading moments of summer with all of our might, almost as if we sense the loss of freedom, and unstructured time that summer affords us. A sense that things are more formal in the Fall, that we seem to have more responsibilities, and that it is a time to get down to business. Some might even say that Fall is a time full of potential and possibilities, a time of new beginnings.
When I was much younger, my husband and I would always take one last hiking trip before school started. One last hurrah! We would pack our backpacks, check our supplies, and with the dog in tow, we would hit the trail for a week at a time. Hiking in the backcountry pushed us to our limits as hikers. I was always the one who took up the rear, plugging along at my own pace. Finding a rhythm that always got me to my destination!
I will never forget the trail that forced us to use narrow switchbacks as we climbed up the face of a mountain. For this girl, who is severely afraid of heights- the five-foot wide trails felt like mere inches. Or the time in July when it started snowing while we were putting up our tent! We spent the fourth of July under a meteor shower while camping near Blue Lake, walked through meadows of wildflowers on the John Muir Trail, and found hidden waterfalls in the middle of the wilderness.
When I was a young girl, I was fascinated by John Muir, the founder of many of our National Parks, most notably Yosemite. Muir used to keep journals of the wildflowers, trees, and animals that he saw while living in Yosemite. When I hiked I had a flower guide that was based on Muir’s flower sketches. It gave me great joy to come across a new flower while hiking and to check it off of the list!
These trips taught me the power of pushing myself out of my comfort zone. They taught me that large, daunting tasks can be accomplished one step at a time, and they taught me that no matter how well we pack and plan, things happen, and we need to be adaptive. These days the thought of sleeping on a bed of granite is much less appealing, but the allure of the backcountry wilderness and its beauty still tugs at me.
I hope you have all had a wonderful August and have been able to keep one foot in summer! I hope you enjoy your journey and can check off all those things you want to see and do- one step and one summer at a time! Here’s to a beautiful Fall and a fantastic September!
And just like that, August is a wrap!
Dr. Pearlman
Important Dates for September
7- Picture Day
11- PFA Community Meeting
15- Hispanic Heritage Month begins
16- Dia de la Independencia/ Independence Day , Mexico
22- First-trimester Progress Reports
22-PFA Movie Night 6:00 PM
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T-dap Booster
Immunizations for incoming 7th Grade students
(current 6th graders)
As your student prepares to enter 7th grade in the upcoming school year, it is important that they are up to date on all of their immunizations. As required by the state of California, your child will need to provide proof to the school that they have received their Tdap Booster immunization prior to entry into 7th grade.
If we do not have documentation of this immunization, unfortunately, we will not be able to place your child on a class list come the start of the 2023-2024 school year. Please note, there have been no extensions granted by the state and the TDAP requirement remains in place.
Please provide proof of your child’s Tdap immunization to the school office.
Always follow up with your health care providers with concerns
Mexican Independence Day
The Banta school community will be celebrating Mexican Independence Day on Thursday,
September 16th. Food Service will be offering a special celebration meal for lunch; classrooms
will be sharing the importance of Mexican Independence Day; and we encourage everyone to
wear their celebration clothes or the colors of the Mexican flag.
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