5th Grade Choice Spirit Day - Hello, Summer!

Hello Summer Spirit Day - Get ready for some summer fun as we celebrate the arrival of warmer days. Students can wear school-appropriate summer clothing and accessories, excluding bathing suits and open-toed shoes. When selecting tops, please ensure they have at least a 2-inch shoulder strap and are not completely sleeveless. Let's embrace the spirit of summer together!

PTA Board Celebration
On this special evening, we will be celebrating the remarkable contributions of our outgoing PTA board members from the 2022-2023 academic year, as we warmly welcome the incoming board members for the 2023-2024 term. The PTA Board Celebration of Campus event will be a memorable gathering to honor these dedicated individuals. If you are an incoming board member or have any questions about the event, please reach out to us at priskpta@gmail.com. We look forward to sharing this special occasion with you!

Spirit Day - Hat Day!

It’s Hat Day:! Get ready to flaunt your favorite hats! Students are invited to wear any hat with appropriate writing or logos. Let's show off our unique styles and enjoy this fun-filled day!

5th Grade Fun Day:

Fifth Grade Fun Day at El Dorado Frontier: Our fifth-grade students are in for an exciting adventure at El Dorado Frontier! They will be transported to the park via the Big Red Bus for a day filled with thrilling activities and delicious food. We extend our gratitude to the PTA and fifth-grade committee for their remarkable efforts in organizing this event. If you have any questions or are an approved volunteer interested in participating, please email prisk5thgrade@gmail.com.

5th Grade Movie:

After the students return from their fantastic time at El Dorado Frontier, they will have the opportunity to unwind and enjoy a movie afternoon in the auditorium. It's a special treat for our fifth graders to relax and celebrate together!

Spirit Day - Spring Snow Day!

Spring Snow Day:! Let's add a touch of winter to our spring as we celebrate Spring Snow Day. Wear all white clothing and, just for fun, challenge yourself to keep it clean throughout the day! Let's see who can embrace the snowy spirit without a single stain.

Kindergarten Promotion & Reception:

Join us in celebrating our kindergarteners as they reach this important milestone! The kindergarten promotion ceremony will take place in the auditorium at 11:00 AM, followed by a small reception where families can capture memorable pictures with friends and their children. If families plan to sign their kindergarteners out for the day, a designated area in the reception area will be available to facilitate the checkout process.

5th Grade Activity: DJ Dance Party & Yearbook Signing

It's time to dance and celebrate! Our fifth graders are invited to a spectacular DJ dance party where they can groove to their favorite tunes and participate in yearbook signing. Every fifth grader will receive a complimentary yearbook. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the fifth-grade committee and PTA for their unwavering support in making these activities unforgettable. If you have any questions or are an approved volunteer interested in participating, please email prisk5thgrade@gmail.com.

Prisk Foundation's Gratitude Gathering!

Join us in celebrating the Prisk Foundation, which plays a vital role in supporting our STEAM-related programs. Their incredible efforts have enabled us to raise funds for a dedicated science lab teacher for the upcoming year. For more detailed information, please read the detailed description in the next newsletter item. We express our sincere gratitude to the Prisk Foundation for their tremendous dedication to our school community.

Please join the Prisk Foundation on June 14th at 6:30pm at an outdoor event at one of our co-chair’s backyard for snacks in a GRATITUDE GATHERING! We’ll be discussing the final fundraising stats Prisk Foundation accomplished this school year.

We’ll thank our outgoing Co-chair for an amazing three years of leadership and also welcome our incoming Co-chair!

If you always wanted to learn more about Prisk Foundation and join an amazing team of parent/guardians, this is a great place to join and get to know the team! We’d love to see you there.

Address will be sent out via email next week!

Reach out with any questions and/or if you'd like to join us

but did not receive the address for the event!

Priskfoundation@gmail.com

Last Day of School

It's the final day of the school year for all students! Please note that it is a minimum day, and dismissal will take place at 2:00 p.m. Make sure to plan accordingly.

Spirit Day - Free Dress Day!

On the last day of school, it's time to show off your personal style! It's a free dress day, meaning students can wear any school-appropriate clothing of their choice, regardless of color or style. Just remember to wear closed-toed and closed-heeled shoes for safety.

5th Grade Promotion:

Join us on the blacktop for the highly anticipated Fifth Grade Promotion ceremony at 9:30 a.m. We will open the gates at approximately 9:00 a.m. Please refer to the letter sent via ParentVue, School Messenger, and the hard copy sent home with students for more details. You can also find the letter attached to this newsletter in the "In the Spotlight" section. Following the promotion ceremony, there will be music and plenty of opportunities for photos with friends, families, and teachers. Each fifth-grade student will receive a special gift bag or set, including their promotion certificate and photo, in a lovely fifth-grade folio. These gifts are courtesy of the fifth-grade committee.

Dismissal

At 2:00 p.m., dismissal will take place for all students still on campus.

Kindergarten After-School Activity (Sponsored by Prisk PTA & Prisk Kids' Club)

From 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., there is a special kindergarten activity in the Kids' Club area, sponsored by the PTA and our Kids' Club after-school program! Our daily kindergarten sign-out procedure must be adhered to on this day, but once signed out, they are free to enjoy the activity area**. Parents are welcome to join their children for this event, and there's no need for them to be approved volunteers since it's an after-school event sponsored by the PTA.

**Please ensure that your child is under appropriate supervision during this event. Whether it's with Kids' Club, a trusted family friend, yourself, or an adult designee, please make arrangements beforehand, as the school does not provide supervision during this time.

Although the last day of school for students is June 15th, the office will remain open until June 22nd for any necessary business that families need to complete after the students' last day. Please note that the office will be closed on June 16th for a staff luncheon from approximately 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Additionally, all offices will be closed on June 19th in observance of the Juneteenth holiday. Please plan accordingly, and avoid these specific dates when visiting the office.

The Summer SEAL program, which stands for Supports Enrichment and Accelerated Learning, will begin on June 26th at Bixby Elementary School. It will run daily from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., with breakfast served at 7:45 a.m. during the instructional day. An after-school summer program is also available, which extends until 5:00 p.m. Families can sign up for this program, but it's important to note that there is limited space available for the instructional program from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Only students who have been invited to attend are guaranteed a spot. Confirmation letters will be sent to families via ParentVue during the week of the 20th through the 23rd, indicating the availability of spots based on academic need and space.

The office will open for the new school year, 2023-2024, on the afternoon of August 22nd and will remain open until the first day of school on August 30th.

For families with incoming TK or Kinder students or students new to the school, there will be a TK/Kinder and new student orientation on August 25th, starting at approximately 9:15 a.m.

Please note that class assignments will be made public by the district at around 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 25th. Prior to that time, any information with teacher names should not be considered accurate, as class assignments can change significantly before and after that date and time. Families should expect reliable information about their student's classroom teacher for the new year on Friday, August 25th, at 5:00 p.m.

The first day of school for the 2023-2024 school year is Wednesday, August 30th. It will be a minimum day for all students, with dismissal at 2:00 p.m. More information about the first day of school will be sent to families during the week prior to the start of the school year.

Capture Your Memories in this year’s Yearbook!

Click here or the attached image to view the flyer to get the website address and Prisk's passcode! Yearbooks are only $18.38!

ALL 5th Grade Student Yearbooks are FREE of CHARGE and will be distributed on the yearbook signing day during the final week of school!

Please take a few minutes to fill out an anonymous survey from Prisk PTA and Foundation.

After our first year back to “normal” post-pandemic we want to know: what did you love, what can we do better, what other ideas do you have to enrich the Prisk experience?

The results will be used by next year’s Board to plan our events and fundraising goals for the 2023-2024 school year.

Scan the QR code or go to: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeyQHQuY0EqSPutv4l7GttJud2dLVlweEYb1Ffft6GYnRhNbw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Our 23-24 Vice President of Communications is moving/has moved so the PTA is looking for another interested person/nominee! If you are interested in helping, here is the job description:

• Manage Electronic Communications (Social Media)
• Create and Print Calendar of Events (Contact Information for PTA Officers or Chairpersons)
• Oversee Backpack Mail
• Attend PTA Board Meetings and PTA Association Meetings

You can also find a dream team to help you with any/all of these items... as the VP, you have the oversight, but you don't have to do it all by yourself!

If you have questions, please reach out to Sarah Oxley!

Click here or the image below to view the flyers for community events, activities, clubs, teams, and extra-curricular activities in and around the Prisk area or in the city of Long Beach.

All flyers must go through LBUSD for approval and are then posted on peachjar.com.

Report an Absence using this Google Form! You can even upload a note, test result, etc. These responses are checked daily!

*This form is also on the Prisk Website home page!

• LBUSD District Offices - (562) 997-8000
• Parking Enforcement (Non-Street Sweeping): (562) 570-2866
• Police Department (Non-Emergency): (562) 435-6711
• Long Beach Animal Control: 562-570-7387
• LBSUD School Safety - (562) 997-8101; This office is open 24/7 for schools and community members to help keep our campuses, staff, students, and families connected with our district police officers.

1. Click the link below or the attached image to go directly to the LBUSD Meal Menu Page https://www.lbschools.net/departments/nutrition-services/menus-nutrient-information
2. About halfway down the page, you will find "Elementary and K-8 Menus"
3. Select the menu for the correct month.

This is a Jamboard that anyone can edit and add MORE names of volunteers who help the PTA, Foundation, are a VIPS, or volunteer in general!nThe board is started, but this is just scratching the surface..... so, please ADD TO IT BY CLICKING this link or the attached images!

We are so thankful to EVERYONE who lends a helping hand.

Click on the attached image to view and/or print a copy of the calendar.

More details for each of the spirit days will be in the newsletter the week(s) prior to the actual day, but most are self-explanatory and can be understood from the name of the day itself.

Do you want to help out in the classroom? Chaperone field trips with your child(ren)? Volunteer and cheer on our students at the Rocket Run on November 1st? And MORE???

All of these opportunities and activities require you to be a Volunteer in Public Schools (VIPS). Once you complete the application and requirements, your VIPS badge is good for FOUR YEARS!

Don't miss out on the chance to be a part of the school's volunteer community... it's the only way you can help out on campus with students or staff during the school day, so please become a VIPS today!

More information about VIPS can be found on the district website and/or you can click directly on this link to go straight to the online application.

Our library media assistant (📚 Mrs. Marilyn Smith 📚 ) schedules all classes to come through the library each week to check out books and hear at least one story that she reads aloud. For the 23-24 school year, we will have Mrs. Smith 2 days per week (days TBD). Our plan is to continue scheduling all classes to visit the library each week to check out books and have at least one story read aloud.

Click here to view the information sent out about traffic & safety during the first month of school. It is now posted permanently on our website for easy reference!

Double-parking completely stops the flow of traffic and creates serious safety issues for everyone! And when someone double parks, the cars behind it who pass by them on the wrong side of the street are also contributing to a dangerous situation. While your frustration is understandable, contributing to the safety concern by doing this maneuver is simply NOT worth it.

Here is an image representing double-parking. For those not familiar with the term, you can see that cars are parked properly in the street alongside the curb.

The car the man is getting into is DOUBLE PARKED! You can see his car is completely blocking all traffic driving on that side of the road. The only way to continue is to drive AROUND the car on the WRONG side of the road! This is SO dangerous in SO many ways! Please avoid doing EITHER of these things! Again, while your frustration is understandable, contributing to the safety concern by doing this maneuver is simply NOT worth it.

While our staff will always do our best to support the community in communicating the expectations and intervening whenever possible, we encourage people to call parking enforcement (non-street sweeping) DIRECTLY at 562-570-2866. With "all hands on deck", perhaps we can ensure everyone is accountable for the safety of our students and our community.

We receive numerous reports about vehicles that are illegally parked, double-parked, etc. While our staff will support our community with these types of violations in various ways, we encourage people to call parking enforcement (non-street sweeping) directly at 562-570-2866. With "all hands on deck", perhaps we can ensure everyone is accountable for the safety of our students and our community.

A: For all students in grades K-5, the morning playground program logistics are as follows and are represented on the attached map:

• 8:00am - Morning play entry gate by kinder yard on Vernon opens (for students only) *Yellow and red star on the image below. Students can play in the supervised areas on the north side of the playground (in blue and red outline on the map). The south side of the school will be off limits during this time.
• 8:30am - Vernon gate continues to be open and cafeteria door on Los Arcos (blue star on the image below) opens for breakfast (students only).
• A bell will ring on the playground to signal to the morning play students that the cafeteria is open.
• They can choose to go to the cafeteria from the playground or they can choose to continue playing.
• If it is your desire that your child(ren) eat breakfast, please encourage them to make that choice. Our playground staff will also encourage children to eat breakfast, but cannot compel them to do so.
• 8:45am - All regular entry gates (hot pink stars plus yellow star on the image below) open for students and families for drop-off.
• 8:57am - Bell rings for students to line up for class.
• 9:00am - Gates closed and secured for the school day. All parents must exit the campus at that time.

Our playground is open from 8:00-9:00am. The Vernon gate opens at 8am, the cafeteria door opens at 8:30am, BUT the majority of the traffic in the morning is from about 8:45-9:00 when we open the gates for parents to come on campus with their children.

If you are not coming on campus with your child, I highly recommend dropping them off at the Vernon gate from 8:00-8:40 or the cafeteria door between 8:30 and 8:40.

I am open to adding the same gate we are adding at dismissal time, we do not have the supervision to cover that gate at that time so if anyone would like to volunteer to supervise the Albury gate from 8:40-9:00, please let us know. If someone is interested in coordinating volunteers (via sign-up genius or something), that would be great as well. If we can get volunteers to cover each day of the week, we can open it daily.

Another option is to drop your child(ren) off on Albury and let them walk to any of the open gates available for students. It's not a far walk at all and then you can avoid the large amount of traffic on Vernon, Fanwood, and Los Arcos. Just food for thought!

In response to feedback about traffic around the school, we will be opening an additional gate on Albury (the Stanford side), as indicated by the star on the attached map, at dismissal time from 3:05pm to 3:30pm. If you'd like your 1st-5th grade student(s) to use the new gate, please talk with them about the change.

Please understand that additional gates can alleviate some congestion, but it still is incumbent upon the drivers to follow safety rules, including the one most violated which is DOUBLE-PARKING.

Double-parking completely stops the flow of traffic and creates serious safety issues for everyone! And when someone double parks, the cars behind it who pass by them on the wrong side of the street are also contributing to a dangerous situation. While your frustration is understandable, contributing to the safety concern by doing this maneuver is simply NOT worth it.

Last year's School Site Council (SSC) worked to revise two required compliance documents. We intended to include them in the opening packet we sent home with the students on the first day of school but, in error, we did not. So, here's a copy of each for you now! These are public "living documents" that our SSC is able to revise any time it is needed so if you have any suggestions for updates/changes, etc. please email me, Principal Cohen at bcohen@lbschools.net or Mrs. Ruggiero (SSC Chairperson) at lruggiero@lbschools.net. Thank you!

The Prisk PTA and Foundation contribute to our school in so many ways, some of which you might not even realize! So... keep an eye out for the PTA & Foundation logos and when you see them you will know...

YES! OUR PRISK PTA & PRISK FOUNDATION DOES THAT!

JOIN US!

Here is some additional information on PTA & Foundation events, activities, etc. that you might want to consider based on your talents, skills, availability, and more....

• JOINUSEVERYFRIDAYat8:20am!
• We invite all Prisk Students to join this year’s Marathon Mile program.
• Grab your parents/guardians, grandparents, and siblings, too!
• Start walking/running once a week with us on Friday mornings starting at 8:20am.
• We will be recording the number of laps that our runners complete!
• At the end the year we’ll be recognizing any of our members who reach at least a half marathon (13.1 miles)

Join an amazing group of parents, guardians, staff, teachers, community members and more who make Prisk the best it can be for our students and families! Whether you can be involved a lot, a little, or can only help by getting a membership, WE WANT YOU to be a part of our team! https://jointotem.com/ca/long-beach/prisk-pta/join/register

Prisk Elementary PTA on Facebook

Parents of Prisk Pioneers Facebook Group

Instagram @PriskPTA

Earn $$ for Prisk Through Box Tops 4 Education!

Click this link or the attached image for more Information.

Help keep Prisk's surrounding streets clean! Sign up for Patch of Prisk here (or click the attached image).

Due to the size/font, here is the information written on the attached image:

• Homework Helpline is provided free by the LBUSD and consists of credentialed LBUSD teachers who guide students through homework assignments by telephone. The teachers are equipped with school textbooks and are trained to help the students help themselves.
  
• The teachers will ask for pertinent information such as full name and school of attendance. They enter this information into a student database to show a need for service.
  
• Students can call the Homework Helpline at (562) 437-2859 Monday through Thursday between 4:00pm and 6:30pm. Homework Helpline teachers can also be reached by email at homework@lbschools.net.

• This service is available to all students with an internet connected device in English and in Spanish.
• They do not need a public library card to access this service as long as your computer has a CA IP address
• Other languages are available between 10 am and 10 pm PST
• The average wait time for a tutor is less than 30 seconds
• https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/09/12/governor-newsom-announces-free-online-tutoring-available-to-all-californians-254-million-in-grants-to-improve-libraries-across-the-state/

Below are some helpful resources from LBUSD's Office of School Support Services (OSSS). It is encourages that you save these resources so you can easily reference them should you or a family member need help. (This information is now posted on Prisk's website and be moved in next week's Newsletter to the section for "Repeat, Please!" section below.)

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
  (800-273-8255) or text 988 to talk to a Crisis Text Line counselor.

• Disaster Distress Helpline
  Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746.The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) provides crisis counseling and support for anyone in the U.S. experiencing distress or other behavioral health concerns related to any natural or human-caused disaster, including public health emergencies.

• Jewish Family & Children's Service
  (562) 427-7916 - Individual, family, couples and group counseling is available depending on your particular situation and needs. Our intake specialists will speak with you and pair you with a counselor who can respond with compassion to your specific needs. The fees for JFCS’ services are based on a sliding scale. We accept many PPO plans and Health Net.

• Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
  Access Center 24/7 Helpline; (800) 854-7771; (562) 651-2549 TDD/TTY

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
  (800) 950-6264; Monday-Friday, 10 am to 6 pm ET; Text NAMI TO 741741

• National Domestic Violence Hotline
  (800-799-7233) - For survivors of domestic abuse, staying home to prevent the spread of COVID-19 may further compromise survivors’ safety. The link above provides specific tips for survivors in regards to creating safety plans and reaching out for help.

• Teen Line
  (310) 855-4673 or Text TEEN to 839863. Teen Line was created in 1980 by a group of mental health professionals who, through their personal work with teenagers, realized that a more inclusive approach to adolescent mental health was needed. After extensive research and consultation, TEEN LINE – a teen-to-teen hotline with community outreach services – was born.

• Trevor Project
  (866) 488 -7386 or text START to 678678. A national 24-hour, toll free confidential suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth.

• The LGBTQ Center - Long Beach:
  (562) 434-4455. The Center is committed to providing services to the LGBTQ community and approach treatment with an emphasis on trauma, anxiety, and/or depression informed by experiences of external and internalized homo-bi-trans-phobia.

Long Beach Unified School District partnered with Care Solace to support the well-being of our community. If you or a family member are looking for help with mental health or substance use, Care Solace can help you quickly find treatment options matched to your needs, regardless of the circumstance. This is a complimentary and confidential care coordination service provided by Long Beach Unified School District. If you would like to use Care Solace to help you find a mental health care provider:

• Call 888-515-0595. Support is available 24/7/365 in over 200 languages.

• Visit www.caresolace.com/lbusd and either search on your own or click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.