So here I am, about to start (my son’s) Junior year in High School. I became the Santa Barbara High School PTSA President on July 1 of this year. So far so good. When I run into friends around town and the subject comes up, they all think I’m crazy. It’s funny how you can have so many friends with so many commonalities but none of them understands why I would choose to do this. To me, it’s a no brainer. Maybe I’ll have a different opinion after this school year. I’ll let you know.

I have decided to keep a report on my experience as the Prez. I’m going to start with a brief history of my involvement with my kids’ schools. Pre-school was Starr King, a Parent-Child cooperative which required a weekly two hour evening meeting and a weekly three hour morning commitment. This gave me the opportunity to watch my kids in an experiential setting, help other people’s kids, and learn from the Director, Yolanda, a lot about the early years in a child’s life.

When my kids entered elementary school I was welcomed into the classrooms to be a part of a number of activities with the students, even as we bounced from Harding to Hope to Laguna Blanca to Washington. My husband and I went to a lot of PTA meetings and helped or contributed wherever or whenever we could.

During (my son’s) Freshman year at SBHS, I helped mostly with his sports teams. I offered to be the team parent for football and basketball (volleyball had plenty of volunteers). I was signed up on Parent Square, so besides sports I ended up helping out other departments. For example, I would bring a bag of ice to a theatre performance, or a box of granola bars for testing snacks, a plate of cookies to a choir performance, facilitate a Saturday SAT session, check in library textbooks, or give a couple of hours at the Saturday Swap meet. My kids were 12 and 15, so their need for me had become considerably minimal.

When I showed up to help at Derby Day the week before my son’s Sophomore year, I ran into a former Starr King parent who encouraged me to join the PTSA Board. PTSA hadn’t been on my radar the year before, and being a “yes” person, I asked what I could do. She needed a Hospitality Chair. I would need to send out Parent Square emails for events like the Teacher’s luncheons (three a year) and snacks for testing dates. OK. Why not?

So here I am, almost a year later. I’ve learned so much about the school and have met so many parents who are dedicated to helping as well. There is a strong, positive momentum at SBHS. You just feel it. The first time I felt it was at Back to School night my during my son’s Freshman year. The auditorium was packed with standing room only as Principal John Becchio addressed the crowd and introduced the ASB President, a few other administrators, and the PTSA President. So when people say “We are all in this together”, or “It takes a village to raise a child”, that holds true at SBHS. Being involved in PTSA means helping everyone on campus. The Parents, the Teachers, and the Students. If everyone on campus is being supported, then we will have a healthy school for everyone. And that is important to me.

Parents help in so many different ways. Many parents have so much going on or have work schedules that don’t allow them much free time. That is perfectly understandable. Just providing a place for your children to study, or healthy food and a safe place to return to is just as important. I do hope that we can encourage a higher number of parents to join the PTSA this year. We only had about 300 parents join last year. Joining the PTSA doesn’t mean you are locked in to volunteer. It just shows that you support the PTSA’s efforts. So please consider spending $10 and becoming a member in our Legacy year (100 continuous years as a PTA). We need a membership number we can be proud of!

Meredith Brace ’82