Staff Writer
The South Pasadena High School Parent-Teacher-Student Association took an hour out of its meeting Monday night to focus on teen stress relief.
The PTSA hosted an official meeting in the library from 6:30-7:00 p.m. President Deb McCurdy reminded attendees of school events over the past few months. Wish Night raised an estimated $25,440, and Principal Janet Anderson deemed the “Teen Truth” assembly a success.
The PTSA Executive Board took nominations for the committee that decides the Executive Board members for next year.
School board member Michele Kipke assured that more focus would go towards maintaining the facilities and adding security cameras to all schools in the district. Ms Anderson elaborated on the status and action plan of the Tiger Patio renovation, and included information about TEDx talks that Mr. Benjamin Arnold, Ms Diane Shires and Mr. James Asher are working on, which are expected to begin in May 2015.
At 7:00 p.m., therapist and South Pasadena parent Linda Esposito held a presentation about student stress and how parents can help teens manage anxiety. It centered on helping high school students become “calm, confident, and connected” and the facts and myths about social media. Esposito emphasized not over-managing teens’ accounts, but that it is still important to know usernames and passwords to ensure safe behavior online.
Although it disappointed with its somewhat generic tips, the presentation excited students whose parents paid attention to their children’s mental health.
“The most important thing is that parents are thinking about the mental well being of their kids,” sophomore Maya Roshandel said. “I may have rolled my eyes at a few of the points, but the fact that parents are finally paying attention goes far beyond the content of the PowerPoint.”
