Call for Nominations for HSA  2017

Each year the Palo Alto Council of PTAs may bestow one of several California State PTA Honorary Service Awards to individuals or organizations that have demonstrated outstanding service to children and youth in our community. The individuals or organization nominated must make far-reaching, notable contributions. The PTA Council HSA Committee selects persons or groups who have benefited children and youth on a district-wide or Palo Alto community level.

If you know of someone or an organization that deserves to be honored at this level, please complete this form:   Nominations for HSA2017  Recipients will be announced at our Honorary Service Award Reception on April 27^th, 2017.   Click here to see past recipients.

Deadline for Nominations is February 15, 2017.

The Palo Alto Chinese Community cordially invites you to the 2017 Chinese New Year Fair, on Sunday, February 12, 2017, 2-5 pm at the Mitchell Park Community Center (3700 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto).

This second annual Chinese New Year Fair, organized by the Palo Alto Chinese Community, features performances of Chinese folk music, instruments and dances by local talents as well as students from Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD). Many Chinese culture will be exhibited such as Chinese brush painting and calligraphy, Mahjong, dumpling-making, fung shui, board games and crafts. The event is free to all Palo Alto residents, and food will be sold for fund-raising to support the Palo Alto schools.

We’d like to thank our co-sponsors of the event, the City of Palo Alto and the Palo Alto Council of PTAs, who help make this fun-filled event possible. We hope this festive event will promote friendship among residents of different cultures and contribute to the vibrancy and health of our diverse community. Please join us on Sunday, February 12, 2017!

For more information, please contact Hannah Lu hannahlu00@gmail.com or Sheena Chin sheenachin@gmail.com.

Today, PTAC adopted a resolution supporting students and families who may be undocumented, and calling on all relevant local authorities to work to ensure that these students and their families feel secure and safe while at school, and that they are supported and encouraged in their academic and school-related extracurricular activities, and encouraging local governmental entities to compile a list of resources for undocumented students and families to ensure they are aware of their rights.

Full resolution text:

Whereas, on January 10, 2017, the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) passed RESOLUTION #2016-17.06, which declares, inter alia, that “principals and school staff shall work with and support families and students who express concern about immigration enforcement actions at school, including students who may not be attending school because of such concerns” and that “PAUSD should be considered sanctuaries for students;” and

Whereas, on December 12, 2016, Palo Alto City Council passed Resolution 9653 Entitled, “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto, Colleagues’ Memo Reaffirming Palo Alto’s Commitment to a Diverse, Supportive, Inclusive, and Protective Community,” which declares that “The City of Palo Alto recognizes, values, and will proactively work to ensure the rights and privileges of everyone living, working, or visiting in Palo Alto, regardless of religion, ancestry, country of birth, immigration status, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity;” and

Whereas, in January 1994 and reaffirmed in July 2012, the California State PTA adopted a position statement entitled “Services for Children of Undocumented Immigrants” stating that it “believes all children who reside in California, regardless of their parents’ immigration status, have the right of access to a quality public education, adequate food and shelter, and basic health services … [and] that it is in the interest of all Californians to ensure that all children, including the children of undocumented immigrants, have the opportunity to reach their full potential and become productive members of society;”

Therefore be it

Resolved, that the Palo Alto Council of Parent Teacher Associations (PTAC) fully supports undocumented students and/or family members that may be undocumented, and encourages all relevant local authorities to work to ensure that these students and their families feel secure and safe while at school, and that they are supported and encouraged in their academic and school-related extracurricular activities;

Resolved, that the Palo Alto PTAC encourages both PAUSD and Palo Alto City Council to compile and make available lists of relevant non-profit resources for undocumented immigrants to ensure that undocumented students and families are aware of their rights.