Chaparral HS ‘parent day’ brings teens, parents together on campus

Chaparral High School student Steffani Reid had family in full force for Puma Parent Day, and they even brought pizza. Pictured left to right are Randy Ward, Carol Reid, Mike Reid and Jennifer Walters. (Photo by Grace Clark)

Most high school parents have wondered just what it is their teens do all day at school, and at Chaparral High School in Temecula Monday, they got the opportunity to find out.

Puma Parent Day brought in a larger than expected turnout as hundreds of parents joined their teens on campus. Lunch, breaks or class time — whenever their schedules permitted — parents were there taking part in their students’ learning.

While many parents took time away from work and other busy schedules, one father, Mike Dolezal, was there supporting his daughter, on leave all the way from Iraq.

Mike and Tracy Dolezal attended several classes with their daughter, Alexa Tieffer, who is a junior at Chaparral High; then joined her and her friends for lunch.

Dolezal is here on leave with his family after spending a year in Iraq as a civilian Combat Truck Driver with the U.S. Army. He leaves next week for another year to complete his assignment.

“She woke us up this morning and ‘made’ us come today, and I think it’s great to be able to take part in their education like this,” said Mike Dolezal.

“It finally feels like home, because he’s home. I was really excited for them to come today,” Alexa said.

Sophomore Steffani Reid’s family was out in full force bringing pizza for her and a table full of friends. Several generations of family came to shadow her for the day. Her father, Mike Reid; grandmother, Carol Reid; aunt, Jennifer Walters; and her uncle Randy Ward came to the high school and participated in the parent day.

“I attended a couple of classes with Steffani and am very proud of her and excited to be here and see what she does in school,” said Steffani’s grandmother, Carol Reid.

A mother of four boys, Dina Fausto, juggled armloads of food and drinks, which she brought to have lunch with her sons, senior, Jonathan Fausto, and freshman, Zachary Fausto. Along with lunch, she attended at least two classes with each of them.

“I think it’s great, we forget as adults what it’s like to be a kid in high school and this was a great reminder,” Fausto said.

One father, a civilian on leave from Iraq, came to support his daughter for Puma Parent Day. Pictured left to right are: Mike Dolezal, Chaparral juniors Kyawn Denos, Alexa Tieffer, Katie Sell, and Alexa’s mother Tracy Dolezal. (Photo by Grace Clark)

“We are ecstatic at the turnout, with over 300 parents attending today,” said Barbara Burkett, PTSA President for Chaparral and program coordinator for the event.

“We extended an open invitation to all the parents and attempted to make it as flexible and painless as possible for parents to be there and work around their schedules,” Burkett said.

Burkett said the teachers were excited and most of the students were looking forward to it, but some were apprehensive and embarrassed, which is pretty common for high school.

Student Kimberly Jaminal summed it up while waiting for her mother to come for lunch.

“It’s kinda weird at first, but then it gets ‘funner’,” said Kimberly, a junior who is taking ROP Marketing and Business classes in preparation for graduation.

Although high school is a time when teens seek separation and autonomy from parents and family, statistics prove that parents that stay involved in their teen’s education increase their chances for success — in high school and in life.

The local event was created to be part of a larger scale — the national PTA’s “Take Your Family to School Week,” being held Feb. 7-13. The week is one of the many annual programs used by the Parent Teachers Association to increase parent participation and create family/school partnerships.

The national PTA was founded in 1897 to encourage parent involvement in the schools and it continues strong and visible today — over a century later.

Grace Clark is a regular contributor to SWRNN.

Tags: Alexa Tieffer, Barbara Burkett, Carol Reid, chaparral high school, Dina Fausto, Jennifer Walters, Kimberly Jaminal, Mike Dolezal, Mike Reid, PTA Take Your Family to School Week, Puma Parent Day, Randy Ward, Steffani Reid, SWRNN, Temecula Valley Council of PTA's, temecula valley unified school district

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