PSA Archives - the bird on fire

A Grade Ahead

February 25, 2026 by szachik@pvs.org 3 Comments

Part of The Bird on Fire’s What’s in the News

By Middle-School Blogger Jackie Pretorius

Once every year we have this thing called Move-up Day, where everyone goes to the next grade level. That means that the 5th graders get a sneak peek into middle school.

The 5th graders joined us for Morning Soar on Move-Up Day. Photo credit: PVS Facebook.

This year’s Move-Up Day started off with Morning Soar, saying the Pledge of Allegiance, doing what we normally do in assembly. We introduced the Middle-Upper School to the 5th graders and the 5th graders to the Middle-Upper School.

The schedule was different from a usual Friday, having all the periods from one to seven in order. This meant that students got to meet new teachers as well as revisit old ones. The classes showed us concepts we were going to do once we got to the next grade, while the electives stayed the same. The 12th graders went to college. Just kidding–they got a free day off, but they could also talk to the juniors and sophomores about the college-application process if they chose to during lunch.

PVS alumnus Sara Habibipour, now at UCLA, Facetimed with the Juniors and Sophomores, explaining the demands of the quarter system and midterms, and joys of college extracurriculars. Photo credit: PVS Facebook.

Let’s look at some quotes about Move-Up day.

Max (fellow blogger): I remember my first Move-up Day. It was a day like any other. My Move-Up Day buddy was Louisa Richardson, and she did an act of kindness that I’ll never forget. She bought me a bag of Cheetos at the vending machine for a dollar. I savored every last Cheeto.

7th-Grade Savannah had some words of wisdom for the 5th graders: “Don’t be nervous. Be yourself.”

Ms. Schapiro added, “Good advice.”

Sophomore John, after interacting with current college students, observed, I can see “hard work goes a long way.”

Overall, Move-Up Day was an exciting day as everyone got the chance to explore a bit of what the next grade has to offer.

A Dream that Continues Today

February 6, 2026 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Part of The Bird on Fire’s What’s in the News

By 12th-grader Melina Brodeur

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day off from school, celebrated on the third Monday of January each year, even if it falls on a different day from his actual birthday. MLK Day is scheduled this way under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which places federal holidays on Mondays to lengthen the weekends. The importance of this day is to celebrate the legacy of a civil rights leader and to promote equality. Martin Luther King Jr. was a leader most known for his nonviolent protests to fight for racial equality and justice. My favorite quote from Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” is “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This quote is a call to action to stop oppression and injustice. He helped lead and advocate for civil rights movements, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which legislated an end to segregation. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is significant because it honors the life and the achievements of a leader who fought for equal rights and justice for everyone. Recognizing this day allows people to see the progress made toward racial equality and the work that remains.

Photo Credit: “The Art of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr” by the National Endowment for the Arts

Your Canadian Friends are Back!

February 5, 2026 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

Part of The Bird on Fire’s What’s in the News

By 8th-Grade Blogger Soleil Antle

Have you wondered why this time of year there is always so much traffic? Why the valley is so over populated?

That would be because your Canadian friends have returned. In Canada, during our warm spring months, it is absolutely freezing. There are so many blizzards, so much rain, and it’s difficult to get places because of the backlog of traffic, so a lot of Canadians use those months to travel. The estimated number of Canadian snowbirds that come to visit California annually is 1,600,000 (Canada to the USA).

I took a larger look and discovered many Canadians don’t just visit Palm Springs but they invest in it too and are among the top foreign buyers of property in our area. These snowbirds own 7% of homes in the Coachella Valley (Canada to USA). According to the LA Times, 303,600 Canadians visited the Palm Springs area, in 2017, spending roughly $236 million dollars!

“California has always been one of the prime winter-living locations for many Canadians. [They are] attracted by the reliable weather, the vibrant economy, and the engaging culture within the Coachella Valley. It’s a small pocket of paradise!” said Paul Antle, a long-time resident in both the Coachella Valley and Canada. He is also a board member of the school and my father.

Seriously, how beautiful is this view from Rancho Mirage’s Mission Hills? Photo credit: Soleil Antle

A Year Since The LA Fires

February 4, 2026 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

Part of The Bird on Fire’s What’s in the News

By Blogger Max Pretorius

Over a year ago, on the seventh of January, 2025, Southern California was shocked as Los Angeles was consumed by fire. By the time the dust settled on the 30th of January, according to The LA Times, an estimated 31 people died with an estimated damage cost of $250 billion, and, according to NBC News, 13,000 homes were destroyed.

A year later, we still see the effects of the fire. Despite a year having passed, according to NBC news, “fewer than a dozen homes have been rebuilt in Los Angeles County since Jan. 7, 2025.” Furthermore, NPR’s Capradio states that “insurance companies have paid $22.4 billion of the expected $40 billion in total claims from the L.A. fires.” We hope that in the future, LA can finally be rebuilt and that people can return to their homes.

Photo Credit: Britannica, “Los Angeles wildfires of 2025”

Spirit Cafe: The Inside Scoop

February 3, 2026 by szachik@pvs.org 4 Comments

Part of The Bird on Fire’s What’s in the News

An Inside Look By Blogger Reagan Kaminsky

The Spirit Cafe is a favorite of every Palm Valley student, but we don’t seem to understand how much work, time, and money is invested into it. I interviewed some of the many people behind the cafe, so we could get the “Inside Scoop” on how much it truly takes to bring it to life. The cafe is run by the PVS Parent Association, and all of the proceeds go to helping with events like the Fall Festival and Water Day. Also, the cafe is open Monday through Friday during lunch, so make sure to stop by.

Volunteers LouAnne Dien (Left), Linda Yoder (Center), and Monica Mathews (Right) work at the Spirit Cafe every Wednesday. Photo Credit: Reagan Kaminsky

I asked Linda about how the Cafe has done this week. She said,

“We’ve been very busy this last week; it’s interesting how one day to the next the food preferences change from Chicken Teriyaki Bowls to Chicken Melts.”
Linda Yoder

I asked Monica about how she prepares the menu items. She responded,

“Linda takes the order and fills out the form, passes it to me, and from there we air fry or microwave the item, and then we prepare it on a plate with the appropriate condiments.”
Monica Mathews

Lastly, I asked LouAnne about how she opens the cafe everyday, and how they get the items to sell at the cafe. She claimed,

“I just open it up and make sure everything’s unlocked, unwrapped, and then everyone comes. When we restock, we have three buyers. One goes to Costco, one goes to Sam’s Club, and I just go around hoping for the best supply. We all just help each other; it’s a team effort.”
LouAnne Dien

Personally, I work at the Spirit Cafe every Wednesday and Friday, and I agree. It takes a lot of work, but it’s always worth it to volunteer. Though there are many great volunteers behind the Spirit Cafe, there is one person who truly gives it her all. Elizabeth Richardson schedules the volunteers, shops for supplies, and fills in on the regular for volunteers who can’t make it. So, next time you visit the cafe, make sure to thank all of the PVS parents and grandparents for making it happen.

A Look Back at the PVS Pep Rally

December 17, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Part of our What’s New in the PVS Neighborhood series

By 8th-Grade blogger Sarah Alnabelsi

In the background, students are shown playing a round of tug of war. Photo Credit: Sarah Alnabelsi.

On Friday, December 5, PVS held a pep rally with a fun bunch of activities. There was an elephant game, tug of war, and several important sports and Nest announcements. The gym was loud, and everyone was invested in this memorable event. One thing that made this pep rally different from our previous ones is that the lower schoolers were invited to join the Nests. While usually the Nests are only for Middle and Upper-School students, having the Lower Schoolers “made the event feel more energetic,” 8th-grader Ivana Vega said. Overall, it was a great way for the school to come together and show school spirit.

Secret Santa

December 16, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Part of our What’s New in the PVS Neighborhood series

By 8th-Grade Blogger Soleil Antle

It’s officially December which means Christmas is around the corner! This year the Palm Valley school’s eighth-grade students are doing a Secret Santa gift exchange! How it works is you put everyone’s name in a hat or random name generator and you blindly get chosen a name. You don’t tell anyone who you have until they open their presents on the day of the exchange. Emerson Dunn tells us why the eighth grade decided to host the exchange this year.

We decided to do a Secret Santa this year because we also did one in sixth grade with Mr. Killeen and Ms. Maguire, so we thought it would be fun to do another event where we could give our friends gifts. I think it’s a good way for us to come together more, and since we all randomly pulled one of our classmate’s names, it’s a good way for us to learn what they like . . . when we are gifting them. It’s also a good way to get into the holiday spirit! – Emerson Dunn

I can’t wait to see who pulled whose name!

Food For Thought: Thanksgiving

December 10, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

Part of our What’s New in the PVS Neighborhood series

By 8th-Grade Blogger Soleil Antle

Just a few weeks ago, we were awarded a ten-day vacation. You might wonder why we got ten days off of school, and that would be because of Thanksgiving. I asked PVS students what their plans were for the break or what they did and they said:

“Over the break I will be going to Newport to celebrate my birthday.” – Sarah Alnabelsi

“Over break I went camping and off-roading, to a Firebirds hockey game, to see some friends in a musical, and hung out with my friends.” – Emmy Kaminsky

“My family is coming to visit me and we’re going to a party!!!!! I’m going to go to Thanksgiving dinner and try to beat everyone’s outfits with mine.” – Morgan Richardson

“Over the break I stayed home and spent time with my family, [and I baked] holiday treats.” – Emerson Dunn

“Umm, just stay home. Most people go skiing, but I don’t really like skiing.” – Mason Conway

“First and foremost, I really enjoyed having time to simply relax at home, get some chores done, and watch some great movies (highlights included Sunset Boulevard (1950) and Fail Safe (1964) – both absolutely fantastic films and new personal favorites). I also spent a lot of time with my family. We had a nice memorial service for my uncle who passed away recently (it would have been his birthday on the 22nd).” – Mr. Hesson

Halloween pumpkins are not ashamed to recycle for Thanksgiving!

As for me, my sister and I went to Paris for Thanksgiving and had a great time trying all the different foods and exploring the big city, then we went back home to Canada.

It seems like everyone had a lot of fun! We now only have two weeks of school before going on Christmas break for two more weeks. Then we mark the start of 2026! Exciting stuff for the weeks and year ahead.

How the PVS Morning Soar is Created

November 21, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

Part of our What’s New in the PVS Neighborhood series

By 8th-Grade Blogger Sami Alnabelsi

Every Monday morning, the high school ASB conducts morning meetings, more popularly known as “The Morning Soar.” The Morning Soar is very helpful to us students; it gives us a little insight on what happens in the week and makes it fun and entertaining for us all to enjoy. For example, a typical “Morning Soar” includes the weather forecast for the week, scheduled club meetings, ASB events, sports announcements, and Nevan Owsley’s special nefarious weekly updates on his “Super Villain” club. In today’s PSA post, I asked the master of it all, ASB leader Evan Wang–the writer of every Monday morning meeting–how he goes about creating The Soar. He told me that every Sunday night he begins the process. It starts with looking at the schedule for the week ahead. He then just writes. I asked him if there was any sort of process, and he said, “No”– he just writes away and lets his mind take over. Finally, he sends the work over to the selected speakers for that Monday. Then, it is read to the entire Middle and Upper School, and history is made.

Evan says that every Sunday night about 11 p.m. it dawns on him that a “Morning Soar” needs to be prepared for Monday, 8:45 a.m. Photo Credit: Evan Wang

PVS’s Favorite Fridays

November 20, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

Part of our What’s New in the PVS Neighborhood series

By Sami Alnabelsi

In today’s PSA post, we talk about our once-in-a-month special event, which is Free Dress Friday. Instead of wearing our school uniform, we get to wear pretty much whatever we desire. I asked people what they thought about Free Dress Friday and if they had any suggestions. Most of the people believed that it allowed them to express themselves in a unique way. Eighth-Grader Millie Flemings said the Free Dress Fridays allow her to dress “How she pleases,” and she enjoys having “freedom.” Seventh-Grade Olivia Sullivan says she liked it because it was something that happened on occasion, so it was like a surprise when the day came. And, Eighth-Grader Sarah Alnabelsi suggested that there should be more Free Dress Fridays. She explained that most schools already have free dress every day of the week, and if we have it as well, students will be able to finally express their true selves on a day-to-day basis.