School Events Archives - the bird on fire

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.

Mummies and Vampires at School

November 5, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

PVS Blogger Mason Conway on What’s New in the PVS Neighborhood

Halloween has come and gone at PVS. Kids created and bought costumes. Last Friday, October 31, Palm Valley students wore their costumes to school! There were blow-up cats, dinosaurs, Dragon Slayers, chickens, and Napoleans. 8th-grade Karsen Flury wore a Hawaiian shirt with boxing gloves. Guess what he was? Hawaiian Punch! 8th-grade Sami Alnabelsi carefully planned out his costume. He even had it sketched out. Sami said, “I wanted to be Theodore from Alvin and the Chipmunks because it’s realistic to my height, and I get to match with my friends Calum and Jaxon.” The Halloween parade was full of parents, teachers, administrations, kids on dragons, Dorothy from Oz, a Mona Lisa, super villains, Caesar, witches, Marie Antoinette, ghosts, and ghouls.

Attn: Middle-School Smarties!

February 13, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Our newly state-approved California JUNIOR Scholarship Federation met for its first-ever Orientation Meeting this week. Applications are out and available for 7th and 8th-grade members. Pick up applications from Ms. Zachik in Room US#7. Hurry. Applications are due Monday, February 24. Because we are a newly minted chapter, state CSF has approved retroactive qualifications for past semesters this one time only. That means this year’s 8th grade can qualify as Honor Members for this year’s Promotion Ceremony. Get your applications in now.

Fall Check-In: Palm Valley Class of ’25 Highlights

December 5, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

We conclude our Fall check-in with the Palm Valley School Class of ’25 with a collage compilation of seniors Kyle Knight, Kiera Nash, Preston Pillard, Riley Jorgensen, and Bianca Torres.

Kyle, like Kristina Panagiotaros in a previous post, voted for *the first time* this last election. Here he’s pictured with some keepers of democracy, California poll workers.

On our birthdays, we get to do what we want. It’s our party. Kiera insists on going to the beach.

Seniors worked on retaining the title of #1 Halloween Door in the universe. A little bit sadly, but ultimately graciously, they passed the trophy to Mr. Spurlock’s class this year. It was a peaceful transition of power. They devoted after-school time to cutting, gluing, coloring, painting, taping. Above, we see Preston apparently supervising, Riley sketching, Kiera and Bianca coloring jack-o-lanterns.

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

March 28, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

I don’t know . . . . They were pretty smart. During last quarter’s Move-Up Day, 5th-grade bloggers joined our Middle-Upper School Journalism class. We interviewed them. They interviewed us. Here’s what we gleaned.

5th-grader Reagan Kaminsky shared her experience, wisdom, and eagerness with 8th-grade Blogger Jack Edelstein:

“I’ve learned that to move on if I get something wrong or if someone is making fun of me.
“My favorite teacher Mrs. Delegans, the music teacher; she is not just a teacher but is also a friend. She has really helped me excel in my knowledge.”
“I’m excited for middle school because of more freedom such as lockers and being able to spread around the campus during lunch.”
“I am excited for electives, especially this one (Blog). I’m excited for this elective because I get more freedom on work compared to other classes with stricter work.”

5th-grader Cleo Antle told senior Blogger Gil Maruvada . . .

. . . she loves basketball and performing. She’s always loved to dance around the house. She did a play at Palm Valley, The Wizard of Oz. And, she wants to be a doctor, go to UCLA ,and do gymnastics. Her favorite class? Science, music or drama. Favorite quote? “Everyone gets their own turn.”

Freshman Blogger Louisa Richardson asked 5th-graders Levi Laberge Ranger and Savannah Sanchez, “What are you excited about next year?”

“I’m excited for things to be different. I want to blog next year. . . . I like lower school better because I am more used to it, I guess. Today we threw pencils at Mr. Killeen; it was fun.” –Savannah

Levi says he wants to blog. “One of the big differences is that there is more free roam in the middle school. I’m in Mr. Spurlock’s class, and I enjoy… that he is funny but has boring jokes. I liked math today; I had Mr. Gil.

Senior Blogger Indiana Behr asked Remington Rice, “What’s fifth grade like?”

“I think it’s pretty fun, and you get to… have fun.”
“Who is your teacher?”
“My teacher is Mr. Spurlock.”
“What did do today for move up day?”
“We did math with Mr. Gil. I am having robotics later, and I am having fun in Blog. I went to English with Ms. Maguire. Oh, and we did World Studies with Ms. Schapiro.”

A Volleyball Game from the Perspective of Someone Who Knows Nothing About Volleyball

November 29, 2023 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

By Freshman Louisa Richardson, Special Volleyball Correspondent

Our 2023 PVS Varsity Volleyball Team went undefeated in league. They were the league champions. I know nothing about volleyball. So, volleyball and I make the perfect match for a good article. At the last league home game, I decided that I just had to know what all the fuss was about. I knew our team was good, but I have never had an interest in volleyball. I had never been to a full game before. The last league home game started with a brief Senior Volleyball Ceremony and then plunged right into the game. I was pleasantly surprised by the players’ skill, Coach’s coaching ability, and the crowd’s support. I made sure to take very detailed notes, and here is what I got.

First of all, the players. The girls were great with teamwork; they seemed able to work off of each other very easily as though it was second nature. If Bianca Torres was serving and got it over the net, it reflected on the whole team. I think that this teamwork was what made the girls so good at their craft. Rachel De la O was incredible! She always got the ball over the net with the strength of a god, and made it look easy. Kristina Panagiotaros communicated well with her teammates and was always watching her fellow players. Together they fed off each others’ energy. Christina Lam made everyone get in line. She was always very focused. And, she encouraged everyone. Keira Nash, Team Captain, whether she was doing well or not, always kept a smile on her face, and the look alone was enough to keep everyone in good spirits. Kayliee Augustine-Sails moved with ease and confidence, whether it was a ball she was catching or a ball she was serving, she was capable. Leah Ferreira was the only freshman playing in this game. She did an amazing job watching that ball like a hawk. All of the girls seemed to have a blast playing and, while taking winning seriously, had tons of fun.

Second of all, the crowd. Our student body and faculty were what made these games so fun to go to. The players and sport were, of course, incredible, but the positivity radiating from the crowd was remarkable. If we did badly, you heard, “It’s okay; you can recover,” and if they were doing great, it was “We knew you could do it!” The game was competitive and suspenseful, but the crowd was what made it so fun. The audience also might have been so happy because of the delicious food being eaten from the Firebird Cafe (formerly known as the Snack Shack). A few of the sixth-grade girls also held up red and yellow flags in order to signal whether the ball was in or out. The girls took their jobs very seriously and clearly had fun. In the crowd, there was one little girl in particular who made it her absolute mission to get the whole crowd chanting, “Let’s go, Firebirds, let’s go.” This girl got the crowd going.

Thirdly, Coach Erenberg. He is the perfect balance of fun-loving and strict. He gives the players–individual as well as group–criticism that seems to help rather than put down. Coach also yelled out encouragement: “It’s okay!” emanated from him a few times during the game if players seemed particularly discouraged after getting out. He started off the game with the very nice Senior Ceremony surrounding seniors Ally Bankers and Christina Lam. The seniors seemed to love it; Coach seemed to love it, and Matteo Lam seemed to love it (who was also inexplicably there on the court).

Finally, my overall reaction. My favorite part of the game was watching Christina Lam lie down on the floor waiting for the buzzer to ring in the middle of a team meeting. I also really enjoyed the food. I recommend the mini pizzas. At one point of time, the ball flew into the bleachers about two feet in front of me, and Ally Bankers retrieved the ball like a champion. We won the first two sets by a landslide but the third one was troublesome. A quick side note, Coach Erenberg was rocking that blonde hair and truly becoming “Kenough.” We did end up winning, and the players congratulated each other with a heartfelt high five. I highly recommend you go to any volleyball game you can–whether on the beach, in college, or during next Firebird season. The games are tons of fun, and, this year, a very good reason to be proud of the school you come from.

Growing Up: The Highs and the Lows

May 17, 2023 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

By Upper-School Blogger Alyna Rei

I have been at Palm Valley since the 6th grade, and, throughout the years, up till now, I have mixed emotions for every year. Here is how I rate my middle and upper school years.

6th grade:

In my first year at Palm Valley, I remember making my parents come with me inside on the first day of school to help me with my locker lock and to show me the way to my class. We had an advisory class in the morning, so my parents would see me off in my advisor Ms. Farley’s class.

Throughout the year, I adjusted pretty well in school and had a small group of friends (which I was totally okay with). This group of friends was fine, but I feel now in that time I just needed people to hang out with. I was intimidated by pretty much everyone.

My favorite memory was when my friends would decorate my locker when it was my birthday. I would keep those decorations up until the end of the year.

My least favorite memory was when I had to find my classes when I still wasn’t familiar with the campus and had to ask around.

Overall I give 6th grade a 7/10.

7th grade:

By my second year, I was adjusting well to school. Some of my friends from the previous year left the school, so it was time to find new friends. I made a new friend group, which I was able to be comfortable with.

This was also the year where I had classes in the high school, so I had to see scary high school people. That was new to me.

My favorite memory would be meeting new friends and people. I gained friends who had similar interests to mine.

My least favorite memory would be science class. Life Science wasn’t my strong subject. It was a subject I needed a lot of help with.

Overall I give 7th grade a 6/10.

8th grade:

My 8th grade year was cut short due to Covid, so that was upsetting. Again, some of my friends left the school, but it didn’t matter to me because I still had a good amount of friends. I don’t really remember the first part of online school, but I do remember it being confusing trying to figure out Google Meets.

My favorite memory was when I was able to be in the comfort of my own home and do school work. I felt like I could do work at my own pace.

My least favorite memory was leaving my friends and only having to see them through a screen. But, I was able to chat with them through the internet.

Overall I give 8th grade a 6.5/10.

9th grade:

Alyna celebrates her great-grandfather’s “drive-in” birthday during Covid.

9th grade is probably my least favorite year. I pretty much did the entire year online. I was scared of Covid and was also not willing to go back. It’s safe to say 2020 was the year that took a big toll on me, so I would say I did not like this year at all.

My favorite memory would have to be staying in my house. Since I stayed home a lot, I was able to come up with new and different hobbies that I still carry on to this day. These would include reading and drawing.

My least favorite memory from 9th grade was changing my lifestyle to an existence online. I feel like 2020 is why I’m so attached to the internet.

Overall I give 9th grade a 5/10.

10th grade:

10th grade redeemed almost everything in 9th grade. I went back to in-person school, and my grades and my education improved a lot. I met many friends and lost many friends, but, thankfully, I was able to learn true friendships. I made friends I envision will be my friends for a lifetime. They were friends in and out of school. 10th grade was what made me actually enjoy school and attending.

My favorite memory would be changing that year for the better by being more motivated and focused on my studies and extracurricular activities. I completely redeemed myself from 9th grade.

My least favorite memory was the end of the year. Even though this year was really good, I had really high expectations and always got a high honor roll. But, at the end of the year, I got just an honor roll (instead of “High” honors), and I remember being really disappointed in myself.

Overall I give 10th grade a 8/10.

11th grade/ my last year

This year was also one of my favorites. I did not love this year as much as I did 10th grade, but I would say this was the most exciting year.

In November, my parents and I were joking about graduating early because my parents both graduated a year early. I also thought about graduating early because I want to go to med school and want to get a start on that. At first I thought about getting a GED, but instead I am taking another class to reach graduation requirements. So now, I am on the road to graduating this May 26th.

My favorite memory WILL be when I graduate. I am excited to start college and can’t wait for the future.

My least favorite memory WILL be leaving my friends. My friends have been so supportive of me, and I will miss them a lot.

Overall I give 11th grade a 7.5/10.

I can see how I changed through the years mentally and physically. I would say school here gets an 8/10. I am ready for college and can’t wait to see the new possibilities I will meet in the future.

Senior Spotlight: Alyna Llapitan

May 11, 2023 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Alyna Rei is featured as second in our Blog series on Graduating Seniors and Returning Alumni. Penny interviewed fellow blogger Alyna on her longtime PVS Firebird experience.

By Penny Andreas

This week, our blog post theme is focusing on seniors. I chose to have an interview with Alyna Llapitan. Alyna has been here at Palm Valley for six years, or since she was in 6th grade. Here are some of the questions I asked her.

How would you describe your overall school experience?

“I would say pretty eventful; I experienced many opportunities in my life that I’ve never thought of myself doing.”

What opportunities?

“I joined a group called CSF (California Scholarship Federation) in high school and there were events such ice skating and volunteering that helped me break out of my comfort zone.”

What was your favorite part?

“I liked working and hanging out with my friends Christina Lam and Cole Robinson. They are the ones who put me in a better mood everyday. I’ve been friends with them since middle school.”

What was your least favorite part?

“The stress. When I get stressed, I build anxiety and bad expectations in my head.”

What are some pros and cons of school for you?

Pros:

– “you gain friends that help you even outside of school”

– “there are teachers that are great even outside of class”

– “the lessons you learn that actually help”

Cons:

– “lots of homework can be stressful”

– “bad days can bring your self esteem down”

– “cramming the night before an important day”

And, finally, is there any advice you would give to other students?

“There are always going to be ups and downs at school, but you just have to accept that it will be fine in the end. :)”

Alyna actually turns out to be graduating a year earlier than her peers. She plans to attend the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, studying pre med coursework. The reason that she graduated early is “I plan on going to medical school which can take a long time and I wanted to start a little earlier.”

The Annual Decoration of the Doors

November 3, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

A summary of the Halloween contest as seen through the eyes of Indiana Behr.

By Junior Indy Behr

It was officially Halloween season, and so began the annual Palm Valley tradition of classroom-door decorating. Last week, I wanted to see this tradition in progress, so I went around to several advisories throughout the Upper School to see what was up and what was being taped up.

Ms. Zachik

Ms. Zachik, a 9th-grade advisor, showed me what the ultimate plan for her door’s decoration is. Her advisory’s door was expected to be a scene from Angry Birds. When I saw it, they had a sky background on the door with several cutouts ready to be added. I asked myself, Will this be enough to win? We shall see…

Ms. Maguire

Ms. Maguire’s 10th-grade advisory was the runner-up in the door-decorating contest last year, and her advisory is known to be very competitive when it comes to their door decoration. So far, when I saw it, nothing had appeared on the advisory’s door. As most of the preparations were done inside of her classroom, Ms. Maguire said confidently, “We’re ready,” and time will tell if they can come out on top.

Mr. Jowett

Mr. Jowett is a 10th-grade advisor as well, and so far his door has been seen to have several skeletons on it. They even had several skeletons peeking out at those crossing the halls through the window in the door. It seemed that a lot of effort had been put into these decorations. My thoughts were This door could definitely be a serious contender.

Mr. Satterfield

Mr. Satterfield’s 11th-grade advisory had a large amount of purple pieces of paper attached to the inside of his door. He told me that Christina and Alyna were collaborating on decorating their advisory’s door, and that the end result was going to be three-dimensional in some way. If this was executed correctly, this door could definitely have had a shot.

Ms. Castellano

Ms. Castellano is an 11th-grade advisor (and my advisor). Her door was covered by a huge spooky octopus, with tentacles sprawling all across the outside of the science building. I may be biased, but I think that our door was one of the best, and I was very hopeful that we could pull it off.

Mrs. Bernstein

Mrs. Bernstein, a 12th-grade advisor, attributes college counseling on Tuesdays and Fridays as the reason for which her advisory had not been able to decorate their door this year. Hopefully next year her class will have an opportunity to participate!

After administrative judges scoured all of the competition, on October 31st, the winner of the Upper School was declared. The winner was my own advisory, Ms. Castellano! What was the secret? Ms. Castellano said, Go beyond the door. Think outside the box.