Mrs. Paarsch on administrative leave
My name is Amber Dull, I am the parent of a 7th grader at Terrace Middle School. I was disappointed to learn recently that our school principal, Rachel Paarsch was placed on administrative leave. This has been a difficult school year for many, and it has always been evident to me that Rachel was a big part of guiding students, staff, and parents through the stress of the new school year as many families were working through the trauma of the recent wildfires in the area. This type of leadership is what I had come to expect from Rachel, as she has proved time and again that she is a dedicated, compassionate, strong, and supportive leader within our community.
I am extremely concerned about the decisions being made by the board and by the superintendent that directly affect my child and my family as well as many others. It is becoming more and more evident to me that those who make the decisions within this district are in no way concerned with the well-being of the students or staff. In addition, I would like to make it known that I was very discouraged by the call that went out to all TMS parents advising against “rumors and gossip.” As parents, we are concerned, we are frustrated, and due to the lack of transparency, we are left to seek answers on our own. Addressing those concerns by sending out a robotic voice call was in my opinion, extremely unprofessional and felt more like an immature defense tactic than anything else. This type of unprofessionalism makes me seriously question the motivations of those who are making these decisions.
I think that this community has endured enough stress and hardship this year. The students, staff, and parents of TMS are in need of a strong leader that we can trust, and I believe Mrs. Paarsch is that leader.
—Dull, Amber, Lakeport, Redding, Mckinleyville
I felt compelled to write this letter regarding the Terrace School Principal, Mrs. Paarsch.
I am a relatively new substitute teacher. Previously for many years, I taught for a corporation. Understanding and learning the difference between teaching adult employees in a corporation, and children of all ages in the public section was quite challenging. I made mistakes. Mrs. Paarsch corrected me, forgave, and did this in a supportive and kind manner. She has always sincerely welcomed me and made me feel valuable when I substituted at Pomo Elementary School and Terrace where she was a Vice-Principal and a Principal respectively. Because of Mrs. Paarsch, I have become wiser, more patient, with a deeper understanding as a substitute teacher.
While substituting at many schools around the Lake and mentioning Mrs. Paarsch to teachers, I have noticed she is well-known and holds great respect from them.
I hope the LUSD school board will remember her great accomplishments, her desire to assist and support her employees and the children at her school. Whatever occurred regarding her administrative leave, I hope it will be a learning step for Mrs. Paarsch, allowing her to become a better principal for Terrace.
—George Spurr
My name is Abby Leutholdt. I am a very concerned mother of a 5th grader at Terrace Middle School. For reasons not clearly identified, our beloved principal, Rachel Paarsch has been put on administrative leave. I do not know all of the details but I would ask that you make them known. All we have are small-town rumors. Rachel is a wonderful principal, leader, and caretaker of our children. She goes above and beyond daily to get to know her students, support her teachers and her admin team. We have entered this school year delayed by fires, had fear of an active shooter on campus and multiple lockdowns due to mountain lion sightings. Rachel is the glue that has held my son together. A child should not have to face this stress at school. If you need things to focus on perhaps you can address the issues that matter. We still do not have a resource teacher for the 4th/5th grade, nor a math teacher for the 6th/7th. Reinstate Rachel. Our kids need her. I would ask for your support for Rachel Paarsch and investigate what is happening at Terrace Middle School. Sincerely,
—Abby Leutholdt
