She: You know how they say it’s tough to get parents involved in junior high?

Z: Yeah. That’s because it’s so brief. When I was in junior high, it was three years. Now it’s only two.

She: Really? They told you it was three years? That’s so sweet.

Z: It was! And high school was five years. Right?

She: I’ve been dreading those two years until recently.

Z: What changed?

She: I got a dose of lion pride.

Z: Lions. Feh. When I went there, it was three years, and we were the Conquistadors.

She: Apparently, the mascot’s not the only thing that changed. La Colina Junior High School sent out an e-mail newsletter that spelled the school’s name wrong: La Cloina instead of La Colina.

Z: I had La Cloina once. A little ointment and better hygiene cleared it right up.

She: Some parents were just brutal about it. I guess they also sent the e-mail out without bcc’s, so the ticked off parents could “reply to all.” And boy, did they.

Z: What do you expect? There are lots of hormones raging in junior high school.

She: M said she’s gotten dozens of e-mails back and forth that are really funny.

Z: I’ll bet no one did the ointment joke.

She: And A said they’re actually talking about having a fundraising party for the school — but only the parents with a “sense of humor” can attend.

Z: Ouch. Kind of setting yourself up for failure with that one. Like starting a joke with, “This is so funny …” or “I had La Cloina once.”

She: Here’s the invite: La Cloina Parents Party with the live band PIE playing to help support the Mis-spellers, Mis-typers and “Damn, I Just Hit the Wrong Key Again” Society here in Santa Barbara. We’re a fun group of surfers, contractors, floral specialists, evangelists, soon-to-be-married Catholic priests, and hilarious moms and dads.

Z: Obviously. When I think funny, I totally think of florists, evangelists and soon-to-be-married Catholic priests. How could that not be a Yuk-Fest?

She: Don’t forget all the spelling jokes.

Z: And they can ostracize those humorless people who waste time using their e-mail for say, work, or communicating with people they know.

She: You got it. Down with those nonhilarious people who are the enemy of all that is fun. Apparently some fighting words such as “idjuts,” “lie ins” and “relpy all” have been bandied about.

Z: Junior high school is a ruthless environment.

She: There’s even a Facebook fan page that started this week dedicated to “A fan base of dedicated parents who like to have fun and know when something is funny!”

Z: I could get behind that. It sounds like a lot more fun than volunteering for the lunch cart.

She: Yesterday’s T-shirt of the day was “La Cloina spelling bea w(h)iner.”

Z: Parties and shirts? I’ve never heard of so much parental participation at junior high school before. Maybe it was all a brilliant ploy by the administration?

She: The next one could be “I’m a La Cloina Loin, Here Me Rare.”

Z: OK.

She: Or “La Cloina Loins, Where Humor Kounts and 1 + 1 = 5.”

Z: Yes, dear.

— Share your La Cloina pride with She and Z by e-mailing leslie@lesliedinaberg.com.