Archive for the ‘Education’ Category

To celebrate the opening of “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs” at the Dallas Museum of Art, the museum has announced special fall ticket offers for families, students and early risers. Following the success of the first U.S. tour and its London engagement, which drew nearly 5 million visitors and broke records at each of the five venues it visited from June 2005 through August 2008, the exhibition returns to U.S. for an encore tour that will begin at the DMA on October 3, 2008, where it will remain on view through May 17, 2009.

Special tickets offers include:
• A $10 discount for early morning time slots (8 a.m., 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.) Monday through Thursday, during the month of October
• A ticket rate of $15 Monday through Thursday for college students with valid identification
• A family four-pack of tickets for a discounted rate of $66 for weekdays and $86 for weekends during October and November

The Dallas engagement of “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs” marks the first time these treasures will be seen in the Southwest region. The exhibition includes an extensive array of more than 130 extraordinary artifacts from the tomb of Tutankhamun and other ancient Egyptian sites. The return of the exhibition to the United States will include a selection of artifacts that are new to the exhibit.

The exhibition is organized by National Geographic, Arts and Exhibitions International and AEG Exhibitions, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. Northern Trust, a global financial services firm, is the presenting sponsor of the encore tour, and American Airlines, the world’s largest airline, is the official airline of the exhibition. The Dallas engagement is presented in partnership with the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau and is supported locally by Kroger, DART, The Dallas Morning News, D Magazine/People Newspapers, CBS 11 and KERA.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Running October 3, 2008, through May 17, 2009, at the Dallas Museum of Art, “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs” provides insight into the life of Tutankhamun and other royals of the 18th Dynasty (1555 B.C.-1305 B.C.). The treasures in the exhibition are more than 3,000 years old.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets to the exhibition at the Dallas Museum of Art can be purchased now at 1-877-TUT-TKTS or www.ticketmaster.com. Group tickets for 10 or more are available at 214-922-1222 or groupsales@DallasMuseumofArt.org. For additional information about tickets and hotel packages, please visit www.DallasMuseumofArt.org/TUT.

Las Vegas school officials could be in Dallas recruiting as early as next week.

Between the two cities, the school district issues couldn’t be more different. While DISD has too many teachers, Las Vegas doesn’t have enough. And why does DISD have too many teachers? Because DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa has somehow managed to run the district almost $84 MILLION over budget this year….and the school year just began a few weeks ago.

And for those teachers looking into the idea of making the move, the choice has both its positives and negatives.

As DISD officials continued to crunch numbers in Dallas, Trustee Ron Price traveled to Clark County in Nevada to learn about one number in particular, 400. That number is about how many job openings the school district there has for teachers.

Clark County’s school district is twice the size of Dallas, and has more than 300,000 students and 18,000 teachers. Its urban setting and diverse student body could make for a smooth transition.

But, will their paycheck feel the pinch?

The starting salary for a new teacher in DISD is just more than $44,000. But depending on education and experience, one could make up to $81,000 dollars.

Calculating the cost of living, Dallas teachers making $44,000 would have to make more than $52,000 in Vegas to maintain the same lifestyle.

The biggest expense would be housing, which on average is 80 percent higher. And while groceries run about 6 percent more a year, teachers could expect to save a bit on utilities.

But in Clark County, teacher salaries start at $35,000, which is $9,000 less than Dallas and a difference of about $16,000 when the cost of living is considered.

Clark County officials say their putting ads in this Sunday’s newspapers in Dallas to reach out to potential employees.

Information related to job fair is expected to be available after Thursday’s layoff vote.

Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott said the state will consider whether to take action based on the outcome of Thursday’s Dallas Independent School District school board meeting. There is the possibility that the State will step in and take over DISD.

The Dallas Museum of Art kicks off the amazing “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs” this Friday.

The Opening Weekend Lecture will be: “The Grand Museum Project of the 21st Century”
Saturday, October 4, 3:00 p.m.
Theater, Center for Creative Connections, Free
Seating is limited. Special exhibitions require an additional ticket.

Ali Radwan, Professor of Egyptology and Member of the Board of Trustees of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, and Mohamed Ghoniem, Executive Director of the Grand Museum, discuss the Grand Museum Project, a new state-of-the-art museum currently under construction in Egypt.

Beginning today and running through 4 January 09, the Nasher Sculpture Center is mounting an exhibition in celebration of its founders for the 5th anniversary celebrations.

In Pursuit of the Masters: Stories from the Raymond and Patsy Nasher Collection presents a personalized and intimate view of the Nasher Collection and the couple that assembled it. Featuring the great masterworks of the collection, as well as a selection of significant and personally meaningful works from its humble beginnings, the exhibition highlights the personal stories behind the works of art, including Patsy and Raymond Nasher’s partnership in pursuit of the finest examples of modern and contemporary sculpture; their close friendships with artists, art dealers, and curators; and the insights that came from living with and sharing the works of art that they loved.

The exhibition unveils several important works in the collection that had not yet been shown at the Nasher Sculpture Center, including masterworks by Willem de Kooning, Pablo Picasso, and Tony Smith. Many, such as Jean Arp’s Torso with Buds, had remained in the Nasher residence because of their personal significance: the Arp was the collection’s first major modern sculpture, which Patsy had given to Raymond as a gift on his 46th birthday.

The Dallas Arboretum is in the midst of the “Autumn at the Arboretum” festival now through 2 November 08. Special events for this weekend include:

For those that wish to visit during the less busy weekdays, click here for discount coupons.

In the rush for back to school clothes, this weekend is the annual tax-free weekend that lasts from 12:01a Friday through midnight on Sunday. The qualified purchases are clothing and shoes below $100 in price.

Expect better sales this year compared to last year as the economy and retail sales are down across the board.

Also, to keep to your budget, here are some tips for staying on track:

1. Use extended hours to shop when crowds aren’t so big.

2. Make a list after you’ve inventoried what’s already in the closet and what still fits.

3. Have a budget and stick to it.

4. Research offers before you go. Sales are better than average this weekend.

5. This isn’t just for school kids. You can stock up on diapers, pajamas or a new bathing suit.

Dallas ISD officials have removed a confusing sign from the side of a new wing of the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

Some members of the public were outraged recently when the district put up “Hamon Arts Magnet” on the side of the new wing, leaving many with the impression that the school’s name had been changed. School supporter Nash Flores said new signs will be erected “inside and out” to honor those who contributed to the school’s recent $55 million renovation. But the new signs, unlike the controversial one, will make clear that the school’s name remains Booker T. Washington.