Archive for the ‘Kids’ Category

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 following story is from WFAA.com. Information on how to donate a bike is at the end of this story.

Tucked away in a warehouse in Arlington they gather. While the few dozen used bicycles may not look like much, to 13-year-old Dalton Hatch they symbolize the passion his mother had for the sport.

“It was really tough for me to lose her,” Hatch said of his mother, an avid cyclist who, along with her friend, was killed after police said a drunk driver struck them as they rode on Camp Wisdom Road last June.

After her death, Hatch got the idea to remember his mother by collecting bikes to give out to needy kids.

“It means a lot to me to remember my mom because I didn’t know what to do after she died,” he said.

The program has brought something good from the tragic death of Meredith Hatch, said Sherman Hatch, Dalton’s father.

“This is something positive we can bring from a horrible accident, providing something to children or families that might not otherwise have,” he said.

Family and friends have reached out to help Dalton’s program.

“I think these bikes were donated from families that knew my mom,” he said pointing out some of the bikes.

He has also placed signs at area businesses and schools asking for donations.

“Meredith would be so proud of him for doing this,” said Michelle Johnson, a family friend. “And he’s exactly like she was. She was compassionate, kind, had lots of strength and he takes after her.”

If you would like to donate a bike, the details are as follows:

1st Annual
Meredith’s Run for Bikes
September 27, 2008
Katherine Rose Park
8:00 A.M.

Join Meredith Hatch’s family and friends
as they collect bicycles for children.

Participants can run/walk in memory of Meredith Hatch at the Mansfield Pecan Festival 5K/1K Fun Run

Pick up registration forms at:
Mansfield Area Chamber of Commerce
114 N. Main St., Mansfield, TX 76063
or download the forms at www.mansfieldchamber.net

Bike drop dates and times:
September 20, 2008 (Saturday) 10am-2pm at Primrose*
September 26, 2008 (Friday) 5pm-7pm at Primrose
September 27, 2008 (Saturday) 8am-5pm at Mansfield Pecan Festival
October 4, 2008 (Saturday) 10am-2pm at Primrose

If you are unable to bring a bike, cash donations will be accepted at Frost Bank: Meredith Hatch Memorial Fund

*Primrose is located at 2201 Matlock Road, Mansfield, TX 76063

This weekend, get into the swing of things with Addison Oktoberfest.

With more than 60,000 fans of polka, German food and Paulaner Bier will gather in Addison’s spectacular Addison Circle Park for music, folk dancing, sing-alongs, children’s entertainment and more.

This authentic German festival is one of the largest Oktoberfest festivals outside of the famed Munich celebration.

HOURS:
Saturday: Noon – midnight
Sunday: Noon – 6 p.m.
Admission is $5 for ages 4 and up.

With a gorgeous weekend in store, make plans to catch the Plano Balloon Festival.

Saturday, September 20
6:00 AM Gates & Parking Lots Open and Bus Service Begins
6:30 AM Dawn Patrol “Wake up Plano”
7:00 AM Balloon Launch presented by the City of Plano
2:30 PM The Impostles perform on the KLUV Main Stage
3:30 PM Mount Righteous performs on the KLUV Main Stage
4:00 PM KDFW FOX 4 presents “Are you Smarter than Tim Ryan” on the KLUV Main Stage
5:00 PM RE/MAX Parachute Team Exhibition
5:45 PM National Anthem performed by Camille Broker on the KLUV Main Stage
6:00 PM Balloon Launch presented by EDS Credit Union
7:00 PM Beatles Tribute Band “Me & My Monkey” in Concert
on the KLUV Main Stage
8:00 PM “Lite up the Night” with the new 103.7 FM Balloon Glow
9:00 PM Spectacular Fireworks Show presented by Crest Cadillac / Infiniti

Sunday, September 21
6:00 AM Gates & Parking Lots Open and Bus Service Begins
6:30 AM Dawn Patrol “Wake up Plano”
7:00 AM Balloon Launch presented by The Dallas Morning News
8:30 AM The Black Prairie Band performs on the KLUV Main Stage
2:00 PM EDS Jazz Ensemble performs on the KLUV Main Stage
4:00 PM Plano Community Band performs on the KLUV Main Stage
5:00 PM RE/MAX Parachute Team Exhibition
6:00 PM Balloon Launch presented by Allstate Insurance
7:00 PM Festival Closes

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.

The great people at the Dallas-based Operation Once In A Lifetime, work hard to assist our military personnel with needs that might not otherwise be met.

The following message was sent out today - if you can help this family in their trying time, it would be appreciated:

“If anyone would like to help this family, please contact me on my email. After talking to this family their biggest want is to see their two little girls again; but they need financial assistance as well for food and gas.” This is the true needs of soldiers.

Patrick Sowers
Founder, Father, Soldier
PO Box 1561
Allen Texas 75013

Hi my name is Antonia Logan, I am a veteran of operation Iraqi Fredom. I am also married to a active duty soldier; SSG. James Logan.
We are stationed in Fort Leaonardwood Mo. We have 3 beautiful daughters, Jamie 4, Adreanna 14 months, and Leila 6 months. We recently moved from belgium, we were stationed at Nato headquarters, My husband is in the Army and has deployed many times before, Bosnia, Panama, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He was in the reserves for 4 years and is now at his 6 year on active duty.
Well we got to Fort Leonard Wood on June 8th, at the time our youngest daughter was 4 months old, on July the 10th she had a fever, we took her in to the Fort Leonard Wood hospital, where they said she needed to be transferred to Columbia Hospital in Columbia MO, about 2 hours away. To make a long story short she had a blood clot in her a vain that ran through her small intestine; they had to remove over 90% of her small intestines, she now has an colostomy bag and also has a central iv line on her chest for feeding nutrients to her veins directly. During this entire process a lot came because of it, seizures, more blood cots on the brain, well at the time they did not know if she was going to make it.
We digged into our saving and sent our other 2 girls away to California, with grandparents. We were also building a home with a local developer at he time and we were right at the closing point when this all happened. We paid for the closing fees on the house leaving us with nothing, we have taken on too much. I am asking for some kind of financial assistant, I cannot send for our daughters to come back because we also have a mortgage to pay and no savings at all. We are over whelmed with bills, we asked the military if we could get pay for our gas to see our daughter and they said we do not qualify because she was sent there on emergency not a referred appointment. I stay in the hospital with her all the time and my husband comes on the weekends after work, we spend to much on gas and food while where there.
Please my daughter is scheduled to come home sometime past the 15 of this month. We will have an 8 hour nurse to help in the beginning, I know we will have a hard time ahead of us. We also miss our girls so much and wish to be all together again, even though we have not purchased anything for our 4 year olds bedroom we know we will be happy together. Plus we know they miss us too.

I thank you for listening to me and for any help you can give us, I am willing to provide you with an y proof , pictures, statements, anything you need. Please…

Sincerely,
The Logan Family

The City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is pleased to announce Dallas’ inaugural Free Night of Theater, to be held from Thursday, October 16 through Monday, November 10, 2008. Presented in conjunction with Theatre Communications Group (TCG), Free Night of Theater offers theatergoers over 3,000 free tickets to more than 26 Dallas-area theaters. Dallas is one of 120 communities across the country participating in the event, which campaigns to attract new audiences to live theatrical performances.

Theatergoers will be able to reserve tickets through the Free Night of Theater website, www.freenightoftheater.net, beginning at noon on Wednesday, October 1, 2008. Tickets can only be reserved online and reservations are handled on a first come, first serve basis. Each participating theatre will set a reservation ticket limit for their productions. Once tickets have been reserved through the website, patrons will be able to pick up their tickets at the will-call window of the individual theater’s box office on the night of the show. Patrons are strongly encouraged to visit a theater that they have never attended.

As of September 1, more than 3,000 tickets (valued at more than $50,500) have been pledged for Free Night of Theater Dallas. Participating theatres include: African American Repertory Theater, Charles W. Eisemann Center, The Company of Rowlett Performers (C.O.R.P.), Contemporary Theatre of Dallas, Dallas Children’s Theater, Dallas Hub Theater, Dallas Theater Center, Echo Theatre, Garland Civic Theatre, ICT MainStage, Jubilee Theatre, Lyric Stage, MBS Productions, One Thirty Productions, Pocket Sandwich Theatre, Repertory Company Theatre, Shakespeare Dallas, Teatro Dallas, TeCo Theatrical Productions, The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, The MET Theatre, Theatre Britain, Theatre Three, Uptown Players, WaterTower Theatre, and WingSpan Theatre Company.

“We are ecstatic that Dallas will join the other national communities offering rich and diverse live theatre opportunities to our citizens free of charge,” said Maria Munoz-Blanco, Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of Dallas. “Free Night is the perfect opportunity for Dallas to celebrate and build upon the contributions the theatre community has made to our cultural landscape.”

In response to the excitement generated by the program, Teresa Eyring, executive director of TCG, remarked, “The Free Night of Theater program has provided the theatre community a unique opportunity to open its doors to thousands of new theatergoers and introduce that audience to the joys of live theatre. We are very excited that the program has proven to be so successful in bringing in non-traditional theatre audiences to theatres from coast to coast.”

Free Night of Theater was conceived at TCG’s National Conference in 2003 as a way to remove perceived barriers that have historically prevented audiences from attending not-for-profit theater. The program was piloted in 2005 in three cities; Philadelphia, San Francisco and Austin. That year over 150 theatre companies welcomed nearly 8,000 theatergoers of which an estimated 80 percent were attending the theatre for the first time. Since 2005 the program has grown tremendously. In 2008, the fourth year for Free Night, the program will include over 600 theatre companies in over 120 cities and will provide an estimated 75,000 tickets. Recent attendance research gathered by Shugoll Research reports that 41 percent of last year’s Free Night patrons returned and purchased tickets to another performance at the same theatre following their Free Night experience. In fact, 80 percent of attendees to the 2007 program reported that they had attended live theatre somewhere since Free Night.

Some of the 2008 program participants include the following communities:

Cities: Austin, TX; Baltimore, MD; Charleston, SC; Chicago, IL; Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Dallas, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Kansas City, MO; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; Salt Lake City, UT; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; St. Louis, MO; Washington, D.C.; and many more.

States: Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, and Wisconsin.

According to Brad Erickson, executive director of Theatre Bay Area and participant in each of the previous three Free Night of Theater events, “Since the campaign’s pilot year…we have seen an extraordinary response from theatres, audiences and the whole community. The demand for live theatre—when it’s made accessible to all—is overwhelming. We’re bringing in new audiences—young people, people of color, people from all walks of life—and the research tells us they are going back for more. Free Night of Theater has thrown the doors of our theatres open wide.”

For more information on Dallas’ Free Night of Theater, visit the national Free Night website at www.freenightoftheater.net. Information is also available through the Office of Cultural Affairs website at www.dallasculture.org.