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RISD Swears in New Board Member |
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At Monday's Board of Trustees Study Session, two board members were sworn in by Family Court Judge Marilea Lewis.
Karen Holburn officially began her tenure as a trustee, after being elected to fill the unexpired term of former trustee Carol Kent.
Luke Davis was also sworn in and began his fourth three-year-term serving the district.
Congratulations! >Top |
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Food 4 Kids |
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In 2006, RISD Elementary Support Counselor Ellen Boehmer asked her friends Kevin Starnes and Harry Hodge to begin driving their personal vehicles 60 miles round trip twice a month, indefinitely. They said yes. Why? So they could help RISD partner with the Food4Kids program, a part of the North Texas Food Bank. The men pick up food at the NTFB in Oak Cliff and bring it back to the RISD warehouse in Richardson for distribution to elementary students - twice a month, at 7:00 a.m. in the morning.
It all started with a request from the NTFB to Linda Baldor, RISD director of counseling. They asked if she'd be interested in starting a Food4Kids Pilot Program in RISD. She in turn passed that request on to Ms. Boehmer who quickly said, "Let's do this." Growing from four schools in the 2005-06 school year, the program now provides non-school meals each week to 435 kids at 33 elementary schools in the RISD. School counselors tally students they know need assistance and then place their orders online a couple of days prior to the bi-monthly pick up. The NTFB prepares the order and in walk Kevin and Harry to bring the food back to the warehouse in north Richardson.
The Food4Kids program, as the name implies, is geared toward providing nutritious, kid-friendly food for kids who otherwise may not get regular meals at home. The overall program currently serves more than 200 schools in 17 school districts - approximately 4,400 children in the greater Dallas area. Here in RISD, volunteers Kevin and Harry have not missed a single bi-monthly pick up in the three years they've been making the run from their far East Richardson and Plano homes to the NTSB facility in Oak Cliff. On each pick up, they sign for three to four pallets filled with boxes that they then shrink wrap and load onto their trucks. Harry now attaches his trailer to his truck to accommodate the hundreds of boxes the two men bring back to RISD warehouse supervisor Dennis Hutchison for sorting and distribution the next day to the 33 schools.
Both gentlemen have their own businesses and grown children. So why do they make the long trek twice a month? According to Kevin, "There's a need. Harry and I have the opportunity and the capability to do this. And besides, we're friends and we can spend some time together, even if it is at the crack of dawn."
For more information about Food4Kids, please visit the North Texas Food Bank website at www.ntfb.org, and click on the Food4Kids program. >Top |
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 Elementary students have been using a web-based program called Ticket to Read throughout this school year. The program enables students to build, strengthen, and reinforce reading skills. Motivational features are provided to help students navigate a self-paced instructional path.
RISD is happy to announce that elementary students will be able to use their school issued password to access Ticket to Read on computers at home or at the public library through July 31st. Keep on reading! >Top |
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Lake Highlands PRom Clinic |
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I’m Not Getting Into That Thing |
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Berkner physics students were given a project this semester to build a functional boat out of only cardboard and tape that would support two people and travel a distance of 100 meters without sinking. The curricular purpose was to demonstrate buoyancy and Archimedes' Principle of water displacement. Design and stability played the most important roles in a properly-constructed boat's success.
Students gathered recently at the Berkner Natatorium to test their designs, confidently not changing into swimwear.
Almost 90 percent of the sailors remained dry, successfully testing their vessels over the 100 meter course, with the fastest boat testing at 57 seconds.
BHS teachers Melinda Eairheart and Paula Rilling coordinated the assignment. >Top |
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richland elementary participates in special olympics |
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Richland Elementary's Developmental students, staff, and peer helpers participated in the Jesuit Special Olympic games last week.
They all wore black ribbons in honor of a classmate that recently passed away. Boys from Jesuit High School traveled to Richland every Wednesday to help in the classroom and serve as mentors.
This major event occurs every year, and allows students with disabilities to participate in a field day. The students had the opportunity to compete in different sporting events; and all of them earned gold medals.
Congratulations to students and thanks to Jesuit High School and volunteers who made it happen.
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Richardson Terrace Elementary turns 50 |
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Prestonwood science taks camp |
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Fifth graders from Prestonwood Elementary recently observed the crime scene at "Bikini Bottom" to gather clues to solve the mystery of the missing recipe from the Krusty Krab. The “SpongeBob Science-Pants” reporters were brought in to investigate the clues of the crime scene, and come up with their hypotheses, procedures and the conclusions.
The students followed their clues and eventually came up with the correct suspect of the crime.
This was all part of “SpongeBob SciencePants TAKS Camp,” another way of offering instruction in a hands-on, enjoyable way. >Top |
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Springridge students sell lemonade for children with cancer |
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Four Springridge Elementary students, Trinity Bell, Rachel Johnson, Brenna Street, and Taylor Thomas recently set up a lemonade stand at school to raise money for children with cancer.
Their inspiration came from learning about Alex Scott in their Primary REACH class. Alex was diagnosed with cancer just before her first birthday, and after several years in remission, the cancer returned when she was four. Alex told her family she wanted to raise money for other children with cancer by having a lemonade stand in her front yard.
For the next four years Alex and hundreds of other people began to hold their own lemonade stands to benefit sick children. While Alex lost her battle with cancer at the age of 8, her inspiration for lemonade stands across the USA raised over 1 million dollars before her death.
Every year lemonade stands are set up to continue the fight for a cure “one cup at a time.” These four students showed initiative, integrity, effort and caring as they raised $164.75 to benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.
Thanks!
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apollo receives sweepstakes awards at uil |
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All seven of the Apollo Junior High music organizations received sweepstakes awards at UIL Concert and Sight Reading Contest this spring. In fact, each organization received straight "1"s from all six judges at their respective contests, an exceptional effort.
Representatives from each group proudly display their awards.
Congratulations! >Top |
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Bowie Jumps Rope at wildflower! |
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 School Times Now! future editions will include:
- End-of-Year Awards and Celebrations
- Graduation Events, Valedictorians and Salutatorians
Watch for these exciting editions in your inbox. >Top |
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Graduation will be held at the Special Events Center, 4999 Naaman Forest Blvd. in Garland.
Sunday, June 7
Richardson HS - 1:30 p.m.
Lake Highlands HS - 5:00 p.m.
Pearce HS - 8:30 p.m.
Monday, June 8
Berkner HS - 7:00 p.m. >Top |
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SCHOOL TIMES NOW! ARCHIVE |
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Did you miss an issue of School Times Now!? Click here to view the archives. >Top |
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