Texas Motor Speedway Fundraiser Opportunity!

Sunday, Aug. 12, 1 - 5 p.m. at the Fort Worth Central Library

What's Happening Events and News from the Fort Worth Library Join Mayor Betsy Price and honorary co-chairs Bob Ray Sanders and Deborah Ferguson to close the 2012 Summer Reading Program with live music, story tellers, performers and refreshments.      We will also hold our grand prize drawing. The Grand Celebration is open to the public and is a great way for the whole family to conclude a summer of reading and fun!  Sunday, Aug. 12, 1 - 5 p.m. at the Central Library Activities include: Face Painting and Balloon Artists  Miss Devon and the Outlaw (music) Merry and the Mood Swings (music) Artcycletex   For a schedule of the day's activities, visit our website or your local branch.    Central Library 500 W 3rd St Fort Worth TX, 76102 817-392-7745 Free parking is available in the garages and on the streets

Fort Worth ISD Graduates Compete in London Olympic Games

Fort Worth ISD Graduates Compete in London Olympic Games 64 Years Apart

Khadevis “KD” Robinson (Trimble Tech, 1994) will run the 800 meter dash in the Olympic Games that open July 27, 2012 in London. The 35-year-old is a two-time Olympian, having qualified for the 2004 Olympics in Athens. He just barely missed qualifying in 2000 and 2008.

Robinson won multiple NCAA national championships while earning his bachelor’s degree at Texas Christian University. He received his master’s from California State University, Los Angeles. Robinson lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, and serves as an assistant coach at UNLV.

Another Fort Worth ISD graduate will be in London for the games – a second time.  Robert “Jack” Robinson (Paschal, 1945) was a member of the U.S. men’s basketball team that won a gold medal in London in the 1948 Olympics. Now, the 85-year-old retired minister will return as a spectator, accompanied by his wife and their two daughters. They have tickets for the opening ceremony, an extravaganza that will underscore just how different the games were 64 years ago.

They were known as the “Austerity Games.” Britain, still suffering the effects of World War II, was short on food, clothing and even buildings for housing the athletes. But the games went on, and Robinson and his team went on to win gold. About ten years ago, the British Broadcasting Corporation interviewed Robinson and other Olympians about their experiences in London. Listen to Robinson’s account of visiting Buckingham Palace, where the proud Texan made quite an impression cracking up King George!

Robinson plans to revisit the RAF barracks where he and other athletes bunked. He will also be on the program at the London Rotary Club, which was instrumental in getting Robinson’s gold medal replaced several years ago after it was stolen from his office.

Robinson is one of the newest faces on the Fort Worth ISD Wall of Fame. Visit the display at the Fort Worth ISD Administration Building at 100 N. University Drive, Fort Worth.

 -FWISD-

Follow Fort Worth ISD on Facebook and Twitter for the latest information about the District.

Back to School Immunizations July 28, 2012

The Kroger 2012-2013 Neighbor to Neighbor Donation Program

The Kroger 2012-2013 Neighbor to Neighbor Donation Program

Kroger is giving away $1M to local charities! Help us get a piece of the pie by linking your Plus card to our organization today.

You can link your Kroger Plus card to our organization by presenting our barcode to the cashier the next time you check out. The cashier will scan your card and then the barcode to link you to our organization. Once the process is complete, you will be enrolled as a supporter for the remainder of the current program year! Every time you shop, a portion of your sale will be contributed to the Neighbor to Neighbor fund. We will be awarded a percentage of the $1 million payout that reflects our number of qualifying purchases made within the program year.

Here is the link to print out our school's barcode: http://www.krogerneighbortoneighbor.com/pdf/10000090517.pdf

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Espanol:

El programa Vecino a Vecino de 2012-2013

Kroger está regalando $ 1 millón a organizaciones benéficas locales! Ayúdanos a conseguir un pedazo de la tarta mediante la vinculación de su tarjeta Plus a nuestra organización en la actualidad.

Usted puede conectar su tarjeta Kroger Plus a nuestra organización mediante la presentación de nuestro código de barras a la caja la próxima vez que echa un vistazo. El cajero le escanear su tarjeta y luego el código de barras que se vincula a nuestra organización. Una vez que el proceso esté completo, usted será inscrito como simpatizante para el resto del año del programa actual! Cada vez que usted compra, una parte de su venta serán aportados a la de vecino a vecino del fondo. Nos será premiado con un porcentaje del pago de $ 1 millón que refleja nuestro número de compras que califiquen hechas en el año del programa.

Aquí esta nuestro código de barras: http://www.krogerneighbortoneighbor.com/pdf/10000090517.pdf

Texas PTA Member Message - July 2012

Texas PTA Member Message  July 2012 Message From The President  I hope you are enjoying your summer so far, and taking time to relax while spending time with your family and friends. I also hope I see you at our upcoming premier event, Summer Leadership Seminar, July 28-30 in Austin. This event is not just for PTA board members, but also offers a wealth of opportunity for any member. We also don't want to forget to invite and bring principals, teachers, campus staff and district administrators. Many of our workshops are eligible for professional development credit. If you cannot attend this event, we have two more SLS On the Road events, one in El Paso, August 18, and one in South Texas, September 8. All of these events are filled with information, networking opportunities, and fun! Texas PTA was well-represented at National PTA's 116th Annual Convention in San Jose, California last month. Congratulations to Sharon Goldblatt, immediate past president for Texas PTA, who was elected to serve on the National PTA Board of Directors. In addition to elections of members to the board and members to the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee, delegates also adopted two resolutions dealing with distracted driving and improved infrastructure around schools. For more information, you can visit the National PTA website at www.pta.org. We look forward to seeing you at one of our SLS events, and wish you a happy, fun-filled and safe summer! Riddle Elementary-Overcoming the Language Barrier Farsi, Tamil, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Spanish. These are just a few of the 59 language and dialects other than English spoken within Frisco ISD, a school district located north of the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex. According to Kindra Strachan, Frisco ISD Council of PTAs President, "In Frisco, at any given school, we could have between 18 and 33 different languages represented by parents and students. This makes getting the PTA message out to these parents a little more daunting." Frisco ISD and its PTAs have embraced their district's diversity and multiculturalism and the opportunities that come with them. In fact, most of the 47 PTAs in Frisco ISD have multicultural chairs that sit on their boards. Thanks to the efforts of their PTA, one school, Riddle Elementary, has taken the extra step to make all parents, regardless of preferred language, feel included and welcomed in their school by finding an effective way to educate their parents about PTA. "What is PTA?" "Why should I join PTA?" "What are the benefits of joining PTA?" These questions were asked repeatedly by parents who stood before the PTA table at Meet-the-Teacher night. Unfortunately, those questions were not always answerable because of the language barrier. As explained by Monica Violante, former Multicultural Chair for Riddle PTA, "PTA" often is an unknown to people from other countries. The parents were interested in supporting their school and helping, but they didn't know how. PTA provided the answer. Through the efforts of Monica, they have developed a brochure that answers these questions in seven different languages. Using survey information Monica had gathered to help her plan Riddle's multicultural nights, she discovered that over 25 languages were spoken at Riddle. Monica approached people she knew who were fluent in both English and the languages of Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Telegu, Tamil, and Spanish and asked them to translate the answers to these key questions into their language. The translators typed the translations using that language's alphabet and sent them to Monica. FedEx Kinkos formatted the brochures. 1 ½ years later, the project was completed. The PTA's goals for this project are to bridge the gap between home and school, teach about PTA, and to help everyone, regardless of culture or preferred language, to feel more included. Because the brochures have only recently been published and distributed, the results of this effort are not yet known. To increase the chances of success, Laura Blackbourn, Riddle PTA President, indicates they plan on having bilingual speakers present at the PTA tables at this fall's Meet-the-Teacher night. Laura says Riddle PTA is really trying to reach out to all parents to break that language barrier. Monica is happy to share her knowledge and lessons learned with those who are interested in taking on a similar project. She stresses that before starting a project such as this, it is important to know your school and to go to native speakers who are proficient in both English and their native language. Monica may be reached at monica@violante.com. If proof is needed that feeling included is important for parent participation, this paraphrased observation shared by Monica should offer that proof. A Taiwanese parent, who has recently joined the PTA board, told Monica, "People wanted to be involved, but no one knew how to ask." At Riddle Elementary, now they know. Summer Leadership Seminar in Austin is bigger and better than ever, but there is still room if you would like to attend!  Only onsite registration is available now but make plans to attend! Onsite Registration is$125 and is available July 27-28, 2012 (closes at noon on July 28, 2012). PLEASE NOTE THAT SPECIAL EVENTS (i.e. Get Connected! Reception and Legacy Breakfast) MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE DURING THE ONSITE REGISTRATION PROCESS. For more information, visit http://www.txpta.org/events/austin/. Texas PTA Memorials  Remember Texas PTA in your will or living trust.  A gift through your will or living trust will continue your support of Texas PTA as an important legacy in our state.  Members can use their wills or living trusts to make their most generous gifts, so please remember us when you create yours.  A charitable bequest is an excellent way to create a lasting memorial.  For more information, contact Kyle Ward (kward@txpta.org ) or by calling 800-TALK-PTA, extension 201. Stay Connected, Support Your Child, And Renew Your PTA Membership Today!    PTA provides opportunities to meet with others who have the same interests as you. By sharing common concerns, you will feel more empowered. Being part of PTA connects families and schools and results in parental support and makes school involvement easier. PTA also provides educational opportunities. From local-level parent education meetings to the exciting annual Texas PTA Summer Leadership Seminar, PTA encourages learning and the sharing of accomplishments, interests and concerns. Ultimately, PTA provides the opportunity to serve, to volunteer and to contribute to the welfare of all children, because children represent our future. PTA gives you the opportunity, not only to impact your local community, but to have input in major legislative and policy issues affecting children throughout the state. Membership gives you a voice. Exercise your right to vote. Get involved. Also, PTA members in Texas receive member discounts.  Check out your member "perks" on the Benefits and Discounts webpage. 2012 Student Awards Ceremony    Was your child recognized at the state level for Reflections or the One World Challenge?  If so, have you RSVP'd to attend our awards ceremony in Corpus Christi?  We are hosting our annual Texas PTA Awards Ceremony for families across Texas in celebrating the accomplishments of our talented students. Detailed award information is listed by category on the Environmental page or the Reflections page of the Texas PTA website.  Students who received an Award of Merit, Award of Excellence or an Overall Award of Excellence, will be honored on Saturday, August 4, 2012, in the Selena Auditorium at the Corpus Christi Convention Center.  Ceremony time will be determined following the reply deadline. If you need to RSVP, use this form to reply. Why Parents Should Keep An Eye On Instagram  by Monika Diaz, WFAA, Dallas DALLAS - Even if you don't use Facebook or Twitter, you know what they are.  But what about Instagram? We're willing to bet your children not only know about it, but they use the free photo-sharing app for smartphones and tablets. It all seems pretty harmless, but some parents fear their children are also finding trouble. Instagram has become another online playground for 13-year-old Juliette Campbell and her friends, where they can post pictures and comments. "Most of them who have an iPhone have Instagram," she said. It's the new place to be. Instagram lets users take photos and share them on other social networking sites through their smartphones and tablets. Juliette got permission from her mom to open an account. "My account is private, so like people - like somebody I don't know tries to follow me, I will ignore them," she said. Amy Campbell monitors her daughter's Instagram offerings on a daily basis, but she still worries. "It's scary," she said. "I think the immediacy of it kind of might impair people's judgment sometimes because it is so split-second... that you take a picture, you hit a button, and it's gone." There are other concerns, too. "People having pictures, girls in bathing suits... anything that can be perceived suggestive or immodest, those type of things. That really bothers me for all of our girls," Campbell said. Also troubling her is a second account Juliette opened for her favorite pop group, One Direction. There, she accepts everyone. Juliette is connected to hundreds of followers, from friends to strangers.   "It's a risky situation to be interacting with people she has no clue who they are or where they are from or what their intentions are," Campbell said.   During our visit, a quick scan of that account found comments laced with sex and obscenities.   "Foul language, suggestive language... very descriptive, gross stuff, and isn't appropriate for her age," Campbell said.   It's a challenge for this modern mom trying to keep track of her child's life online, but she has recruited other parents to get involved.   "I do think moms help each other out, parents help each other out with alerting each other with something we need to look out for," Campbell said. Story online at http://www.wfaa.com/home/Why-parents-should-keep-an-eye-on-Instagram-160481345.html.

School Supplies for 2012-2013

Dear Parents of South Hills Elementary,

As a service to our families, we are offering pre-packaged school supply kits for the coming year. You also get a free backpack with each kit ordered! Offering top-quality name brands like Crayola Products, Elmer’s Glue, Fiskars Scissors and Ticonderoga Pencils.

Place your order by Phone (800) 929-1501or Online - www.familyschoolsupplies.com

When placing your order please use the following Supply kit #:

192333-K (kindergarten), 

192333-1 (first grade), 

192333-2 (second grade), 

192333-3 (third grade), 

192333-4 (fourth grade), 

192333-5 (fifth grade).

Please note that there may be additional items needed that are not in the package. Your student's kit will be shipped directly to your home before school starts.

Thank you!
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Estimados padres de familia de South Hills Elementary,

Como un servicio a nuestras familias, estamos ofreciendo pre-empaquetadas kits de útiles escolares para el próximo año. Usted también consigue una mochila gratis con cada kit que ordena! Ofreciendo las mejores marcas de calidad como los productos de Crayola, Pegamento de Elmer, tijeras Fiskars y lápices Ticonderoga.

Haz tu pedido por teléfono (800) 929-1501 o en línea - www.familyschoolsupplies.com

Cuando haga su pedido por favor use el siguiente Supply Kit #:

192333-K (kinder),

192333-1 (primer grado),

192333-2 (segundo grado),

192333-3 (tercer grado),

192.333-4 (cuarto grado),

192333-5 (quinto grado).

Tenga en cuenta que pueden existir elementos adicionales necesarios que no están en el paquete. Su kit de estudiante será enviado directamente a su casa antes de que empiecen las clases.

¡Gracias!