Extra Credit

Southlake Carroll trustee says he won't seek a third term

John Thane, who has served on the Carroll school board for two terms, announced this week he is not seeking re-election. 

Thane issued a statement that details his perspective and experiences gained during the last six years. Here are some of his comments: 

"In the face of daunting economic challenges we have maintained a standard of excellence in education that prepares our students for their futures in a world where achieving success has grown much more competitive and complex.  Even with dwindling state support and short- sighted political agendas, we continue to utilize our financial resources in a conservative yet effective manner. By carefully and methodically building our financial reserves to $30 million dollars we have protected our tradition of outstanding academics and extracurricular achievements. Most importantly, the primary focus has been, as it always should be, on our students."

Thane, a senior financial advisor, has served on Place 6. As of Feb. 20, two candidates have filed for the post. 

Diane Smith

 

Fort Worth's Trimble Tech, USPS honor Emancipation Proclamation for Black History Month

Writing and mailing letters may be a bit of a foreign concept to the text and tweet generation. But teenagers at Fort Worth’s Trimble Technical High School learned all about stamps at a Black History Month presentation last week.

Students hosted Beverly Baugh, U.S. Postal Service district manager, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that slaves in Confederate states were free.

Last month, the Postal Service issued a stamp honoring the 1863 proclamation, the first of three marking milestones in the fight for civil rights. A stamp of Rosa Parks, a Montgomery, Ala., woman who launched a bus boycott in 1955 after refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger, was issued Feb. 4.

Students are being encouraged to write letters to improve their skills and express themselves, said Kyev Tatum, who helped establish the campus’s Brilliant Bulldog Center, which provides tutoring.

“We partnered up with the post office to encourage students to talk about it and write letters and get stamps as a keepsake,” he said. “And you don’t just get on a stamp because you did something. You have to have made a tremendous difference.”

Glenn O. Lewis, chairman of the Texas Southern University board, spoke about the “legacy of excellence” at historically black colleges and universities.

Jessamy Brown

Mark Kelly discusses gun control, meteor strike during UT Arlington visit

Before his appearance tonight as part of the Maverick Speakers Series at the University of Texas at Arlington, astronaut and bestselling author Mark Kelly answered questions about gun control and meteors during a 15-minute session with reporters.

Kelly, the husband of Gabrielle Giffords, the former U.S. representative from Arizona who was badly injured in an assassination attempt in 2011, said he continues to call for universal background checks before firearms purchases. He said polls show that 92 percent of Americans and 74 percent of National Rifle Association members support the idea.

"We need to stand up" and make changes, he said. "I don't personally think that the status quo is working."

Kelly said he considers himself to be from Texas as much as from his childhood home in New Jersey because of all the years he lived in the state. As such, he said, he's not against gun ownership as long as loopholes that allow buyers to bypass background checks at gun shows and in private transactions are closed.

"I don't think you'll find a stronger supporter of the Second Amendment," said the retired Navy captain, who commanded the final flight of space shuttle Endeavour in May 2011. Later he added that he enjoyed going to gun shows while living in Texas.

Taking steps like requiring universal background checks and making it harder for people to buy assault-style rifles and magazines would go far toward reducing what Kelly called a homicide rate involving firearms that's 20 times higher than those of comparable countries.

"It's pretty simple," he said of universal checks. "It takes less than five minutes."

When it comes to school safety, he finds that idea more appealing than others. "I don't think arming every teacher, principal and janitor is the answer," he said.

He said that he and Giffords plan to continue to push Congress for quick changes to the law.

Kelly also answered questions about the meteor that exploded over Russia this week, saying that just before he met with reporters he had a phone conversation with friend and former astronaut Edward Lu, whose B612 Foundation is devoted to preventing asteroids from smashing into the earth.

"From what he told me, they got lucky," Kelly said. "If the angle had been a little different or if the time it exploded had been a little different, it could have turned out much worse."

Private entities like the foundation and SpaceX will play a larger role in space travel and exploration, Kelly said. 

-Patrick M. Walker

Fort Worth seniors can write their way to new wheels in annual Frank Kent Honda contest

A Fort Worth school district senior will have the chance to use their ability to turn a phrase into the turn of the wheel of a new car.

In the second annual Words for Wheels essay contest, students are writing up to 1,000 words on this topic: "In the future, how do you plan on using technology to promote and help your community?" The pieces will be judged on originality, clarity of message and presentation, according to a news release from Frank Kent Honda.

Starting this week, students will get a chance to check out the model as it makes stops at various Fort Worth high schools.

The contest is a partnership between Frank Kent Honda, Fort Worth schools and the City of Fort Worth. Graduating seniors have the chance to win a 2013 Honda Civic LX coupe or sedan - and they can pick the color. The EECU will cover the cost of tax, title and license fees on the vehicle.

The deadline is March 17. The winner will be presented with the car at the Fort Worth-based dealership on April 29. The contest was created by Frank Kent Honda co-owners Will Churchill and Corrie Watson, graduates of Arlington Heights High School.

Jessamy Brown

Prep, practice for high school STAAR at Fort Worth schools' first Spring Break School

Forget that spring break trip to the beach. Why not stay here and polish skills in reading, writing and biology?

The Fort Worth school district is launching its first-ever Spring Break School, offering high school students the chance to spend four days preparing and practicing for the End-Of-Course exams required for graduation.

Sign up for the free program started today and runs through Thursday, Feb. 21. The classes are March 11 through 14 and students can sign up for 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. or both

Classes will be offered in algebra 1, biology, English 1 reading, English 1 writing and world geography.Transportation and meals included.

Jessamy Brown

New building eyed for Fort Worth ISDs Young Women's Leadership Academy

The girls at the Young Women's Leadership Academy may be moving to new digs on Eighth Street in Fort Worth.

The Fort Worth school board in January agreed to purchase the Tarrant County Education Center building at 401 E. 8th St.

On Tuesday, trustees are to consider using $5.8 million from funds left over from the Capital Improvement Program to pay for renovations to the building.

The deal still must still be considered by the Tarrant County Commissioner's Court, which is expected to take up the matter at a meeting scheduled for Feb. 26, a school district spokeswoman said. If both parties approve, officials hope to be done with renovations and ready to move into the new building in time for the fall 2013 semester.

The academy has outgrown its current space, Fort Worth schools spokesman Clint Bond said.

The school opened in August 2010 in a converted building on West Magnolia Avenue that served as the school district's adult education center. Officials are adding one grade per year. This year, there are students in grades seven through 10.

Jessamy Brown

 

 

Mansfield school trustees name interim superintendent

Mansfield school district trustees have named Associate Superintendent Jim Vaszauskas as the interim superintendent in preparation for the departure of Superintendent Bob Morrison to take the helm of the Garland school district.

Vaszauskas now oversees curriculum, instruction and accountability and has 32 years of public school experience. He served as a classroom teacher for 20 years and also held positions as a coach, assistant principal, principal and assistant superintendent.

"I look forward to continuing the forward-thinking direction that Dr. Morrison established," Vaszauskas said in a statement. "We have a great leadership team in place and I'm thrilled to work alongside a staff dedicated to student learning and achievement."

-Patrick M. Walker

De Zavala Elementary launches revamped lunch menu with healthy, tasty food

Students wearing chef hats and dark blue aprons guided two dignitaries visiting De Zavala Elementary School on Wednesday to prepare a healthy snack with yogurt.

Reading step-by-step directions, the students helped Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price make "Price's Red White and Blue Parfait," featuring layers of yogurt and fruit.

To make a treat named for Fort Worth schools superintendent Walter Dansby, dubbed "Dansby's Delight," students worked with Fort Worth schools district operations chief Art Cavazos.

The event was part of a program celebrating the Food for Thought menu launch, a pilot project at De Zavala Elementary to revamp cafeteria menu offerings to include more healthy fare. It's a joint program of the city of Fort Worth and Fort Worth schools. The Dannon Company, which has a plant in Fort Worth, sponsored the program and donated yogurt to use in menu recipes.

Here's Thursday's Star-Telegram story.(R: Student Melissa Carmone eats lunch. ST photo, Ron T. Ennis)

"We’ve been pushing health for the last two and a half years," said Hector Martinez, De Zavala principal. "Ultimately we want to look at the results of healthier choices and how they lead to better attitudes, better behavior and better academics."  

(R: Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price/ ST Photo Ron T. Ennis).

Here are the recipes for the Food for Thought treats:

Price's Red White and Blue Parfait

6 oz. Dannon nonfat vanilla yogurt
4 strawberries, sliced
1 T blueberries
2 T blackberries
2 T Raisin Bran cereal
In a glass, layer strawberries, then 3 oz. of the yogurt, then add the blackberries. Add remaining 3 oz. of yogurt, then add blueberries. Top with crushed cereal.

Dansby's Delight

6 oz. Dannon nonfat vanilla yogurt
4 strawberries, sliced
1 banana, sliced
2 T Honey Nut Cheerios
In a glass place half the strawberry slices, then layer half of the banana slices, add 1 T of the cereal. Add the remaining yogurt, banana slices and strawberry slices. Top with cereal.

Jessamy Brown

First elected in 1983, Fort Worth ISD trustee TA Sims files for May 11 election

Tuesday update
The last incumbent with a seat up for election on May 11 has filed. No opponents have filed.

On Tuesday, Dr. Theophlous Aron (T.A.) Sims Sr., a pharmacist, filed paperwork seeking another term representing the board's district 4. Sims, 72, was first elected to the board in 1983.

Monday update:
Dr. Carlos Vasquez has filed for the upcoming Fort Worth school board election, scheduled for May 11.  Vasquez, 45, who listed his occupation as an educator, is seeking another term as the board's district 1 representative.

All incumbents except Dr. Theophlous Aron (T.A.) Sims Sr. have filed to retain their seats on the board. And Sims, in a telephone interview on Monday with the Star-Telegram, confirmed that he intends to run for another term in district 4. He expects to file paperwork this week.

The board of education trustees are elected by voters in each of nine districts and serve as single member district representatives. Trustees serve four year terms and are not paid for their service.

Friday update:

Trustee Norman Robbins, 65, has filed for the May 11 election. Robbins, a senior community relations manager, is seeking another term to represent the board's district 7.

So for those keeping track, incumbents in districts 7, 8 and 9 have filed this week.

Original Post:

Two Fort Worth schools trustees on Wednesday filed paperwork to seek another term on the board.

By mid-afternoon on Wednesday, the opening of the campaign filing season for municipal and school board elections, Juan Rangel, 65, a marketing/management consultant, filed in district 9 and Joe Ralph (J.R.) Martinez, 46, a realtor, filed for district 8.

The Fort Worth school board has nine single member districts. Districts, 1, 4, 7, 8 and 9 are up for election on May 11. Members serve four years.

We'll add more trustee filings as they are posted on the school district's website.

Jessamy Brown

Fort Worth schools leaders to get orientation on new student records system

Fort Worth schools officials have created "Focus Leadership Teams" at each campus to help with the transition to a new student information system.

Schools trustees agreed to go forward with a new system to replace the current Connects system. The aim is to have the new system by Florida-based Focus School Software in place by the fall for the 2013-2014 school year, according to a news release on the school district's website. The teams are scheduled to attend an orientation session and an online webinar in February.

Schools officials agreed to change vendors after a series of problems with the Connects student data software system that produced inaccurate transcripts, incomplete grade reports and incorrect attendance records.

The Connects system, by Tyler Technologies, was launched in 2010 and reports soon after began emerging of problems including inaccurate student schedules and disappearing grades.

The Focus system was chosen after "district stakeholders and end-users spent several months interviewing, visiting and evaluating products submitted by top vendors," the release said. The school district also worked with the Center for Educational Leadership and Technology on the project.

Jessamy Brown