It’s no secret that much of a child’s success depends on parental involvement. In that vein, DISD is hosting informational meetings for the new state standardized test, STAAR.

The test won’t take full effect until Spring 2012, but there’s no time like to present to prepare for STAAR’s increased academic rigor. To learn more about the test, including how your tech-savvy student can use a Wii, iPhone, or computer to prep for it, stop by any of the district’s nine parent workshops Dec. 5 through 9 . All workshops are from 5 to 7:30 p.m. For the full listing, go to the jump. Read More…

Tuesday nights are typically nothing to write home about, but yesterday proved noteworthy for two handsome reasons.

Owen and Luke Wilson, actors and products of Preston Hollow, were in town last night for a little party at the Wyly. Woman about town Jeanne Prejeanne has the details on our Park Cities People blog.

Seniors battle juniors for the title of most spirited class.

No one can truly comprehend the intensity the spirit of intramurals, one of Ursuline Academy’s biggest traditions, brings out in the students every Thanksgiving unless you have seen it for yourself. It is a three-day competition in which each class picks a theme and competes to win in each category (skit, volleyball, spirit, mural, hallway). Each student supports her class by wearing its colors (green for freshmen, yellow for sophomores, red for juniors, and blue for seniors) and tries to prove they have the most spirit.

Although there have been rivalries between classes before, the antagonism between the junior and senior class reached a new level this year. Both classes tried to outdo each other by winning in every category; the most important category being spirit.  Even though both classes were neck-and-neck in this category, the school decided that things were getting too heated and announced a tie for third place between both classes. The girls were angry to say the least about this unexpected turn of events, but the tension has diffused since we have returned from Thanksgiving break. I think I can speak for my whole senior class when saying that we enjoyed our last intramurals (sniff sniff)  more because of the rivalry. What is wrong with a little healthy competition?

Themes:

• Seniors: Ferris BLUEllers Day Off
• Juniors: Ann13
• Sophomores: Sophy Doo
• Freshmen: The Green Lantern

Here are the final results:

• Mural: Seniors
• Skit: Sophomores
• Volleyball: Juniors
• Hallway: Tie between juniors and seniors
• Spirit: Sophomores

Back row: coach Clark Hunt, Jon Paul Lipe, Ryan Henry, Jack Meyer, Sam Lipper, Ryan Graham, and coach Dan Meyer; front row: Knobel Hunt, Michael Anderson, Moses Stewart, Drew Messick, and Jackson McFarlane

The Super Bowl of flag football, that is! Providence’s third-grade team was undefeated for the fourth season in a row.

Since they were just kindergartners, these 10 young gents have taken win after win, dominating their age group in the Spring Valley Athletic Association and Town North YMCA flag football leagues.

Congrats, kiddos!

That’s the premise of the latest Preston Hollow Groupon, which lets participants engage in 5, 15, or 25 minute “destruction sessions” at an Anger Room facility off of Walnut Hill Lane.

Choose from settings including an office, living area, or kitchen for your stress-relieving session. An excerpt from the Groupon reads, “Rather than paying a therapist three heads of cattle and a ruby, irate visitors can work out issues with a buffet of breakable items such as tables, televisions, and dummies. After wreaking havoc, guests continue the relaxation process with a mini massage.”

That sounds like a totally healthy expression of emotion to me…

Yavneh Academy's Head of School Donald O'Quinn (back) with Rachel Siegel, Jillian Herstein, Rachel Goodman, Jori Epstein, Justine Berman, David Dunsky, and scholarship benefactor Andrew Schultz

Six outstanding Yavneh Academy students received $3,000 Schultz Family Community Service Scholarships. Andrew Schultz congratulated the scholarship winners, which include seniors Justine Berman, David Dunsky, Jori Epstein, Jillian Herstein, and juniors Rachel Goodman and Rachel Siegel.

The scholarship recognizes current Yavneh students who exude community leadership, involvement, and a personal commitment to giving back. These six students have accumulated more than 6,000 service hours during their time high school careers. Yavneh requires only 130 service hours to graduate.

“In reading the applications of the students I was blown away, over and over, by the amount of service, and the diversity of projects and incredible interests, that these students have participated in,” said Andrew Schultz.

Schultz noted that this year’s honorees have tutored classmates and others in the community, worked with special-needs children, collected food for the hungry, and raised funds to build a school in Ethiopia.

“Those standing here today are examples of the inspiration for this scholarship and we hope the rest of Yavneh’s student body, so many of whom we know are deeply devoted to their community will too be inspired to never stop acting on that,” said Schultz.

When I was cheering on my Baylor Bears against Texas Tech at Cowboys Stadium on Saturday, Preston Hollow was the last thing on my mind.

But little did I know that Baylor standout Terrance Williams was a 2008 graduate of W.T. White, home of the Longhorns. Props to Louisa Meyer for bringing this factoid to my attention. I wonder if Williams is going to feel like a man divided when Baylor takes on the Texas Longhorns this week?