The Franklin Middle School PTA is asking members to nominate one person who has shown exemplary service as a teacher, administrator, or volunteer. This candidate does not have to be a PTA member to be chosen.  Email your nomination (name and a few sentences as to why you believe this person deserves the honor) to Beverly Kohrs at bkohrs@swbell.net You may also submit your nomination on paper and place in the PTA mail box in the school’s main office. Today is the deadline for entries so don’t dawdle.

Franklin Middle School congratulates Shawn Burns for being the 2011-2012 teacher of the year. The school said Mr. Burns is an exceptional teacher, and exemplified teaching effectiveness, high student achievement, involvement with students, parents, and community, and awareness of educational issues at the school.

Burns is the designated AVID teacher at the school, an elective students in the “academic middle”  can take which raises the bar for learning and prepares them for high school and college. During his five year tenure at Franklin, Burns has also served as the debate coach and is in charge of the school store.

William Harris was also recognized by the school and received ”Best Teacher Assistant Award.” Harris works in the special education department and gives one-on-one attention to special needs students.

“He’s wonderful, patient, and calm with the children,” said the office secretary at Franklin. “He’s been here for three years and the teachers and staff really appreciate what he does.”

If you’re looking to hand over a gently used warm coat (or two, or more) to someone who needs one this winter, consider this: Merge Boutique in Preston Royal Village is offering a 15 percent discount to any shopper who donates a coat — and 30 percent off, if you bring in two.

The drive benefits Austin Street Shelter, and runs through Saturday.

The Franklin girls soccer team defeated Zumwalt Middle School 4-1 on Saturday to win district. The Franklin Falcons will take on Gaston Middle School on Jan. 14 for the City Championship.

Congratulations, and good luck this weekend!

The concession stand at Franklin Middle School is in need for a few volunteers, which is a term that should be loosely interpreted.

The net money brought in at each event will be distributed to the team/group that worked the stand at the end of the season. There are two shifts available for soccer games on Saturday and one on Monday, with space for two adults and two students each. Go to the jump for scheduling details and contact information. Read More…

I was driving past Franklin Middle School the other day and was puzzled by something. There’s an empty field on the campus’s southwest corner — empty except for a concrete structure that reminded me of the monorail tracks that wind through Las Colinas. I was in a hurry, so I didn’t have time to pull over for a inspection. But surely this structure has some other purpose that I’m too dense to deduce, right?

We learned of them too late to promote them in our Aug. 26 paper, but Franklin Middle School is hosting a series of parent-friendly events tomorrow evening. There will be a dinner of hot dogs, chips, and cookies in the cafeteria at 5:30 p.m. (Cost is $2), followed by a PTA meeting at 6 and a Mini-School at 6:30. The latter event involves parents following a condensed version of their children’s class schedules.

Meanwhile, next door at Hillcrest High School, an ice cream social/community rally that was originally set for Aug. 25 has been rescheduled for 4 p.m. tomorrow.

For most people reading this, the day is winding down. For the reporter writing this, it’s only just beginning.

I’m live at DISD headquarters where Interim Superintendent Alan King just presented Budget Version 6.1.

King said he is 90 percent sure this is the budget the district will end up with when the State Legislature ends the special session. He is recommending the board approve this budget tonight, and it’s Item No. 17 on the agenda.

Stay tuned for more updates.

UPDATE 5:34 PM

Before the meeting was even officially called to order, two cell phones went off, someone shouted out “For all!” after the “With liberty and justice for all,” portion of the pledge of allegiance, and board president Lew Blackburn quoted the Bible.

UPDATE 5:57 PM
The public forum has begun. Six cell phones have gone off, and one person is audibly snoring.

UPDATE 6:04 PM
“Most of the high school students I know don’t know how to read.”

Sunset High School student Xochiti Deleon said during the public forum.

UPDATE 6:43 PM
The public forum has been going on for almost an hour with only speaker addressing the budget issue. More popular topics include classroom discipline, and the naming of various auditoriums, libraries, and plazas.

UPDATE 7:19 PM
The librarians are here in force. Seven speakers so far have voiced their displeasure with the cuts in the libraries that would take away 42 positions.

UPDATE 7:32 PM
After 11 speakers including current and former librarians, graduates, parents, and volunteers, the Dallas League of Librarians has conceivably rested its case. There are five speakers remaining on the public forum schedule.

UPDATE 7:42 PM
Just kidding. John Kalan, a father of two PH Elementary students, just went to bat for libraries, making it an even dozen speakers. So far…

UPDATE 7:53 PM
The public forum for agenda items has ended. Now speakers on non-agenda items will begin. There are eight names listed.

UPDATE 8:12 PM
After listening to three hours of public speakers, the board is taking a ten-minute recess. It will return to tackle the consent agenda consisting of 84 items as well as the 22 items pulled for a separate vote. The budget is item 17.

In other news, I’m starving.

UPDATE 8:30 PM
The board is back in session

UPDATE 8:46 PM
The board unanimously approved the consent agenda. Meanwhile, my phone battery is running low so updates won’t be as frequent.

UPDATE 9:20 PM
Board members approved an amendment to the district’s sick leave policy proposed by Nancy Bingham to include days for adopted children and personal reasons.

When Blackburn questioned how the days would be designated, Bingham responded thusly:
“I don’t care what it’s called–you can call it ‘mental health day,’” she said to cheers from the remaining library contingent.

UPDATE 9:55 PM
An amendment proposed by Mike Morath will allow principals to refuse teacher placements. Those teachers who are slated to be moved to another school will have to be approved by the principal. Unaccepted teachers will be placed in a “reassignment pool” that will be used for substitute teachers. Morath insists this is not a rubber room.

UPDATE 10:12 PM
After Mike Morath made a case that many private schools sell naming rights rather than award them, a motion to name a band room in honor of someone failed. Morath is hoping to start a trend to raise revenue.

“We have assets that we can give away, or we have assets we can sell,” Morath said. “I’m not up here to be lousy with tax payer funds.”

UPDATE 11:37 PM
The board approved Budget Version 6.1 with an amendment to revise the budget in August to restore library staff levels.

Goodnight.

A good man is hard to find.

But a good woman?

Not so much.

According to One Man Dallas, women volunteer at five times the rate of men. In an effort to encourage male volunteerism, the group is highlighting 20 men who are heavily involved in charity work.

Marcus Walther, a product of Preston Hollow Elementary, Franklin Middle School, and Hillcrest High School, volunteers with the Dallas chapter of Communities in Schools. And despite misnaming that organization, and answering his questions in ALL CAPS, I think this guy deserves our support.

He’s involved with a laundry list of charities including Sports United, the SPCA, the American Cancer Society, and the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. He’s also the great-grandson of Neiman Marcus founder Stanley Marcus. But all that hasn’t given the 32-year-old a chip on his shoulder.

“I’m the guy people call up when they need an extra hand. I’m no master at anything specific but i can do lot of things OK (and that’s being very kind to myself),” said the self-proclaimed Scottie Pippen of philanthropy in his application. “I‘m a good complimentary piece. I help Michael Jordan look good. Every No. 1 needs a good No. 2, or a guy waving a towel on the bench (me).”

Voting runs until May 15, and the five finalists will be announced on May 19 with an after party at Gables Park 17. If you’re looking to catch a glimpse of the 20 candidates a little sooner, head over to the “Meet the Men” happy hour Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Park Place Mercedes Benz in Dallas.

I kinda stole all of the thunder in the headline, but if you know someone at Franklin Middle School who goes above and beyond the call of parental duty, you have 24 hours left to make a nomination for PTA Life Membership. While the nominator needs to be a Franklin PTA member, the nominee does not. E-mail your nomination (name and a few sentences as to why you believe this person deserves the honor) to Beverly Kohrs at bkohrs@swbell.net by 10 p.m. tomorrow.

For the full details, go to the jump. Read More…