There’s nothing like a good All-American block party, and this year there is a big one on April 13. Hosted by the Preston Hollow Elementary PTA, the event will kick off around 6:30 p.m. at the school in the 6400 block of Walnut Hill Lane.

The party is open to all PH Elementary family and friends and will include food, drinks, musical cakewalks, carnival games, a silent auction, and raffles.

The raffle includes some pretty great prizes too, including a 40-inch flat screen TV, an Xbox 360 Kinect Bundle, an 8-gig iPod touch, a 15.6-inch Acer Aspire computer, and a Hybrid BBQ grill. Tickets are available now for $2 in the school’s front office.

DISD has announced that five of its teachers earned the highest professional credential in the field of teaching, National Board Certification, in 2011, and two of those five teach in the Hollow: Theresa Oriabure of Hillcrest High and Georgianna Wood of Preston Hollow Elementary.

The National Board Certification is a voluntary process established by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The certification process involves a rigorous performance-based assessment that can take up to three years. Through the assessment process, teachers document knowledge of their subject matter; provide evidence that they know how to teach the content to students most effectively; and demonstrate an ability to manage and measure student learning.

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.

As if it hasn’t been enough of a banner year for Preston Hollow Elementary already, the Music Memory Team won first place at the district-wide Music Memory Contest held at the Meyerson Symphony Center on May 19.

The school had two teams competing in the contest: a 3rd/4th grade team and a 5th grade team. They competed separately, and the 3rd/4th grade team placed first out of almost 60 DISD schools.

Photo Courtesy of DISD

Congratulations are in order for the 2011 Principal of the Year, David Peter Chapasko of Preston Hollow Elementary. The news was announced today at a luncheon honoring the three finalists. Shanna Burton, associate principal at E.D. Walker Middle School, won top her honors for her position as well.

We wrote about Chapasko’s accomplishments, including the school’s first “exemplary” rating by the Texas Education Agency, in the May 6 edition of Preston Hollow People. If you don’t have one of those handy, then slap yourself on the wrist and go to jump for the DISD press release. Read More…

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.

Parents, teachers, and students who are interested in how the state’s large deficit will affect public schools should make plans to attend tonight’s meeting for District 1. Trustee Edwin Flores will discuss the budget and give updates on the 2008 Bond package, which benefited Hillcrest High School, Franklin Middle School, and Preston Hollow Elementary.

WHEN: 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: E D Walker Middle School, 12532 Nuestra Drive

When I was in fifth grade, I probably would have fled the country if someone so much as suggested I take up ballroom dancing. Luckily, the kids at Preston Hollow Elementary are braver than I was–and better dancers. They’ve been foxtrotting, swinging, tangoing, and merengue-ing all year long, and their hard work has paid off. A team of fifth graders just took bronze at the Dancing Classrooms of North Texas Dallas County semi-final tournament.

The team consists of Kaitlin Bobo, Juan Calixto, Jasmine Davila, Christopher Estrella, Alexza Garza, Phillip Glispin, Zane Kohrs, Jose Martinez Oliva, Khaliah Owens, Litzy Ramos Rodriguez, Tristan Segura, and Sarahi Trejo.