The third-annual event features terrific music from up-and-coming Dallas bands and great activities for kids (and the young at heart), including a petting zoo, obstacle course, pirate ship, arts and crafts, giant slide, local art vendors, as well as several delicious food trucks.

However, the best part of the event is the release of the butterflies by childhood cancer warriors  meant to honor the number of children fighting cancer today and in memory of the children lost to the disease. However, even if you can’t attend the event, for only $15 you can sponsor a butterfly and become a part of this beautiful embodiment of the strength, grace, and hope that these children show in the face of cancer. 100% of your sponsorship and proceeds from the event go directly to funding childhood cancer research at Children’s Medical Center Dallas. (I can’t tell you how much I love this hospital and what it has done for my family!)

Your attendance will help them reach their $100,000 goal.

Peace, Hope & Butterflies Family Fun and Music Festival
Miracle Players Foundation
June 1, 2013  from 2 – 6 pm
Flag Pole Hill
8100 Doran Circle, Dallas, TX 75238
$15 for adults
$10 for children 13 and younger
Each ticket for admission includes performances by four live bands, unlimited access to all of our family friendly activities (petting zoo, giant slide, obstacle course, arts and crafts, pirate ship, and more), and of course, the opportunity to witness the release of 500 butterflies by Dallas area childhood cancer warriors.
Website

Flier from the Miracle Players Facebook page.

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Last year, I wrote about a non-profit organization that I volunteered with along with a group of Citi employees that were attending an incentive trip.  This organization was Ben’s Bells.  I loved their story so much that I helped with what I could, and I have since donated money.

This year I was given another opportunity to offer my services to Ben’s Bells.  In the process, I was introduced to another great non-profit organization, Give Kids the World.

Give Kids the World grants the wishes of all children with life-threatening illnesses and their families from around the world.  They help these children to experience a happy, memorable, cost-free visit to Florida.  Through this organization,  children along with their families, can enjoy Disney World, Sea World, and Universal Studios.  Along with access to all the fun, they also get to stay in the Give Kids the World Village for a week.

The Gingerbread house in the Village (really a large cafeteria)

A lot of children with life threatening illnesses go through the Make a Wish program.  When the wish is to go to Disney World, they are sent to the village.  The village is a 70-acre resort complete with over 140 accommodations,  attractions,  fun specifically designed for children with special needs.

Every day of the week the Village celebrates Christmas, Halloween, and other holidays or events.  The reason they do this is because some of these children may never see another holiday.  They want their trip to Florida to be special, and they want memories to be made.

Citi employees dancing in the village.

The volunteerism I contributed was minimal to say the least (I made Ben’s Bells to pass through the community).  When you think of who you are helping, even the smallest bit is appreciated.

My husband making a Ben’s bell.

Please also check out:

Ben’s Bells

Proud Wife

Husband Working from Home Trade Off

The post Give Kids The World appeared first on DFW Mama.

TCU Beginning Reading programs, located all over Dallas, can teach your child alphabet skills, phonics, and comprehension, all while fostering a love of reading.

The program starts for children as young as four. Kids learn about the alphabet and phonics while reading quality children’s literature and playing fun games.

Older kids (1st-5th graders) work on phonics, build sight vocabulary, and learn to read fluently and quickly.

Along with programs for young children, TCU also offers classes for middle schoolers, high school students, and adults. The classes, which have been offered since 1997, are designed and taught by professional instructors from the Institute of Reading Development.

If you’d like more information, you can check out the TCU Beginning Reading Programs website. To register (or speak to someone with questions you might have), you can call 800-979-9151.

Class sizes are limited, so be sure to get your child registered soon!

The post TCU Beginning Reading Programs appeared first on DFW Mama.

Super easy and super cute. Love this FANTAstic teacher idea from 4 Men 1 Lady.

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Domestically Speaking has a great idea for some M&M’s for teacher! Love the poem that goes with them.

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Perhaps crafting is a little intimidating for you. Bitsy Creations has you covered with this cute Teacher Appreciation Art, available in three styles! Would be great framed!

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Pencils and teacher go together, right? This Pencil Bouquet from The Happy Scraps is a perfect teacher appreciation gift.

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This Grass Is Greener printable from Eighteen25 is so sweet. Doesn’t it look great with a pot of planted grass?

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Love this Teacher Appreciation Bookmark from Tatertots & Jello! This free printable would be great paired with a book!

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How about a Box of Chocolates for teacher? Have your kids decorate a box and then fill it with chocolate! Idea from I Believe In Love.

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With the Pinterest craze these Teacher Appreciation Cards from Chickabug featured on Skip To My Lou are perfect. Not only will teacher get a gift card but some laughs, too!

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Our Best Bites features this Frozen Lemonade Pie In A Jar as a Mother’s Day gift, but the fact that it’s easy to make makes it perfect for the kids to make for their teachers!

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How about a Painted Thank You Mug? Spoonful has a great idea for writing the letters evenly!

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Remember, May 6-10, tell those teachers, “Thank you!”

For more posts written by me, visit my personal blog, I Believe In Love. For more Teacher Appreciation ideas, visit…

Teacher Appreciation

Teacher Appreciation Crafts

10 Best Gifts for Teachers

The post Teacher Appreciation Ideas appeared first on DFW Mama.

With small plates and adult beverages from some of Dallas’ most popular restaurants like Sfuzzi and The Standard Pour, plus sample some of the food new you will experience when you stay at Medical City. Tour the labor and delivery floor at Medical City to learn how we take care of new moms and babies. Go home with a fun gift bag and educational materials about healthy pregnancies.

Get Your Bump On! Feb. 4 at Medical City Dallas. Photo courtesy of Medical City Dallas.

Get Your Bump On!
Medical City Children’s Hospital Atrium
Monday, February 4, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
$10 pays for you and a guest and benefits the March of Dimes
Adults 18 and over and young chefs 13 and older with accompanied adult
More Info contact Stacy.Covitz@hcahealthcare.com and To Buy Tickets

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Looking for More Family Fun? 

Get Hooked on Fishing and Trains, Jan. 19 in Keller and Hurst
Enjoy Super Soups with Empty Bowls 2013

The post Get Your Bump On! Expectant Family Workshop at Medical City Dallas appeared first on DFW Mama.

This 14^th annual event began with parents of Stephanie, an autistic girl in Florida. Searching to find resources, activities and other like them, they created a day just for families like theirs and called it Stephanie’s Day. Now a nationwide movement, DFW families with special needs are invited to attend a day full of fun with performances by the Mavs ManiAACs and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey ambassador clowns Slappy and Monday, a demonstration by the Dallas Dog & Disc Club, CBS 11 and TXA 21 on-air team, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and the Dallas Mavericks Dancers.  There will also be FREE activities like face painting, games, music therapy, and prizes from DFW destinations like Texas Rangers, the AT&T Performing Arts Center, Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor.

Event Details:

Stephanie’s Day, presented by the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Dallas Cowboys Charities in partnership with the Autism Treatment Center

Saturday, June 16, 10 am – 2 pm

North Park Center (on level one, near Macy’s) in Dallas

Free

Event Website

The post A Special Day for Special Needs: Stephanie’s Day, June 16 appeared first on DFW Mama.

Ready, Set, Go!

If you are the parent of a student in the 9th grade or younger, or even if your kids haven’t started school yet, you are probably wondering: What is the STARR Test? It has been in the news and much debated for the past few years, but the details are confusingly vague. Here is my attempt to clear up the confusion, at least until the state changes it again.

KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TAKS & STAAR:

• Test questions and performance standards will be more rigorous on the STAAR.
• The total number of test items for the STAAR has been increased for most grades, subjects and courses.
• A four-hour time limit has been established for STAAR tests; the TAKS was not timed.
• Most STAAR math and science tests will have an increased number of open-ended questions that require students to answer independently without being influenced by multiple choice answers.
• STAAR reading tests will give greater emphasis to critical analysis rather than literal understanding.
• STAAR assessments in math and reading will be linked from grade to grade as well as to college readiness standards that are measured on Algebra II and English III tests in high school.
• High school assessments are changing from grade-based to course-based tests. In all, 12 end-of-course exams will be given.
• End-of-course tests for English I, II and III in high school will be administered over two days, with writing on the first day and reading on the second. Writing tests in grades 4 and 7 also will be extended to two days.

STAAR TEST: WHO TAKES WHAT

In grades 3-8: all students will be tested in math and reading. Students also will be tested in writing in grades 4 and 7, science in grades 5 and 8, and social studies in grade 8.

In high school: End-of-course tests will be given in English I, II and III, Algebra I and II, geometry, biology, chemistry, physics, U.S. history, world history and geography.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN

THIS YEAR: Not a whole lot, it is somewhat of a trial run. STAAR scores will not determine whether a student passes the course or the grade, nor for district or school accountability ratings.  But those standards are for this year only…

NEXT YEAR (MAYBE): Student in grades 5 & 8 will need to pass STAAR in order to be promoted to the next grade. In high school, students will take three STAAR End-of-Course exams in each subject area of English, Math, Science and Social Studies. The tests will count as 15% of their course grade (as far as the state has said so far) and students will need to have a passing average in each subject area in order to get their diploma.

Read more from Dallas Morning News  article, Few Texas students will fail new STAAR test this year

The post What is the STAAR Test? appeared first on DFW Mama.

For some seniors, this testing session is their last chance to pass and walk the stage at graduation with their class. For other students, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills is just what it was meant to be: a test of whether they learned the basic skills they should have during high school.  For many teachers, this is the culmination of an entire year of teaching, drilling, entertaining, and anything else they can think of to get the attention of their students. For everyone, it  is a long, stressful week with a lot of extra security in the testing rooms and a disrupted  schedule at school.

Parents, here are some tips for you if your child is testing this week:

• Do make sure they eat a healthy supper, go to bed at a decent time, and eat a good breakfast before they go to school.
• Do talk to your child about turning in their phones, ipods, DS, and all other electronic equipment in their testing room.
• Do ask to see any review materials and quiz your student about the upcoming tests.
• Do plan on some kind of physical activity after a day of testing. It is hard to sit still in a desk that long!

But…

• Don’t add to your child’s stress by making them study long hours–we have done that for months at school!
• And don’t set up appointments that require you take your student out of school early during testing, they don’t need the pressure to finish early and their classmates don’t need the disruption of someone coming to get your child.

This post isn’t about whether the testing is right or wrong, or whether the test itself–which will only affect this years juniors and sophomores before being replaced by STAAR–really does test all the knowledge and skills students need to have.  TAKS is what exists for the classes of 2012 and 2013, and it is what our students will be taking.  The testing going on next week  is stressful for those testing, monitoring, and administering the tests. So if you know any students or teachers who are testing that week, take a moment to wish them luck and hope for the best.

The post TAKS is coming appeared first on DFW Mama.

Bring on the students!

The first week of school is difficult for students, and for their parents. We have all been there, and some of us experienced that anxiety for the first time this year. What you may not realize it that the beginning of the year is also difficult for your child’s teacher. This is an inside scoop from a teacher with twelve years of experience.

To begin with, many teachers are also parents and going through the same first week jitters with our kids that you are with yours. But many of us cannot be there for our child’s first day because we are with our students, your child.

Secondly, many teachers have just finished a week of meetings, trainings, and new information that we call in-service. Give us a few days to adjust to the new policies and routines before asking us for full explanations. And at least for those of us in Texas, keep in mind that the state rolled out budget cuts and new teaching standards the same year! Yikes! As one person put it, we are being asked to do more with less.

Finally, give us time to get to know your child. We believe you that he or she is bright and beautiful and a joy to be around…most of the time (I told you we are parents too!). Try to remember that your child needs to get to know us too, give us that time as well before complaining or asking us to change anything in our classrooms.

The old saying “those who can, do; those who can’t teach” is wrong. All of the teachers I know choose to teach and love to teach, and are excited about another year of school…as excited as kids on the first day of school!

Ready for the first day of school!

The post From a Teacher to the Parents appeared first on DFW Mama.

This is my child

Dear Teacher, This is my child. He is my rambunctious one, quick to move around and with the short attention span of most 4 year olds. He is the child most likely to give spontaneous affection, and to need to reassure himself of who is around him–especially the location of his sister if she is in the same room. He is very curious and will ask you many questions, be patient and realize that his world is formed from these questions. Don’t be surprised if his toys reflect whatever subject you have learned about. His imagination does not know the boundaries of our adult world.  And when he is at his worst–tired, hungry, or pitching a tantrum–that is when he needs a hug most of all.

This is my child

Dear Teacher, this is my child. She is my child who knows no boundaries, and is as likely to play princess as she is to play pirate–or both at the same time. She is eager to try anything new, and looks upon learning as a challenge. She is very attentive to activities and stories, but has high expectations for herself. She gets upset when she messes up or gets something wrong. She does best in an environment where she has a strong bond with her teacher. Don’t be surprised if she tries to sit in your lap when the whole group is on the floor.

This is my child

Dear Teacher, this is my child. He is so smart that it is easy to forget the child inside. He is a great helper with kids younger, smaller, or not as quick as he is at a lesson, but he gets easily bored when something is too easy for him. He loves to learn, and is interested in so many things. He may be the student who always yells out the answers…be patient. He is so eager to please but not always fully in control of his actions. When he gets frustrated with an assignment and wants to quit, that is when his own lack of confidence shows. Encourage him, in spite of the fact that he may not seem to need it. Don’t be afraid to challenge him, he may struggle but he will rise to meet it.

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