At last night’s Highland Park ISD board of trustees meeting, Superintendent Dawson Orr addressed concerns about the scheduled Highland Park High School gym remodel.

“The scenario we were dealing with is how do we accommodate all of the program needs at the same time you’re taking major space out,” Orr said.

Before any real work can be done, asbestos has to be removed, and that can take several weeks. Before that can happen, the district needs the facility for AP testing. According to Orr’s figures, around 50 percent of HPHS students take AP tests, something that is a great source of pride ...read more

The University Park Elementary School portables were being dismantled over the weekend and the complex construction holding the structures in place was uncovered- a few bricks and a prayer.

So today in the carpool lane this sticker caused a problem: DallasBraziliansda.org. One of my kids asked what it meant. Without a second thought I explained that it’s advertising a waxing service. That didn’t sound right to my daughter. She challenged the meaning.

OK, so I was wrong. And I feel a little shallow. But wouldn’t you immediately think hair removal? Anyway, consider this a public service announcement and look super smart if your children quiz you one day soon.

Rumor has it that there will be no pep rallies before football games at HPHS next fall because the gym in which these rallies of pep take place will be under renovation.

Does anyone out there have any more information on this?

The lovely lady pictured here is Carmen Hammonds, an administrative assistant at St. Mark’s. She was one of the contestants in Saturday’s “Dancing With The St. Mark’s Stars” fundraiser, and her performance prompted a judge to say, “No wonder all these boys like coming to this school.” Read more (and ogle more) in this week’s Park Cities People.

A voting Overheardian wonders about the security today:

Did you vote today?  At the middle school?  We walked in a side door, where a very nice woman with a “substitute teacher” badge on directed us … “down that hall take a left, then a left, then a right, then a right, then another right.  So off we went traipsing through MIS.  Absolutely no security.

UPDATE: I just received a message from Helen Williams and Richard Bohac. Bohac said he has 3 subs on various doors, a highly visible DARE officer and teachers on high alert. I’m not sure if it’s his voice ...read more

I’ve had several inquiries in the past about clergy visiting HPISD campuses. But this week I’ve had 3, specifically about local church leaders visiting students at McCulloch for lunch.

The surprising thing about the inquiries this week is that the parents aren’t flipping out about the religion thing, they just wonder how, in 2010, this is even possible. Like these 3 parents, I have no issue with the visits- I even like it- but, well, I don’t even know why it’s shocking, it just is.

So I chatted with principal Laurie Norton and HPISD communications guru Helen Williams- here’s the scoop. Clergy are treated like regular ...read more

Hockaday sent word yesterday that Headmistress Jeanne Whitman will step down effective June 2011. The board of trustees is busy forming a search committee, which will be headed by alumna Talley Dunn, who owns Dunn and Brown Contemporary and chairs the board’s finance committee.

“I love this job, especially the daily lessons and wisdom that I gain from our girls,” Whitman said.  ”I also know that this is the right time to plan for a transition.  We have accomplished much together; I can’t wait to watch and, hopefully participate in, the next generation of the Hockaday legacy.”

An Overheardian just sent this snippet from the Hyer Enews. And she wants to know, since when did we do this in HPISD? Aren’t we all about starting kindergarten at something like, age 9.5?

From the Hyer Enews:

Counselor’s News

Acceleration (skipping a grade) testing will be on the following dates: March 27th (Deadline for enrolling is February 27th) June 9-10 (Deadline for enrolling is May 8th) August 10-11 (Deadline for enrolling is June 11th) Contact Nancy Theriot for the necessary forms     Questions about Acceleration?  Contact Nancy Theriot at 214-780-3340

My elementary school held bake sales and cakewalks to raise cash. Hyer — ye place of dancing moms and coordinated skits — books Jerry Jeff Walker.  Seriously. The country star is slated as musical guest for the school’s March 5 auction at Eddie Deen’s Ranch.

All are welcome, says publicity chair Kirsten Alessio, who tells me the event is also “a birthday party” of sorts, as Hyer turns 60 this year.  Mr. Walker, for the record, is 67.

The big to-do starts at 6 p.m. on March 5; ...read more