An Elegant Evening to Kick-off Valentine’s Day Week

W Hotel Dallas Victory
2440 Victory Park Lane, Dallas 75219; (214) 397-4100
Monday, February 8, 2010
6:00-8:30 p.m.

A Chance to Win A Valentine Gift
For Her: Roses & Chocolate
For Him: Dallas Mavericks tickets
For Them: A Night at the "W"

RSVP by February 5, 2010 to lewblack@swbell.net; 214-232-6380

Campaign Donations Accepted

In case of a schedule conflict, send donations to:
Lew Blackburn Campaign
P.O. Box 398166
Dallas, TX 75399-1866

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. told of a dream of hope, desire, and aspiration. Some say his dream has been realized, with the expanded social opportunities for people of color, and especially with the election of President Barack Obama, an African American.

But what are dreams? Are they illusions of grandeur, with no chance for reality? Or, can we imagine the possibilities of dreams coming true? More than 40 years after Dr. King's speech, his dream has been realized even more so than ever. We can!

Happy Holidays!!!

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. As a child, I looked forward to the gifts that Santa Claus would bring, separate from the gifts I expected from my parents. During my teenage years, I began to think about gifts I would give to others. As a parent, I became the giver of gifts for my children. And now, I am a grandparent, reliving the joys of children’s laughter at the thought of Christmas gifts. It is one of my greatest gifts of all. But, there is still a greater gift.

Yesterday, Dallas ISD held run-off elections for school board trustee positions in District 3 and District 9. During the special elections November 3, neither candidate received a majority of the votes. In District 3, Bruce Parrott is the declared winner with 54.33% of the votes. Bernadette Nutall has been declared the winner in the District 9 race after getting 66.28% of the votes. Edwin Flores was declared the winner in the District 1 race without a run-off, after garnering 51.41% of the votes.

In the United States, since the autumn of 1621 when the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag celebrated the colony's first successful harvest at the Plymouth Plantation, we have taken time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude on the fourth Thursday of November, which is also American Indian Heritage Month. Thus, the Thanksgiving holiday.

Thanksgiving is usually a gathering of family and friends. It may also be a time to give thanks for our schools, and those responsible for educating our students.

Parents give thanks for respectful, caring, and well-mannered children.

The 2008 bond program is underway. In the first phase, three schools are of interest to constituents in the Wilmer-Hutchins area; the high school, middle school, elementary school, and the sports stadium.

The Wilmer-Hutchins High School will receive renovations totaling more than $20 million. The Kennedy-Curry Middle School will receive a drastic make-over, also totaling more than $20 million. The new Wilmer-Hutchins Elementary School will be built at a cost of about $14 million. Additionally, the Wilmer-Hutchins Sports stadium will receive a $1.7 million renovation.

In 1993, the Texas Legislature enacted statutes that mandated the creation of the Texas public school accountability system to rate school districts and evaluate campuses. A viable and effective accountability system was able to be developed in Texas because the state already had the necessary supporting infrastructure in place: a pre-existing student-level data collection system; a state-mandated curriculum; and a statewide assessment tied to the curriculum.

It's June and school is finally out. Students have responded well to the many TAKS tests. Teachers have endured not one, not two, but three instances of anxiety about their job. Principals have been nervous all year about the AEIS rating their school will receive from TEA. Parents have had to endure it all.

There were several TAKS dates this past year. As such, it appeared students were taking a test every month. Many times, it was only a benchmark or an assessment of students' grasp of TAKS objectives. But still, TAKS was always on their mind.

Often, I ask constituents to advise me on issues affecting Dallas ISD.  Many times, the advice I receive shapes my views on issues coming before the Board of Trustees.  I appreciate their involvement.