Hexter Hawks March 2025 Newsletter

Message from the President

Happy March, Hexter Hawks!

After a long January, February flew by with a flurry of activity! A special 'thank you' to Susan Morales, our Silent Auction Chair, and her committee for a spectacular evening of fun and bidding. Your hard work truly paid off because it was a night to remember!

We are in the home stretch in planning for the White Rock Home Tour! All of our homes have been secured, so please keep an eye on our social channels for those special announcements and unveiling!

Another special ask of our Hexter families- if you or anyone else feels called to lead next year, our Nominating Committee is on the search for uniquely qualified and willing volunteers to fill our Executive Board. Be on the lookout for communication from them in the coming weeks!

Positions up for election this year are: President, Treasurer, VP Membership, VP Programs, and more.

As always, if you have any comments, suggestions, nominations for Volunteer of the Month, give us a shout!

Elizabeth DuFlo

Hexter PTA President, 2024-2025

hexterhawkpta@gmail.com

Become a Member of Hexter PTA Today!

Hexter PTA goes to Austin | Texas' 89th Legislative Session

This past Wednesday, February 26th, Meggie Orgain, our Spirit Wear Chair and 3^rd grade mom, and I had the opportunity to travel to Austin with Dallas ISD leadership for the day to meet with some local representatives and Senator’s offices to discuss Dallas ISD’s legislative priorities.

It was a unique opportunity to not only get a look behind the curtain on how our legislative session operates, but an important chance to use our voices as your PTA leaders to advocate for our kids and public education.

If you have not already, I highly encourage you to familiarize yourselves with HB 2 and HB 3, the educational funding, and educational savings account (voucher) program, as they will both have a significant impact on Dallas ISD, specifically the funding that we receive from the State, and the funding of private educational institutions. As a District, we are asking for the same standards and accountabilities for these private institutions if they are to receive public funding as our public schools- which continue to be severely underfunded. Both of these bills will be presented for public testimony on March 6^th (HB 2- funding) and March 11^th (HB 3- vouchers).

I encourage those who support Dallas ISD’s legislative priorities to reach out to our local leaders and give personal accounts ahead of the above public testimony hearings- tell them how public education has affected your families, how it has supported your child in special education, or examples of how under funding has affected our campus and beyond.

If you would like to track these bills and others as they pass through the House, the Dallas ISD Office of Intergovernmental Relations has created this site to follow along.

Thank you to Jon Dahlander of Dallas ISD, head of intergovernmental relations, for inviting and organizing our trip to Austin, and thank you to the Dallas Education Foundation for sponsoring and providing our transportation.

If you have any questions or want to hear anything more, I encourage you to reach out to me at hexterhawkpta@gmail.com to learn more about what you can do. It is my honor to continue to lead our PTA and represent our kids and school in Austin and beyond!

Elizabeth DuFlo, PTA President

#fundschoolsfirst #voiceforeverychild #TexasPTA #togetherwecan

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

URGENT: Hexter is participating in Read Across America on March 4th at 9 AM and we still need volunteers to come in and read to our Hexter classes. If interested, please reach out via email to volunteerhexter@gmail.com and note the grade level you would like to read to (Pre-K to 2nd, FLS or 3rd - 5th grade) or sign up here.

Hawks have TALENT! We are looking for a Hexter parent to help Kelly Schaaf coordinate the talent show. Tryouts are scheduled to be held on 3/27, with the talent show to follow on 4/11. Kelly will need help coordinating the tryouts, finding a DJ, collecting the music, running the talent show, etc. If interested, please reach out via email to volunteerhexter@gmail.com.

Volunteer of the Month

Our volunteer of the month is Tanya Valenciana. Tanya is unwavering in her support of Hexter. Here are a few words from Tanya:

"Growing up my mother volunteered regularly at my Elementary School. I knew that I wanted to be involved in my son's school whenever I could. I love being a part of the Hexter community that values education and supports its students. Seeing the impact, even in small ways, makes it all worth it. The Hexter students, teachers, and fellow volunteers make it an enjoyable and rewarding experience. There's a real sense of appreciation and teamwork at Hexter. Volunteering in any way makes a lasting impression. Go Hawks!"

Big shout out to all our volunteers that had a part in making our Hexter Goes Hollywood auction a success.

Here are just a few of the volunteers that help at the event: Jessica Stewart Lendvay / Joanna Cattanach / Mary Thompson / Tara Diaz de Leon / Sarah Denton / Susie Burkybile / Katelyn Green / Corey Green / Travis Burkybile / Melody Smith / Elizabeth DuFlo / Morgan Granfield / Blake & Rebecca Pearce / Jessica & Matt Abbondanzio. Thank you all!

See pictures of the event here. Code: Hollywood.

Hexter's Got Talent!

Talent Show auditions will take place on Thursday, March 27 during the school day. A permission slip will be sent out for signups. All acts must be under 3 mins and school-appropriate! Students must be show-ready with their act at auditions to be selected to participate in the talent show.

The talent show will take place on Friday, April 11 at 6:30 at Hexter! Any questions can be directed to kschaaf@dallasisd.org

Spotlight on WRHT

The White Rock Home Tour was conceived in 2006 by a group of dedicated parents, who ingeniously merged their love of Mid-Century Modern architecture with their passion for uplifting their neighborhood school, Hexter Elementary, in Old Lake Highlands. The tour honors the untold stories of two visionary Dallas architects from the 1950s. Their innovative mid-century modern designs have left an indelible mark on the northeast side of White Rock Lake. This tour brings together a wonderful community of design enthusiasts who appreciate the beauty of our neighborhood and support the thriving schools that enrich it.

This year, we are showcasing six remarkable homes, each offering a unique glimpse into the magnificent world of mid-century and modern architecture. Notably, we are excited to feature a Ju-Nel home, a staple of architectural elegance on this year's tour.

As for how the Hexter Hawks can contribute to the success of this cherished event, there are several ways to get involved:

Volunteer as a Docent: Join us in guiding visitors through the homes. It's a delightful experience, and you'll receive a complimentary tour ticket. Ask your Room Reps how to get involved today!
Become a Sponsor: With sponsorships starting at just $250, this is a wonderful opportunity to support a great cause alongside friends and family. Contact us via our website wrhometour.com for more information on sponsorship opportunities!
Purchase Tickets and Attend: Enjoy the tour and see firsthand the stunning homes on display. Purchase your tickets online today at wrhometour.com
Spread the Word: Like and follow the White Rock Home Tour on Facebook and Instagram. Sharing our posts helps us reach a wider audience.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the White Rock Home Tour is the way it unites people from Dallas-Fort Worth and beyond. It’s a celebration of unique architecture that not only delights the senses but also supports the deserving students and teachers at Hexter Elementary.

Hey Hawks! We only have a few months left of the school year which means Teacher Appreciation week is just around the corner and we need a small team to help pull this off. Please reach out to Hexterhawkptahospitality@gmail.com if interested in helping (before and during the week of May 5th). Double bonus if you have local connections that would fit right into spoiling the staff.

We also want to thank everyone who has donated snacks to the Lounge. Y'all are amazing! They just keep coming! Thank You!

Spirit Wear Updates

Order your Hexter spirit wear now! The presale ends 3/2 for ALL spirit shirts. As we prepare to say goodbye to our old school building, this is your last chance to order one of our building design shirts from last year to preserve the memory forever. All orders will be distributed after Spring Break (details to follow).

Order spirit wear here