Eta Zeta Press

Texas State Organization Five Star Award Newsletter

The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International
Eta Zeta, Chapter 174, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas DKG Vision Statement:
Texas State Organization, Area 9 Leading Women Educators, Impacting Education Worldwide

Volume 54, Issue 5 The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International promotes
April/May 2017 professional and personal growth of women educators and
excellence in education.

Lisa Bagley, Editor lisa@bagleyworks.com

Marys Musings
Easter Blessings! Date: May 15, 2017

Fourteen Eta Zeta mem- Time: 5:00 pm to eat and socialize

6:00 pm meeting start
bers gathered at On the Border on
March 27 for fellowship and food. Location: Chubbys Family Restaurant
3130 Knox St.
Thank you Leigh Taylor for wel- 11311 E. Northwest Hwy, 105F
coming members as our hostess. (214) 348-6065

Thank you Corresponding Secretary

Lisa Bagley for the great newsletter for February/
March and for reading the thank you note written by
Kendall Hasse. During the meeting we voted to ap- President: Mary Bixler
prove the reinstatement of Barbara Miranda as an First Vice President: Mary Claire Welch
active member. Thank you Achievement Award Com-
Second Vice President: Diana Gonzalez
mittee Chair Bradley Sue Howell for conducting
Recording Secretary: Seretha Merchant
the selection process for the Chapter Achievement
Corresponding Secretary: Lisa Bagley
Award recipient. We will find out in May who that
Treasurer: Sandra McMillen
achieving member is. Thank you Courtesy Committee
Chair Joanne Szalay for helping us recognize mem- Parliamentarian: Evelyn Hamilton
bers birthdays, anniversaries, and life events. Thank Immediate Past President: Sandra Foster Brown
you Music Committee member Sandra McMillen Webmaster: Leigh Taylor
for directing the musical portion of the meeting.
Cheryl Williams from Buckner Family Hope
Center at Wynnewood was our guest for dinner and Eta Zeta Press wants to know.we are looking forward to
our March chapter meeting speaker. She is a delightful hearing from you!

and dynamic woman! Thank you 1st Vice President Contact: Lisa Bagley
Corresponding Secretary
Mary Claire Welch for introducing Cheryl Wil-
By Mail: 8406 Baumgarten Drive
liams, for facilitating the program, and for submitting Dallas, Texas 75228
the Annie Award application by April 1--even in the By Email: lisa@bagleyworks.com
midst of your sons wedding preparations! Thank you By Phone: (214) 770-2551

Norma Matthews for helping to facilitate the pro- Please take photos of your summer DKG happenings for the
August/September 2017 newsletter!
gram. Buckner Center speaker
Continued on page 2...

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Cheryl Williams inspired us with
A message from your
Continued from page 1...

her stories about helping others change their lives. She

explained some ways that we may participate in the Buck- Area 9 Coordinator...
ner Centers efforts to improve the lives of others. One
project that we would like to do right away is provide
shoes for children 7 to 12 years of age, who attend the
after-school program. We can deliver them after the May
meeting, so please bring a pair with you to the May 15th
Eta Zeta Birthday and Founders Day Celebration.
The May meeting will be at Chubbys Family Res-
taurant. We will have a special guest, Eta Zeta Charter
member Shirley Kochman, who will share her recol-
lections of the beginning of our chapter. I look forward to
seeing each of you in May for our birthday and Founders When was the first time you heard the saying April
Day celebration! Showers Bring May Flowers? I remember hearing it
as a little girl. Its amazing how phrases like that will
Yours in sisterhood stick with you forever! Just like the phrases we have
in DKG...
Mary Bixler
Mary Bixler Women teachers to the calling
President, Eta Zeta
Staunch courageous we

Forward moving ever

Leading Women Educators, Impacting Education

Worldwide
Eta Zeta Birthday Wishes
Great phrases on which to continue to build our socie-
May ty! I am so glad you are leading your chapters in such
a great way. I have really enjoyed getting to know
Jane Walker May 2 your chapters over the last two years. Continue on in
Lisa Bagley May 3 the way you have led!
Selma Hughes May 3
Remember these upcoming dates:
June
May 1: P.A.C.E. award application due
Carolyn Lipton June 9 May 6: Collin Country Coordinating Council luncheon
Diana Gonzalez June 11 June 22-25: State Convention in Houston
Olga Math June 20 July 4-7: Southwest Regional Conference
Mary Florence June 25
You are all terrific and I hope you have a beautiful
April!
July
Tobizena Williams July 1 Until Next Time,
Ida Durham July 4 Cathy
Bradley Sue Howell July 15 Cathy Criner
Debbie Duke July 22 Area 9 Coordinator
Mary Bixler July 23

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Eta Zeta Spotlight on
Member
Tabitha Pruitt
By Lisa Bagley

Eta Zeta member

Tabitha Pruitt is our Spotlight focus
for this newsletter edition! Tabitha was
inducted into our chapter in 2015, and
has been an active member since that
time. Tabitha entered the education
profession in 2009 with a specialization
in math and science education for grades 4-8. Her first three
years of teaching were spent at Trinity Basin Preparatory
Academy, a public charter school. After her time at Trinity Eta Zeta members, standing, left to right: Mary Claire
Basin, she transferred briefly to E.D. Walker middle school in Welch, Lisa Bagley, Joanne Szalay, Yvonne Manuel, Norma
Matthews, Tabitha Pruitt, Margo Baines, Mary Bixler, Leigh
Dallas ISD, and following that, spent the next three years at Taylor, Bradley Sue Howell and Jane Walker. Seated, left to
Harry Stone Montessori magnet, also in Dallas ISD. In 2017, right: Seretha Merchant, Sandra McMillan, Evelyn Hamil-
ton and Sandra Foster Brown.
she transferred to Blackburn Elementary in Forney ISD to
teach 4th grade science.

Tabitha views herself as an educational facilitator who seeks

to help students take charge of their own learning. She says
CCDC Chairman Deborah
Kids today know what theyre interested inits my job to Thomas provides the Welcome
help them figure out the best way to learn about their inter- and Introduction.
ests. One of her favorite things about acting as a facilitator,
she says, is that she gets to witness students excitement
when they experience hands-on learning that theyve created
themselvesthe students really own their experiences!

Tabitha lives in Seagoville with her husband Ronnie (who is

also a DISD educator) and her two children, Julian, aged 9 and
Vivian, aged 4. In addition to holding DKG membership, Tabi-
tha was recently inducted into the National Society of Leader-
ship and Success through Texas A&M Commerce, where she is
attending classes to earn her Masters degree in Organization,
Learning and Technology. The Pruitt family enjoys hiking at
Cedar Ridge Preserve, completing 5K fun runs together and Eta Zeta Chapter President Mary
Bixler during the Presidents Proces-
taking family bike rides.
sional (with 1st Vice President Mary
Claire Welch in the background).
Tabitha has greatly enjoyed her two years as an Eta Zeta
member, saying Its so wonderful to meet new people and to
be inspired by these amazing women. This year, she has
served on the Scholarship Committee and found the experi-
ence very rewarding. Thank you, Tabitha, for being an ac- Evelyn Hamilton and Sandra
Foster Brown perform
tive part of what makes our chapter so special! Heres 2 U, Sisters, a med-
ley of sisterhood songs

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 Eta Zeta News at a Glance
State Convention will be held in Houston at the Wes-
Mary Claire Welch introduces
featured speaker Marilyn Greg- tin Galleria June 22-25th. Find the registration form
ory, TSO President. online at http://dkgtexasconvention.weebly.com/
registrationforms.html
There is a $100 scholarship available for EZ members
who are attending State Convention for the first time.
If you will attend the TSO Convention for the first
time, please speak to President Mary Bixler!
TSO President Marilyn Gregory
speaking on Im Not Fool- Southwest Regional Conference will be held in Hono-
ing...Members Are The Heart!
lulu, Hawaii July 4-7th. Find the registration form
online at http://www.dkg.org/DKGMember/
Events/2017_Regional_Conferences/
Southwest_Regional_Conference_Hawaii.aspx
Dont forget to update/complete your My Profile
online at the DKG website! You will need your mem-
Michelle Goldsack (right) re-
ceives the Friend of Education ber ID to do so.
Award from TSO 1st Vice Presi-
dent Patty Belknap. The Cornetet Award to Participate in Professional
Development (a non-DKG scholarship) deadline is
May 1. Find the application at the DKG.org website
under Forms. You will need to log in to access the
application form.
A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU to 1st Vice President
Area 9 Membership Chair Mary Claire Welch for getting our chapter by-
Michelle Grandinetti receives
recognition for her 25 years of laws in order! Your EZ sisters really appreciate all
service to DKG.
your hard work, Mary Claire! Check out our certifi-
cate below.

4
 Buckner Family Hope Class with Carol Ladd, Nurturing Parent, Jobs for Life,
and Feed Your Potential.
Center at Wynnewood The Buckner Family Hope Center at Wynne-
wood is a vibrant community outreach. Cheryl Williams
encouraged our chapter to become involved in helping
at whatever level we wish. Tutoring in the after school
program or helping with gifts or supplies for the family
events are two possibilities. Immediately, our chapter
can contribute shoes for children 7 to 12 years of age.
By Mary Bixler Shoes are a useful item for children, who grow quickly.
Cheryl Williams, Director of the Buckner Family
Hope Center at Wynnewood, spoke to Eta Zeta Chapter
about the Centers mission to help people transform
their lives. The main mission of the center is to protect
children and strengthen the families it serves. The Cen-
ter helps give hope to families by walking with people
through life. The Center offers a service to the commu-
nity, a way of providing encouragement and support to
help each individual meet his or her potential. The Cen-
ter recently began to offer an after-school program for 7
to 12 year old children. This program allows the Center
to know more of their clients problems, to see them in a Director of the Buckner Family Hope Center at Wynnewood
Cheryl Williams, Eta Zeta President Mary Bixler and 1st
fuller picture. Vice President Mary Claire Welch at the March chapter
The Center offers many classes for adults, such meeting.

as GED, ESL, college, and certification classes. The Center

provides a Food Pantry to help with end of the month
April-May Inspiration
needs. The Center works with employers to give a liva-
ble wage to the employees that the Center has trained. "Teaching is the greatest act of
The Center gives financial education to help their clients optimism
plan for the inevitable emergencies. The Center pro- ~~Colleen Wilcox
vides first time visitors with a gift bag filled with useful
items. The Center plans a brunch for Mothers Day that
includes gifts, a Family Festival around Fathers Day, Va-
cation Bible School for children in the summer, and a
Back-to-School Bash with supplies in August. All of the
Centers programs aim to enlist the involvement of the
clients so that there will be a permanent change in their
lives. They try to avoid toxic charitythe giving of
money without effecting change. Family Coaches work
with individuals and families to assess strengths and op- DKG International Projects
portunities and to set goals for life. Other programs that Schools for Africa
are offered or are in the planning stages include Foster https://www.dkg.org/content/schools-africa-flyer-0
Care/Adoption, Next Step for 18-24 year-olds, Family S.E.E. (Support for Early Career Educators)
Pathways, iStation Classes for reading help, Leadership https://www.dkg.org/content/see-volunteer-hours

5
 Chapter Local Project
Community Partners of Dallas Rainbow Room
August 29
St. Luke Community United Methodist Church
1215 Skiles St., Dallas, TX 75204 5710 E. R. L. Thornton Freeway, Dallas, TX 75223
(214) 624-7557 phone Program: Salad Supper, 6:00 pm
(214) 624-7667 fax
www.cpdtx.org September 26
Chubbys Family Restaurant
11331 E. Northwest Highway #105f, Dallas, TX 75238
Program: Legislative Educational Update, featuring Clifford
The Community Partners of Dallas Rainbow Room is our Sparks, Jr., Budget Director for State Senator Royce West, Dis-
Chapter Local Project. Below is a wish list of items they need trict 23
on an ongoing basis. Please donate if you can!
October 24
Rainbow Room Needs:
On the Border Restaurant
Clothing2T-5T toddler clothing for boys and girls 3130 Knox Street, Dallas, TX 75205
Program: League of Women Voters, What We Do to Educate
UndergarmentsInfant socks and toddler socks Voters, featuring: President Elect- Cecelia McKay, Dallas Chap-
ter
ShoesSize 7, 8, 9 and 10 tennis shoes for boys and girls
November 28
Chubbys Family Restaurant
FormulaBasic formulas including Similac Advance
11331 E. Northwest Highway #105f, Dallas, TX 75238
Program: Expanding our Eta Zeta Bouquet: Initiation of New
DiapersDiapers in sizes preemie, newborn, 1, 5 and 6, boys
Members
and girls pullups, wipes
January 23
Hygiene itemsAfrican American hair products On the Border Restaurant
3130 Knox Street, Dallas, TX 75205
Household cleaning suppliesClothing detergent, Windex, Program: DKG Scholarship Opportunities: They Worked for
paper towels, dish soap, floor soap Me! , featuring Kendall Hasse, former Eta Zeta member and
multiple scholarship recipient
BooksBaby board books
February 27
Chubbys Family Restaurant
ToysNew, unwrapped toys for boys and girls ages 10-18 for
11331 E. Northwest Highway #105f, Dallas, TX 75238
birthday gifts (Lego's, scrapbooking materials, craft kits, sports
Program: WiNGS: Women in Need of Generous Support Fi-
balls, etc.)
nancial Empowerment Program, featuring Sommer Neff, Direc-
tor of Special Initiatives
Child Proofing SuppliesOutlet covers, cabinet locks, baby
gates March 27
On the Border Restaurant
Baby ItemsBaby wash, baby lotion, bottles, pacifiers, receiv- 3130 Knox Street, Dallas, TX 75205
ing blankets, diaper rash cream Program:How We Service Families/Community in Our 160 Unit
Complex, featuring Spencer Watkins, Buckner Hope Family
DKGNext! 2016-2018 Hope Center at Wynnewood
Looking for a few good womenfrom many April 1, 2017
Would you like to spend an expense-free weekend at DKG Spring Luncheon of Coordinating Council of Dallas County
Headquarters discussing the future of the Society? Lakewood Country Club, 10:00 am
6430 Gaston Avenue, Dallas, TX 75214
DKGNext 2016 2018 will involve a diverse mix of up to
10 members in a weekend Think Tank event in Austin Sep- May 15
tember 29-30, 2017. The Think Tank will be comprised of Chubbys Family Restaurant
interested members who may or may not have been identi- 11331 E. Northwest Highway #105f, Dallas, TX 75238
fied as DKG leaders and who represent multiple populations
Program: Founders Day Celebration and Eta Zetas Chapter
of DKG members. The discussion will be an examination of
Birthday. Guest Speaker Shirley Kochman, Charter Member of
DKG and how its present status affects its future status. We
want YOU to be heard! If interested, please complete the Eta Zeta Chapter
application on the next page and submit by August 11, **unless otherwise noted, all Chapter meetings begin at 6:00 pm, with mem-
2017. ber Eat and Socialize beginning at 5:00 pm**

6
 DKGNext! 2016-2018
Looking for a few good womenfrom many

Would you like to spend an expense-free weekend at DKG headquarters discussing the future of the Society? Then complete this
application to be selected to represent a particular DKG population.

DKGNext 2016-2018 will involve a diverse mix of up to ten (10) members in a weekend Think Tank event in Austin, September
29-30, 2017.

The DKGNext Think Tank will be comprised of interested members who may or may not have been identified as DKG leaders
and who represent multiple populations of DKG members. The information requested is designed to ensure diversity among those
selected.

The discussion will be an examination of DKG and how its present status affects its future status. We want YOU to be heard.

Check all that apply:

New to DKG8 or fewer years

Not so new to DKGmore than 8 years

Even more not so new to DKG20+ years

Age 39 or less

Age 40+

Name: State Organization:

(Geographic)

Chapter: Date of Initiation: Region:

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Mailing Address:
(Street/P.O. Box, City, State/Province, postal code)

Preferred Phone #: E-mail Address:

Career area:

Grades PK-5

Grades 6-8

Grades 9-12

College

Non-academic (trainer, honorary member, etc.)

Do you visualize yourself as a long-time DKG member and why or why not?

Send your completed form no later than August 11, 2017, as an e-mail attachment to societyexec@dkg.org.

7
 Eta Zeta Chapter Meeting March 27, 2017

Location: On The Border Mexican Restaurant, 3130 Knox St., Dallas, TX 75205

The meeting began with our guest speaker, Cheryl Williams, Director of Buckner Family Hope
Center at Wynnewood, informing of the many duties and activities available because it being
a child-centered, family focused place where families can go for hope, support, and empow-
erment to reach individual potentials. The main goal of the organization is to protect chil-
dren and strengthen the families they serve.

The organization provides: parenting skills, communication skills, mentorships helping to

move families from crisis to stability by meeting basic needs. Education is provided through
after school programs, GED/ESL/Vocational training, Jobs for Life Program, Next Step Pro-
gram for individuals 18-24 years. Afterwards, Family Coaches work with individuals or fami-
lies to assess strengths and opportunities and develop goals for life, financial management
and independence.

After this presentation, the meeting was called to order by President Mary Bixler. Approval
of previous minutes; newsletter/correspondence information by Lisa Bagley, Corresponding
Secretary. Treasurers Report by Sandra McMillen Ending checking account balance-
$4114.02 and savings account balance-$1204.92

Achievement Award recipient was nominated by filling out slip of paper and returning to
Bradley Sue Howell. Program/Service Project information presented by Mary Claire Welch
Shoe Drive for Buckner Hope Center (ages 7-12 years), Project S.E.E.

Courtesy Committee Chairperson, Joanne Szalay, informed of birthdays and anniversary

dates and singing of the celebration song.

ANNOUNCEMENTS and ADJOURNMENT at 8:00 pm with the singing The Delta Kappa Gamma
Song.

Submitted by: Seretha Merchant, Recording Secretary

8
 Acknowledgments

April Showers Bring May Flowers image on Page 2:

http://quotesgram.com/april-showers-quotes/

Bucker Hope Center Logo on Page 5:

http://www.buckner.org/

Optimism smiley face on Page 5:

http://www.mentalhealthy.co.uk/news/996-optimism-can-be-helpful-to-mental-health.html

All photographs used in this edition courtesy of Lisa Bagley, Corresponding Secretary

**Any clip art used in this newsletter but not attributed here can be found within the clip art libraries of Microsoft Word 2010
and/or Microsoft Publisher 2016.**

**Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube logos copyright of their respective entities. Each used with-
in fair use guidelines for brand assets.**

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