lambda sigma news may11

8/6/2019 Lambda Sigma News May11

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LAMBDA SIGMA NEWS

The Delta Kappa Gamma Society InternationalTexas State Organization Lambda Sigma Chapter

Missouri City, Texas

Volume 29, Number 7 May, 2011Area IV, Number 282

President: Cathie Ritchie Editor: Barb [email protected] [email protected]

President's Message

Dear Lambda Sigma Sisters,

This has been quite a memorable retirement year for me: my son married a gal I adore, I haveenjoyed teaching ESL again at a wonderful school, and I have had the honor of serving as your presidentof this fabulous Lambda Sigma Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma. To top it off, I am getting an incentive($) for retiring! I cant think of a better way to end my 38 years of teaching.

The officers and committee chairs have been a delight. Everyone has eagerly contributed hertime and talents to ensure that all our commitments, projects, programs, reports, and fun activities havebeen successful. With this directory of dedicated members, I know we will have another enjoyable andproductive year in the 11-12 school year.

Everyone who attended our Bunco/potato martini evening in April at Mary Ann Dolezals homedeclared it 100% fun! We may have to add this event with our progressive dinner as an annual must. Agood time was definitely had by all! We even managed to have a short business meeting during ourrevelries.

The Cinderella/Cinderfella Project thanks you all for making this years prom become a dreamcome true for many of our Ft. Bend students. Your donations of dresses, jewelry, shoes, purses,tuxedos, etc. thrilled them. Our chapter also donated a disposable camera for each recipient so theymight remember this special night forever. We also provided art materials and books for the JuvenileDetention Center. We should all give ourselves a pat on our backs for our caring spirit and generosity.

I hope all of you have Saturday, May 21, 10:00 a.m., on your calendar for our salad luncheon andFounders Day. We will recognize our grant winner and greet our prospective members. This is alwaysone of our most delightful and delicious meetings. In this Newsletter I have urged you to bring items forTexas Treasure Boxes to be given to chronically-ill children from Delta Kappa Gamma at our 82nd StateConvention in McAllen. This is our state Unifying Project. Please bring your item/s to our luncheon forLinda and me to take to convention.

Recognition will be given to our exemplary members at our luncheon, but I must jump the gun a

bit by bragging on Barb Hansen. I just received notification that our chapter once again received theFive Star Award for an Outstanding Newsletter given by the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International,Texas State Communications Committee. Barb, we all love you for your talent and devotion!

I look forward to seeing each of you at the luncheon. Have a well-deserved restful and relaxingsummer.

Blessings,Cathie Ritchie


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The Delta Kappa Gamma MissionStatement

The Delta Kappa Gamma SocietyInternational promotes professional and

personal growth of women educators andexcellence in education.

May Luncheon/Business Meeting

Saturday, May 21 10:00 a.m.

Christi Chrismans home

3511 Bassett Ct. Missouri City, TX

Tel: 281-778-8898

Program: Meet your prospectivemembers and our Grant-in-Aid recipient

Please bring items for Texas TreasureBoxes to be taken to State Convention inMcAllen in June. (See next page for ideas)

Hostesses: Dawn Westfall, MargaretLarson, Harriet Mantini, Christi Chrisman

All members attending are asked to bring asalad or dessert to share.

Visit our chapter website

http://lambda sigma.weebly.com/

Birthday Girls!

Patsy Borochoff 5/3Judy Wallis 5/7Marylaura Merritt 5/8Rita Drabek 5/16Frances Courville 5/31Barbara Hansen 6/7Mary Crochet 6/10

Debbie Reynolds 6/11Jean Gardener 6/27Shari Lim 6/27Peggy Norman 7/1Mary Mills Willis 7/3Linda Russell 7/18Carolyn Zaskoda 7/21

Lambda Sigma has

donated $500 for the Hundreds for

Headquarters campaign.
http://lambdasigma.weebly.com/http://lambdasigma.weebly.com/http://lambdasigma.weebly.com/


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Texas Treasure Boxes Are Unifying Project (UP)for 82nd State Convention in McAllen

Each chapter has the opportunity to touch the life of a chronically-ill child by participating in the second stateUnifying Project (UP) at this years 82nd State Convention in McAllen. Attendees are asked to bring to the stateconvention site a shoebox-sized plastic box filled with goodies to enhance a childs learning during a hospital

stay. These Treasure Boxes will be distributed to hospitals for chronically-ill children in the Valley, Laredo andCorpus Christi. The Personal Grown and Services Committee will help collect and display boxes during the

convention. Boxes should be brought to the registration area at the convention site. Each box should be filledwith new and unused small gifts, toys, and games.

Some suggested items include:

Under 2: bibs, rattles, soft books, teething rings, booties, pacifier, Sippy cup or bottle

Ages 2-4: dolls, Matchbox cars, Play-Doh, crayons, coloring book, bubbles, cardgames, soft balls, puppets, soft animals

Ages 4-8: silly putty, Play-Doh, paints, art supplies, bubbles, card games, puzzles, travel-size boardgames, cars, stickers, Nerf balls

Ages 8-11: card games, paints, Silly putty, calculator, gel pens, yo-yo, craft kits,brainteasers, books, puzzles, small toys, Nerf balls, travel-size games

Ages 11 & up: electronic games, word search/crossword puzzles, books, playing cards, craft kits,journals, nail polish, stress balls

All ages: a book (English or Spanish) and cards ( lots of well wishes)

Label Box:

Boy __________ Girl ___________under 2 __________ 8 to 11 ___________2 to 4 __________ 11 to 14 ___________4 to 8 __________ 14 & up ___________English __________ Spanish ___________

Members may participate in this project individually or as a chapter.Because of health issues, NO FOOD, USED ITEMS, or HAIR PRODUCTS may be included.


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TSO Convention in McAllen

A TSO Convention is always aunique mix of opportunities for

personal and professional growth and societalfun. The 2011 Convention will be just that, andmaybe a bit more.Beginning with tours on Wednesday andThursday to the famous King Ranch, popularSouth Padre Island or Gabbis, a shoppersdelight, McAllen 2011 has something to offerevery member and her guest. Join in the fun onWednesday evening when we will welcome youto the! Fiesta!, our pre-convention party at theHoliday Inn Suites. A zippy Zumbademonstration and the chance to meet and greetfriends from all regions of the state will energizeyou for the convention activities to follow.On Thursday, vendors will open at 11:00 a.m. inthe convention marketplace, and there will be anespecially important meeting for Chapter

Presidents or their representatives at noon. TheThursday afternoon schedule is filled withsignificant presentations and conversationsfocused Leadership and the First TimerOrientation plus the first round of workshops.And dont forget rehearsals! Suspense will fillthe air later in the evening when Opening Nightactivities reveal PACE Award winners.Register for the 82nd TSO Convention now andarrive early. There will be plenty of valuablethings to do and learn!

7 nights in a Colorado CabinBid today!

http://meuth.blogspot.com/2011/04/this-is-where-house-description-could.html#comments

Auction is open to all Lambda Sigma sisters andtheir families.

Lambda Sigma Programs

2011-2012

Please let Linda Russell know if youd like topresent a program at one of our meetings this

next year or have any ideas as to what youd liketo see. Send her comments about the meetingsthis past year. You can e-mail her at her schooladdress ([email protected]) up throughthe end of May. Beginning June and thereafter

send correspondence to her home address([email protected]) as shell retire this year.Be sure you just type one l at the end of Russel

even though its normally spelled Russell.

Chapter News

In our Prayers

Please keep Travis Courville and his wife,Frances in your prayers as he continues hisrecovery from open-heart surgery.
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Please keep Gerald Holsapple and his wife,Janie, in your thoughts. Gerald had a triplebypass and is in St. Luke's Medical Center. Heis doing well and the family thanks you so muchfor the prayers and reminders of your love andconcern.

Retirees

Kay Slack Beardtaught 30 years at Dulles HighSchool. Although she officially retired last June,she is being honored by FBISD this May. Kaytaught Health, coached golf for 19 years, andthen retired from coaching to take over the PALprogram. She has enjoyed the past year morethan she could ever have imagined. Golf,grandchildren, golf, grandchildren, golf,grandchildren....life is sooo good! Kay has a lifetime of friends from previous students and thewonderful teachers she has worked with overthe past 30 years.

Joan Eubanks attended West Texas StateUniversity (now WTAM) and finished at mid-termin 1972. She started teaching 5th grade inCoahoma, Texas, in January 1973. Her very firstday of teaching was cancelled because of thedeath of Lyndon B. Johnson.Joan taught the next three years in Coahoma,in first grade. Then, in 1976, moved toRaymondville, in the Rio Grande Valley, andtaught junior high resource. While Joan was inthe valley, she completed her M.Ed. at PanAmerican University with certifications in LLD,PPCD, and Diagnostician.In 1979, she moved to the Houston area and

taught elementary resource in Aldine ISD for 3years and was a diagnostician in that district for2 years.Joan moved to FBISD in the Spring of 1983 asan educational diagnostician. That was the yearClements High School opened. FBISD had 10diagnosticians that year. Last year we had 52diagnosticians! Joan has worked in Fort Bendfor 27 years, and has been in many schools, atall levels. She is retiring with 39 years

experience -- 10 in the classroom and 29 as adiagnostician.

Carla Meuth is leaving public education after 28years in Fort Bend. She started teaching privatekindergarten in 73, and with the exception ofonly a few years, she has always taught, public

and private. Carla will end 37 years in education.Shes taught mainly middle school, Special Ed,over 15 years. In the private schools, Carlaassumed director titles, assistant director, aswell as taught P.E. & health, and K-5thcurriculum. She thought she would always be ateacher, but teach art or P.E. While in juniorhigh, Carla was introduced to a program for kidsto assist special needs children in school atDulles Jr. High. Mr. James Patterson started thisprogram and she was hooked. Mr. Madden alsowas a great influence as Carla sat in his

homeroom for 3 years and watched the amazingteachers that crossed her path. She will continueto privately tutor and work with the LiteracyCouncil to teach others to read and write. Afterher Mother and Grandmother, Carlas teachershave always guided her ambitions and passions.Thank you, Lambda Sigma sisters, for all youhave done for our children. You are true heroesin Carlas eyes.There will be a retirement party on May 18 at4:30 -6:00 p.m., at Austin Parkway Elementary.Please feel free to drop in and share Carlas joy.

Cathie Ritchie is retiring after 38 years ofteaching. She graduated from Bellaire HighSchool in 1961 and from Texas Tech in 1965.Cathie began her career in HISD at WindsorVillage Elementary teaching first grade. Her firstsalary was $3500 per year. She remembers thewindows being wide open with the floor fansblowing. Cathie ruined lots of clothes with thepurple ditto ink from running off papers, whichthey ran off themselves, of course.After teaching two years, Cathie retired to get

married. She really didnt think I would everteach again since she was married. They spenttwo fun years in Germany in the Army, but hadto return to the states for Cathies husband to goto Vietnam. She then taught a year in Pasadenawhile he was on one of his two tours of duty.Happily the schools were air conditioned bythen. In 1976 and 1977 Cathie taught in NorthCarolina while they were stationed at Ft. Bragg.Returning to Houston in 1978, Cathie got a jobwith my former principal in HISD at Fondren


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Elementary. She joined the FBISD family in1980 teaching 4th and 2nd grade at E. A. Jonesuntil 1991. Cathie transferred to Lakeview andthen to Lexington Creek when it opened. In 98she left the regular classroom to begin teachingESL. Cathie has loved teaching ESL and knowsshe will miss it.Being an educator allowed her to visit Japan

with fantastic teachers from every state in theU.S on the Fulbright Memorial Scholarship.Cathie will treasure that experience forever!In 2002 Cathie was honored to serve as Ft.Bends Elementary Teacher of the Year. Thereare so many teachers who deserve that title she was grateful that she had the opportunity torepresent the teachers of Ft. Bend.What Cathie cherishes the most about hercareer are the wonderful, caring, intelligent, fun-loving friends she has made over the years.Naturally she will remember with fondness many

of her special students. She is proud of theiraccomplishments. But Cathies teacher friendshave given her a life-time of love and support.She is thankful for each of you!

Linda Russellreceived her B.S. Ed. from theUniversity of Houston in1972. She went on toreceiver her SupervisorMA Ed. from StephenF. Austin. Linda spent 12 years teaching in FortBend ISD at Jones Elementary, Blue Ridge

Elementary, opening the Meadows Elementary,Quail Valley Elementary ( 2nd grade TeamLeader), Q.V.M.S., and Settlers WayElementary. Linda then taught in Houston I.S.D.for 15 years as a Language Arts Specialist andAncillary positions such as Drama, Art, and FineArts (all arts combined). She is both G.T. andESL certified. Linda has taught all grades fromPre-K through 7th.

Ann Thompson started her career with FortBend in 1969 teaching third grade at LakeviewElementary. After three years, she had a sonand stayed home for two and a half years. Shewent back to Lakeview in the middle of the yearat the request of the principal and taught fifthgrade for a year and a half. The assistantprincipal, Jane Perrin, was opening DullesElementary and Ann went with several otherLakeview teachers to start a new adventure in anew school. She taught second grade for 18

years and then left to open Arizona Fleming asthe librarian. After seven years at Fleming, shewas asked by the principal to open the library atRita Drabek Elementary. She has been therefor ten years and will be retiring with 40 years ofservice in June. The highlight of her career wasbeing chosen Dulles Elementary teacher of theyear and going on to be a finalist for the District

Teacher of the Year.

Lambda Sigma Bunco WinnersApril 1, 2011

Just a Thought

Twenty years from now you will be moredisappointed by the things that you didn't dothan by the ones you did do. So throw offthe bowlines. Sail away from the safeharbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.Explore. Dream. Discover.

Mark Twain (1835-1910)


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You will find the minutes to our Marchmeeting at the end of this newsletter.

Delta Kappa Gamma Lambda Sigma Chapter April 1, 2011

at the home of Mary Ann Mary Ann Dolezal, 7:00 p.m.

President Cathie Ritchie called the meeting to order at 7:02.

Minutes from the last meeting were sent to members via email.

Linda Russell informed those present of members in need of prayer:Mary Laura MerrittStephanie BaileyJudy Bartay

Sally Cain, 2nd VP, reported there were 23 members in attendance. She thenread biographical information on the seven educators who were nominatedfor membership into Delta Kappa Gamma Society. All seven were discussed,voted on, and all accepted for membership into the Lambda Sigma Chapter.

Dale Araujo delivered the Treasurers Report: a balance of $3718.14 with$156.50 made on the last meetings raffle.

Linda Russell reported that all paperwork for theAnnie Awardhas beensubmitted.

President Cathie Ritchie bought and donated disposable cameras to theCinderella/Cinderfella Project from Delta Kappa Gamma Lambda SigmaChapter. It was voted on and approved to reimburse Cathie ~$131.00 for thecameras.

Our next meeting will be our annual salad luncheon on May 21, 10 a.m. to 1p.m., at the home of Christi Chrisman.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:05.

After the meeting, fun was had by all playing Bunco.

Minutes submitted by Lana Petrizzo, Recording Secretary

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