CEC luncheon about volunteers

From the Citizens' Environmental Coalition blog:

On Wednesday, March 26, Robin Blut, executive director of Keep Houston Beautiful, will be part of a panel about recruiting and keeping volunteers. The event is from 11:30 am to 1 pm at 3015 Richmond, in the first floor conference room. The cost is $15 and includes lunch. Please RSVP to ella@cechouston.org. Special diets can be accommodated.

This might be an interesting event for one or more core committee members to attend.

Meeting the Challenge of AD/HD

The Attention Deficit Disorders--Southern Region is sponsoring a conference called "Meeting the Challenge of AD/HD" at the Sheraton North Houston on February 15-16. The intended audience for the program is "Physicians, Advanced Practice Nurses, Psychologists, Nurses, Diagnosticians, Social Workers, LPCs, LMFTs, Educators, Parents of Children, Adults with AD/HD and others interested in AD/HD," and speakers will include Jefferson Prince, M.D., of the Harvard Medical School, and Chris Zeigler Dendy, an author who writes about teenagers and ADD and AD/HD.

Rice University Good Works Fair

Monarch will have a table at the Rice University Good Works Fair, a volunteer and non-profit career fair sponsored by the university's Community Involvement Center. The fair will take place on Tuesday, October 9, 1:00-5:00, in the Rice Memorial Center. Please let me know if you're interested in participating for some or all of the afternoon.

-Miranda

PS Rice students mostly live on campus--easy walking distance to Monarch's Houston Zoo garden!

UST volunteer fair on September 18

I hope everyone is looking forward to another great year of moving and shaping!

I've signed up for a table at the University of St. Thomas nonprofit job and volunteer fair on Tuesday, September 18, 12:30-2:00. If anyone would like to come hang out there with me and help recruit some new M&S-ers, please let me know. I'm also in the market for suggestions for eye-catching ways to decorate the table. I'll be at the meeting on the 30th, so we can talk about it then.

Thanks,
Miranda

Special Friends Day

You are special to us…

All Movers & Shapers are cordially invited to
The Monarch School’s 6th annual

Grandparents & Special Friends Day!

Wednesday, February 14, 2007
You may join us for all or any portion of the day. Programs will be held at
Apprentice and Challenger Campuses.

Apprentice Campus Challenger Campus
10:00am – 12:00pm 12:00pm -2:30pm
1231 Wirt Road 2:30pm – 3:30pm
Houston, TX 77055 1014 Wirt Road, Suite 210
Houston, TX 77055

Please RSVP to Jessica Stoner, Events Coordinator, at 713.479.0800 or mailto:jstoner@monarchschool.org by Feb. 10.

"Today's Man" on April 8

As part of its "Margaret Mead Festival," the Rice Media Center will show the documentary "Today's Man" on Sunday, April 8 (yes, Easter Sunday) at 9:00 pm.

Description from the Rice Media Center website:

"Filmmaker Lizzie Gottlieb looks at her brother Nicky, a young man struggling to leave the comfort and safety of his parents' home and find his place in the world. While he can calculate the square root of any number in the blink of an eye, he has trouble reading the simplest of facial expressions, making social interaction difficult. At the age of 21, he is diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism."

The film is the second half of a double feature, but the first movie, "A Map With Gaps," is only 26 minutes long, and "Today's Man" is 55 minutes, so even the 9:00 start time won't make for too late a night.

MONARCH SYMPOSIUM!

Calling all Movers & Shapers!

On March 3, 2007, Monarch will welcome Dr. Ross Greene, author of The Explosive Child, as presenter for our symposium. This topic is relevant for all parents, teachers, and anyone who works with children. To save a bundle, sign up for EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION!

We also need your help in spreading the word about Monarch's Symposium. At our next meeting we will have cards that you can present as gifts to friends, family, colleagues, etc. They can also be left for people to pick up at pediatrician's offices, schools, and any other place frequented by parents, teachers, or others who work with young people.

Thanks for helping make our first annual symposium a SOLD OUT SUCCESS!

"The Ultimate Gift" on February 13

News from Linda Caruso:

The Monarch School will host the Houston premiere of the film "The Ultimate Gift" on Tuesday, February 13, with proceeds to benefit the school. For more information or to purchase tickets, check out the event announcement on the Monarch website. Spread the word and treat yourself and your family and friends to an early Valentine's Day present!

This Week's Movers and Shapers Events

I just wanted to post a friendly reminder for everyone about this Thursday's Movers and Shapers committee lunch meeting. It will start with a tasty catered lunch at 12:30 and end around 2. Also, don't forget about the Movers and Shapers Christmas Party this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. at the home of Penny and Richard Weiss. If you need directions or have any questions, please feel free to give me a call - 713.933.0568. From what I hear it's shaping up to be a great time so I hope all of you can make it!

Movers and Shapers Christmas Party??

Would any of you be interested in a Christmas get together? One of our M & S members (John Barone) suggested that we ask our chairman (Justin Fox) to host!!! Other members (myself, Julie Meaux and Emily Reiter) thought this was an excellent idea!!! (Justin, I would start making and freezing the 'petits fours' now!!!!
Any interest, comments, suggestions as to how we could pull this off?

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Studio Saturday: cARTography

The Blaffer Gallery at the University of Houston is offering a free program this Saturday, October 21, which may be of interest to some Monarch students and teachers. The schedule includes guided tours of the exhibit "A Fiction of Authenticity: Contemporary Africa Abroad" at 1:00; an art-making activity, in which participants will create maps of their personal histories, at 2:00; and an opportunity to share these maps and discuss the exhibit and project with Leamon Green, a fine arts professor from Texas Southern University, at 3:30. According to the flyer advertising the program, "All art-making materials provided and refreshments are served--just bring your imagination."

Interested? Please RSVP to Katherine Veneman, curator of education (what a cool title!), at 713-743-9526 or kveneman@uh.edu.

Blaffer Gallery programs for students

Ranger has been talking to a friend of hers at UH's Blaffer Gallery, exploring possibilities for Monarch students to visit and enjoy some of the gallery's educational programming. Please take a look at the Education section of their website and let Ranger or me know if you'd like more details. (In addition to being an interesting place to visit, the Blaffer has the advantage of being on the UH campus, and a session there could be combined with a stop at another site, such as the KUHF studio, mentioned in an earlier blog post.)

Don't Miss This Great Show!

Greetings all Movers & Shapers,

Susie and I went to the Hobby Center last night to see our very own Kay Kahl in Masquerade Theatre's performance of "Sweeney Todd." Kay was awesome, as was the entire cast.

The delightful show, although three hours long, captivated us the entire time, and the singing and acting were brilliant! The Houston Press had this to say in their review: "The entire cast is definitive, as is director Phillip Duggins's minimal production, which moves this classic with a relentless, chilling drive."

It's not too late to catch this masterpiece performance! There are two shows left before the show closes on Sunday.

Cheers,

John

Festa Italiana

Monarch students have been volunteering to prepare for the Italian Cultural and Community Center's annual Festa Italiana, which will be held on October 14 and 15 at Houston Farm and Ranch Club. The event includes entertainment, educational presentations, and lots and lots of food.

New Member Orientation

Reminder: Movers & Shapers New Member Orientation will be held on Monday, September 25, at 12:00. Please direct questions to Justin Fox or John Barone.