CISBA News
April 12, 2010
Bay Oaks Country Club
Lexus Of Clear Lake Underwrites Keep Kids in School Golf Tournament
 Joey Dupuis (second from
left), general manager of Lexus Of Clear Lake, presents the check that
underwrites the Keep Kids in School Golf Tournament benefiting
Communities In Schools-Bay Area, a dropout prevention program serving
Clear Creek and Dickinson ISDs. The tournament will be held from noon to
5 p.m., April 12, at Bay Oaks Country Club.
Accepting the check are (from left) Rick Gornto, tournament chairman;
Diane Gillebaard, tournament marketing, and Mike Divine, teams committee
chairman.
In addition to underwriting the event, Lexus will provide one of the
cars for the five hole-in-one opportunities and host the sponsor/donor
appreciation after party April 15 at their dealership.
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CISBA Names New Resource Development Director
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Margot Frye has been named the Resource Development
Director of Communities In Schools-Bay Area (CISBA), a dropout
prevention program serving Clear Creek and Dickinson Independent
School Districts.
Frye will be responsible for raising funds to support the program
which provides services to help keep students in school and prepare
for life. Prior to joining CISBA, Frye was Development Officer in
the Office of Annual Giving at the University of Houston.
"I joined CISBA because they provide needed support to 'at risk'
students. It is extremely fulfilling to realize the program offers
hope and guidance to students achieve the ultimate goal of
graduation. I also find great satisfaction in being a part of such a
respected and successful team," says Frye. |
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Staples Aids "At Risk" Students
Janet Summers (left), program director for Communities In Schools-Bay
Area, recently shopped for school supplies at the Staples store in
Webster thanks to a $600 gift card donation from the office supply
company. Helping her check out are Catharine Girouard, Staples general
manager, and Kyle Zelesnikar, assistant manager.
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Ready to tee off for the
Keep Kids in School Golf Tournament are (from left) Mike Divine,
Teams Committee Chair; Rick Gornto, Tournament Chair, and Becky
Reitz, Sponsorship Committee Chair, following a recent planning
meeting. |
“Keep Kids in School” is a mission for Communities In
School-Bay Area (CISBA) and also the name of the group’s fund-raising golf
tournament to be held April 12 at Bay Oaks Country Club. Golfers will play
a round at the tournament and help fund a proven dropout prevention
program – CISBA – serving 15 campuses in the Clear Creek and Dickinson
Independent School Districts.
“This is CISBA‘s first golf tournament and we wanted every person involved
to have a great time and to raise money to help these kids. A great golf
format, five opportunities to win a car, wonderful food and extraordinary
live auction items. Everyone involved is very excited about this being a
major fundraising event which we think will be a record breaker in the Bay
Area. Come out and join us on April 12 at Bay Oaks Country Club,” says
Rick Gornto, chairman of the Keep Kids in School Golf Tournament.
5 Hole-in-One Opportunities
Golfers will drive for a hole-in-one on all four of the club’s Par 3 holes
and putt competitively to win one of five automobiles from area
dealerships. Dealers participating in the hole-in-one and putting contests
are Advantage BMW, Infiniti, Lexus Of Clear Lake, Norman Frede Chevrolet,
and Clear Lake Volkswagen.
Community Drives Fund-raising
An early outpouring of support by businesses and individuals has answered
the call to help “at risk” children in Bay Area Houston at this
tournament. Underwriters for the event are Lexus Of Clear Lake and Barbara
and Dr. Greg Clariday.
Gold Sponsors to date are Clear Lake Volkswagen and friends of Tim Sims.
Silver Sponsors are Clear Lake Regional Hospital, Rick and Janice Gornto,
Amoco Federal Credit Union, Gay & Reitz Law Firm, Barrios Technology and
Johnson, Bender & Co.
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Early supporter of the “Keep Kids in School” Golf Tournament
is Clear Lake Volkswagen represented by General Manager Brent Finch (left)
shown presenting check to CISBA Executive Director Peter Wuenschel. Clear
Lake Volkswagen, in addition to being a Gold Sponsor, is donating a car for
one of the five Hole-In-One opportunities. |
Auction/Awards Dinner Follows Play
Following the 18 holes of golf, teams and other golfers will dine during
the awards presentation. The live and silent auction donations so far are
proving to be a varied and crowd-pleasing array of biddable items. Early
auction items include full Lasik surgery by Dr. William Lipsky of Advanced
Laser Vision, one week stay at any Interval International Resort in the
United States, Southwest Airlines tickets, stay at a Breckenridge, Colo.,
condominium, dinner for 10 at your home, war bird plane rides followed by
a dinner with veteran pilots, and a stay at a five-star bed and breakfast
in Victoria, B.C., Canada.
Contacts and More Information
Businesses and individuals can participate in sponsorships by calling
Communities In Schools-Bay Area Executive Director Peter Wuenschel at
281-486-6698 or by email to
peterw@cisba.org. Teams and other golfers interested in joining
the event can call Michael Divine at 832-632-2273 or email to
visitingangelsCLC@sbcglobal.net. The cost for teams is $700 and
$175 for individuals.
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Golf Tournament: Save the Date & Call for
Volunteers
The CISBA Golf Tournament "Keeping Kids in Schools" will be held on
Monday, April 12 at Bay Oaks Country Club. Registration is around 10:30
and play beginning at noon. The tournament will end around 5:00 p.m.
followed by dinner, an award ceremony and live auction. Many volunteers
are needed the day of the tournament. If you are interested to volunteer
the day of the tournament, please let us know by e-mailing your contact
information to
peterw@cisba.org
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CIS-Bay Area Case Managers Celebrate New School
Year
Case managers from Communities In Schools-Bay Area (CIS-Bay Area)
recently met to celebrate the new school year with the dropout prevention
program's board of directors president Becky Reitz (second row, left).
Program director Janet Summers is front and center.
CIS-Bay Area serves 15 campuses in Clear Creek and Dickinson Independent
School Districts helping kids stay in school and prepare for life.
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Gulf Greyhound Park Event Benefits Dropout
Prevention
Communities In Schools - Bay Area (CIS-Bay Area) recently benefited
from a Charity Day at Gulf Greyhound Park in La Marque. A percentage of
the bets on the races that night will go to CIS-Bay Area, a dropout
prevention program serving Clear Creek and Dickinson Independent School
Districts.
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CIS-Bay Area Board President Becky Reitz of Gay & Reitz
PC nuzzles Zapata, an adoptable retired greyhound, who visited the VIP
party at Gulf Greyhound Park. |
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CIS-Bay Area Director Ron Swofford (center) joins wife
Carole in welcoming Zapata, one of the adoptable retired greyhounds,
attending the event benefiting the dropout prevention program.
Julianne York of Gulf Greyhound Adoption Program is at left. |
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Three Board Members Recognized
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Executive Director Peter Wuenschel (left) thanks Jim
Sweeney for his more than 15 years of service on the board of
directors. Sweeney also served as president of the board. |
Board President Becky Reitz (left) thanks Jay Gurry for
his service as 2008-09 board president. |
Jay Gurry (left), 2008-09 board president, recognizes
Sandy Johnson for her presidency of the 2007-08 board. |
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Greyhounds Race to Benefit Dropout Prevention
Program
Communities In Schools-Bay Area (CIS-Bay Area) will
benefit from a Gulf Greyhound Park Charity Day on Oct. 23, 2009. A
percentage of monies bet on the greyhound races that day will go to
the dropout prevention program serving Clear Creek and Dickinson ISDs.
Visiting Sara, one of the track's retired greyhounds up for adoption,
are (from left) Maria Aguilar, student; Jo Gonzales, CIS-Bay Area
program coordinator, and Sierra Martin, student, all of Dickinson High
School, and Peter Wuenschel, executive director of CIS-Bay Area.
Gulf Greyhound Park is located off Exit 15, on I-45 South in La Marque.
For more information, call 281-486-6698 or email
judyc@cisba.org. |
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Directors Meet in Retreat to Form Future
Objectives
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Members of the Board of Directors of
Communities In Schools-Bay Area (CIS-Bay Area) met recently at Barrios
Technology offices to form future objectives for the dropout
prevention program. CIS-Bay Area serves 15 schools in Clear Creek and
Dickinson ISDs to help kids stay in school and prepare for life.
Attending the CIS-Bay Area Board Retreat were (kneeling/seated from
left) were Ron Swofford, Michael Divine, Dee Scott, Jane Sweeney,
Peter Wuenschel, Jim Sweeney, Corey Magliolo, Becky Reitz, (standing
from left) Randy Gross, Mike Duckworth, Rick Gornto, Norm Gookins,
Suzanne Milby, Mike LaTouche, Patty Cooper, Alex Torrez, Sandy
Johnson, Shawn Bailey, Diane Gillebaard, Bob Scott and Jay Gurry.
Board members not pictured include Jim O'Malley and Manny Torres. |
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Incoming board president Becky Reitz explained to old and new board
members the challenges ahead and explained the mission of the
organization. Frank McGrath of Executive Service Corps of Houston (ESCH)
facilitated the retreat. |
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New board members welcomed to the group were Mike
Duckworth, Jane Sweeney, Corey Magliolo and Michael Divine. Other new
board member Manny Torres was unable to attend. |
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Campus Wish List For CISBA Schools
Communities In Schools-Bay Area (CISBA) is now serving 15 schools in
Clear Creek ISD and Dickinson ISD. This dropout prevention program helps
students stay in school and prepare for life.
Case managers in these schools have prepared a “wish list” of items
members of the community could donate to assist them in their work with
“at risk” students.
The wish list includes: polo shirts (no logos, sizes for elementary
through high school), belts of all sizes (elementary through high school),
shoe vouchers for Payless ShoeSource, backpacks, boxed greeting cards
(birthdays, Christmas, etc.) for kids to use for special occasions,
drawing notebooks, a flat screen monitor, a fax machine, and storage
cabinet for school supplies and clothing.
Gift cards are always appreciated. Gift cards for stores such as Wal-Mart,
Target, Academy, and Barnes & Noble can be used to reward good attendance
and behavior and grade improvement. Also appreciated would be one-time
credit cards for iPod music downloads and gift cards for movies, nail
salons, meals pizzas and fast-food restaurants.
For incentives, CISBA could use small toys, Legos (loose or small $5
kits), nail polish, and clear or pink lip-gloss.
Wish list donations may be sent to CISBA, P.O. Box 580096, Houston, TX
77258. For more information, contact Janet Summers at 281-486-6698 or
visit the CISBA website, www.cisba.org. All donations are tax deductible.
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Banker Joins Board of Dropout Prevention Program
Mike Duckworth (center), senior vice president of HomeTown Bank of
League City, has joined the board of directors of Communities In
Schools-Bay Area, a dropout prevention program serving Clear Creek and
Dickinson Independent School Districts.
Welcoming Duckworth to the board are Executive Director Peter Wuenschel
(left) and Board President Jay Gurry. Communities In Schools-Bay Area
works on campus in 15 schools in the districts to help kids stay in school
and prepare for life.
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Texas Legislature Fights School Dropout
Problem
AUSTIN, TX – Several Texas Legislators are working diligently to fight
the epidemic of school dropouts by supporting Communities In Schools
(CIS), an evidenced-based school dropout program that has operated in
Texas for 30 years. Twenty State Senators and 24 State Representatives are
co-authoring bills to increase funding to Communities In Schools. SB 817
and HB 1673 request that the state of Texas increase funding to
Communities In Schools programs throughout the state by $14.3 million per
year.
“I am supporting the Communities In Schools of Texas Bill because CIS has
proven to be effective in reducing dropouts” said Representative John
Davis, who represents the 129th District in the Texas House. The academic
effectiveness and cost efficiency of Communities In Schools has been
validated by a recent ICF International evaluation called for by the Texas
Legislature and commissioned by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The
study determined that the CIS program delivers documented, meaningful
effects in reducing school dropouts and increasing graduation rates. The
bottom line is that the CIS program increases high school graduation
rates, the most fundamental measure of public school student success.
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Representative John Davis visits with Dr. Peter Wuenschel,
Executive Director of Communities In Schools - Bay Area and Linda
Gail White, Former First Lady of Texas at a reception held in the
Lieutenant Governor’s Reception Room at the State Capitol
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Throughout the state, volunteers, parents and business people have been
visiting their legislators in Austin to show their support for CIS. Former
First Lady of Texas Linda Gail White recently met with the Governor Rick
Perry and Robert Scott, Commissioner of Education, to discuss the most
efficient way to fund the expansion of Communities In Schools. “I believe
in CIS because I have seen first hand how they change the lives of at-risk
children and give them hope for the future,” said White.
Communities In Schools (CIS) works on school campuses to organize
community resources and volunteers to support students’ success in school
and parents’ involvement in education. CIS connects kids from pre-K to
12th grade with the help they need so kids can learn and teachers can
teach and leverages millions of dollars in private contributions onto
campuses. CIS staff works for private non-profit organizations not the
state or school districts. In Texas, Communities In Schools provided
services to over 78,000 students in 2007-2008.
Peter Wuenschel, Executive Director of Communities In Schools-Bay Area, is
encouraged by the overwhelming support for CIS by the Legislature. “I am
pleased to say that both John Davis and Rep. Larry Taylor, our local
Representatives as well as State Senator Mike Jackson, have been long time
supporters of CIS. We have operated our program in this community for 20
years with great success.”
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CIS-Bay Area Celebrates 20 Years, Honors Stastny
Communities In Schools-Bay Area (CIS- Bay Area) recently celebrated 20
years of their dropout prevention program service in Clear Creek and
Dickinson Independent School Districts with a breakfast at Bailey's
American Grille in Seabrook.
Special honoree for the event was Blanche Stastny, who was a founding
board member of the organization. In addition to CIS-Bay Area's tribute,
Stastny was recognized by her hometown, Clear Lake Shores, with a
proclamation naming March 12, 2009, as Blanche Stastny Day in the city.
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Dr. Peter Wuenschel (center), executive director of
CIS-Bay Area, and Capt. Jay Gurry, board president, thank Brad Bailey,
owner of Bailey's American Grille, for underwriting the 20th
anniversary breakfast. |
Joining the 20th anniversary celebration were (from
left) Dr. Leland Williams, superintendents of Dickinson ISD; Bob
Scott, CIS-Bay Area board treasurer, and Judge Louie Ditta, who served
as master of ceremonies. |
Stastny came to Bay Area Houston in 1962 and opened the area's first
Sylvan Learning Canter in 1984.
She served on CIS-Bay Area's first board of directors, reflecting her
compassion and special in "at risk" children. She has served on the boards
of Friends of Freeman Library, the Houston Symphony League Bay Area and
the Clear Lake Symphony.
Last year, CIS-Bay Area served more than 1,400 students with a graduation
success of 88 percent for eligible seniors and 96 percent stayed in
school. In addition to the 1,400 students receiving one-on-one service,
10,000 other students are enriched by special events on the campuses of 15
schools in the districts.
CIS-Bay Area is affiliated with the national Communities in Schools, the
nation's fifth largest youth service agency in number of children served.
Blanche Stastny (second from left) was honored to have three Clear Creek
ISD superintendents attend her tribute. From left are Dr. Greg Smith,
current superintendent, and former superintendents Sandra Mossman and John
Wilson.
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Click image for full size graphic
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United Space Alliance Supports CISBA
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Norm Gookins (center), vice president of United Space
Alliance (USA), is thanked for USA's recent $5,000 donation by
Communities In Schools-Bay Area (CIS-Bay Area) Executive Director
Peter Wuenschel (left) and Capt. Jay Gurry, president of the CIS-Bay
Area Board of Directors. |
Norm Gookins (center), Vice President of United Space Alliance, is
thanked by Communities In Schools-Bay Area (CIS-Bay Area) Executive
Director Dr. Peter Wuenschel (left) and Capt. Jay Gurry, president of the
board of directors of CIS-Bay Area and president of Gurry Mechanical,
L.P., for a recent $5,000 donation.
Gookins is also a member of CIS-Bay Area's board of directors.
The donation supports the dropout prevention program led by CIS-Bay Area
in 15 schools in Clear Creek and Dickinson Independent School Districts.
CIS-Bay Area is part of the national Communities In Schools, the nation's
fifth largest youth agency in number of children served.
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Communities In Schools-Bay Area Celebrates 20 Years
of Service to "At Risk" Students
For 20 years, Communities In Schools-Bay Area (CIS-Bay Area) has helped
kids stay in school and prepare for life. The dropout prevention program
serves "at risk" students in Clear Creek and Dickinson Independent School
Districts.
 To celebrate
their 20th anniversary, CIS-Bay Area will hold a breakfast at Bailey's
American Grille in Seabrook from 7:30-9 a.m. on Thursday, March 12, 2009.
Blanche Stastny, a founding board member, will be honored for her years of
board service. Judge Louie Ditta will serve as master of ceremonies.
CIS-Bay Area is part of the national Communities In Schools program.
Communities In Schools is the nation's fifth largest youth service agency
in number of children served.
CIS-Bay Area's dropout prevention program started in 1989 under the name
of Bridgeport. The first school served by the program was League City
Intermediate. One year later, the program was serving two more schools in
Clear Creek ISD.
In 1995, two schools in Dickinson ISD were added to the campuses served.
The name of the program was changed to Communities In Schools-Bay Area in
2003. From 1996-2006, campuses were added for a total of 13 schools in the
two districts.
In 2007, the schools served by CIS-Bay Area totaled 15 campuses. Clear
Creek ISD schools in the program are League City Intermediate, Clear Creek
High, Clear Lake High, Clear Brook High, Clear View High, Clear Path
Alternative Education Program, Clear Springs High, Victory Lakes
Intermediate, Brookside Elementary and McWhirter Elementary.
Dickinson ISD schools served are Dickinson High, Dunbar Middle, Barber
Middle, McAdams Junior High and K.E. Little Elementary.
Each campus has a program coordinator who works one-on-one with "at
risk"students. The program offers mentoring, tutoring, counseling, career
awareness, social services, parental involvement and enrichment programs.
Last year, CIS-Bay Area served more than 1,400 students with a graduation
success of 88 percent for eligible seniors and 96 percent stayed in
school. Improvement in attendance, academics and behavior resulted in a
promotion rate of 79 percent by students in the program. In addition to
the 1,400 students receiving one-on-one service, 10,000 other students are
enriched by special events on campus.
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Dr. King Gives "Possibilities" To Clear Brook
High Boys
Two years before joining the board of directors of Communities In
Schools-Bay Area (CIS-Bay Area), Dr. William H. King already recognized
the need to show "at risk" students that they have the ability to succeed
and can afford college. CIS-Bay Area is a dropout prevention program
serving Clear Creek and Dickinson Independent School Districts.
Dr. King and his fraternity brothers in the Zeta Tau Lambda Chapter of
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. started "Possibilities," a self esteem and
career awareness program. Twice a month, Dr. King mentors about 25 boys at
Clear Brook High School in Clear Creek ISD. The fraternity chose Clear
Brook because of the number of minority students in the school's
population.
"Students don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.
We show we care by investing our lives on a continuing basis," says Dr.
King, an anesthesiologist retired from The University of Texas Medical
Branch in Galveston. Working with Dr. King are Sandra Finley, Smaller
Learning Community campus leader at Clear Brook, and Frieda Shafer, campus
coordinator for CIS-Bay Area.
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Dr. William H. King (third from left) visits with Clear
Brook High students (from left) Quinton Johnson, Demario Ricks, Brian
Adegbenro, Justin Glover, and Jarred Spencer. |
Each meeting Dr. King brings men, primarily minorities, with successful
careers into the school to speak to the boys in the program. Many member
of the fraternity have spoken to the these students. The most recent
speaker was Chris McKinley, a meteorologist with the National Weather
Service, who later took the group on a tour of the National Weather
Service office in League City.
Upcoming speakers for the program include Rucks Russell, reporter for KHOU-TV;
J. C. Jackson, pharmacist, and Chris Washington, accountant and former
football player.
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is a real need for this type of program in every high school and
intermediate school in our districts. I would love to see men come forward
to coordinate programs in other schools," Dr. King commented. Agreeing
with Dr.King is CIS-Bay Area Program Director Janet Summers, "There is a
continuous need for positive adult role models who are wiling to share
their time and life experience with students in need of encouragement and
supportive guidance."
Teachers and counselors at Clear Brook report positive changes in attitude
toward school, and several students have improved their Grade Point
Average since attending the presentations. Of those students in the
Communities In School's program, 50 have attended the "Possibilities"
meetings.
Mentoring comes naturally for Dr. King and his wife Rose Marie. They have
raised three sons - one is a security officer at NASA, one is a Clear
Creek ISD teacher, and one is a physician scientist at Southwestern
Medical Center in Dallas.
Dr. King retired from UTMB's Anesthesiology Department in 1997 but remains
an Adjunct Associate Professor at the medical school. He does volunteer
work with Bay Area Baptist Church in League City. He served on the board
of directors of Boy & Girls Club of Galveston County from 2001 to 2004.
Clear Brook High educates students in five "small learning communities."
They are seeking men who can speak of careers in Engineering, Agriculture
and Technology; Business and Applied Technologies; Public Service and
Communication; Medical and Health Sciences, and Visual and Performing
Arts.
For more information on mentoring in the "Possibilities" program, contact
wkingmd@comcast.net or on Communities In Schools-Bay Area at www.cisba.org.
"Many young men have no sense of direction for their future," says Dr.
King, also quoting "Where there is no vision, the people perish...",
Proverbs 29:18.
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Lexus of Clear Lake Supports Dropout
Prevention Program
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Lexus of Clear Lake recently supported Communities In
Schools-Bay Area (CIS-Bay Area) with a $5,000 check to help the
dropout prevention program's "at risk" students in Clear Creek and
Dickinson Independent School Districts.
Posing at the check presentation were (from left) Jerry Foyt, general
sales manager of Lexus of Clear Lake; Bob Scott, CIS-Bay Area board
member; Peter Wuenschel, executive director of CIS-Bay Area, and Joey
Dupuis, general manager of Lexus of Clear Lake. |
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National President Visits Local Dropout
Prevention Program
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Dan Cardinali (left), president of Communities In
Schools' national dropout prevention program, recently visited the Bay
Area program to review effects of Hurricane Ike on students of Clear
Creek and Dickinson Independent School Districts.
Leading his tour of the area were Janet Summers (center), program
director of Communities In Schools-Bay Area, and Kenya Washington,
coordinator of the program at K.E. Little Elementary School in
Bacliff. |
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Lockheed Martin Aids "At Risk" Students
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Dorothy Lorence, community affairs manager for Lockheed
Martin Space Operations, unloads 60 bags of snacks for "at risk"
students at McAdams Junior High School in Dickinson Independent School
District. Snacks will go to students served by Communities In
Schools-Bay Area's dropout prevention program. These students, who
receive breakfast and lunch at school, will use the snack packs during
holiday breaks. |
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TEA Austin Employees Send Snack Packs for Holiday
Break
When Clear Creek and Dickinson ISD students in the Communities In
Schools-Bay Area (CIS-Bay Area)
dropout prevention program, leave school for the holiday break, they do
not receive the breakfast and lunch provided at school. To help Hurricane
Ike-affected students, employees of the Austin office of the Texas
Education Agency (TEA) donated snack packs for the children take home with
them.
Sharon Boudreaux from McAdams Junior High School in Dickinson sorts snack
pack items donated by TEA employees in Austin for students affected by
Hurricane Ike.
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Dickinson Students Thank Florida School for
Hurricane Donations
Students from McAdams Junior High School in the Dickinson Independent
School District recently sent a "thank you" poster to students at Coral
Springs (Florida) Charter School.
Coral Springs students searched the Internet to find an organization
helping students affected by Hurricane Ike. They found Communities In
Schools-Bay Area (CIS-Bay Area), a dropout prevention program serving
Clear Creek and Dickinson ISDs. The Florida students donated $2,100 worth
of gift cards to the organization to distribute to storm-affected
children.
In turn, CIS-Bay Area donated $500 to its counterpart Communities In
Schools-Galveston.
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Boeing Holds Coat Drive For "At Risk" Students
The Boeing Company's Dayni Alba delivers more than 50 coats to
Communities In Schools-Bay Area (CIS-Bay Area), that serves "at risk"
students in Clear Creek and Dickinson Independent School Districts.
Boeing employees' recent coat drive is to help CIS-Bay Area's mission of
keeping kids in school and prepare for life.
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Scott Steel Supports Dropout Prevention Program
Scott Steel (left), owner of My Flooring America, is thanked by
Communities In Schools-Bay Area Executive Director Peter Wuenschel for his
$5,000 donation to support the organization's dropout prevention program.
Steel is a member of the Board of Directors and a long-time advocate of
education in the Bay Area.
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Board Members Support Dropout Prevention Program's
Fundraiser
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Communities In Schools-Bay Area board directors showed
their support at the dropout prevention program's recent Masked Magic
fundraiser. From left, directors are Norm Gookins, Director of Human
Resources, United Space Alliance; Dee Scott, Owner, Dee Scott
Insurance Agency; Peter Wuenschel, Executive Director, Communities In
Schools-Bay Area; Jim Sweeney, Owner, Minuteman Press-Bay Area; Becky
Reitz, Gay & Reitz, Attorneys; Jay Gurry, President, Gurry Mechanical,
L.P.; and Patty Cooper, Moores School of Music, University of Houston. |
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Gurry Named President of Dropout Prevention Program Board
Jay Gurry (right) is congratulated on his selection as
president of Communities In Schools-Bay Area board of directors by the
dropout prevention program's executive director Peter Wuenschel.
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Jay Gurry has been named president of the board of
directors of Communities In Schools-Bay Area (CIS-Bay Area), a dropout
prevention program serving Clear Creek and Dickinson Independent
School Districts.
Gurry is president of Gurry Mechanical, L.P. and has been an active
board member for three years.
Other new CIS-Bay Area board officers are Vice President Becky Reitz
of Gay & Reitz, P.C., Secretary Diane Gillebaard, Treasurer Bob Scott,
Past Board President Sandy Johnson of Barrios Technology, and CIS-Bay
Area Executive Director Peter Wuenschel.
CIS-Bay Area has helped students stay in school and prepare for life
for more than 17 years and currently has on-campus programs at 15
schools in CCISD and Dickinson ISD.
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Communities In Schools-Bay Area Welcomes New Board
Members
Jay Gurry, president of the board of directors of
Communities In Schools-Bay Area, (standing) welcomes new board members
(left to right) Mike LaTouche of Dickinson ISD; William King, retired
physician, and Rick Gornto of First Financial. Other new board members
not pictured are Norm Gookins of United Space Alliance and Randy Gross
of Clear Lake Regional Medical Center.
Communities In Schools-Bay Area is a dropout prevention program
serving Clear Creek ISD and Dickinson ISD. |
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Operation Now
The Communities In Schools - Bay Area Board of Directors has launched
'Operation Now' in response to at-risk students who were effected by
Hurricane Ike. We are in need of the items below. Please contact Judy at
(281) 486-6698 if you would like to make a donation.
OUR GREATEST NEEDS
Nonperishable, ready to eat food
Air Mattresses with air pumps
Diapers
Washing Detergent
Lowes & Home Depot Gift Cards
Gas Cards
Phone Cards
Gift Cards (Walmart, HEB, Kroger, etc.)
Tokens for Washateria
Small Appliances
Clothes - Standardized Dress
Shoes - Adult & Children
Bedding
Furniture |
OTHER NEEDS:
School Supplies
Cleaning products (including bleach)
Toilet Paper
Soap/Shampoo
Undergarments
Band Aids
Maternity Clothes
Cleats
Assistance with Utilities
Industrial Trash Bags
Furniture
Hygiene Products
$25 Gift cards (phone cards, gas cards, Wal-mart, Kroger's, HEB)
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Masked Magic Gala
Check out event photos courtesy of Wiredin.cc [photos]
Communities In Schools - Bay Area is pleased to announce that the
“Masked Magic – Bay Area Idol Fundraiser & Gala” was held as
scheduled, on Saturday, October 25th at the Nassau Bay Hilton Inn, located
at 3000 Nasa Rd 1. Now, more than ever, CIS-BA is experiencing an urgent
need for additional funds to help at-risk students. Due to Hurricane Ike,
CIS-BA has been notified of the increase of need to help current
students as well as new students who have enrolled in the Clear Creek and
Dickinson Independent School Districts where their programs are operated.
Peter Wuenschel, PHD., CIS - BA Director, Sue Ferguson, Masked Magic
Chairman, and the Friends of CIS-BA Committee Volunteers worked hard
to make this year’s event even more memorable than
last years. The night featured an evening of dining and entertainment;
opened with cocktails at 6:30 pm and program began at 7 pm.
Entertainment included Hypnotist David Dean, “Peter, Paul &
Mary”, and Magician Don Billings, as well as strolling entertainment. The
Second Annual Bay Area Idol Competition crowned the 2008 winner from
competing local talent. A silent and live auction was held throughout
the evening.
Attendees were welcomed to come in costume (optional) and enjoyed an
evening of fun while supporting this fundraiser.
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