People, Places & Events

Information for MISD parents
Special to The Monitor
MABANK–Enrollment for students new to Mabank ISD will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 15, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug.16.
• Central Elementary (all PK).
• Your neighborhood elementary school (Grades K-5th).
• Mabank Middle School (Grades 6-8) .
• Mabank High School (Grades 9-12).
If you are not sure which elementary school your child will attend, please call the transportation office at (903) 880-1690.
You must bring the following information with you to register your child:
• Original birth certificate,
• Immunization record,
• Social Security card, and
• Proof of residency (utility bill, for example).
• Proof of parent’s identity (driver’s license for example)
If your child will continue in Mabank ISD next year, he/she is already pre-registered for the 2007-2008 school year.
Registration forms will be distributed on the first day of classes so you can make changes and corrections.
If you have moved to a different elementary attendance zone, you should immediately contact the office of the school your child will attend next year in order to make sure your child’s name will be on a class list the first day of school.
The first day of classes for the 2007-08 school year will be Aug. 27.
For more information, contact,
• Central Elementary (903) 880-1380
• Mabank Middle School (903) 880-1640
• Lakeview Elementary (903) 880-1360
•Mabank High School (903) 880-1600
• Southside Elementary (903) 880-1340

Kemp HS freshmen orientation set Aug. 14
Special to The Monitor
KEMP–Kemp High School will be hosting an orientation for incoming freshmen from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14, in the high school cafetorium.
Parents and students are encouraged to participate in this fun and informative event to be best prepared for the first day of school.
The orientation will include academic planning, information about clubs and organizations, refreshments and a tour of the campus.
 

Balloon release to honor US soldiers
Special to The Monitor
CANTON–More than 2,000 red, white, blue, yellow and black helium-filled balloons are scheduled for release into the Texas sky to honor soldiers at 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 3, at the site of the planned Van Zandt Veterans Memorial Plaza at the corner of State Highways 243 and 19 in Canton.
Color-coded balloons for release may be purchased in the name of any soldier for $3 each – white for deceased veterans, yellow for currently serving personnel, black for prisoners of war/missing in action (POW/MIA), and red or blue for living veterans.
A card will be attached to each balloon with the name of the soldier being honored and a note asking the finder to “say a prayer for this family” and to let the Van Zandt Veterans Memorial Plaza committee know the location where the card was found.
Mark Hardin with the City of Terrell airport said, depending on the winds of the day, it is estimated that a 12-inch helium-filled balloon can go as high as 9,000 feet and drift as far as 400 miles.
Balloons are available now for purchase in advance at Timeless Treasures and Savannah Winery and Bistro in Canton, the Canton Chamber of Commerce, Mooseberg Insurance in Ben Wheeler and Lone Star Grill in Wills Point.
Committee members will also sell balloons at the Canton Wal-Mart from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, Aug. 11, 18, 25 and Friday, Aug. 31.
All proceeds of this event go toward the building of the Van Zandt Veterans Memorial Plaza, with a mission “to create and perpetuate a memorial that honors the sons and daughters of Van Zandt County who fought for freedom, with a place of beauty and reverence where family and comrades can find peace in the memory of lost loved ones, and create in all who see this monument an understanding of the magnitude of loss we all share in the name of freedom.”
Completion of the memorial plaza is estimated to cost $350,000.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has agreed to match funds with the memorial committee so their goal is $175,000.
To date they have raised $55,000 and estimate the balloon release will bring in another $6,000.
The committee also continues to sell bricks to honor soldiers to be placed in the plaza, as well as memorabilia to further their fundraising efforts.
For more information, call (903) 363-2501.
 

Creature Feature
The American Chameleon
By Linda K. Holt
Monitor Staff

CEDAR CREEK LAKE–There’s a good chance you’ve seen this fella in your backyard, as well as your local arboretum. They can even be found at your local pet shop. He’s the American or Green Anole, Anolis carolinensis. I’ve seen them at many local nature spots from the Japanese Gardens in Fort Worth to the East Texas Arboretum in Athens. This native American with chameleon like abilities can vary its skin tone from bright green to deep brown. This comes in real handy when hiding from predators and sneaking up on juicy bugs. They are known to drop their tail when caught or trapped to distract predators. Although the tail will grow back, this causes a lot of physical stress for the Anole and will be harder to drop if attacked again. When they want to attract a female or warn off another male, they will extend their dewlap flashing a bright red. If you bob your head just right, they might even grace you with a peek! This photo was taken along the hiking trail at Purtis Creek State Park near Eustace.

Monitor Photo/ Linda K. Holt An American Anole gets flashy at Purtis Creek State Park.

Did you know? • They can reach a length of 22 cm. • Males are solid in color while the female has a white stripe down the back. • They periodically shed their skin. • Their eyes move independently of one another. • Most specimens in the pet trade are wild caught. • They eat primarily insects and invertebrates but also eat pollen and nectar.