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Forney ISD has a student dress code policy for all grades and all campuses. The dress code gives the district a positive and distinctive identity and reflects the values of the schools and community. All students are required to wear the appropriate dress each day except for those days designated as non-dress code days at the discretion of the school administrators.

“Y’all won’t believe what kind of day this has been,” I yelled out as I bounded into the veterinarian’s office this week, weenie dog in tow. Of course, I tripped over Poe’s leash and nearly hit my head on the corner of the reception desk, winding up in a heap on the highly polished concrete floor. On my way down, I glanced at the two technicians and the receptionist I was attempting to engage in witty banter. Their mouths were all hanging open in that way that one’s mouth hangs open when one isn’t sure if one is supposed to speak, scream, hide, or just wince. I’m a lot to deal with at times. I dusted myself off and triple checked Poe for any signs of smush injury. He was fine. Baseball hat askew and glasses hanging from one ear, I stood to my full 62 inches and stated the obvious. “Doc didn’t tell you I was coming?” The receptionist replied, “He did not.” These are the unfortunate circumstances that exist when your veterinarian is a close friend of your husband. When I called Doc in a panic the prior evening, his direction to “just come on in tomorrow” was a clear indicator that our conversation would not be first and foremost in his mind when tomorrow arrived. Also, that’s the thing with me. I’m awkward, especially when under self-imposed duress. And, there’s no worse duress than feeling like your very presence is a kink in the garden hose of office protocol.

Dear Aunt B,

The LORD had led Israel out of bondage in Egypt and directed Moses to start toward the Promised Land. GOD began to test Israel to see if they would trust Him instead of themselves for their protection and the food they needed. The trip was long, and they began to run out of food and water. It only took a short time for the people to panic and want to return to Egypt. Even though they were slaves there, they could only see the food and water they had there. I believe that is the temptations we face today. When we have to get out of our comfort zone and rely on our faith to see us through the trouble, we often fall short. I am amazed how often I want to rely on myself instead of GOD for the direction I need. It appears that a constant battle between GOD and the devil was going on, and Israel was the prize.

“Insanity is hereditary. You get it from your kids,” read a sign in Brussels, Belgium.

I have had a lifelong love of catching catfish and… eating them! I guess my passion for catfish comes naturally. As a boy growing up on a poultry farm in Red River County, catching catfish was a way of life. Every nine weeks or so when the chickens sold, we would pack up the old 1950 International Pick Up with tarps, Coleman stoves, cast iron skillets, bedding, etc. and head up to a little lake in southeast Oklahoma that was chock full of channel catfish. I would begin catching bait, small perch from our farm pond, the day before. Upon arriving at our fishing hotspot, the drill was to set up camp quickly, which was easy to do; we had no tent, just tarps or, as they were called back then, ‘wagon sheets’. Tarps on the ground with blanket served as bedding.

The experience and wisdom of an older generation can be so amazing and uplifting. The differences in available technology today versus the thirties, forties, and fifties is vast. And yet, many advances in science and medicine occurred in these decades as well as the groundwork for modern day advancements in technology. For example, Hedy Lamarr, known primarily as an actress, theorized the basis for WiFi technology that we employ today. Many harsh and sometimes fatal diseases were cured or at least slowed down such as polio. The ‘human computer’, Katharine Johnson, and her colleagues at NASA put man on the moon calculating with a slide rule and No. 2 pencil as our modern computers didn’t exist. And from Mendel’s observations of the humble pea plant to Franklin’s X-rays of Slide 51 to Watson and Crick’s work on the double helix structure, DNA was named and imagined. All of these wonderful ideas and realizations occurred prior to 1969.

The United States flag was first imagined after the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The Continental Congress authorized creation of the first national flag on June 14, 1777. It was decided that the flag should have 13 stripes, alternating red and white, to represent the original 13 colonies, and that the new union be represented by 13 white stars in a blue field to signify a “new constellation.” Francis Hopkinson, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, is most often credited with the original design.

Your backyard, always great for your health and well-being, can do even more for families this summer by being a place to hold a staycation. A backyard vacation can be a fun way to spend time together and build new memories as a family while spending time in green space.

A growing emphasis on STEM has emerged within the educational sector over the last decade or more. Schools and students have put forth extraordinary effort into fostering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in curriculums and through personal pursuits. Although there are many proponents of STEM classes and careers, many people feel that creative endeavors, namely arts education, have been largely pushed aside in favor of STEM. But as evidence that arts-based learning has a positive effect on all aspects of education continues to mount - including improving students’ test scores on the SAT as well as in math and science - many educators are reintroducing art in schools. For example, prior to 2017, Mann Elementary School in Detroit had not offered art classes in 20 years. By 2017, some art and music classes had been restored. Students in Lebanon, Penn. also are learning the importance of the arts through the STEAM concept. First implemented by the Rhode Island School of Design, the “A” in STEAM stands for “Arts.” STEAM encourages students to think not only analytically but creatively, essentially blending the best of math and science with the arts. A recent study from PayScale.com even notes that graduates obtaining art degrees from certain schools can expect healthy returns on their educational investments. This furthers the push for a reintroduction of arts education, as it indicates that a career in the arts can be a potentially lucrative pursuit.

From backyard barbecues to water balloon fights, our outdoor spaces are home to some of our favorite memories. With warmer temperatures finally here, and everyone itching to get outside, preparing, and maintaining your outdoor space is a must, but it’s not everyone’s favorite chore.

The Declaration of Independence is a formal document that served as the signatory colonies’ statement that they were now “free and independent States.” It is a vital document in American history.

Visitors and locals are invited to celebrate the fourth of July weekend at the Dallas Arboretum with $5 admission for those two years old and up. From July 2 to 4, the garden also offers free entrance to the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden with paid garden admission, thanks to free Kelley Family Days and the family underwriting the cost. In addition to local artists’ murals, activities include a family fun weekend with hot dogs, sweet treats, concerts on the lawn and plenty of fun for everyone.