Welcome To 2011; Check Out Activities

Welcome to the second half of the 2010-2011 school year. We are off to a great start as our students got back to classes this week. We are already off to a full round of activities, and we encourage our families and community to come out to support our students, campuses and district.

Here are just a few upcoming highlights. If you need more details, you can always check out the event dates section of www.cfbisd.edu.

• Fri., Jan. 7, starting at 5 p.m. and Sat., Jan. 8, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.: The C-FB ISD New Year's Classic Swim Tournament at the C-FB ISD Natatorium, 1334 W. Valwood Parkway, Carrollton (next door to the district's Standridge Stadium). All district swim teams will participate.

• "The Great Cell Phone Drive" is underway at R. L. Turner High School. This is a fundraiser for the orchestra program, and it's very easy. From Jan. 8 to Jan. 15, individuals can drop their cell phones off at R. L. Turner, 1600 Josey Lane, Carrollton or at any of these additional locations: Turner Hardware, Valley View Farm (2825 Valley View Lane #304, Farmers Branch), Joe's Pizza (Beltine Road/Josey Lane, Carrollton), Kroger (Valwood/Josey Lane, Farmers Branch), Dr Pepper Star Center (Stemmons Freeway/Carrick Lane, Farmers Branch), Brookhaven Country Club Athletic Department (Farmers Branch).

• Mon., Jan. 10 is a special day at Carino's Restaurant, 510 W. 635, Irving. From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Carino's will host a Community Day to raise funds for our All Stars Team (C-FB ISD's Special Olympics athletes through Kacie's Run. Patrons eating at Carino's must mention Kacie's Run, and Carino's Italian Restaurant will donate a percentage of the day's sales to our All Stars. Thank you, Carino's and to everyone who enjoys a night out at the Italian restaurant!

• The January C-FB ISD School Board meeting is Thurs., Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Board Room of the Administration Building, 1445 North Perry Road, Carrollton. Board agendas can be found at www.cfbisd.edu at agendas.
  


• The C-FB ISD Council of PTA and Educational Foundation are gearing up for the Tenth Annual Gently Used Book Sale. Donations are now being accepted at all schools, the Administration Building and the Community Learning Complex. (see Directory of Schools)
  


• You can also drop off donations at the Sale Site, Trinity Valley Shopping Center, 2660 North Josey Lane, Carrollton 75006 (Josey Lane at the George Bush Turnpike). Just look for the giant "Book Sale" sign above the specific store front (check www.gentlyusedbooksale.org for hours). You can donate your books in the name of your favorite C-FB ISD school or the C-FB ISD Educational Foundation. Please mark your boxes so volunteers know that a donation is being given "in the name of a particular entity."
  
  Both organizations are looking for book lovers to help set up the "Gently Used Book Sale." Please contact volunteers@gentlyusedbooksale.org if you would like to volunteer.
  
  Gently Used Book Sale Dates: Feb. 24 & 25: 10 a.m. t0 9 p.m.; Feb. 26: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Feb. 27: noon to 6.
  
  Remember, you can keep informed about the sale by checking out the sale's website: www.gentlyusedbooksale.org

Best Organized Used Book Sale Around

What started as a small organized book sale nine years ago has grown into one of the largest best organized Gently Used Book Sales in the North Texas area. From Feb. 25 to Feb. 28, the C-FB ISD Council PTA and the C-FB ISD Educational Foundation will host the Ninth Annual Gently Used Book Sale in Carrollton.

This book sale is an annual fundraising event for the benefit of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District.

Proceeds support:

• Student Scholarships
• Teacher Grants
• Student Enrichment Grants
• PTA Program Grants
• PTA Clothes Closet
• Multi-Language PTA Brochures & Programs
• Safe, alcohol-free and drug-free post prom parties for the C-FB ISD high schools.

Location
The sale location is easy to find:
Trinity Valley Shopping Center
2660 N. Josey Lane (Northeast corner of George Bush Tollway & Josey Lane in Carrollton)
Carrollton, TX 75006
Those who live in Carrollton call the shopping center, the “Target Shopping Center” since the largest store is, of course, Target.

Sale Hours & Prices
Thursday, February 25 - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
$1 paperbacks, $2 hardbacks

Friday, February 26 - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
75¢ paperbacks, $1.50 hardbacks

Saturday, February 27 - 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
50¢ paperbacks, $1 hardbacks

Sunday, February 28 - Noon to 6 p.m.
Box of Books Sale: $12 per box
25¢ paperbacks, 50¢ hardbacks

Since the sale’s product is provided by donations, you may also find DVDs and audio books as well as video tapes and even a few unexpected surprises.

The event is run by volunteers who have spent hours preparing the site and turning it into a gently used book store. It is unbelievable how organized the sale is. The volunteers have sorted the books into all types of categories, divided between children’s and adult sections with detailed signage. They even hand out maps to customers.

During the sale, volunteers help customers throughout the store and check-out. Cash is always the best, but checks are accepted with the necessary identification. They take MasterCard and VISA for purchases for $15 or more.

So drop on by the Gently Used Book Sale from Feb. 25 – Feb. 28. Reading is good for you, and your money is going to good a cause.

And, if you have books to donate, you can still donate by dropping them at the site. For more information, visit http://www.gentlyusedbooksale.org/.