DESPITE PLAYOFF LOSS, SCOTS ENTER OFFSEASON WITH OPTIMISM 1B
JANUARY 2016 I Vol. 36, No. 1 parkcitiespeople.com @pcpeople
CITIZENS OF THE YEAR
Forward Thinkers HOW A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS TRANSFORMED HPISD FOR ITS SECOND CENTURY
BUSINESS Special workers serve sweet flavors at new eatery 15
DON JOHNSON
Pups get pampered at new self-service animal spa 24
From left, Facilities Advisory Committee members Blythe Koch, Doug Thompson, Maryjane Bonfield, and Gage Prichard
By Todd Jorgenson
People Newspapers
W
hen the members of the Facilities Advisory Committee first stepped into a room together more than 18 months ago, they didn’t set out to transform Highland Park ISD. In a community that values tradition, the 21 civic leaders and school volunteers were tasked with shaping another bond proposal — one that likely would be similar to previous efforts, every eight years or so, to update HPISD facilities with a modest cost to keep up with technology and building improvements. That didn’t happen. The committee instead wound up with the most ambitious bond package in the district’s history, by far, at $361.4 million. Then the members — who have lived in the Park Cities for an average of
35 years each — sold the idea to the community, which passed the referendum by a narrow margin in November. “It ended up being a bigger and bolder vision than maybe any of us anticipated or what people in the community anticipated,” said Blythe Koch, a committee member and mother of students at Hyer Elementary School. The bottom line is that most everybody, even those who didn’t support the bond initiative, appreciated the incredible time and effort that it required for the committee to set aside their daily lives for several months and craft their vision. It’s that passion, regardless of the outcome, that deserves a salute as the Park Cities People citizens of the year. “It far exceeded anything that we could
SCHOOLS
Dancing queen: How a Belle’s journey began on a tropical island 9
LIVING WELL
THE COMMITTEE Those who comprised the HPISD Facilities Advisory Committee during the past two years came from all walks of life but found a common goal. They include: Maryjane Bonfield Syd Carter Jenifer Cody Jerry Grable Houston Hunt Mark Jaudes Blythe Koch Gail Madden Polly McKeithen Anne McPherson Mary Meier
CONTINUED ON 32
COMMUNITY
Why was an HPHS violinist on the stage at Carnegie Hall? 31
Gage Prichard* Stewart Rogers Mario Santander Brad Schwall Michael Selby Doug Thompson* Randy Touchstone Lee Wagner Caroline Williams Bobby Womble * — co-chairs
SOCIETY The stars at night were big and bright at Crystal Charity 25
SPORTS
Lady Scots have big goals in quest for state soccer tournament 1B