Bent Tree People (Newspaper) - June 2, 2006, Dallas, Texas NEIGHBORS Nasher offers kids WEEKEND Tracy Byrd hits Billy Bobs Texas Saturday 3B NEIGHBORS Here comes the bride 5 A H FRIDAY JUNE 2 Prep for Private School Deadlines tests top the todo list By Sarah P Henry Staff Writer The small class sizes the accelerated academics and the competitive admissions are a few reasons why sen iors graduating from private schools in Dallas are enrolling in elite colleges like Harvard University Princeton University Stan ford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this fall Dallas has the benefit of having a number of very very good private schools that are not all that similar said David Baker director of admissions at St Marks School of Texas They have very different focuses they have different strengths Thats a good thing Parents have lots of choices between lots of kinds of schools IEN TT RE PAPERS COM VOL 3 ISSUE 21 ONE QUARTER student to apply to these schools Deadlines and long lines of applicants have to be hur before the admissions department ever looks at an application and dont think the process is less compli for a kindergartener than it is for a high school student People Newspapers researched the application process at nine private schools Bishop Lynch High School Episco pal School of Dallas Green hill School The Hockaday School Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dal las Christian Academy St Marks Trinity Christian Academy and Ursuline Academy of Dallas Acceptance rates at the nine schools range from 20 percent at ESD to 75 percent at in West Piano On average about one in four applicants is admitted to private schools At all nine schools sib lings and children of alumni are given preference We have community applicants said Ruth Burke director of admission and financial aid at ESD The basic rule is when all else is equal the spot can be given to a sibling or an alumni We have a real strong sibling preference We love to try to keep families together if we can Tuition is always a hot topic for those considering private school In most cases the applica tion process is financially blind and private schools in Dallas give away several See SCHOOL Page 6 A 8 2 GRADUATION DAY Outdoor Escapes Residents spare no expense for great yards By Tiffany Wessler Staff Writer Whether creating a private sanctuary or a social gathering pTace Bent Tree homeowners are willing to spend lavishly for a beautiful yard Frank and Nancy Marlow of pay a monthly homeowners fee to cover everything visible from the street including trimming and mowing Their courtyard and private areas are maintained by a private contractor To me its well worth it said Frank Marlow about the monthly fee and added that some of his neighbors prefer to have their lawn mowed a particular way and thus pay the but pay extra to have the work hired out by another company The homeowners board of the community negotiates with landscape companies each year to find a reputable company for the 120 or so homes in the area The board must approve other ors such as repainting or adding ponds antennae or satellite dishes When it comes to new proj ects Marlow said keeping up with the neighbors is of utmost importance someone does spend to domino effect he said Its keeping up The first person will put up Christmas lights and six jobs Ive just gone down the street said Hoffmeyer who has seen new retaining walls and outdoor kitchens emerging as the latest trends area Neighbors see something and they want it not necessarily to keep up but because they see it and think STAFF PHOTO LONNIE ERICKSON Bent Tree resident Richard Browns recently completed outdoor room then the next does and if youre the only person who doesnt youll stand out Rob Hoffmeyer of Accent Lawn Care and Landscaping said he has definitely seen a domino effect in landscaping To be honest four of my last hey our yard needs that too Richard Brown of the Pre stonwood West Homeowners Association saw the emer gence of outdoor rooms and chose not to be left behind on See ESCAPES Page Health Officials Warn of West Nile Virus Wet winter may mean more mosquitoes By Peter Sknek Staff Writer According to Micheal Wheeler with the citys Department of tal and Health Services it is impossible to tell for sure if one year is going to be better or worse for West Nile Virus in the Dallas area But because of a wetter early part of 2006 health officials are saying that this summer may see more mosquitoes and more chances of people becoming infected with the virus People look at mild versus harsh high versus low rainfall Wheeler said But when it comes to us it is always wait and see col lect the mosquitoes and see whats out there The months of May and June are considered the start of the mosquito season as warmer temperatures com with plenty of free standing water offer an opportunity for the toes who spread the virus to breed That means Wheeler and his team are out in the field setting traps and testing mos to see if they carry the disease West Nile was first ered in Texas in 2002 Most of the symptoms include fever headache sore throat body aches and fatigue while more severe cases can cause disori tremors sions muscle weakness coma paralysis and in rare cases death The first possible case of West Nile this year was reported in early May by a Bent Tree man who may have contracted the virus in April To monitor West Nile in the area Wheeler and his team sample mosquitoes and test dead birds to determine if they had the virus In 2005 Wheeler said of 12 birds tested five were determined to have died from West Nile But Wheeler said that as health officials learn more about the virus their methods for monitoring its progress are changing we the West Nile virus in Dallas birds were a big control measure See VIRUS Page In 200517 Dallas residents caught West Nile Virus Although no one who contracted the dis ease in Dallas died the virus claimed 11 Jives in Texas Source Dallas Department of Environmental and Health Services Wine Tastings at Your Doorstep Local purveyors cash in on new trends Above Early arrivals to the pri vate wine tasting relax and sip on a few of the samples while wine consultant Michael Schwartz gives a few pointers Right Sharon Aronoff enjoys the taste STAFF PHOTOS By Tiffany Staff Writer Forget the weekend getaways to Hill Country wineries and party buses to vineyards Piano wine enthusiasts are popping their corks for local businesses that bring wine closer to home in some cases right to the front door Michael Schwartz an inde pendent wine consultant with The Traveling Vineyard organizes free wine tastings in which he brings a WEEKEND The spirit is really close to martial aits You have to start on your physical condition and then let vour instincts guide you selection of wine plenty of glasses and a wealth of infor mation about wine sampling food pairings and individual blends Bent Tree resident Barbara Wilson deemed the venture a great idea Having recently viewed Sideways a film about the adventures of a wine connoisseur and his drinking buddy Wilson hosted a private tasting with several colleagues to get better acquainted with on the different varietals It is a new source of infor mation and an experience for WEATHER STAFF PHOTO MICHAEL North Dallas residents Jim and Kay Powers enjoy some white wines at Vintners Cellar Saturday niont us she said If you want to have friends over and have a blast its that kind of occasion Wilson also was enthralled Sec WINE Page Me master of parkour on using the art he invented in the new film District Partly tO TIP Partly Cloudy Sunny
