Oak Ridge Today

Tonight: ORHS Band concert plus a thank-you for an instrument donation

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2016 ORHS Band Seniors

The 2016 Oak Ridge High School Band Seniors are pictured above. (Photo by McEachern Photography)

 

The entire Oak Ridge High School Band, and especially the seniors, would like you to attend their final concert today (Thursday, May 26) in the ORHS Performing Arts Auditorium, a press release said.

With the end of class and advanced placement and standardized testing at this time of year, scheduling time with students to prepare a quality concert is always a challenge, the press release said.

“Of course, our seniors have also been making decisions to launch into colleges from California to New York and all over the state of Tennessee—more distraction when it came time to rehearse,” the release said. “But talent will out, and our 28 seniors, the entire band, and band staff are looking forward to entertaining the community with an outstanding and diverse program.”

The evening will open with performances from the Percussion Ensemble, including two senior solos on marimba by Ethan McDaniel and Andrew Gillenwaters. [Read more…]

College Fair at Oak Ridge Public Library on Wednesday

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You can learn how accessible a college degree has become on Wednesday afternoon at the Oak Ridge Public Library.

The College Fair is scheduled from 12:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 25.

The East Tennessee College Alliance, or ETCA, can help new high school graduates and busy working adults alike arrange flexible class schedules and financial options that make earning a college degree more achievable than ever, a press release said. [Read more…]

Photo: Tennessee education commissioner speaks at ORHS Honors Night

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Candice McQueen at ORHS Honors Night May 23 2016

Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen, left, speaks at the Oak Ridge High School Honors Night on Monday, May 23, 2016. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Oak Ridge High School celebrated the accomplishments of this year’s graduating senior class with Honors Night on Monday, May 23. The celebration was in the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center.

Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen spoke at the ORHS Honors Night. Here is a photo by Julio Culiat.

Oak Ridge school board passes budget on second, final reading

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The Oak Ridge Board of Education passed the budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 on second and final reading on Monday.

The budget includes 3 percent salary increases and a request for an additional $538,048 from the city, a 3.6 percent increase in municipal funding.

The schools budget was approved unanimously in the first of two readings on Wednesday. It passed unanimously again on Monday. The school board made no significant changes to the budget proposed by the school system.

The budget will now be considered as part of the annual budget deliberations by the Oak Ridge City Council. The city typically provides a little less than 30 percent of the school system’s funding. The schools also receive state and federal funding. [Read more…]

Robertsville students have ultimate review panel for year-long project: NASA engineers

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Robertsville Middle School students meet with NASA engineers at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, on Thursday, May 19, 2016. The small cube satellites that the students created were 1U (1 cube unit). This is an actual 6U (the size of 2x3 of the 1Us) cube satellite that is used to carry payloads in space. (Submitted photo via Oak Ridge Schools)

Robertsville Middle School students meet with NASA engineers at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, on Thursday, May 19, 2016. The small cube satellites that the students created were 1U (1 cube unit). This is an actual 6U (the size of 2×3 of the 1Us) cube satellite that is used to carry payloads in space. (Submitted photo via Oak Ridge Schools)

 

Most middle school students, when planning a trip to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, are thinking of IMAX theater screenings, artifacts, and experiencing the physics of astronaut training in simulators such as the Space Shot and G-Force.

But what if these learners were given a real-life challenge that NASA engineers face on a daily basis, and asked to solve problems generally relegated to the top minds in the industry? What if those same young scholars were given the opportunity to then present their thought processes and design challenges to NASA engineers for a critical review?

This is the incredible experience Robertsville Middle School Ram Time participants were given in Todd Livesay’s enrichment course, a press release said. It is a part of the Response to Instruction and Intervention, or RTI2, model introduced this year in Oak Ridge middle schools, which provides rich opportunities for students who are exceeding grade level expectations in their core courses. [Read more…]

McNally ‘roast’ on Saturday will benefit Blankenship Foundation, raise money for synthetic turf

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Blankenship Field Overall Plan

An overall view of the proposed renovation of Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium. A Saturday morning, May 21, 2016, “roast” of Tennessee Senator Randy McNally will benefit the nonprofit Blankenship Foundation and raise money for new synthetic turf on Blankenship Field.

 

A “roast” of Tennessee Senator Randy McNally on Saturday will benefit the Blankenship Foundation and raise money for synthetic turf at Blankenship Field.

The “roast” will include Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. It starts at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 21, at Blankenship Field.

“We will have Big Ed’s Pizza under the tent and hear lots of Randy’s old friends telling stories on him,” an invitation said.

Tables of 10 sell for $1,000, or you can buy individual tickets for $100 each, the invitation said. Event sponsorships are available, and all funds will go to the Blankenship Foundation, which is raising money for the synthetic turf field. [Read more…]

Students prepare for summer break, but learning opportunities just beginning for teachers

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Oak Ridge Associated Universities Building MC-100

The Oak Ridge Associated Universities Building MC-100 is pictured above.

 

ORAU hosting free professional development workshops for area teachers beginning June 1

ORAU will host several short professional development workshops for East Tennessee educators in grades K-12. The free workshops start June 1.

Held at ORAU’s Center for Science Education in Oak Ridge, the half-day or full-day workshops are free and offer educators the opportunity to engage in hands-on activities that will enhance their STEM knowledge and curricula. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The workshops will cover a variety of topics: [Read more…]

Three Oak Ridge elementary schools earn AdvancED STEM Certification

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Pictured here are STEM leaders Evan Parker (left) and Kim Howard (right), with Principal Nancy West (center). Woodland Elementary School is the 42nd AdvancED STEM Certified school. (Submitted photo)

Pictured here are STEM leaders Evan Parker (left) and Kim Howard (right), with Principal Nancy West (center). Woodland Elementary School is the 42nd AdvancED STEM Certified school. (Submitted photo)

Three Oak Ridge elementary schools have earned AdvancED STEM Certification. Glenwood, Linden, and Woodland elementary schools are now officially three of 40-plus schools worldwide that have earned this certification so far, a press release said.

“The process is ongoing, and we look forward to adding more of our schools to this distinguished list in September,” the press release said.

For several months, Oak Ridge Schools STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) leaders have been working to provide evidence to a team of evaluators who have undertaken a data-driven internal review and an external diagnostic review process that demonstrates the school district’s ongoing commitment and capacity to prepare students for STEM fields of study and work, the release said.

“STEM students have the skills, knowledge, and thinking strategies that prepare them to be innovative, creative, and systematic problem solvers in STEM fields of study and work,” the release said. “Engaging in this process long term will provide educators with detailed findings and a clear roadmap to stimulate and sustain dramatic improvement.” [Read more…]

Four ORHS seniors sign to continue athletics in college

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Rizk Welsh Thompson and Beckett Signings May 2016

Jasmine Rizk, Katie Welsh, Caelyn Thompson, and Daniel Beckett are pictured above from left at signings to continue their athletic careers in college in May 2016. (Submitted photo)

 

Four Oak Ridge High School seniors recently signed to continue their athletic careers in college.

Daniel Beckett signed to run cross country with Maryville College. Caelyn Thompson signed to compete in track and field at Milligan College. Jasmine Risk signed to play girls soccer with Carson Newman College. And Katherine “Katie” Welsh signed to play girls soccer with Centre College.

Daniel Beckett Signing May 2016

Daniel Beckett signed to run cross country with Maryville College. (Submitted photo)

[Read more…]

Linden second-grade teacher Amy Fuqua named one of 10 DreamBox Learning Heroes

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In honor of its 10-year anniversary, DreamBox Learning selected Linden Elementary School second-grade teacher Amy Fuqua as one of 10 teachers as a DreamBox Learning Hero. These identified teacher heroes reflect DreamBox Learning’s core values, are at the top of their profession, deliver excellence in education for student success, and are changing the lives of students every day, a press release said.

Keith Kostka of DreamBox announced the award to Fuqua. [Read more…]

Clinton Middle wins CNS-sponsored Dream It, Do It competition

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Clinton Middle School wins the inaugural Dream It. Do It. Competition May 2016. Front row (left to right): Janet Hawkins, Paige Cooper, Sierra Patrick, Anthony Burkett Hundley, and Kristin Waldschlager of CNS. Back row (left to right): Anderson County Chamber President Rick Meredith, Jack Spangler, Jonathan Lewis, Kelly Myers, and Jason Bohne and Jim Zonar of CNS. (Submitted photo)

Clinton Middle School wins the inaugural Dream It. Do It. Competition May 2016. Front row (left to right): Janet Hawkins, Paige Cooper, Sierra Patrick, Anthony Burkett Hundley, and Kristin Waldschlager of CNS. Back row (left to right): Anderson County Chamber President Rick Meredith, Jack Spangler, Jonathan Lewis, Kelly Myers, and Jason Bohne and Jim Zonar of CNS. (Submitted photo)

 

Clinton Middle School won the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce’s first “Dream It. Do It.” competition.

Clinton Middle School partnered with Eagle Bend Manufacturing in the competition. For their effort, the school received four Go Pro cameras, provided by Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, or CNS, through corporate funds. CNS is the managing contractor at the Y‑12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and at the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas.

The awards ceremony was at Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus.

The program involved putting eighth-grade students in adult settings, a press release said. Equipped with Go Pro cameras, the students got a firsthand look at a manufacturing world that they might not have considered as a future career. CNS provided the students at Clinton, Lake City, Norris, and Norwood middle schools with the cameras and the mission to capture the diversity of careers and technical innovations in manufacturing by producing a short video. [Read more…]

Students, including in Oak Ridge, Clinton schools, donate more than 22 tons to Goodwill

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Hamblen-Winning-Class

The class in Hamblen County that won an ice cream party by donating the most to Goodwill of all Hamblen County classrooms. (Submitted photo)

 

Elementary and middle school students across Anderson, Knox, and Hamblen County—including Clinton City Schools and Oak Ridge Schools—recently participated in the Annual Goodwill Sack Pack material drives. More than 1,600 students from all three counties brought in an approximate total of 44,910 pounds of donations for Goodwill Industries-Knoxville.

From May 9 through 13, students were encouraged to bring donations of gently used clothing, toys, and other household goods to school to benefit Goodwill Industries, a press release said. In exchange for their donations, students were rewarded with free snacks from McDonald’s, free passes to the American Museum of Science and Energy, and/or the opportunity to win two free passes to Dollywood. A third-grade class at Hillcrest Elementary won an ice cream party from Keep Morristown-Hamblen Beautiful for having the most participation of all Hamblen county classrooms. [Read more…]