Oak Ridge Today

Oak Ridge Schools closed Friday due to illness

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Oak Ridge Schools are closed Friday due to illness.

More staff members have been reporting that they are ill, and the school system is not able to provide enough substitutes to fill in for teachers, teacher assistants, and transportation and food service workers, Oak Ridge Schools said in a Thursday afternoon statement.

“Due to this lack of available substitutes, we have decided to close school and the school administration on Friday, February 10,” the statement said.

The school system said student learning and safety are its main priorities, and officials have been monitoring the number of students and staff that have been unable to attend school due to illness. [Read more…]

Opposed to building preschool there, park supporters having party Saturday

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Elm Grove Park Oct. 21, 2015

Elm Grove Park in east Oak Ridge is one of two proposed sites for a new preschool. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

People opposed to building the new preschool at Elm Grove Park plan to show their support for the park on Saturday. They are having a Save Elm Grove Park Party at the park from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, February 11.

“We are inviting all members of the community who wish to show their support, as well as the members of the Oak Ridge City Council and Board of Education, so that they may see firsthand how the community feels about this historic site,” said Jordon Bell, who started a Save Elm Grove Park petition.

Elm Grove Park is on East Tennessee Avenue in east Oak Ridge. It’s owned by the city, and it once had a school. It was initially the preferred site for the new Oak Ridge Schools Preschool, which has been on the city’s wish list for many years.

But Elm Grove Park is now one of two possible sites for the new preschool. The other is Scarboro Community Center in central Oak Ridge. A day care center recently closed at the center, and city officials are now considering whether to add on to that city-owned building on Carver Avenue to house the preschool. [Read more…]

Anderson, Clinton, Knox, Roane schools closed until Monday due to illness

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Schools in Clinton and Anderson, Knox, and Roane counties are all closed Thursday, February 9, and Friday, February 10, due to illness.

Anderson County Schools said the closure is due to the continuing rise in the number of students and staff out sick.

Clinton City Schools cited illness among students and staff. Schools will re-open on a regular schedule on Monday, February 13. [Read more…]

Council to consider opposing use of public funds for private schools unless certain conditions met

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The Oak Ridge City Council is pictured above in December 2016. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday will consider opposing the use of public funds for private schools unless certain conditions are met.

The Oak Ridge Board of Education has already taken a position. In November 2016, the Board of Education said it opposed the taking of funds from public education in any Tennessee community unless the local school board agrees, there is statutory assurance that schools receiving the funds will comply with the same curriculum and testing standards required of public schools, and until the Basic Education Program is “adequately funded” by the Tennessee General Assembly.

There has been increased discussion of the potential use of school vouchers, at least in part because of the nomination and confirmation of Betsy DeVos as the new U.S. education secretary.

In a memo to City Council members, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said the Tennessee General Assembly has debated the merits of implementing a school voucher system for many years as a way to provide quality education for all students in the state.

“This system would allow a freedom of choice for all students to choose to leave their geographical-centered public school to another school, taking the state-allocated funds for that public school system to the new system, be it public or private,” Watson said. [Read more…]

Bill Bass of UT’s ‘Body Farm’ to give Feb. 21 lecture at Pellissippi State

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Bill Bass

Bill Bass

Bill Bass, a forensic anthropologist who founded the University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility, more popularly known as “The Body Farm,” will give a lecture at Pellissippi State Community College in Hardin Valley on February 21.

His program is titled “Forensic Law Enforcement Field Operations.” It is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, February 21, in the Goins Auditorium in the Goins Building at Pellissippi State Community College. His talk will address research and field work throughout his career and more recently at the UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center, a press release said.

Bass is best known for his research on human osteology and human decomposition. He has assisted federal, local, and non-U.S. authorities in the identification of human remains, the press release said. He is the author of numerous best-selling books and will have some books for sale, which he will sign. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Graduation Celebration needs your help

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Students always enjoy the “photo booth” at Graduation Celebration. This was taken at the June 2016 party. (Submitted photo)

Students always enjoy the “photo booth” at Graduation Celebration. This was taken at the June 2016 party. (Submitted photo)

 

For 20 years, the Oak Ridge community has hosted Graduation Celebration, a safe, all-night party for high school graduates at the Civic Center in Oak Ridge. And for 20 years, there has not been even one car accident involving a student on graduation night in Oak Ridge. Isn’t that amazing? That’s something to celebrate.

And we’re set to do it again June 1, 2017, with games, food, $13,000 in prizes, and scholarships, all night long in a party that has no drugs or alcohol and welcomes every student who graduates. About 85 percent or more of the ORHS senior class attends each year.

And yet today, Graduation Celebration needs your help. Donations were down last year, and volunteers have moved on as their children have graduated. The organization needs more of both! Can you help? [Read more…]

Borchers wins Anderson County Ally of the Year Award

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DrB2Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention, or ASAP, of Anderson County hosted a contest for selecting an “Ally of the Year.” Candidates for the award were nominated by community members for their passion for creating a healthy and productive Anderson County. They are united by one goal: to use their leadership, influence, and communication skills to raise funds to help prevent and reduce substance abuse in Anderson County. Each dollar raised by the candidates counted as one vote.

Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers was the top fundraiser, bringing in more than $1,850. Oliver Springs Police Chief Kenny Morgan was the first runner-up, raising more than $1,200. Anderson County School Superintendent Tim Parrott was the second runner-up, adding $1,100. [Read more…]

Six senior athletes honored during National Signing Day at ORHS

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Surrounded by family members and school officials, Oak Ridge senior wide receiver Tee Higgins signs to play football at Clemson University at Oak Ridge High School on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Six senior athletes at Oak Ridge High School were honored during National Signing Day at Oak Ridge High School on Wednesday.

The six athletes, their sports, and the schools they will attend are:

  • Jake Etheridge—cross country, University of Tennessee in Chattanooga;
  • Alex Sherles—vollebyall, East Tennessee State University;
  • David Dunn—rowing, Stanford University;
  • Leah Scudder—soccer, Erskine College;
  • Kyndall Clark—football, Gardner-Webb University; and
  • Tee Higgins—football, Clemson University.

National Signing Day is the first day that high school seniors can sign a binding letter of intent with NCAA schools, ORHS Athletic Director Mike Mullins said. [Read more…]

Wellness, Safety Fair is April 5

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The City of Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Schools, and Community Wellness and Safety Fair is scheduled for Wednesday, April 5, at the Oak Ridge Civic Center.

The fair is open to all Oak Ridge city employees, Oak Ridge Schools employees, retirees, and their families.  The entire Oak Ridge community is also invited to participate.

The Oak Ridge Civic Center is located at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike. [Read more…]

Photos: ORHS Fusion Orchestra on ‘Blue Plate Special’ radio show on WDVX

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The Oak Ridge High School Fusion Orchestra performs on the “Blue Plate Special” on WDVX 89.9 FM at the Grove Theater in Oak Ridge on Friday, Feb. 3, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge High School Fusion Orchestra performed on the “Blue Plate Special” radio show on WDVX FM 89.9 on Friday. Here are photos from the show.

The groundbreaking fusion orchestra is now in its second year at ORHS, and it is the brainchild of ORHS Orchestra Director Doug Phillips, a press release said. According to Phillips, the class is a result of his doctoral studies during the past seven years at one of the top music universities in the world: Boston University.

“The class is a unique way to teach orchestra students for several reasons,” Phillips said. “First, in a traditional orchestra, all of the students are guided by notes on a paper that tell them exactly what to do and when to do it, how loud to play it, when to stop, etc., while the teacher acts as an overseer and dictates of all activities. [Read more…]

ORHS Orchestra has 17 students in All-East Tennessee Orchestra Clinic

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Oak Ridge High School Orchestra Feb 4 2017 600x422

Oak Ridge High School Orchestra students pictured from left above are Jade Dush, Hannah Constance, Lindsey Young, Olivia Mahathy, Mandy Pitz, Jamimie Clark, Meghan Campbell, HyeJi Bang, Aaron Beavin, Logan Roeling, Alek Wereszczak, Noah Constance, Kenny Moon, Eagle Yuan, Jared Anderson, Michael Ma, and Jay Casey. (Photo courtesy Doug Phillips)

 

Oak Ridge High School Orchestra placed 17 students in the All-East TN Orchestra Clinic. The clinic was held in Gatlinburg this weekend. The students are pictured above. They are: [Read more…]

ASAP: Students get the facts on drugs, win free chicken

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Victoria Seiber, the Chick-fil-A Cow, and Alexis Roy at Clinton High School for the ASAP Ambassador’s National Drug and Alcohol IQ Challenge. (Photo by Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson County)

Victoria Seiber, the Chick-fil-A Cow, and Alexis Roy at Clinton High School for the ASAP Ambassador’s National Drug and Alcohol IQ Challenge. (Photo by Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson County)

 

Submitted

The ASAP Ambassadors Youth Coalition from Anderson County, Clinton, and Oak Ridge high schools celebrated National Drug and Alcohol Facts week last week. Aiming to increase their peers’ awareness of the dangers of drugs and alcohol, the student-led group organized the event.

Students from the three high schools tested their knowledge on drugs and drug abuse by taking the 2017 National Drug and Alcohol IQ Challenge during their school’s lunch periods. Student contestants answered questions in a buzzer style trivia game related to mental health, marijuana, and other drugs.

With the support of Project AWARE and Chick-fil-A, the event was a crowd-pleasing success, but most importantly, students gained valuable knowledge. [Read more…]