Oak Ridge Today

Agle seeks re-election to Board of Education

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Angi Agle

Angi Agle

Angi Agle is running for re-election to the Oak Ridge Board of Education in the November 8 election. Early voting starts Wednesday, October 19.

Now completing her third term, Agle serves as the Board’s representative on the Tennessee Legislative Network, which helps to keep all Board members informed about proposed and new legislation affecting schools from the state level, a press release said. Agle has earned the Level IV Board Member designation from TSBA through continuing education through the Tennessee School Boards Association—in addition to civic and legislative advocacy.

“Oak Ridge Schools are now gaining traction toward some long-time goals, and I believe it is important to see these through,” Agle said in the press release. “The Seven Keys to College and Career Readiness, the five-year plan devised by the community-based 2020 Planning Committee, and the Access Oak Ridge initiative give us concrete goals, direction, and tools to ensure that our students—all of our students—succeed.” [Read more…]

Education Foundation’s Lawler Scholarship helps student; applications accepted

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tiffany-potok-and-scotland-architecture

Tiffany Potok and Scotland architecture (Submitted photo)

 

Tiffany Potok met students from throughout the world as an honors student at University of Glasgow, one of Europe’s oldest universities. Along with Scottish students, she met Canadians and lived in a flat with students from Brazil, China, Cyprus, and Malaysia during the spring semester this year.

She studied the Scottish enlightenment and took neuroscience courses while there. And she brought home some life lessons as well.

“One of the main take-aways I have is this: We focus way too much on cultural differences and how that separates us,” Potok said. “We need to focus more on what makes us all human.”

She was the recipient of the 2016 Dr. Adrian R. Lawler Exchange Student Scholarship, which provided funds to assist with her international studies experience. [Read more…]

Cuban-U.S. relations the topic of Oct. 31 lecture

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Henry Heredia

Henry Heredia

 

The social, cultural, and environmental development of Cuban society will be the topic of the next lecture in the third annual Roane State Community College–Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning Intergenerational Lecture Series.
Henry Heredia, an international relations specialist from Havana, Cuba, will speak on Monday, October 31, at 4 p.m. in the City Room (A-111) in Roane State’s Coffey-McNally Building on the Oak Ridge Campus at the corner of Briarcliff Avenue and Laboratory Road.

He will also speak on how the perceptions that Cubans and Americans have of each other have changed since President Barack Obama’s announcement in December 2014 that normalized American relations with the island nation. People across the U.S. are curious to know more about Cuba and its people, and some Americans have already visited Cuba, prompting changes in perceptions.

An engaging lecturer who speaks English fluently, Heredia can address many questions Americans have regarding Cuban culture, education, history, and social and environmental policies, a press release said. Since 2013, he has lectured at numerous prestigious institutions in the U.S. [Read more…]

Progress PAC endorses Agle, Fillauer

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Keys Fillauer

Keys Fillauer

The Progress PAC political action committee has endorsed the two incumbents running for Oak Ridge Board of Education: Angi Agle and Keys Fillauer.

“PAC board members feel these candidates best support the business community’s commitment toward exceptional schools and have expressed a willingness to partner with the Oak Ridge City Council on educational issues,” a press release said.

The Progress PAC endorsements for Oak Ridge City Council candidates will be announced later, said PAC Chairman Steve Whitson, an Oak Ridge resident.

“There are 10 candidates running for seven combined City Council and School Board seats, so decisions to endorse candidates are not made without lots of thought and discussion,” Whitson said in the press release. [Read more…]

Julie Dallas, Woodland parent, and Laura McLean, Oak Ridge School Board member, receive Tennessee School Boards Association Awards at East Fall District Meeting

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Julie Dallas, a Woodland Elementary School parent, and Laura McLean, an Oak Ridge School Board member, received Tennessee School Boards Association Awards at the East Fall District Meeting in September.

Dallas received the 2016 East Volunteer Recognition Award.

McLean received the Level I Boardmanship Award.

Here is more information from a press release:
[Read more…]

Access Oak Ridge initiative grows to include grades 9, 10; device pickup next Monday, Tuesday

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onetoone

Every ninth-grade and 10th-grade student at Oak Ridge High School should have a new digital device, a convertible laptop, as of Wednesday, October 19. It’s a continuation of Oak Ridge Schools’ digital initiative, Access Oak Ridge.

“Through our Access Oak Ridge digital one-to-one initiative, our vision is to empower all Oak Ridge students with equitable access to digital learning opportunities; to innovate, design, collaborate, and ultimately succeed in local and global communities of the future,” a press release said.

Here are the instructions for ninth- and 10th-graders and their parents/guardians to follow to receive their school-issued devices, according to the press release:

At your preferred arrival time on your grade-level designated day, come to the Wildcat Arena parking lot (on the Providence Road side of the building, across from the city outdoor pool.) Enter the building through the Wildcat Arena entrance. [Read more…]

ORNL, UT celebrating Bioenergy Day with free event for elementary, middle school students

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bioenergy-day-flyer

Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee are celebrating Bioenergy Day 2016 with a free event designed to engage elementary kids and middle schools, inviting them to investigate the world of bioenergy.

Participants include Creative Discovery Museum of Chattanooga, Genera Energy, UT Ag Extension, and UT Forest Service, along with ORNL Manufacturing (3D printing) and ORNL Transportation. [Read more…]

Roane State offering spring start for paramedic program; apply by Oct. 31

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There’s an October 31 application deadline to start Roane State Community College’s paramedic program in the spring semester.

The three-semester program, which features several courses each semester, is normally not offered with a spring semester starting point. It has been added to meet a local, statewide, and national shortage of paramedics, said David Blevins, program director.

The shortfall in advanced emergency medical technicians and paramedics is frequently mentioned during monthly regional meetings of EMS directors, he said.

There are 12 openings for the program, and candidates must be licensed as advanced EMTs or be in the Advanced EMT program now in progress. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools PTA-PTO’s candidate meet-and-greet

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Oak Ridge Schools PTA-PTOs will have a candidate meet-and-greet on Thursday, October 20. It’s scheduled from 7-8 p.m. in the Oak Ridge High School Cafeteria. It will feature candidates for Oak Ridge Board of Education and Oak Ridge City Council.

“Please come join us at the Oak Ridge Schools PTA- PTO’s Candidate Meet and Greet,” a press release said. “You will have the opportunity to speak with the Board of Education and City Council candidates about their visions for our school district and our city. We look forward to seeing you there!”

This press release was submitted by Holly Cross.

UT Arboretum Society’s Fall Plant Sale is Saturday

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ut-arboretum-society-fall-plant-sale-october-2016

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society’s Fall Plant Sale is in Oak Ridge on Saturday.

The plant sale is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the UT Arboretum, which is at 901 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

“Fall is the ideal time to add plants to the landscape,” a press release said. “To help satisfy that need, Beaver Creek Nursery, East Fork Nursery, Riverdale Nursery, Sunlight Gardens, as well as the UT Arboretum Society’s members and friends, will offer a variety of high-quality plants at this sale.”

Will Witte, the Society’s “Answer Man,” will be at the plant sale to answer all of your plant questions. Dano’s Hot Dogs will be back with his popular dogs, burgers, and lemonade, the press release said. [Read more…]

Reminder: League forum tonight features candidates for City Council, Board of Education

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Reminder: A forum tonight will feature candidates for the Oak Ridge Board of Education and the Oak Ridge City Council. It is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, October 4, at the Oak Ridge High School Amphitheater.

It’s the first of three candidate forums in October organized by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge.

The second forum will be on Thursday, October 6, at Roane State Community College City Room on the Oak Ridge campus. This will include the Oak Ridge candidates for the Anderson County Charter Commission. To begin the forum, there will be a short presentation from a subject matter expert on the process of reviewing and changing a county charter. This forum will be from 7 to 9 p.m. [Read more…]

Roane State NASA scholars named for fall 2016

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Roane State Community College Logo

Four Roane State Community College students have received NASA scholarships worth up to $5,000 to support their pursuit of degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) fields.

NASA provided funding for the scholarships through a $499,689 grant it awarded to the Tennessee Community College Space Grant Consortium. Roane State, Cleveland State Community College, Columbia State Community College, Northeast State Community College, and Pellissippi State Community College are part of the consortium. [Read more…]