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Schools give Year Two progress report on Access Oak Ridge

Posted at 5:45 pm January 28, 2017
By Holly Cross Leave a Comment

These charts depict the increase in use of the Canvas learning management system, or LMS, since its adoption in 2015 in Oak Ridge Schools. Dips in usage occurred in June and July of 2016 when school was not in session. (Image by Oak Ridge Schools)

These charts depict the increase in use of the Canvas learning management system, or LMS, since its adoption in 2015 in Oak Ridge Schools. Dips in usage occurred in June and July of 2016 when school was not in session. (Image by Oak Ridge Schools)

 

Submitted

During the past two years, the Oak Ridge school district has been making new strides in our Access Oak Ridge digital learning initiative by putting Lenovo Yoga laptop computers into the hands of every student in grades 5-10.

Our vision in this initiative is “to empower all Oak Ridge students with equitable access to digital learning opportunities, and to innovate, design, collaborate, and ultimately succeed in local and global communities of the future.” Within this vision, we believe that learning should be student-centered, with technology that enables exploration of content with greater depth and breadth.

Our aim is to continue to grow Access Oak Ridge to provide opportunities that lead to substantial benefits for both students and staff. Fostering innovative thinking expands the classroom beyond the school walls for our students.

Prior to embarking on the Access Oak Ridge initiative, dedicated information technology (IT) staff and instructional technology coaches had been preparing our students and teachers with digital tools and software for more than a decade. In 2014-15, our instructional technology coaches worked with a team of teachers to research and select a learning management system, or LMS, to securely house all of our online content for courses such as soft copies of textbooks, course readings, designated internet content links, software, and videos, as well as student and family progress monitoring (course grading). The LMS the teacher team selected is Canvas by Instructure. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, K-12, Top Stories Tagged With: Access Oak Ridge, Canvas, digital learning, digital learning initiative, Garfield Adams, Jefferson Middle School, Learning Management System, Lenovo Yoga laptop computers, LMS, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Schools, Phil Cox, Robertsville Middle School, Stephanie Thompson

Haslam visits ORNL to highlight state’s role in discovering tennessine

Posted at 12:29 am January 28, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Bill Haslam at ORNL Tennessine Martin McDonald Thom Mason ORHS Students

Principal Martin McDonald, left, and students from Oak Ridge High School accepted the first new chart of the periodic table featuring element tennessine and signed by Governor Bill Haslam, right, and ORNL Director Thom Mason, second from left. To mark the discovery of tennessine, UT-Battelle is donating a new chart to all public middle and high schools in Tennessee. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

 

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam visited the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Friday to congratulate the ORNL team involved in the discovery of the element tennessine, named in recognition of the vital contributions of the state of Tennessee to the international search for new superheavy elements.

UT-Battelle, the managing contractor of ORNL, is marking the discovery by providing more than 1,000 public middle schools and high schools in Tennessee with new charts of the periodic table. Tennessine—the official name for element 117—completes the seventh row of the table and the column of elements classified as halogens.

The charts will include the signatures of Haslam and ORNL Director Thom Mason.

“We had two very significant announcements in Tennessee this fall as it relates to science,” Haslam said. “In October, the Nation’s Report Card announced that Tennessee students are the fastest improving in the nation in science, and in November, Tennessee became only the second state to be recognized in the periodic table of elements. Having an element named in our honor is further evidence of the scientific excellence that exists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University, and other institutions throughout our state, and by UT-Battelle donating new periodic tables to every middle and high school in Tennessee, students can feel proud of our state’s important role in the scientific community and inspired to play a role in its future.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, Government, K-12, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, Slider, State, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: berkelium-249, Bill Haslam, Bk-249, DOE Isotope Program, element 115, element 117, element 118, Eugene P. Wigner Distinguished Lecture, halogens, High Flux Isotope Reactor, hot fusion, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, island of stability, IUPAC, Jim Roberto, Joe Hamilton, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Martin McDonald, Moscovium, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Office of Science, Oganesson, ORNL, periodic table, Radiochemical Engineering Development Center, radioisotope, superheavy atoms, superheavy element, Tennessine, Thom Mason, U.S. Department of Energy, University of Tennessee, UT-Battelle, Vanderbilt University, Victor Matveev, Yuri Oganessian

Oak Ridge receives Blankenship Field grant, primarily for synthetic turf

Posted at 9:46 pm January 26, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Blankenship Field Overall Plan

An overall view of the proposed renovation of Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium. (File image from April 2015)

 

Oak Ridge has received a state grant of just under $500,000 that will be used primarily for synthetic turf at Blankenship Field. But it is also expected to help pay for track improvements, upgraded restrooms, fencing between the football field and track, and improvements to the Cedar Hill trailhead behind the visitors bleachers at Jack Armstrong Stadium, city officials said Thursday.

The Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant requires a 50 percent match. The match is supposed to be provided by the nonprofit Blankenship Field Revitalization Foundation, and it can be a mix of cash and in-kind contributions, although the precise percentage of each—cash versus in-kind contributions—isn’t clear yet. The foundation has been chaired by Tennessee Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Senate Randy McNally.

Officials expect to know more after four of them—City Manager Mark Watson, City Council member Rick Chinn, Recreation and Parks Director Jon Hetrick, and Allen Thacker of Oak Ridge Schools—attend mandatory grant training in Nashville in February.

After that, the Oak Ridge City Council could accept the grant, possibly as early as the February 13 meeting. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, High School, Oak Ridge, Slider, Sports, Sports, State Tagged With: Allen Thacker, Bermuda grass, Blankenship Field, Blankenship Field Revitalization Foundation, City of Oak Ridge, grant, Jack Armstrong Stadium, Jon Hetrick, Julio Culiat, Local Parks and Recreation Fund, Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant, Mark Watson, Mike Mullins, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Schools, Randy McNally, synthetic turf, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

ORHS pantry provides food, clothing, toiletries, cleaning products to students in need

Posted at 7:08 pm January 25, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak-Ridge-High-School-RISE-Pantry-8-Jan-4-2017-Web

A pantry started about a year ago at Oak Ridge High School provides food, clothing, toiletries, and cleaning products to students in need. The Oak Ridge Board of Education toured the pantry with ORHS administrators and teachers on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017. From left to right are Laura McLean, Angi Agle, Allen Etheridge, Beth Estep, Leslie Shelton, Bruce Lay, Bob Eby, Bruce Borchers, and Keys Fillauer. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 1:25 p.m. Jan. 26.

A pantry started about a year ago at Oak Ridge High School provides food, clothing, toiletries, and cleaning products to students in need.

It’s known as the RISE Pantry. RISE stands for Raising Individual Students to Excellence.

The pantry started with a cabinet. It’s now housed in a former classroom on the third floor of the high school.

Items stored there include, among other essentials, backpacks and notebooks, pants and shirts, shoes and boots, and soup and beans.

“You can’t learn if your basic needs aren’t met,” said English teacher and coach Allen Etheridge, one of those who started the pantry. “(If) a kid asks, we will bring them down here.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Education, Front Page News, K-12, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Allen Etheridge, Angi Agle, Beth Estep, Bob Eby, Brianna Ottinger, Bruce Borchers, Bruce Lay, Keys Fillauer, Laura McLean, Leslie Shelton, Martin McDonald, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge High School, RISE Pantry, Shannon Eidam, Tom Sauer

Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra to perform in Free Family Concert on Sunday

Posted at 1:06 am January 24, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Family Concert Instrument Petting Zoo

Family Concert Instrument Petting Zoo (Photo courtesy ORCMA)

 

In what has become a fun-filled, family tradition, the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association will present the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra’s Annual Free Family Concert for families and music lovers on Sunday, January 29, at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center.

The concert is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Sunday. It is appropriate for all ages and includes informative pieces and instrument demonstrations so that first timers can learn about the symphony orchestra, a press release said.

Music Director Dan Allcott recently instituted another tradition, whereby a special prize is awarded to the winner of the Ralph Einstein Youth Aliyah Concert competition. Allcott offers an opportunity for the winner to perform with the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra on the Family Concert.

“I think it is very inspiring for young people to see young performers,” Allcott said. “We want them to know that someday they could be on stage with us. The soloist for this year’s concert will be 17-year-old violinist, Mitchell Cloutier.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Entertainment, Front Page News, Music, Top Stories Tagged With: Dan Allcott, free family concert, Mitchell Cloutier, Oak Ridge Civic Music Assocition, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center, Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra, ORCMA, Rachel Perkins Haverkamp, Ralph Einstein Youth Aliyah Concert competition

Oak Ridge Schools working on completing Phase 2 of convertible laptop purchases for students

Posted at 1:35 pm January 20, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Convertible laptops were provided to 9th-grade and 10th-grade students at Oak Ridge High School in October 2016 as part of Oak Ridge Schools’ digital initiative, which is known as Access Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

Convertible laptops were provided to 9th-grade and 10th-grade students at Oak Ridge High School in October 2016 as part of Oak Ridge Schools’ digital initiative, which is known as Access Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

 

Oak Ridge Schools is working on completing the second phase of a program that, among other things, provides convertible laptops to students. The program is known as Access Oak Ridge.

Phase Two brings the technology, which is also known as one-to-one technology, into all high school classrooms.

Due to funding, Oak Ridge Schools started the second phase by purchasing devices for two grade levels, ninth and tenth grades.

To complete Phase Two, about 750 additional machines are required at an estimated cost of $530,000. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, K-12 Tagged With: Access Oak Ridge, convertible laptops, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Schools

Navy Junior ROTC program to start at ORHS in 2017-2018

Posted at 12:41 pm January 20, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Navy Junior ROTC

Oak Ridge High School will begin offering a Navy Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, or ROTC, program in the 2017-2018 school year.

ORHS has been trying to start a Junior ROTC program since 2014. It’s expected to lead to more students attaining the seventh key in the school system’s Seven Keys to College and Career Reediness. (The seventh key says all students will participate in dual enrollment, advanced placement coursework, industry certification, or military preparation by graduation.)

The Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation and CNS—the contractor that operates and manages the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas—have donated $15,000 to help with start-up costs of the Navy JROTC. An announcement of that $15,000 donation called the Navy Junior ROTC program the Naval National Defense Cadet Corp program. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, K-12, Top Stories Tagged With: CNS, Junior ROTC, Naval National Defense Cadet Corp, Navy JROTC, Navy Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, ORHS, ROTC, Seven Keys to College and Career Reediness

Photos: Oak Ridge High School cheerleaders

Posted at 6:28 pm January 14, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak-Ridge-Campbell-County-Boys-Basketball-Cheerleaders-2-Jan-10-2017-Web

Oak Ridge High School cheerleaders are pictured above during the boys’ basketball game at Campbell County on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

JACKSBORO—The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats beat the Campbell County Lady Cougars 56-39 in Jacksboro on Tuesday, and the Wildcats defeated the Cougars 94-57. Here are photos of the Oak Ridge cheerleaders during the boys’ game. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, High School, Sports Tagged With: Campbell County, cheerleaders, Cougars, Lady Cougars, Lady Wildcats, Oak Ridge High School, Wildcats

‘End of the road’: Etheridge resigns after 13 years as head coach, six state titles

Posted at 5:08 pm January 6, 2017
By John Huotari 1 Comment

oak-ridge-cross-country-team-coaches-wright-etheridge-sauer-nov-5-2016-web

Pictured above are Oak Ridge cross country coach Allen Etheridge, center, and assistant coaches Ed Wright, left, and Tom Sauer at the Class AAA cross country meet at Percy Warner Park in Nashville on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 7.

Allen Etheridge has resigned as cross country coach at Oak Ridge High School after 13 years as head coach and six state titles.

His resignation is effective today (Friday, January 6). Etheridge was an assistant cross country coach for five years before he became head coach.

“I just have the sense that with cross country this was the end of the road,” Etheridge said. “I don’t know that I could bring anything new to the table.”

Besides the six state titles, Etheridge’s teams have won five runner-ups, three third places, one individual state championship, and 15 regional titles. The state championships were in 2005, 2006, and 2007 for the boys, and 2007, 2009, and 2010 for the girls. The individual state champion was John Sharpe in 2009.

The boys’ team finished second in the state meet in 2015 and third in 2016. The team won the Region 2-AAA meet for the third year in a row in October. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, High School, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: Allen Etheridge, cross country, Ed Wright, Jim McNamee, Laura Froning, Luke Hadden, Mike Mullins, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge High School, ORHS, Tom Sauer, track and field

Middle School Math Competition is Saturday

Posted at 12:44 am January 5, 2017
By Ethan Brady 3 Comments

The Oak Ridge High School Mu Alpha Theta Math Club is hosting its first Mini Mu for any interested middle school students.

The club will have several types of math competitions, open to all levels of middle school students, on Saturday, January 7. Registration is from 8:30 to 9 a.m., and the competition is until 2 p.m. in the ORHS cafeteria, a press release said. Competitions include ciphering, individual and team tests, mental and speed math, and a poster competition. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, K-12 Tagged With: math club, math competition, middle school math, Mu Alpha Theta, Mu Alpha Theta competitions, Mu Alpha Theta Math Club, Oak Ridge High School

Oak Ridge Schools: State assessment results announced

Posted at 8:22 am December 20, 2016
By Tracey Beckendorf-Edou Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Schools is pleased to announce that we have received our results from high school end of course assessment for the 2015-2016 school year. Only high school results have been released because testing was canceled for grades 3-8 last school year due to difficulties with the state’s assessment vendor.

We are delighted to report that Oak Ridge Schools excelled in high school achievement and growth as compared to the state. In fact, we outperformed the state in every subject area in every subgroup and in every single subscore.

Here are a few highlights: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, K-12 Tagged With: Candice McQueen, composite growth score, course assessment, Jefferson Middle School, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Schools, Robertsville Middle School, Seven Keys to College and Career Readiness, state assessment, Tracey Beckendorf-Edou

Oak Ridge Schools receives $15K grant to implement Naval National Defense Cadet Corp

Posted at 10:43 pm December 19, 2016
By Holly Cross Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Schools Naval National Defense Cadet Corp Check

Oak Ridge Schools recently received a $15,000 check to implement a new Naval National Defense Cadet Corp program at Oak Ridge High School.
The check was presented by Jessica Steed, third from right, executive director of Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, or ORPSEF, and Kristin Waldschlager and Gene Sievers, both of CNS Y-12. Also pictured, at left, is Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers. (Submitted photo)

 

Oak Ridge Schools recently received a $15,000 check to implement a new Naval National Defense Cadet Corp program at Oak Ridge High School.

The check was presented by Jessica Steed, executive director of Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, or ORPSEF, and Kristin Waldschlager and Gene Sievers, both of CNS Y-12.

The check was presented at a December 9 meeting of the Oak Ridge Schools Advisory Board. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, K-12 Tagged With: Adam White, automotive maintenance, Bruce Borchers, CNS Y-12, Gene Sievers, Gordon Williams, Jessica Steed, Kristin Waldschlager, mechatronics engineering, Naval National Defense Cadet Corp, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, Oak Ridge Schools, Oak Ridge Schools Advisory Board, ORPSEF, Roane State Community College Foundation, Secret City Dodge Jeep, Seven Keys to College and Career Reediness

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Availability of the draft environmental assessment for off-site depleted uranium manufacturing (DOE/EA-2252)

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