Oak Ridge Today

School board considers right to restrict, but not ban, cameras at meetings

Posted at
By 6 Comments

Note: This story was last updated at 3:39 p.m. Sept. 15.

As originally drafted, the proposed policy change would have required anyone who wanted to use a camera, camcorder, or other photographic equipment at an Oak Ridge school board meeting to first seek permission from the board.

But education officials suggested it went too far. While school board members approved it 4-0 on first reading last month, they asked Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Tom Bailey to revise it.

“I don’t think we want to ban it,” Bailey said, referring to the use of cameras. “I think we reserve the right to is the right language.”

[Read more…]

Roane State in Oak Ridge celebrates Constitution Day

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

In celebration of Constitution Day, Roane State Community College will screen Alexandra Pelosi’s documentary “Citizen U.S.A.: A 50 State Road Trip” on Monday, Sept. 17, at the college’s Oak Ridge campus.

Pelosi visited all 50 states and interviewed dozens of immigrant Americans on the day they took the oath of citizenship. The screening will be held at 1 p.m. in the City Room.

[Read more…]

Youth Board calls for ‘cash mobs,’ tennis day, shoe drive, dodgeball

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Youth Advisory Board

Oak Ridge Youth Advisory Board

The Oak Ridge Youth Advisory Board has set its annual goals, calling for the creation of “cash mobs” to encourage teens to shop at local stores, a tennis play day, a shoe drive, disc golf event, and dodgeball tournament.

The YAB also voted to continue some of its most popular events, including Graduation Celebration, freshman-sophomore dance, summer jobs and career fair, Battle of the Teen Bands, and Breakfast with Santa.

[Read more…]

Work begins on major Roane State expansion, new building

Posted at
By 2 Comments

Roane State Construction

Site work has begun for the new Health Sciences and Technology Building at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus. (Photo courtesy of RSCC/Aerial Innovations of Tennessee)

After years of planning and fundraising, work has begun on a major expansion of the Roane State Community College campus in Oak Ridge.

The $13.8 million project will feature a new three-story Health Sciences and Technology Building.

Land has been cleared for the 64,000-square-foot building, and drilling for geothermal wells has started, a Roane State press release said.

It said the building’s foundation will be “under way and out of the ground” in mid-October. Work on the building could be complete by January 2014.

Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus opened in 1999. Originally designed for 1,800 students, the campus now has about 2,500 students, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Roane State documentary honored

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Roane State Documentary

The award-winning film “Roane State: 40 Years of Class” is available on Roane State Community College campuses.

A documentary commemorating Roane State Community College’s 40th anniversary has received two prestigious honors.

Roane State alumnus Keith McDaniel of Secret City Films in Oak Ridge wrote and directed “Roane State: 40 Years of Class.” The documentary received second-place honors in the 33rd annual Telly Awards and a third-place award from the Tennessee College Public Relations Association.

The film was honored in the Telly Awards’ film/video category. The Telly Awards was founded in 1979 and is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, video and film productions, and online commercials, video and films. The contest includes nearly 11,000 entries from across the country and outside the United States.

The documentary was also honored in the TCPRA’s college promotional video category. Roane State was the only community college to receive an award in the TCPRA contest.

[Read more…]

ORHS Class of 1960 has Oct. 5 reunion

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Members of the Oak Ridge High School Class of 1960 will be turning 70 this year, so they are having a 70th birthday party, a press release said.

Class members are meeting for a Wildcats football game on Friday, Oct. 5, and a luncheon at the Elks Club in Emory Valley on Oct. 6 from noon until 3 p.m.

[Read more…]

Retired DA named executive director of Roane State Foundation

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Paul Phillips

Paul Phillips

Paul Phillips, retired district attorney general for the 8th Judicial District, has been named executive director of the Roane State Foundation, a press release said.

The foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides financial support for Roane State Community College students and programs. As executive director, Phillips will serves as chief administrative officer for the foundation’s board of trustees and direct the foundation’s programs.

Phillips succeeds Melinda Hillman, the college’s vice president for advancement and community relations. Hillman had served as the foundation’s executive director in addition to her responsibilities as leader for Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus and seven more satellite centers. Hillman will continue to lead the Oak Ridge campus and satellite centers.

[Read more…]

ORHS Class of 1982 has 30th reunion Sept. 28, 29

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge High School Class of 1982 will be holding its 30th reunion on Sept. 28 and 29.

Activities include a Friday night social and a Saturday night dinner and dance, a press release said. A tour of the renovated high school also is scheduled for Saturday morning.

[Read more…]

ORHS Class of 1967 has reunion Sept. 22

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Rogues

The Rogues will perform at a Sept. 22 reunion of the Oak Ridge High School Class of 1967.

The Oak Ridge High School Class of 1967 will have its 45th reunion this month.

The reunion is from 7 to 11 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Midtown Community Center

Special entertainment will be provided by The Rogues, which includes four 1967 classmates: Bill Halsey, Mike Tabor, Charles Collins, and Ronnie Letellier. The band also includes Chip Zulliger, who graduated in 1970.

[Read more…]

Guest column: Education Foundation seeks to raise $500,000 for teaching grants

Posted at
By 1 Comment

In the past seven years, the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation has awarded more than $322,000 in grants to more than 100 teachers. Because of the grants, at-risk readers are discovering the joy of reading through Kindles. Students are practicing a variety of skills using clicker response systems that provide teachers immediate feedback on what they’ve learned. Special needs students using iPads are pursuing new paths to learn reading comprehension skills.

With these grants, teachers are advancing learning with technology and equipment that wouldn’t be available otherwise in areas of science, art, music, special needs, the manufacturing academy, and foreign language, among others. The Education Foundation’s grants program does not replace public funding, but provides resources over and above what tax dollars are able to fund. It is an investment in our children and educational excellence.

[Read more…]

Roane State employees honored

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Dan Foltz-Gray

Dan Foltz-Gray

Roane State Community College faculty member Dan Foltz-Gray and staff members Tammy Robinette and Deb Miller have been honored for their work.

Foltz-Gray, associate professor of English and coordinator of Learning Support-Reading and Writing, received the 2012 Sarah Ellen Benroth Award for Outstanding Teaching, a press release said. Robinette, administrative secretary for the college’s Nursing Division, was named the 2012 outstanding support staff member. And Miller, director of grants development, was named the 2012 administrative staff member of the year.

[Read more…]

Public meetings this week on school superintendent search

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

A series of meeting this week, including one on Tuesday and another on Wednesday, will allow the public to tell school officials and a Iowa-based search firm what qualities they think the city’s next superintendent should have.

Tom Bailey, the current superintendent, is retiring at the end of this year, and efforts are under way to find his replacement.

Search firm Ray and Associates will lead meetings on the search from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday’s meeting will be held at Robertsville Middle School, while Wednesday’s will be held at Jefferson Middle School.