Education Archives - Page 5 of 183

OR Schools names teachers, TA, principal of the year

Posted at 10:10 pm January 26, 2022
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Schools has named its teachers of the year, teaching assistant of the year, and principal of the year.

The Teacher of the Year program recognizes and honors outstanding teachers in Tennessee, a press release said.

“The Tennessee Department of Education staff applauds teachers who care about children, who devote their professional lives to enriching the lives of Tennessee students, and who demonstrate exceptional gains in student achievement,” the press release said.

In Oak Ridge, teacher candidates are sought from each school in the district.

Here are the district-level winners, who were nominated by their peers. The information was written in the staff members’ own words and excerpted from their full applications. The narratives provide a window into each staff member’s authenticity and commitment to Oak Ridge students, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Roane State student helps teach famous talking bird at Zoo Knoxville

Posted at 6:21 pm January 26, 2022
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

*Roane State Community College student Kinsley Cagle poses with Einstein, the Zoo Knoxville parrot that’s become a YouTube sensation with more than 24 million views. (Photo courtesy Zoo Knoxville)*

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

Roane State Community College student Kinsley Cagle has a job helping teach Einstein.

Thatâ€™s the moniker for the famous African grey parrot at Zoo Knoxville. Einstein is a viral superstar whose incredible antics have been viewed more than 24 million times on YouTube.

Einsteinâ€™s hilarious mimicry of noises ranging from a variety of animal sounds and calls to complete sentences is a popular attraction at the zooâ€™s Wild Encounters area.

â€œShe (Einstein) can make a lot of sounds,â€ said Cagle, a 23-year-old Oak Ridge resident. â€œAt times, itâ€™s almost like having a conversation with her.â€

One of Cagleâ€™s latest training endeavors involves teaching a species of duck called hooded mergansers to voluntarily waddle into a crate for safe, secure transport.

â€œI was never a â€˜bird personâ€™ before this,â€ Cagle said, â€œbut I like being around them.â€

[Read more…]

â€˜Brain Foodâ€™ need increases as federal aid reduced

Posted at 5:03 pm January 25, 2022
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

*Roane State Community College Brain Food volunteer Mariella Akers, left, with Sue Byrne from First Presbyterian Church of Oak Ridge, a sponsor for the pantry. (Photo courtesy Roane State)*

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

â€œBrain Food,â€ the name of Roane State Community Collegeâ€™s pantry for students at the Oak Ridge Branch Campus, has seen a big increase in students taking advantage of the free service.

A reduction in federal assistance that went into effect in late September is seen as one of the reasons for the uptick, an official said.

At the Oak Ridge campus, between nine and 11 students were helped by Brain Food each week during the Spring 2021 semester, while that number jumped to 18 to 20 students in the fall.

Last year, more than 120 students were served. After tallying the reported members of each studentâ€™s household, pantry staffers estimate that a total of 373 people received assistance in 2021. Mariella Akers, Oak Ridge faculty secretary and Brain Food volunteer, added that 120 of those household members were children.

[Read more…]

Borchers to present State of Schools

Posted at 4:31 pm January 25, 2022
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers will present his State of the Schools at Lunch with the League on Tuesday, February 1.

During the annual talks, Borchers gives an overview of what is happening in Oak Ridge Schools.

“Between the unusual events at the high school in December and groundbreaking of the state-of-the-art Ben Martin Track, Dr. Borchers will undoubtedly have much to share,” a press release said.

Lunch with the League is organized by League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge.

Borchers started his education career as an elementary physical education teacher in the Sioux City (Iowa) Community School District. He also worked as an interim assistant principal and guidance counselor in Iowa City, Iowa; as assistant principal and principal in Mankato, Minnesota; and as associate superintendent of secondary schools for the Anoka-Hennepin (Minnesota) School District. Prior to joining the Oak Ridge Schools, Borchers was the superintendent of the Rockwood School District from 2010 to 2013.

[Read more…]

Many schools closed due to illness

Posted at 1:54 pm January 20, 2022
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

*A graph of COVID-19 case counts in the Knoxville-Knox County region through Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, by the Tennessee Department of Health.*

Many schools in the area are closed this week due to illness, but Oak Ridge Schools have remained open.

Anderson County Schools were closed Wednesday and Thursday and will remain closed Friday “due to staffing concerns related to illness.”

Clinton City Schools were open Wednesday but closed Thursday, and they will remain closed Friday due to student illness.

Knox County Schools were also closed Wednesday and Thursday and will remain closed Friday “due to staffing challenges related to illness.” The school system cannot shift to virtual learning district-wide because of rules established by the Tennessee Board of Education, Knox County Schools Superintendent Bob Thomas said in a letter to families. But individual schools may have to switch to virtual learning in the next several weeks depending upon absences, and the district could submit waiver applications to the Tennessee Department of Education.

[Read more…]

$1.3 million project will rebuild ORHS track

Posted at 4:48 pm January 15, 2022
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

An image by Cope Architecture of Knoxville showing what the rebuilt Ben Martin Track will look like at Oak Ridge High School.

A $1.3 million project is under way to rebuild the Ben Martin Track at Oak Ridge High School by June. The asphalt base of the eight-lane track dates back to the 1950s, the rubber surface is washing away, and holes are visible in the disintegrating and patched lanes. The pole vault has been unusable since 2017, and track coaches and athletes from other schools have recently declined to compete in Oak Ridge because of the conditions.

That is expected to change with the new renovated facility, which could host large invitational, sectional, and college track meets. The renovation project will rebuild the asphalt base of the track, add a new rubberized surface, and replace underground utilities. All field events except pole vault will move to the infield. Shot put and discus rings will be on the north end of the football practice field, while long jump and triple jump will be along the straight section of track nearest the bleachers. The pole vault will remain on the south side of the track, but it will move to the west end near the field house.

“This is a first phase of what we hope to be a larger project long-term,” Allen Thacker, Oak Ridge Schools supervisor of maintenance and operations, told the Oak Ridge Board of Education in October. “This is foundational.”

The project has been talked about “behind the scenes” for a handful of years, and there has been intense planning for about two years, according to those involved.

The rest of this story is available if you are a member: a subscriber, advertiser, or contributor to Oak Ridge Today. Already a member? Great! Thank you! Sign in here. Not a member? No problem! Subscribe here: Basic

Pro

Temporary

Temporary access ($3 per week for two weeks)

If you prefer to send a check, you may do so by mailing one to: Oak Ridge Today P.O. Box 6064 Oak Ridge, TN 37831 We also haveÂ advanced subscription options. You can see themÂ here. We also acceptÂ donations. You can donateÂ here. A donation of $50 or more will make you eligible for a subscription. Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today. We appreciate your support!

*An image by Cope Architecture of Knoxville showing what the rebuilt Ben Martin Track will look like at Oak Ridge High School.*

That is expected to change with the new renovated facility, which could host large invitational, sectional, and college track meets, according to those involved. The renovation project will rebuild the asphalt base of the track, add a new rubberized surface, and replace underground utilities. All field events except pole vault will move to the infield. Shot put and discus rings will be on the north end of the football practice field, while long jump and triple jump will be along the straight section of track nearest the bleachers. The pole vault will remain on the south side of the track, but it will move to the west end near the field house.

An image by Cope Architecture of Knoxville showing what the rebuilt Ben Martin Track will look like at Oak Ridge High School.

The project has been talked about “behind the scenes” for a handful of years, and there has been intense planning for about two years, according to those involved.

Pro

Temporary

Temporary access ($3 per week for two weeks)

*Part of the ORAU campus in central Oak Ridge is pictured above on May 29, 2017. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)*

ORAU has re-launched its Extreme Classroom Makeover competition, which will award a math or science teacher $25,000 for new classroom equipment, and video applications are due Friday, January 14.

“The mission of Extreme Classroom Makeover is to improve science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in public schools,” a press release said.

The competition will award one 3^rd through 10^th grade math or science teacher at a public school within a 50-mile radius of Oak Ridge with $25,000 in new equipment to update their classroom with the latest technology, the press release said. One runner-up will receive $5,000 in new equipment. There will also be a $2,500 viewersâ€™ choice award selected by the general public from among all entries received.

Teachers interested in an ORAU Extreme Classroom Makeover need to complete a video application by Friday, January 14, the press release said. Winners will be notified before Spring Break, and the technology will be purchased and installed in their classrooms for the start of the 2022-23 school year.

â€œThe pandemic has taught us that technology is vital for every teacher in every classroom in every school,â€ said Pam Bonee, director of communications and marketing for ORAU. â€œStill, some schools do not have the budgets to keep pace with changing technology. Having $25,000 worth of interactive technology would give a boost to any student trying to learn STEM in todayâ€™s world!â€

[Read more…]