Oak Ridge Today

Oak Ridge teacher to receive Geography Teacher of the Year Award

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Brian Smith, seventh-grade social studies teacher in Oak Ridge, will receive the 14th Tom and Stella Mullane Geography Teacher of the Year Award during the 2016 Tennessee Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference at the Cool Springs Marriott in Franklin on Friday, March 11. (Submitted photo)

 

An Oak Ridge teacher will receive a Mullane Geography Teacher of the Year Award in March.

Brian Smith, seventh-grade social studies teacher in Oak Ridge, will receive the 14th Tom and Stella Mullane Geography Teacher of the Year Award during the 2016 Tennessee Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference at the Cool Springs Marriott in Franklin on Friday, March 11.

The Mullane award is bestowed for superior achievement in the teaching of geography in the social studies in grades 7-12, a press release said. The award carries a $500 cash prize.

Smith has been informed that he will be this year’s recipient of the Mullane Teacher of the Year award for the outstanding work he does, ensuring that geography is a daily part of instruction in the Oak Ridge school system, the press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools supervisor receives state Pioneer Award

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Holly Cross, center, career and technical education supervisor at Oak Ridge Schools, has received a Pioneer Award from the Tennessee Department of Career and Technical Education. Presenting the award at right is Danielle Mezera, assistant commissioner of education in the Tennessee Department of College, Career, and Technical Education. (Submitted photo)

 

Holly Cross, career and technical education supervisor at Oak Ridge Schools, has received a state Pioneer Award.

The Pioneer Award is granted by the Tennessee Department of Career and Technical Education, or CTE, to recognize CTE directors who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in their home county and at the state or national level, a press release said. In order to receive this award, the CTE director should have five years or less experience as the CTE director.

Cross was named the the 2015-16 recipient of the state Pioneer Award.

Here are some highlights of accomplishments that contributed to the granting of this award, according to information provided by Oak Ridge Schools: [Read more…]

Jefferson’s Master Builders St. Louis-bound as LEGO champions

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Members of Jefferson Middle School’s Master Builders are, from left, Amelia Thomson, Iliana Spence, Henry Scott, Jessica Mohr, and Thora Spence. Not pictured is Andrew Brady. (Submitted photo)

 

Jefferson Middle School’s Master Builders are bound for St. Louis in April after they won the Champions Award as the overall winner of the FIRST LEGO League Tournament held February 13 at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville.

By virtue of their victory, the Master Builders have qualified to travel to St. Louis in April representing East Tennessee in the FIRST LEGO League World Championships, a press release said.

The Master Builders are the second team from Jefferson during the past two years to win the Champions Award. The Atomic Eagles were Champions Award winners a year ago. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools closed due to weather

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Oak Ridge Schools will be closed today (Monday, February 15) due to the weather.

The schools had earlier planned to open two hours late.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Copyright 2016 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

 

Top 3 in DOE middle school science bowl: Farragut, Jefferson, Norris

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Farragut Middle School finished first in the U.S. Department of Energy’s East Tennessee Middle School Science Bowl at Roane State Community College on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Pictured above from left to right are Kevin Wang, Prajwal Jagadish, Caden Farley, Aditya Bal, Luke Kronzer, and Coach Mary Sue Pruitt. (Submitted photo)

 

Farragut Middle School finished first in the U.S. Department of Energy’s East Tennessee Middle School Science Bowl on Saturday. Jefferson Middle School in Oak Ridge finished second, and Norris Middle School finished third.

The sixth annual East Tennessee Middle School Science Bowl was on Saturday, February 6, at Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge. It highlighted the academic and problem-solving abilities of students representing 13 Tennessee middle schools, a press release said.

“The Middle School Science Bowl is a competition that tests participants’ knowledge in mathematics and the sciences,” the press release said.

There were 16 teams this year, and they included some of the state’s brightest middle school students. The students were quizzed in a fast-paced question-and-answer format similar to the Jeopardy! television game show, the press release said. Each team included four student competitors, an alternate, and a coach who also served as the team’s adviser.

After an intense competition, three winning teams emerged and received monetary awards: [Read more…]

ORHS teacher suspended while police investigate info reported to schools

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An Oak Ridge High School teacher has been suspended from all teaching duties without pay while information reported to Oak Ridge Schools is investigated by the Oak Ridge Police Department, an official said Friday.

Officials have not identified the teacher.

“If the teacher is vindicated or reinstated following the investigation, the teacher shall be paid full salary for the period of the suspension,” Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers said in a brief statement issued in response to questions from reporters. [Read more…]

Teachers of the year announced at Oak Ridge Schools

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Eight teachers of the year have been announced by Oak Ridge Schools from the preschool, all four elementary schools, both middle schools, and the high school. Pictured above from left to right, starting at top left, are Amy Kennedy, Ginger Adams, Jennifer Little, Jim Dodson, Michael Feuer, Michelle Chenot, Scot Smith, and Susan Galler.

 

Eight teachers of the year have been announced by Oak Ridge Schools. Teachers of the year were chosen at the preschool, all four elementary schools, both middle schools, and the high school.

Here are those picked as teachers of the year:

  • Oak Ridge Preschool—Susan Galler
  • Glenwood Elementary School—Amy Kennedy
  • Linden Elementary School—Ginger Adams
  • Willow Brook Elementary School—Michelle Chenot
  • Woodland Elementary School—Jennifer Little
  • Jefferson Middle School—Jim Dodson
  • Robertsville Middle School—Scot Smith
  • Oak Ridge High School—Michael Feuer

Oak Ridge Schools is participating in Tennessee’s Teacher of the Year program, a press release said.

“This program is intended to recognize and honor outstanding teachers in our state,” the press release said. “In Oak Ridge, we have many talented and hard-working teachers. These teachers of the year are representatives and examples of the great educators who do great work with students every day.”

Here is more information about the teachers from the press release: [Read more…]

Sunset Rotary expands Da Vinci Arts, Science Fair; winners announced today

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In 2016, the Oak Ridge Sunset Rotary Club expanded its annual Da Vinci Arts and Science Fair to include middle school grades. The middle school fair is being held today (Saturday, January 30) at the New Hope Center in Oak Ridge.

Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony in the New Hope Center auditorium at the Y-12 National Security Complex at 3 p.m. Saturday. That will be preceded by an afternoon open house with all entries will be available for viewing. All participants, parents, teachers, and the public are invited to attend.

The middle school grades arts and science fair provides a gateway for students to participate in other regional science fairs. Science project winners in grades 6-8 will qualify to participate in the Junior Division of the Southern Appalachian Science and Engineering Fair to be held in Knoxville April 4-7. [Read more…]

Anderson County Schools closed Monday

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Most main roads are clear, but many secondary and back roads are extremely slick and treacherous in the northern part of Anderson County, officials said. Also, there are icy areas in the unloading zones at the county’s schools.

So, Anderson County Schools will be closed Monday, January 25, officials said.

The Central Office will follow the inclement weather procedure.

Colburn, an ORHS senior, named finalist in Intel science competition

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Thomas Colburn

Thomas Colburn

Thomas Colburn, a senior at Oak Ridge High School, has been named a finalist in an Intel science competition after a two-year project conducted with help from an Oak Ridge National Laboratory mentor. Colburn is one of only 40 U.S. high school seniors to be chosen as a finalist and the only one from Tennessee.

He’s also the first finalist from ORHS in the competition, the Intel Science Talent Search, which is described as the nation’s oldest and most prestigious pre-college science and math competition.

Colburn’s two-year project is titled “Enhanced Decomposition of Plastic Waste through Photocatalysis.” It was mentored by Todd Toops from the Fuels, Engines, and Emissions Research Center at ORNL.

The 40 finalists receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., from March 10-16 to compete for more than $1 million in awards provided by the Intel Foundation, including three first-place Medal of Distinction awards of $150,000 each that will be presented to students who show exceptional scientific potential in three areas: basic research, global good, and innovation, a press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge schools open Friday; Clinton, Anderson schools closed

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Note: This story was last updated at 12:25 a.m.

Oak Ridge Schools will have a regular school day on Friday, January 22, and will start on time, officials said.

Schools in the Clinton and Anderson County districts remain closed for a third day.

Roane County Schools announced that, as of Thursday evening, they planned to be open Friday.

After being closed two days, Anderson County government offices will be open on Friday. [Read more…]

Schools in Oak Ridge, AC, Roane, Clinton closed again Thursday; county offices also

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Schools in Oak Ridge, Anderson County, Clinton, and Roane County will be closed again Thursday, January 21, because of the winter weather and hazardous road conditions.

“Please stay warm and if you must travel, please do so safely,” Roane County Schools said.

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank said county government will also be closed Thursday. [Read more…]