Oak Ridge Today

Updated: Preschool, SAB locked down after robbery reported at nearby medical office

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Oak Ridge Medical Clinic Robbery

A robbery was reported at Oak Ridge Medical Clinic on West Tennessee Avenue early Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 4:50 p.m.

The Oak Ridge Preschool was temporarily locked down on Tuesday afternoon after a robbery was reported at a nearby medical office.

The robbery was reported at about 1:03 p.m. Tuesday at Oak Ridge Medical Clinic at 170 West Tennessee Avenue, on the north side of Methodist Medical Center and about a block away from the preschool. A woman reported that she was robbed of her purse and contents worth an estimated $300.

“The victim had parked her vehicle in the parking lot of the medical center, and as she was walking into the building, the suspect approached, violently grabbed her purse, and knocked her to the ground,” a City of Oak Ridge press release said.

The Oak Ridge police and fire departments and Anderson County EMS responded, and police set up a perimeter around the area. A canine unit was sent to help search for the suspect.

The Oak Ridge Police Department said the suspect fled on foot, running northbound through residential lots toward the Oak Ridge Preschool and School Administration Building at 304 New York Avenue.

[Read more…]

Lay moves to administrative job, Adams named RMS principal

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Bruce Lay

Bruce Lay

Note: This story was updated at 6:05 p.m.

Robertsville Middle School Principal Bruce Lay is taking a new administrative position for Oak Ridge Schools, and RMS Vice Principal Garfield Adams will become principal.

The assistant superintendent job that is now vacant has been reclassified as executive director of school leadership. The position was reclassified and is now vacant after former Assistant Superintendent Chris Marczak left to become director of schools in Maury County, south of Nashville. Lay has been selected to fill the new position.

Lay moved to RMS from Jefferson Middle School in 2013.

Adams was named RMS vice principal in June 2014. [Read more…]

School board to consider buying $1.36M worth of 1:1 computing devices

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The Oak Ridge Board of Education on Monday will consider buying $1.36 million worth of “one to one” computing devices for middle school students and teachers.

The purchase of the 1,636 devices would be through a $1.59 million, four-year CalFirst equipment lease that the school board will also consider on Monday.

The BOE will consider buying 1,520 student devices worth $1,223,600 from Personal Computer Systems, or PCS, in Louisville, Tennessee. The Lenovo 11E Yoga convertible laptops are worth $805 each and would be used by students in grades 5-8.

Teachers in grades 5-8 would get 116 devices worth $135,140 from PCS. Those devices, worth $1,165 each, would be Lenovo Yoga 12s. [Read more…]

Students to test skills, vie for scholarships in UT Pro2Serve Math Contest

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Hundreds of Tennessee high school students will put their mathematics skills to the test and vie for scholarships during this year’s UT Pro2Serve Math Contest, hosted by the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Registration opens Tuesday, August 25, for the 17th annual contest. The daylong event pits students—public, private, and home-schooled—from across the state in both individual and team competitions.

The contest, to be held Tuesday, October 27, at the Holiday Inn World’s Fair Park downtown, will award $6,000 annual scholarships to UT to the top 10 students in the individual competition. The scholarships are funded by UT and Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek. Other prizes also will be given. [Read more…]

Roane State receives $27K grant for outreach, support for adult students

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Roane State Community College Harriman Campus

The main Roane State Community College campus in Harriman. The college also has a branch campus in Oak Ridge.

Roane State Community College has received a $27,310 Tennessee Higher Education Commission Ready to Reconnect grant to support adult students.

The grant will fund communication tools (email newsletter, texting services, and mailings) that will help adult students better understand their degree options and how to navigate the enrollment process. The grant will also pay for training that will teach faculty how to assess whether adults’ work experience could count toward college credit.

“Increasing outreach to adult students and improving the process for awarding adults college credit for their work experience are two key areas that can lead to more adults completing degrees,” said Diane Ward, Roane State vice president for student learning. “With the Ready to Reconnect grant, we can take major steps forward in these areas and better serve adult learners in our communities.” [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society presents urban forestry program Aug. 25

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society is sponsoring a lecture on the “Knoxville Urban Forestry Program” on August 25 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the UT Arboretum’s Program Shelter at 901 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

The program will be presented by Kasey Krouse, City of Knoxville urban forester, who will discuss the City of Knoxville Urban Forestry program and its attempt to move from a reactive to a proactive urban forestry program. He will also discuss proper pruning, planting, mulching, tree selection, and other arboriculture practices that are pertinent to an urban forestry program. The presentation will conclude by touring trees around the arboretum and discussing some of the issues they face in an urban forest, a press release said.

As the urban forester for the City of Knoxville, Krouse is responsible for the expansion, protection, and maintenance of the city’s urban forest and implementing the city’s Urban Forest Management Plan. [Read more…]

St. Mary’s brings home volleyball gold for second consecutive year

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St. Mary's Volleyball TeamSubmitted

Several area middle schools were invited to Knoxville Catholic High School on August 15 to participate in the 2015 KCHS Volleyball Feeder Fest Tournament.

The tournament lasted more than eight hours, with some teams playing up to six games each. The varsity volleyball team from St. Mary’s School in Oak Ridge took first place in the overall pool and continued its winning streak through the finals, securing its second consecutive Feeder Fest championship.

The St. Mary’s Junior Varsity team also did very well, as they took first place in their pool and second overall in the finals. Both teams are coached by Laura McKenna and Rob Halcrow.

Coach McKenna said: “Both the JV and varsity teams have exceeded expectations in play, team bonding, and sportsmanship. The girls have laid a strong foundation for another spectacular season. As a coach, I could not be more proud of the hard work and dedication the team has shown and I look forward to helping the girls gain confidence in their volleyball skills and grow on and off the court.” [Read more…]

Community tour of Oak Ridge Schools on Aug. 25

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There will be a tour of elementary, middle and high school classrooms on Tuesday, August 25, from 8 a.m.-2:45 p.m.

“See how Oak Ridge teachers and students are teaching and learning while school is in session,” a press release said.

The day will begin at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, then will proceed through an elementary school, middle school, and high school for classroom visits. Lunch will be provided. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge High School has open house on Thursday

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Oak Ridge High School

The main entrance at Oak Ridge High School is pictured above.

Oak Ridge High School will have an open house on Thursday beginning at 5:15 p.m. in the Food Court. Parents are asked to print their student’s schedules prior to the event from Skyward Family Access.

From 5:15-6 p.m., school guidance counselors will have PSAT sign-up, freshman TCAP results, and senior information tables. School clubs and organizations will have information tables set up during this time.  Food and drinks will be sold by the Oak Ridge High School Band Boosters. PTSO will be accepting donations of hand sanitizer and Kleenex for teacher use.

Beginning at 6 p.m., parents will meet in the Auditorium for a short welcome by Martin McDonald, school principal, and the PTSO officers. Then, parents will follow their children’s schedule period by period, spending about 10 minutes with each teacher. Hall guides will be provided to direct parents. [Read more…]

SL Tennessee honored for support of higher education

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SL Tennessee Award

The East Tennessee College Alliance honored SL Tennessee for its support of higher education. From left are Roane State President Chris Whaley; Yeonsoo Chung, human resources manager at SL Tennessee; Scott Laska, SL Tennessee business development manager; Y.K. Woo, SL America president; Kim Harris, Roane State job placement director; and Maria Gonzales, Roane State director of student enrollment and recruitment. (Photo by Roane State)

 

Automotive parts manufacturer SL Tennessee has received an East Tennessee College Alliance 2015 Corporate Award.

The alliance is a collaborative association of higher education institutions dedicated to providing educational opportunities for working adults.

The Corporate Award recognizes business that support higher education’s crucial role in workforce development and economic growth. [Read more…]

Wildcat Day is Saturday

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Wildcat Day Flyer

The Oak Ridge High School Football Boosters will host Wildcat Day on Saturday, August 15, from 7-9 pm at ORHS Ben Martin Track.

Wildcat Day is a community-wide pep rally. Fans can begin arriving at 7 p.m. for free pizza, provided by Pizza Inn, as well as hot dogs and drinks. Wildcat players and coaches will be on hand to talk about the upcoming season with the crowd members before the formal pep rally begins at 8 p.m.

“The ORHS Cheerleaders, Dance Cats, and Pep Band will combine with the football team and coaching staff to make this a very spirited evening,” a press release said. “Wildcat Day will be a big motivational push for the Wildcats as they kick off the season against Clinton on Friday, August 21, at Blankenship Field.”

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Commission again approves 10-cent tax increase for pay raises, schools

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Anderson County Teachers at County Commission

Roughly three-quarters of those attending the budget deliberations at Anderson County Commission wore red—”Red for Public Ed”—on Monday, July 20, 2015. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11 p.m.

CLINTON—The Anderson County Commission has again approved a 10-cent tax rate increase for 2 percent pay raises for county employees, teachers, and school staff, and this time the result is final.

The first attempt in July ended in a legislative stalemate when commissioners failed to raise the tax rate by 10 cents, even though the budget they had passed earlier anticipated that increase. Commissioners first vote on the budget and then vote on the tax rate.

In their second attempt on Thursday, August 13, commissioners first approved budgets with the total 10-cent increase and then raised the tax rate by 10 cents. That ended a long process that began as early as May and included seven meetings, according to one official.

“We’re just relieved that the process is finally over,” said Rachel Minardo, president of the Anderson County Education Association. [Read more…]