Oak Ridge Today

McNally ‘roast’ on Saturday will benefit Blankenship Foundation, raise money for synthetic turf

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Blankenship Field Overall Plan

An overall view of the proposed renovation of Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium. A Saturday morning, May 21, 2016, “roast” of Tennessee Senator Randy McNally will benefit the nonprofit Blankenship Foundation and raise money for new synthetic turf on Blankenship Field.

 

A “roast” of Tennessee Senator Randy McNally on Saturday will benefit the Blankenship Foundation and raise money for synthetic turf at Blankenship Field.

The “roast” will include Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. It starts at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 21, at Blankenship Field.

“We will have Big Ed’s Pizza under the tent and hear lots of Randy’s old friends telling stories on him,” an invitation said.

Tables of 10 sell for $1,000, or you can buy individual tickets for $100 each, the invitation said. Event sponsorships are available, and all funds will go to the Blankenship Foundation, which is raising money for the synthetic turf field. [Read more…]

Students prepare for summer break, but learning opportunities just beginning for teachers

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Associated Universities Building MC-100

The Oak Ridge Associated Universities Building MC-100 is pictured above.

 

ORAU hosting free professional development workshops for area teachers beginning June 1

ORAU will host several short professional development workshops for East Tennessee educators in grades K-12. The free workshops start June 1.

Held at ORAU’s Center for Science Education in Oak Ridge, the half-day or full-day workshops are free and offer educators the opportunity to engage in hands-on activities that will enhance their STEM knowledge and curricula. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The workshops will cover a variety of topics: [Read more…]

Splash pad work under way in Clinton

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

Clinton Public Works Department employees are working to get the new Lakefront Park Splash Pad ready for this summer.

The fun should begin soon. [Read more…]

Three Oak Ridge elementary schools earn AdvancED STEM Certification

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Pictured here are STEM leaders Evan Parker (left) and Kim Howard (right), with Principal Nancy West (center). Woodland Elementary School is the 42nd AdvancED STEM Certified school. (Submitted photo)

Pictured here are STEM leaders Evan Parker (left) and Kim Howard (right), with Principal Nancy West (center). Woodland Elementary School is the 42nd AdvancED STEM Certified school. (Submitted photo)

Three Oak Ridge elementary schools have earned AdvancED STEM Certification. Glenwood, Linden, and Woodland elementary schools are now officially three of 40-plus schools worldwide that have earned this certification so far, a press release said.

“The process is ongoing, and we look forward to adding more of our schools to this distinguished list in September,” the press release said.

For several months, Oak Ridge Schools STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) leaders have been working to provide evidence to a team of evaluators who have undertaken a data-driven internal review and an external diagnostic review process that demonstrates the school district’s ongoing commitment and capacity to prepare students for STEM fields of study and work, the release said.

“STEM students have the skills, knowledge, and thinking strategies that prepare them to be innovative, creative, and systematic problem solvers in STEM fields of study and work,” the release said. “Engaging in this process long term will provide educators with detailed findings and a clear roadmap to stimulate and sustain dramatic improvement.” [Read more…]

Four ORHS seniors sign to continue athletics in college

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Rizk Welsh Thompson and Beckett Signings May 2016

Jasmine Rizk, Katie Welsh, Caelyn Thompson, and Daniel Beckett are pictured above from left at signings to continue their athletic careers in college in May 2016. (Submitted photo)

 

Four Oak Ridge High School seniors recently signed to continue their athletic careers in college.

Daniel Beckett signed to run cross country with Maryville College. Caelyn Thompson signed to compete in track and field at Milligan College. Jasmine Risk signed to play girls soccer with Carson Newman College. And Katherine “Katie” Welsh signed to play girls soccer with Centre College.

Daniel Beckett Signing May 2016

Daniel Beckett signed to run cross country with Maryville College. (Submitted photo)

[Read more…]

ACSD: Jury duty scam returns

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The jury duty scam has returned again, according to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department.

“We have received several reports (on May 10) out of Oak Ridge that someone was calling residents stating there are warrants for their arrest for missing jury duty,” Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said.

“So far no one is out any money,” Lucas said then. [Read more…]

Linden second-grade teacher Amy Fuqua named one of 10 DreamBox Learning Heroes

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

In honor of its 10-year anniversary, DreamBox Learning selected Linden Elementary School second-grade teacher Amy Fuqua as one of 10 teachers as a DreamBox Learning Hero. These identified teacher heroes reflect DreamBox Learning’s core values, are at the top of their profession, deliver excellence in education for student success, and are changing the lives of students every day, a press release said.

Keith Kostka of DreamBox announced the award to Fuqua. [Read more…]

Clinton Middle wins CNS-sponsored Dream It, Do It competition

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Clinton Middle School wins the inaugural Dream It. Do It. Competition May 2016. Front row (left to right): Janet Hawkins, Paige Cooper, Sierra Patrick, Anthony Burkett Hundley, and Kristin Waldschlager of CNS. Back row (left to right): Anderson County Chamber President Rick Meredith, Jack Spangler, Jonathan Lewis, Kelly Myers, and Jason Bohne and Jim Zonar of CNS. (Submitted photo)

Clinton Middle School wins the inaugural Dream It. Do It. Competition May 2016. Front row (left to right): Janet Hawkins, Paige Cooper, Sierra Patrick, Anthony Burkett Hundley, and Kristin Waldschlager of CNS. Back row (left to right): Anderson County Chamber President Rick Meredith, Jack Spangler, Jonathan Lewis, Kelly Myers, and Jason Bohne and Jim Zonar of CNS. (Submitted photo)

 

Clinton Middle School won the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce’s first “Dream It. Do It.” competition.

Clinton Middle School partnered with Eagle Bend Manufacturing in the competition. For their effort, the school received four Go Pro cameras, provided by Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, or CNS, through corporate funds. CNS is the managing contractor at the Y‑12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and at the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas.

The awards ceremony was at Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus.

The program involved putting eighth-grade students in adult settings, a press release said. Equipped with Go Pro cameras, the students got a firsthand look at a manufacturing world that they might not have considered as a future career. CNS provided the students at Clinton, Lake City, Norris, and Norwood middle schools with the cameras and the mission to capture the diversity of careers and technical innovations in manufacturing by producing a short video. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge starts Adopt-A-Creek program

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The City of Oak Ridge Healthy Waters Program is seeking organizations, businesses, and community groups to participate in a new Adopt-A-Creek program. The Adopt-A-Creek program serves to enhance the quality of Oak Ridge’s waterways through citizen action and education. It aims to reduce the amount of trash in and along waterways, to increase citizen awareness of water quality issues, and to train citizens on how to monitor stream health, a press release said.

Any organization, business, or group can volunteer to adopt a creek, or section of a creek, for a one-year period. During this period, participants will pick up and remove litter in and around the creek at least once every six months. Additionally, participants will be taught how to perform a visual stream assessment at each creek cleanup.

Safety and stream assessment training for each participating group’s coordinator and co-coordinator will be provided, and so will trash bags, gloves, safety vests, and warning signs for the groups to use during each cleanup event, the press release said. [Read more…]

Animal Shelter has viewing party Saturday for Nat Geo WILD ‘Unlikely Animal Friends’

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Batman and Pumpkin

Batman, a Dumbo rat, left, and Pumpkin, a FIV-positive cat, two mascots at the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter, will be featured on National Geographic (Nat Geo) WILD’s “Unlikely Animal Friends” airing 8 p.m. Saturday, May 21. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

 

Two mascots at the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter, Pumpkin and Batman, will be featured on National Geographic (Nat Geo) WILD’s “Unlikely Animal Friends,” which airs Saturday, May 21, at 8 p.m.

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter will premiere the show at Pizza Inn, which is located at 1501 Oak Ridge Turnpike. Doors will open at 7 p.m. Saturday for the show at 8 p.m.

“Please join the City of Oak Ridge for this event highlighting the community on national television,” a press release said.

For more information about the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter, please visit http://animalshelter.oakridgetn.gov/ or call (865) 425-3423.

Students, including in Oak Ridge, Clinton schools, donate more than 22 tons to Goodwill

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Hamblen-Winning-Class

The class in Hamblen County that won an ice cream party by donating the most to Goodwill of all Hamblen County classrooms. (Submitted photo)

 

Elementary and middle school students across Anderson, Knox, and Hamblen County—including Clinton City Schools and Oak Ridge Schools—recently participated in the Annual Goodwill Sack Pack material drives. More than 1,600 students from all three counties brought in an approximate total of 44,910 pounds of donations for Goodwill Industries-Knoxville.

From May 9 through 13, students were encouraged to bring donations of gently used clothing, toys, and other household goods to school to benefit Goodwill Industries, a press release said. In exchange for their donations, students were rewarded with free snacks from McDonald’s, free passes to the American Museum of Science and Energy, and/or the opportunity to win two free passes to Dollywood. A third-grade class at Hillcrest Elementary won an ice cream party from Keep Morristown-Hamblen Beautiful for having the most participation of all Hamblen county classrooms. [Read more…]

School board approves budget that includes pay raises, seeks additional funding

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Board of Education approved a budget on Wednesday that includes 3 percent salary increases and a request for an additional $538,048 from the city. That’s a 3.6 percent increase in city funding.

The budget was approved unanimously in the first of two readings this month. The second and final reading is at 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 23.

As approved in the first reading during a 15-minute meeting Wednesday, the budget includes the reduction of the full-time equivalent of four teachers and an increase in five technology positions. It includes experience-based pay increases known as step increases for staff. And it includes money to fund a 6.2 percent increase in health insurance rates and another 10 percent for dental insurance. [Read more…]