Jessica Steed Archives - Oak Ridge Today

Education Foundation has book project to celebrate 75th anniversary of Oak Ridge Schools

Posted at 9:13 am February 15, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation is planning to publish a commemorative book to mark the 75th anniversary of Oak Ridge Schools, complete with color photos, stories, and memories as told by teachers and alumni from each class from 1944 to 2018. The book’s cover art is by Jim Dodson. (Submitted image)

The Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation is planning a special book project to celebrate the upcoming 75th anniversary of the Oak Ridge Schools.

The book will be a collection of memories as told by teachers and alumni across all classes from 1944-2018. The Foundation has identified people to serve as anchor authors for each of the 75 classes, a press release said. Anchor authors have the option to share their memories, and they will help collect memories from classmates. Each class will submit two to three pages for publication in the book.

“This is a timely project to still be able to tell first-hand stories from the early beginnings and to cross-pollinate and historically savor and preserve the collected experiences from the first 75 years,” said Benita Albert, Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation board member. Albert, a retired math teacher, has found it to be very rewarding interviewing alumni and researching stories from the earliest years, the press release said. [Read more…]

Education Foundation director at Lunch with the League on Tuesday

Posted at 6:49 pm October 1, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Jessica Steed

Jessica Steed, executive director of the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, will be the guest speaker at Lunch with the League on Tuesday, October 3.

Steed will discuss the Critical Difference (the Foundation’s teacher grant program) and the special book project to celebrate the schools’ 75th anniversary, a press release said.

The meeting will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, which is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. [Read more…]

Education Foundation book project will celebrate 75th anniversary of Oak Ridge Schools

Posted at 7:52 pm June 7, 2017
By Jessica Steed Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation has a kick-off meeting with Anchor Authors in April 2017. Pictured above is Jessica Steed, standing, and ORPSEF Board Member Benita Albert. (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation is planning a special book project to celebrate the upcoming 75th anniversary of the Oak Ridge Schools. The book will be a collection of memories as told by teachers and alumni across all classes from 1944-2018. The Foundation has identified people to serve as anchor authors for each of the 75 classes. Anchor authors have the option to share their memories, and they will help collect memories from classmates. Each class will submit two to three pages for publication in the book.

Albert, a retired math teacher, has found the project to be very rewarding while interviewing alumni and researching stories from the earliest years, a press release said.

The Foundation’s Board approved the special project at its March board meeting. A kickoff meeting was hosted by the Foundation for all anchor authors in April. A few stories have already been submitted and many others are in the works. It is anticipated that the book will be about 250 pages long. In an effort to conserve any unpublished stories, the Foundation will offer a virtual archive where those stories can be accessed. [Read more…]

Education Foundation awarded more than $90,000 in grants in April

Posted at 11:36 am May 16, 2017
By Jessica Steed Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation board members who were present with a big check at an grant awards ceremony at Oak Ridge High School on Wednesday, April 26, 2017. (Photo courtesy ORPSEF)

In the final year of its “Making the Critical Difference” campaign, the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation awarded more than $90,000 in grants to Oak Ridge teachers. The grants were awarded during a ceremony at Oak Ridge High School on Wednesday, April 26.

Shirley Raines, president emeritus of the University of Memphis, was the featured speaker. Her talk was titled “Dreamers, Thinkers, Doers.” During her talk, Raines exhibited great appreciation and provided inspiration for teachers, a press release said.

“She asked teachers to think of the person who moved them to pursue their dreams, to be innovative thinkers, and to share their success stories which result from their grant awards in order to encourage their peers,” the release said.

The April 26 ceremony was open to the public with demonstrations of some of the projects and technology funded by the Foundation on display.

The 2017 grant recipients were: [Read more…]

Education Foundation to award more than $90,000 in grants in April 26 ceremony

Posted at 12:32 pm April 4, 2017
By Jessica Steed Leave a Comment

A photo from a grant award last year for a 3D printer for Robertsville Middle School. (Submitted photo)

In the final year of its “Making the Critical Difference” campaign, the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation will award more than $90,000 in grants to Oak Ridge teachers at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 26, a press release said.

Shirley Raines, president emeritus of the University of Memphis, will be the featured speaker, the press release said. She will give a talk titled, “Dreamers, Thinkers, Doers.”

The grants ceremony is open to the public, and it will be held in the Oak Ridge High School cafeteria beginning at 4 p.m. April 26.

Demonstrations and displays of some of the projects and technology funded by the Foundation will be given after the formal ceremony, the press release said. Light refreshments will be provided courtesy of Oak Ridge Utility District.

The 2017 grant recipients are as follows: [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools receives $15K grant to implement Naval National Defense Cadet Corp

Posted at 10:43 pm December 19, 2016
By Holly Cross Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Schools Naval National Defense Cadet Corp Check

Oak Ridge Schools recently received a $15,000 check to implement a new Naval National Defense Cadet Corp program at Oak Ridge High School.
The check was presented by Jessica Steed, third from right, executive director of Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, or ORPSEF, and Kristin Waldschlager and Gene Sievers, both of CNS Y-12. Also pictured, at left, is Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers. (Submitted photo)

Oak Ridge Schools recently received a $15,000 check to implement a new Naval National Defense Cadet Corp program at Oak Ridge High School.

The check was presented by Jessica Steed, executive director of Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, or ORPSEF, and Kristin Waldschlager and Gene Sievers, both of CNS Y-12.

The check was presented at a December 9 meeting of the Oak Ridge Schools Advisory Board. [Read more…]

ORPSEF partners UT-Battelle, ORAU, UCOR fund $30,636 literacy grant

Posted at 10:52 am April 23, 2016
By Jessica Steed, Executive Director of ORPSEF Leave a Comment

Ginger Adams, teacher at Linden Elementary School, is pictured above with participants in last summer’s bookmobile program. (Submitted photo)

Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation partners UT-Battelle, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and URS|CH2M Oak Ridge LLC (UCOR) joined to fund Oak Ridge School’s $30,636 “Oak Ridge Reads” literacy grant.

The Oak Ridge Reads initiative supports Oak Ridge Schools’ efforts to improve literacy by extending services beyond the classroom. The Oak Ridge Reads grant will address summer learning, family literacy support, and high quality reading opportunities in home and after-school settings.

With support from the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, the Literacy Department of Oak Ridge Schools will provide a summer community bookmobile reading program to benefit families in Oak Ridge. Additionally, each preschool and kindergarten student will receive a library of books that they can keep, and after-school book clubs will begin for elementary and middle school students during the 2016-17 school year. [Read more…]

Education Foundation to award $85,000 in grants at April 13 ceremony

Posted at 9:09 am April 7, 2016
By Jessica Steed Leave a Comment

Jay Searcy

As part of its “Making the Critical Difference” campaign, the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation will award approximately $85,000 in grants to Oak Ridge teachers at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 13.

Jay Searcy, a national award-winning sports writer and Oak Ridge Class of 1952 alumnus, will be the featured speaker at the event sharing his talk entitled, “How to Improve Our Schools Without Knowing How.” The ceremony is open to the public and will be held in the Oak Ridge High School cafeteria beginning at 4 p.m. April 13. Demonstrations and displays of some of the projects and technology funded by the Foundation will be given after the formal ceremony. Light refreshments will be provided courtesy of Oak Ridge Utility District.

The 2016 grant recipients are as follows:

Oak Ridge Preschool—Margaret Johnston
Glenwood Elementary—Amelia Bell, Lauren Blair, and Gwen Harrell
Linden Elementary—Ginger Adams and Lisa Buckner
Willow Brook Elementary—Ashley Branson and Andrew McDonald
Woodland Elementary—Susie Carden, Kim Howard, Michael Martin, and Evan Parker
Jefferson Middle School—Jim Dodson, Emily Haverkamp, Heather Henderlight, Julie McCullough, Lexie Scott, and Brian Smith
Robertsville Middle School—David Goforth, Mariah Kidwell, Mardee Miller, and David Scott
Oak Ridge High School—Christina Henry, Spence Milligan, Vidal Moreno, Deanna Pickel, Sharon Thomas, and Will Waterson

[Read more…]

Lawler Scholarship helps student with study abroad; applications accepted

Posted at 12:20 am September 8, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Daniel Colburn is pictured above at Cliffs of Dover. (Submitted photo)

By Jessica Steed

Daniel Colburn absorbed history and archeology as he studied thermodynamics and circuits during a study abroad program in London this summer.

Colburn, a junior at the University of Tennessee, was awarded a $2,000 Dr. Adrian R. Lawler Exchange Student Scholarship in the fall of 2014, which supported his participation in the five-week UT engineering program in London, his first experience abroad. In the Chancellor’s Honors Program, Colburn is majoring in mechanical engineering, with a minor in business and maintainability and reliability.

“We partnered those academic experiences with some real world experiences outside the classroom,” Colburn said of the London study abroad program. [Read more…]

Education Foundation to award $93,894 in grants at Wednesday ceremony

Posted at 1:59 pm May 18, 2015
By Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation 2 Comments

As part of its “Making the Critical Difference” campaign, the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation will award more than $93,000 in grants to Oak Ridge teachers at a ceremony this Wednesday, May 20.

Oak Ridge alumni and WBIR Anchor Moira Kaye will be the featured speaker at the event for what she has described as her career’s “last personal appearance.” The ceremony is open to the public, and it will be held in the Oak Ridge High School cafeteria beginning at 4:30 p.m.

Demonstrations and displays of some of the projects and technology funded by the Foundation will be given after the formal ceremony.

The 2015 grant recipients are as follows: [Read more…]

Education Foundation grants support robotics, Lego learning projects

Posted at 12:57 pm March 23, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Two members of the Jefferson Middle School Master Builders team are preparing their robot to solve missions at a FIRST Lego League mission table. (Photo by Yvonne Dalschen)

At Linden Elementary School, Lisa Buckner’s third-graders are building robots and Lego floats representing continents in a months-long project aimed at engaging them in learning, problem solving, and creative and critical thinking.

The 38 members of Oak Ridge High School’s Secret City Robotics team are solving real-world problems as they build and program a 120-pound robot to enter FIRST Robotics Competitions as an extra-curricular activity.

Teachers view robots and Lego sets as tools giving Oak Ridge students opportunities to collaborate, design, build, and solve problems as they learn engineering, science, and technology skills, both inside and outside the classroom.

The Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation supported these activities with $18,700 in grants last year to teachers at the Oak Ridge High School, Jefferson and Robertsville middle schools, and Linden Elementary School. The grants included a UT-Battelle donation of $10,000 directed to FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST Lego League teams, all extra-curricular programs at the high school and middle schools. [Read more…]

Education Foundation names new director

Posted at 1:31 am September 8, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Jessica Steed

Jessica Steed was recently named executive director of the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation.

The Foundation’s board of directors chose Steed to replace Jenna Whitney, who resigned after her husband Mark, who was the manager of the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management for the U.S. Department of Energy, accepted a new job with DOE in Washington, D.C.

Steed, a certified public accountant since 2001, worked for more than six years in public accounting as an auditor and tax accountant before becoming a full-time parent and community volunteer for the last nine years.

Since Steed moved to Oak Ridge four years ago, she has served as a classroom volunteer, as treasurer for both Woodland Elementary and Jefferson Middle School PTOs, and as an active member of the PTO Council. The Foundation’s selection committee noted that Steed comes to the position with a strong financial and accounting background and with knowledge of issues that affect the Oak Ridge school system.

“Although I have thoroughly enjoyed volunteering in the school system, I am ready to move into a position that allows me to help support not only my own children’s schools, but the whole school system I have grown to appreciate,” Steed said in a press release. “My experience in public accounting and volunteer work in the schools will serve as a great foundation as I strive to support the mission of the ORPSEF.” [Read more…]