Oak Ridge Today

Roane State launches office, website to help parents stay engaged with students

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Roane State’s new parent portal is online at www.roanestate.edu/parents. The portal offers parents access to campus news and deadlines, personalized newsletters, alerts, and insights into students’ progress and financial details. (Submitted image)

Roane State’s new parent portal is online at www.roanestate.edu/parents. The portal offers parents access to campus news and deadlines, personalized newsletters, alerts, and insights into students’ progress and financial details. (Submitted image)

 

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

There’s a new office promoting family involvement and providing ways for families help their students succeed at Roane State Community College.

It’s called the Office of Parent and Family Engagement. An integral part of this new office is providing a “parent and family portal” developed by CampusESP. The portal is online at www.roanestate.edu/parents.

The portal, available on any device, allows parents to learn more about their children’s college experience, from campus news and events to notices about tuition and grade-point averages.

Students will be able to determine what access is given to parents or guardians through the new portal. [Read more…]

Roane State Success Coach program honored

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Roane State Community College Logo

Roane State’s success coach program won a statewide certificate for excellence and has become a benchmark for programs throughout the state’s 12 other community colleges.

“Roane State has been a leader in developing student success opportunities,” said Kim Harris, the college’s director of workplace training and placement.

Harris nominated Roane State’s success coach program for the award, and it won out over other nominees among Tennessee’s community colleges.

The recognition was bestowed by the Tennessee Alliance for Continuing Higher Education. The organization is comprised of continuing education professionals. [Read more…]

Tuition-free college for adults is here; Get Reconnect Ready at Roane State on March 1

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Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus is a great place for adult students to reconnect with their education, a press release said.

And the timing has never been better. Beginning this fall, the Tennessee Reconnect grant will provide eligible adults with the opportunity to attend Roane State tuition-free.

To learn more about Reconnect, come to Roane State’s free Reconnect Ready event at the Oak Ridge campus, 701 Briarcliff Avenue, on Thursday, March 1, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. [Read more…]

Exhibit featuring Syrian refugee artists on display at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus through Feb. 9

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An exhibit of artwork by refugees from war-ravaged Syria will be on display at Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus, 701 Briarcliff Ave., through Feb. 9. (Submitted photo)

An exhibit of artwork by refugees from war-ravaged Syria will be on display at Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus, 701 Briarcliff Ave., through Feb. 9. (Submitted photo)

 

An exhibit of artwork by refugees from war-ravaged Syria will be on display at Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus, 701 Briarcliff Avenue, through February 9.

Roane State’s International Education Department has coordinated with St. Louis Community College to bring the traveling exhibit to Oak Ridge, a press release said. The exhibit is located in the Coffey-McNally Building next to room C-120.

Scholar Rihab Sawah from St. Louis Community College organized the traveling exhibit. Sawah began presenting on topics related to Syria and the Middle East in her early 20s, when Amnesty International invited her to speak about her father, who was a political prisoner in her homeland, the press release said. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum, Tennessee Bluebird societies have two programs on bluebirds this month

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BLUEBIRD PIC 3

Learn about bluebirds and their environments

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society and the Tennessee Bluebird Society will present two programs on bluebirding this month, a press release said.

A program titled “Bluebirding Basics” will be held on Tuesday, February 6, from 7 to 8 p.m. at Roane State Community College, Oak Ridge campus, Goff Room 104.

A second program, “Bluebird Nest Box Trail Monitoring Training,” will be held on Thursday, February 15, at Roane State Community College, Oak Ridge campus, from 7 to 8 p.m., City Room.

If you are interested in bluebirds or want to learn more about them, you are invited to attend these free programs, the press release said. [Read more…]

Roads slippery, snow-covered; schools, Key Springs closed

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Streets in Oak Ridge, including main roads, were snow-covered and slippery Tuesday evening, Jan. 16, 2018, and schools announced they would be closed again on Wednesday. Above, the Oak Ridge Police Department responds to a crash on South Illinois Avenue near Centrifuge Way on Tuesday afternoon. (Photo courtesy ORPD/City of Oak Ridge)

Streets in Oak Ridge, including main roads, were snow-covered and slippery Tuesday evening, Jan. 16, 2018, and schools announced they would be closed again on Wednesday. Above, the Oak Ridge Police Department responds to a crash on South Illinois Avenue near Centrifuge Way on Tuesday afternoon. (Photo courtesy ORPD/City of Oak Ridge)

 

Streets in Oak Ridge, including main roads, were snow-covered and slippery Tuesday evening, and schools announced they would be closed again on Wednesday. Key Springs Road—a steep, curvy road that goes down Black Oak Ridge from north Oak Ridge to Marlow—was closed.

The Oak Ridge Police Department advised residents to stay home if they don’t have to be on the roads tonight.

“All roads are snow-covered,” the ORPD said Tuesday evening. “(Oak Ridge) Public Works crews are working to clear and treat roads.”

Even heavily traveled main roads such as Illinois Avenue and Oak Ridge Turnpike were snow-covered and slippery Tuesday evening. Side streets were as well.

The snow, which had started at about 1 p.m. Tuesday, continued past 7 p.m. The forecast had called for a few inches. [Read more…]

Roads icy: Oak Ridge Schools, Roane State closed today

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A tractor-trailer jack-knifed on Interstate 40 West at mile marker 349 in Roane County. That roadway is closed, the Tennessee Department of Transportation said. I-40 East at MM 349 has one lane open. Roads are very icy in this area, TDOT said Monday morning, Jan. 8, 2018. The Oak Ridge/Gallaher Road exit is Exit 356. (Photo courtesy TDOT)

A tractor-trailer jack-knifed on Interstate 40 West at mile marker 349 in Roane County. That roadway is closed, the Tennessee Department of Transportation said. I-40 East at MM 349 has one lane open. Roads are very icy in this area, TDOT said Monday morning, Jan. 8, 2018. The Oak Ridge/Gallaher Road exit is Exit 356. (Photo courtesy TDOT)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10 a.m.

Oak Ridge Schools are closed today as a layer of ice coated the ground in Oak Ridge, making roads and sidewalks slippery.

The schools had originally planned to open two hours late.

Other local school systems are also closed today (Monday, January 8) as the forecast had called for freezing rain or a wintry mix of precipitation around school arrival time this morning. Among the other school systems closed are Anderson County, Clinton, and Roane County. Roane State Community College is closed today as well (see here for more information). [Read more…]

Take advantage of Roane State’s extended business hours

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Roane State Community College will offer extended business hours to help students get ready for the start of spring semester, a press release said.

January 2-4: The Roane and Oak Ridge campuses will be open until 6 p.m. local time. All other campuses will be on their normal Monday-Thursday schedule or Monday-Friday schedule. The Roane and Oak Ridge campuses will be open until 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, January 5.

January 8-11: The Roane and Oak Ridge campuses will be open until 6 p.m. local time. All other campuses will be on their normal schedule Monday through Thursday. [Read more…]

Roane State eligible to compete for prestigious Aspen Prize

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Chris Whaley

Chris Whaley

Roane State Community College officials will learn in May if the college is among 10 finalists for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, among the nation’s most prestigious awards for community colleges, a press release said.

Roane State is among only 150 community colleges nationwide eligible to compete to become a finalist, the press release said. The college was selected from a pool of approximately 1,000 two-year colleges using publicly available data on student outcomes.

After a rigorous application process, the top 10 finalists for the 2019 Aspen Prize will be named in May 2018. Aspen Institute officials will then conduct site visits to each of the finalists and collect additional data, the release said. A distinguished prize jury will select a grand prize winner, finalists with distinction, and rising stars in spring 2019. [Read more…]

ORICL winter-spring classes begin Feb. 5

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Submitted

Looking for a way to beat the winter blahs? Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning announces that registration for its winter/spring term will open on January 2, 2018. ORICL is a not-for-profit organization offering a full catalog of classes, field trips, and other activities for area residents of all backgrounds and education levels. All of this is available for as little as $100 for full year of three terms beginning in September, $80 for two terms beginning in February, or $45 for the summer term only. What a bargain for all these opportunities for enlightenment and intellectual stimulation.

Classes are held at the Oak Ridge campus of Roane State Community College. Some meet once a week for several weeks; others are held for only one or two sessions. There are no tests and, in most cases, no homework. This is learning for the fun of it. [Read more…]

Roane State campuses closed Dec. 16-Jan.1 for holidays

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Roane State Community College campuses will be closed Saturday, December 16, through Monday, January 1, for the holidays.

The college will reopen Tuesday, January 2, and spring classes will begin on Tuesday, January 16, a press release said.

Registration and other self-service options are available through the Roane State website at www.roanestate.edu.

For more information, visit www.roanestate.edu or call 1-866-GO2-RSCC (1-866-462-7722).

Roane State Winter Concert is Saturday at O’Brien Theatre

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Roane State Winter Concert Dec 9 2017

It’s a longstanding tradition at Roane State and a great way to celebrate the holiday season.

The annual Winter Concert featuring all of the college’s music department ensembles will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 9, in the O’Brien Theatre on the Harriman campus, and everyone is invited, said a press release from Roane State Community College.

“All donations collected at the door will help support the Roane State music programs, including our 2018 summer choir tour to Italy,” music department professor Brenda Luggie said.

“This is one of our main on-campus concerts for the season,” she said.

Featured will be the Celebration Singers, Concert Choir, Jazz Band, Stage Band, and Bluegrass Band. [Read more…]