Oak Ridge Today

Layton named vice principal at Jefferson Middle starting in 2016-17

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Chris Layton

Chris Layton

Note: This story was updated at 1:15 a.m.

Chris Layton, a world history teacher at Jefferson Middle School, has been named vice principal for the school year starting this fall.

Layton is a former Jefferson student (1992-1994) and a graduate of Oak Ridge High School (1998). After graduation, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Maryville College, majoring in education and political science and minoring in business. He earned his master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from the University of Tennessee.

Layton began his teaching career at Oak Ridge High School in 2003 as a civics teacher. From 2006-2009, he worked at Father Ryan High School in Nashville, where he taught world history, U.S. history, and U.S. government. He worked outside of education as a director of marketing for a construction firm in Nashville specializing in government contracting. [Read more…]

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

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Jay Searcy

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…]

Teachers, principals ask for 3 percent pay raise

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Pictured above during a Oak Ridge Board of Education meeting on Monday, March 28, are Phil Cox, left, Jefferson Middle School principal, and Garfield Adams, Robertsville Middle School principal. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 4:55 p.m.

Teachers and principals in Oak Ridge Schools have asked for 3 percent pay increases in the budget year that starts July 1.

The request was made at last week’s Oak Ridge Board of Education meeting. It’s too early to say whether the request will be included in the budget proposal that will be presented to the BOE, possibly later this month or sometime next month, or approved by the school board, possibly in May.

In a presentation by Robertsville Middle School Principal Garfield Adams and Jefferson Middle School Principal Phil Cox, officials said Oak Ridge Schools administrators’ pay has been on a downward trend, falling from eighth in the state in 2008-2009 to 13th in 2014-2015. They said that trend reflects what is happening for teachers. [Read more…]

Adams, a first-grade teacher at Linden, named Oak Ridge Schools teacher of the year

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Ginger Adams

Ginger Adams

Ginger Adams, a first-grade teacher at Linden Elementary School, has been named the 2016 Oak Ridge School District Teacher of the Year, officials said.

Oak Ridge Schools officials hope Adams will now be considered for East Tennessee Teacher of the Year. Her application will be sent to the East Tennessee Regional Office for their consideration for that award, a press release said.

Adams is one of eight teachers of the year selected from Oak Ridge eight schools: the Preschool, all four elementary schools, the two middle schools, and the high school. They are: [Read more…]

Robertsville Middle School girls win regular season, district championship

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The Robertsville Middle School girls basketball team won both the regular season and district tournament championship, and they are pictured above with the championship bracket. (Photo courtesy Edward Dunbar)

 

By Edward Dunbar

The Robertsville and Jefferson Middle School girls basketball teams just completed their seasons.

Robertsville won both the regular season and district tournament championship, with Jefferson placing second in the regular season and third in the district tournament. The teams split the regular season City Championship.

Keyanna Thompson and Khamari Mitchell-Stein were named to the All-District Tournament team for Jefferson, and Brianna Dunbar, Selena Pettus, Raja Eckeles, and Cre Thompson for Roberstville. Brianna Dunbar was named District Tournament Most Valuable Player.

Robertsville-Jefferson-Middle-School-Girls-Basketball-All-District-2016

Keyanna Thompson and Khamari Mitchell-Stein were named to the All-District Tournament team for Jefferson Middle School, and Brianna Dunbar, Selena Pettus, Raja Eckeles, and Cre Thompson for Roberstville Middle School. Brianna Dunbar was named District Tournament Most Valuable Player. (Photo courtesy Edward Dunbar)

 

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

Prudden, former girls basketball coach, to be inducted into TSSAA Hall of Fame

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Jill Prudden

Jill Prudden

Note: This story was last updated at 1:20 p.m.

Jill Prudden, former girls basketball coach at Oak Ridge High School, will be inducted into the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in April.

Prudden was head girls basketball coach at Oak Ridge High School for 31 seasons. Her 908 wins rank third in the state. She led the team to three TSSAA state championships (1988, 1994, and 1997) and 21 TSSAA state tournament appearances.

Prudden retired from coaching in 2010 and is currently teaching at Robertsville Middle School.

Here is more information from a press release, including the names and additional information on all nine inductees. [Read more…]

Teachers of the year announced at Oak Ridge Schools

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Oak-Ridge-Schools-Teacher-Year-Feb-2016

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…]

Four Oak Ridge students sing in Bijou Awards competition

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Bijou-Awards-Composite-Photo-Jan-16-2016

Four Oak Ridge students sang in the Bijou Awards competition at the Bijou Theatre in Knoxville on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016. They are, clockwise from top left, Oak Ridge High School seniors Jacob Moreno and Treston Henderson; Marian Vacaliuc, a 7th-grader at Jefferson Middle School; and Sarah Hepler, an 8th-grader at Robertsville Middle School. (Photos by Savanna Schubert)

 

KNOXVILLE—On Saturday night, students from all over East Tennessee gathered for a night of competition at the Bijou Theatre. Students from across the region had the chance to audition to win a spot to perform on stage at the historic location.

The Fourth Annual Bijou Awards was a competition to showcase students and their performing arts talents, such as singing and acting. The competition had five different categories, and five students were selected for each category. The categories were: Rising Star, Male Acting, Female Acting, Male Singing, and Female Singing.

Four Oak Ridge Schools students were chosen to compete in this year’s awards. Sarah Hepler, an eighth-grader from Robertsville Middle School, and Marian Vacaliuc, a seventh-grader from Jefferson Middle School, sang in the Rising Star competition. Treston Henderson and Jacob Moreno, seniors from Oak Ridge High School, competed in the Male Singing category. [Read more…]

Video: Four Oak Ridge students compete in Bijou Awards

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Four Oak Ridge students competed in the Bijou Awards at the Bijou Theatre in Knoxville on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016. (Photo by Savanna Schubert)

 

KNOXVILLE—Four Oak Ridge students competed in the Bijou Awards in Knoxville on Saturday.

Freelance contributor Savanna Schubert interviewed the four students and organizer Jay Apking at the Bijou Theatre. The four students are Jacob Moreno and Treston Henderson of Oak Ridge High School, Sarah Hepler of Robertsville Middle School, and Marian Vacaliuc of Jefferson Middle School.

See the video by Schubert here:

See this story for more information about the Saturday night Bijou Awards.

Copyright 2015 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

OR Schools asks for state help with military program, consistency for teachers

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Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen, center, visited Oak Ridge High School on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016. Also pictured are ORHS Principal Martin McDonald, left, and Tennessee Rep. John Ragan, an Oak Ridge Republican. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge Schools could use help with a military program, one of the so-called “seven keys” to college and career readiness, education officials told a state official on Thursday.

State officials can also help by “keeping teachers on the same path for more than one year,” Oak Ridge Board of Education Chair Keys Fillauer told Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen during a Thursday afternoon tour of Oak Ridge High School.

“Let’s give them (teachers) some consistency,” Fillauer said. McQueen’s path is called TNReady, Fillauer said. That’s described as a “new and improved” TCAP (Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program), which students have taken since 1988.

McQueen is visiting all districts as part of a statewide tour. On Thursday, it was Oak Ridge’s turn. In addition to Oak Ridge High School, McQueen toured Glenwood Elementary School and Robertsville Middle School. [Read more…]

Tennessee education commissioner to visit Oak Ridge Schools on Thursday

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Candice McQueen

Candice McQueen

Candice McQueen, Tennessee’s education commissioner, will visit Oak Ridge Schools on Thursday, January 7.

During her visit, McQueen will tour Glenwood Elementary School, Robertsville Middle School, and Oak Ridge High School. She will also take part in an afternoon roundtable discussion that will feature about 30 administrators and teachers across a wide cross-section of grade levels, subject areas, and schools. They will discuss successes and challenges that educators are facing in their jobs, Oak Ridge Schools said.

Included in the discussion will be the Tennessee Department of Education’s “New Goals to Measure Education Progress,” which align with Oak Ridge Schools’ Seven Keys to College and Career Readiness. [Read more…]

Four Oak Ridge students competing in Bijou Awards in January

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Jacob Moreno

Jacob Moreno

Four Oak Ridge students will compete in the Bijou Awards in January.

The Fourth Annual Bijou Awards will showcase the talent of high school students in and around Knoxville. The 2016 Bijou Awards Gala is on January 16 at the Bijou Theatre in downtown Knoxville.

Oak Ridge High School seniors Treston Henderson and Jacob Moreno will both compete in the male singing category.

Sarah Hepler, an eight-grader at Robertsville Middle School, and Marian Vacaliuc, a seventh-grader at Jefferson Middle School, will compete in the rising star category. [Read more…]