Oak Ridge Schools and Aramark are offering free meals to students this week.
The meals are for Oak Ridge children under 18, a press release said. They will be “to go.”
Meals will be distributed at Glenwood Elementary School, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Preschool, and Robertsville Middle School. All pickup locations are at drop-off circles. Breakfast is from 8 to 9:30 a.m., and lunch is from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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Pictured above at a Community Matters forum at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church on Nov. 1, 2015, are the Reverend Derrick Hammond of Oak Valley Baptist Church, center, the Rev. Jake Morrill of Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, left, and Father Brent Shelton of St. Mary’s Parish. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
The high stress levels of students at Oak Ridge High School. The increasing number of students who take multiple Advanced Placement courses for status reasons, in response to parental pressure or to be in class with friends. The lack of social workers at ORHS, which has a rising number of at-risk, underfed students who qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches.
The finding that less than 2 percent of ORHS students are referred for almost half of the disciplinary actions taken, including suspensions. Yet, because of privacy laws, people interested in mentoring at least two dozen disciplinary students cannot learn their names.
These were some of the teacher and community concerns highlighted by the Reverend Derrick Hammond, pastor at Oak Valley Baptist Church, at a recent meeting of the Oak Ridge unit of Church Women United.
He announced that on Sunday, April 24, at Oak Ridge High School, from 4-5:30 p.m., city leaders will respond to public concerns raised during the three “Community Matters†sessions held last October and November. The speakers will include Oak Ridge High School Principal Martin McDonald and Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi. [Read more…]
Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi is pictured with a mother and daughter at Woodland Elementary School on Tuesday, August 5, 2015, during Operation Safe Start. (Photo by Oak Ridge Police Department)Â
Oak Ridge students returned to school on Monday, August 3, and the Oak Ridge Police Department kicked off Operation Safe Start, an effort to keep schools zones safe during arrival and dismissal.
“It’s back to school time and ORPD reminds the community that when it comes to the safety of our youth, there can be no margin for error,” Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi said. “Motorists are urged to drive safely in all school zones, especially during arrival and dismissal times. The beginning of the school year is a time when there is a greater risk of transportation-related injuries to children.”
Operation Safe Start continued on Tuesday morning. Akagi said it includes participation from every division of the Police Department. [Read more…]
There will be a community tour of Oak Ridge Schools on Tuesday, August 25, and 20 slots are available.
“Come visit elementary, middle, and high school classrooms,” a press release said. “See how Oak Ridge teachers and students are teaching and learning while school is in session.”
The tour is scheduled from 8 a.m.-2:45 p.m. Tuesday, August 25.
The day will begin at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, then will proceed through an elementary, middle, and high school for classroom visits. Lunch will be provided. [Read more…]
Members of the Clinton Fire Department spend a morning packing school supplies, loading the fire truck, and delivering them to Clinton schools. (Submitted photo)
Since Thursday, July 9, volunteers from all over Anderson County have been sorting donated school supplies for Oak Ridge and Anderson County schools, packing them in bags and backpacks that are loaded into vehicles and distributing the packed items to classrooms.
Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties has been coordinating the collection, packing, and distribution of school supplies for 26 years. As a result, teachers aren’t obliged to spend their hard-earned money on items needed by their growing number of students from disadvantaged families.
Last year. ADFAC provided school supplies to more than 2,500 area students from disadvantaged families. This year, the local nonprofit service organization’s staff hopes to increase the number of school supplies by 12 percent with the help of ongoing support from the community. [Read more…]
This is a screen shot from a White House video filmed during a September 23, 2011, event on No Child Left Behind. Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, center, introduces President Barack Obama, right.
Inspired by programs in Tennessee and Chicago, President Barack Obama has unveiled a proposal to make two years of community college free for anyone who’s willing to work for it, the White House said Thursday.
The White House said 57,000 students representing almost 90 percent of the state’s high school graduating class applied for the Tennessee scholarship program, which is called Tennessee Promise, in the first year. It provides two years of community or technical college to graduating high school seniors free of tuition and fees.
The federal program is called America’s College Promise, and it could benefit roughly nine million students each year, officials said. A full-time community college student could save an average of $3,800 in tuition per year.
The president is expected to announce the proposal in Knoxville on Friday, when he visits Pellissippi State Community College in Hardin Valley and manufacturer Techmer PM in Clinton. Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill will join Obama on the East Tennessee trip. [Read more…]
The microscope pictured above was in a combined class taught by art teacher Jim Dodson and science teacher John Beard at Jefferson Middle School. (Photos courtesy Mary Layton)
By Mary Layton
On Tuesday, December 16, I went on the inaugural Oak Ridge School’s Community Tour.
We met at the American Museum of Science and Energy bright and early at 8 am. We were divided into two groups. The Einstein Group was hosted by Tracey Beckendorf-Edou, and the Curie Group had as its leader Chris Marczak.
We began with a short history of Oak Ridge given by Ken Mayes. We were reminded of the important role our city played in World War II.
Bruce Borchers, superintendent of Oak Ridge Schools, welcomed us to the tour. He told us about the Keys to College and Career Readiness. These goals were developed by interviewing and surveying Oak Ridge students, parents, staff, and community in late 2013. The goal of the keys is to prepare students to go to college, obtain industry certification in a skill, or receive military preparation by graduation. Borchers told us that our tour would show us how they were working to obtain these goals. [Read more…]
Do you know someone who lives, works, does business, or worships in Anderson County who cares for its citizens and is passionate about creating a healthy and productive Anderson County? Then consider nominating them for Anderson County Ally of the Year!
ASAP’s Anderson County Ally of the Year campaign is a fundraising competition during January, coinciding with the Red Ribbon Rivalry among a select group of individuals in the community. While each candidate conducts their own campaign, all candidates are united by one goal: to use their leadership, influence, and communication skills to raise funds to help prevent and reduce substance abuse in Anderson County.
ASAP of Anderson County has made significant reductions in the number of Anderson County students who have used alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana, including a 43 percent reduction during the past two years in the number of students who drink alcohol. However, ASAP relies on the generosity of individuals and business to continue these efforts. [Read more…]
Laurie Paine
By Laurie Paine
47 percent.
What do you think of when you hear that number? As a parent, I can tell you that if that was my child’s grade I would be heartbroken, concerned.
“How can I help?” would be my next thought.
Well…
47 percent is roughly how many Oak Ridge students are economically disadvantaged. This is one of the most frequently quoted statistics recently, and sadly, it is often used to justify spending for less-than-stellar results. Rarely, the children behind this number are even given a face or a name…
So who are the 47 percent? [Read more…]
Mike Mahathy
By Mike Mahathy
“Thus we began. With a sense of adventure, with a determination to make the most of a situation, we started out…looking forward to giving the children of Oak Ridge the best system we could develop.”
So said Dr. A.H. Blankenship years after accepting the role of starting the Oak Ridge school system.
From the very beginnings in 1943, Oak Ridge leaders wanted the best for their children. They choose a road less traveled by in this area.
Decades have passed, but there has remained one constant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee: a great school system where students have excelled in academics, the arts, music, athletics, and have gone on to be productive Americans. [Read more…]
Tennessee Code Academy has four computer programming workshops scheduled for students ages 12 to 18 this month, with two in Knoxville and two in Oak Ridge.
The first two workshops in Knoxville will be hosted at the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center on October 13 and 14.
Tech 20/20 will host two workshops in Oak Ridge on October 16 and 17.
These workshops will focus on web design and the Python programming language, a press release said. [Read more…]
Aaron Wells
Aaron Wells, a lifelong Oak Ridger and president of the Boys and Girls Club of Oak Ridge, is running for Oak Ridge Board of Education in the November 4 municipal election, a press release said.
“Over the last two decades, I have spent countless hours coaching, mentoring, and fundraising for the youth in our town,” Wells said in the release. “After much prayer and discussion, my wife Melissa and I made the decision that I would run for school board.”
If elected, Wells said he will focus on achieving four priorities.
“First and foremost, I commit to truly listen to our teachers and integrate their feedback into all of my decisions,” Wells said. “Teachers are the lifeblood of our schools, and they know better than anyone how to make our students successful. We can no longer afford to ignore their invaluable feedback and concerns. The Board of Education must fight to restore to them the freedom they need to do what they do best—inspire and educate our children.” [Read more…]
