Willow Brook Elementary School Archives

Ten COVID cases reported among students since Friday

Posted at 11:54 pm October 28, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

A graph shows the number of COVID-19 cases in Oak Ridge Schools reported by school week since Wednesday, July 29, 2020. We have defined weeks as Wednesday-Tuesday. Students were on fall break for parts of weeks nine and 11, and for all of week 10. **Note: Week 14 started Wednesday, Oct. 28, so it’s a partial week.** (Graph by Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 10 a.m. Oct. 29.

Ten COVID-19 cases have been reported among students in Oak Ridge Schools since Friday. That’s the highest number of cases reported in any seven-day period so far this school year.

The 10 new student cases were reported between Friday and Wednesday. Six of the cases were reported among students at Oak Ridge High School. It’s not clear yet if the surge is an anomaly or part of a trend.

There are currently 46 students and five staff members who are not allowed to attend school because they have been in close contact with someone at school who has been confirmed to have COVID-19, Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers said in response to questions Wednesday.

The surge in new cases has occurred as middle schools prepare to return to classes five days per week starting Monday.

Borchers has said about 80 percent of COVID-19 cases in the schools were due to activities outside of school. On Wednesday, he said 85.2 percent of the student cases in Oak Ridge Schools have been confirmed to be non-school related.

Borchers said the schools are not aware of any cases in which students or staff members have developed COVID-19 because they were in close contact with a person at school who was confirmed to be COVID-positive.

[Read more…]

Education Foundation to award grants April 24

Posted at 1:17 pm April 18, 2019
By Jessica Steed Leave a Comment

Woodland Elementary School teacher Megan Sauer is pictured above with one of her students demonstrating her 2018 grant “Communication for All.” (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation)

The Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation will award more than $99,000 in grants to Oak Ridge teachers at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 24.

Oak Ridge High School’s retired math teacher and former department head Benita Albert will be the featured speaker at the event, sharing her talk titled “We’ve Come a Long Way Teachers.”

The ceremony is open to the public, and it will be held in the Pollard Auditorium at ORAU beginning at 2:30 p.m. Demonstrations and displays of some of the projects and technology funded by the Foundation will be given in the lobby after the formal ceremony. Light refreshments will be provided courtesy of Oak Ridge Utility District, a press release said.

The 2019 grant recipients are as follows: [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools announces district teacher of the year

Posted at 5:48 pm February 6, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Melanie Bloomer

Oak Ridge Schools on Wednesday announced its district teacher of the year: Melanie Bloomer of Willow Brook Elementary School.

The nine school-level teachers of the year were announced previously.

Teachers of the year are selected competitively through five cycles: school, district, region, grand division, and state, a press release said. Teachers selected at each cycle receive local recognition and awards underwritten by local sources. State recognition/awards include a banquet honoring the nine region-level teachers of the year.

“The Tennessee Department of Education has encouraged us to recognize teachers who care about children, who devote their professional lives to enriching the lives of Tennessee students, and who demonstrate exceptional gains in student achievement,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Three ORHS students qualify for state chess championship

Posted at 11:42 am February 6, 2019
By Gilbert Chan Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge High School freshman Henri Scott was one of three state championship qualifiers from the high school for the state chess championship at Tennessee Tech on Feb. 16, 2019. (Submitted photo)

Oak Ridge High School freshman Henri Scott is one of three state championship qualifiers from the high school for the state chess championship at Tennessee Tech on Feb. 16, 2019. (Submitted photo)

Note: This story was updated at 6:05 p.m.

Three Oak Ridge High School students have qualified for the state chess championship on February 16 at Tennessee Tech University.

The three ORHS students took home trophies and qualified for the state championship during the Region 1 scholastic at Oak Ridge High School on Saturday, January 26, a press release said. More than 109 students from across East Tennessee attended that event.

ORHS juniors Justin Blanchard and Bear Moran took third and seventh, respectively, in the high school division, the press release said. Freshman Henri Scott also qualified for the K-9 championship by taking sixth in that division. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools names nine teachers of the year

Posted at 10:19 am February 6, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Teachers of the Year in 2019 at Oak Ridge Schools are pictured above. (Image by Oak Ridge Schools)

Oak Ridge Schools has named its teachers of the year at its nine schools.

The teachers of the year are:

Preschool—Melissa McMurry
Glenwood Elementary School—Amanda Fitch
Linden Elementary School—Steffanie Smith Greer
Willow Brook Elementary School—Melanie Bloomer
Woodland Elementary School—Inger Scudder
Jefferson Middle School—Michael Murphy
Robertsville Middle School—Michael Mott
Oak Ridge High School—Kayla Gass
Secret City Academy—Tobran Tillman

The school winners were nominated by their principals and peers for this 2018-2019 application.

The district winner will be announced today (Wednesday, February 6). [Read more…]

Born in Oak Ridge, author Dan Kilday to visit Oak Ridge Schools on Tuesday

Posted at 12:48 pm February 9, 2018
By Kathy Kilday Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

Dan Kilday, author of the new children’s chapter book “Molly Warner: School Reporter.” Kilday will be visiting several Oak Ridge Schools on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018. (Submitted photo)

Dan Kilday, author of the new children’s book “Molly Warner: School Reporter,” will be visiting several Oak Ridge Schools on Tuesday, February 13. The author will be visiting Linden Elementary School, Woodland Elementary School, and Willow Brook Elementary School, as well as Jefferson Middle School, a press release said.

A graduate of Central High School in Knoxville, Kilday earned a communications degree from Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, before working as a television anchor and reporter for local stations in three states. Kilday was born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and currently resides in Austin, Texas, with his wife and three children.

Here is more information about the book: [Read more…]

Oak Ridge students earn spots in state chess tournament

Posted at 11:52 am February 3, 2018
By Gilbert CHAN Leave a Comment

K-3 section winners are pictured above at the Tennessee Chess Association Individual Regional Tournament on Jan. 27, 2018, at Oak Ridge High School. An Nguyen from St. Mary's is at right. (Submitted photo)

K-3 section winners are pictured above at the Tennessee Chess Association Individual Regional Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018, at Oak Ridge High School. An Nguyen from St. Mary’s is at right. (Submitted photo)

Oak Ridge students have earned spots in the state championship chess tournament this month.

The Tennessee Chess Association Individual Regional Tournament was Saturday, January 27, at Oak Ridge High School. There were 36 competitors representing Oak Ridge schools: 12 from Oak Ridge High School, six from Jefferson Middle School, six from Robertsville Middle School, four from Willow Brook Elementary School, three each from Linden Elementary School and Woodland Elementary School, and two from St. Mary’s.

Kindergartener An Nguyen from St. Mary’s won a clear first place in the K-3 division with a perfect 5-0 score, a press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools names teachers of the year

Posted at 2:48 am January 31, 2018
By Oak Ridge Schools Leave a Comment

From left to right, top row, are Lauren Blair, Lisa Buckner, Linda Dalton, Donna Gilbert, and Donna Grove, and from left to right, bottom row, are Michael Martin, Bob O’Connor, Steve Reddick, and Leslie Shelton.

Oak Ridge Schools has named its teachers of the year.

Here are the teachers of the year:

Oak Ridge Schools Preschool—Linda Dalton
Glenwood Elementary School—Lauren Blair
Linden Elementary School—Lisa Buckner
Willow Brook Elementary School—Donna Grove
Woodland Elementary School—Michael Martin
Jefferson Middle School—Steve Reddick
Robertsville Middle School—Bob O’Connor
Secret City Academy—Donna Gilbert
Oak Ridge High School—Leslie Shelton

Here is more information about the teachers and their schools from Oak Ridge Schools: [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools first in state to earn AdvancED STEM certification for all elementary, middle schools

Posted at 10:22 am July 10, 2017
By Holly Cross Leave a Comment

Students at Jefferson Middle School collaboratively plan problem-based learning (PBL). (Submitted photo)

Oak Ridge Schools is the first district in the state to earn AdvancED STEM certification for all of its elementary and middle schools, a press release said.

AdvancED uses a research-based framework and criteria for the awareness, continuous improvement, and assessment of the quality, rigor, and substance of STEM educational programs, the press release said. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

In the spring of 2016, three Oak Ridge elementary schools earned AdvancED STEM certification: Glenwood, Linden, and Woodland. These schools were the first in the district to demonstrate the capacity to prepare students for STEM fields of study and work, the press release said.

In the spring of 2017, three more schools in Oak Ridge received this distinction: Willow Brook Elementary, Jefferson Middle, and Robertsville Middle.

“Our district is the first in the state to certify every elementary and middle school in the district,” the press release said. “We are committed to preparing our learners for the careers of tomorrow by perpetuating their enthusiasm for STEM disciplines today. Our focus on STEM demonstrates our continued commitment to ensure every Oak Ridge student is prepared for college, career, and life success.” [Read more…]

Photo: Cell phone tower work

Posted at 3:54 pm May 9, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Work on a cell phone tower near Willow Brook Elementary School on Tuesday, May 9, 2017. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

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…]

Eight Teachers of the Year announced by Oak Ridge Schools

Posted at 8:39 pm February 10, 2017
By Holly Cross 2 Comments

Teachers of the Year were announced Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, by Oak Ridge Schools. From left top row, they are Amy Brewer, Ashley Branson, Emily Haverkamp, and Julie Kinder-McMillan; and from left bottom row, they are Kristi Boruff, Lars Hondorf, Tom Froning, and Glenda Bergener. (Photos by Oak Ridge Schools)

Eight Teachers of the Year were announced Friday by Oak Ridge Schools.

Here is the Teacher of the Year at each Oak Ridge school:

Glenwood Elementary School—Kristi Boruff
Linden Elementary School—Glenda Bergener
Willow Brook Elementary School—Ashley Branson
Woodland Elementary School—Amy Brewer
Jefferson Middle School—Emily Haverkamp
Robertsville Middle School—Julie Kinder-MacMillan
Oak Ridge High School—Tom Froning
Secret City Academy—Lars Hondorf