Oak Ridge Today

City Blueprint: Discussion continues at Woodland Open House on Monday, May 15

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Woodland Open House Flyer May 15 2017

The Oak Ridge Community Development Department is continuing the Oak Ridge City Blueprint effort with a discussion focused on the Woodland neighborhood. An open house will be held between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday, May 15, at Woodland Elementary School to gather additional community feedback, a press release said.

Families living in the area are encouraged to attend and provide their ideas and suggestions for how the neighborhood can be made even better. Those attending can come and go anytime during the open house to share their thoughts with City staff.

The blueprint is being coordinated by the Community Development Department, with input from the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission, as well as other boards, commissions, and City leaders, the press release said. Once finished, the blueprint will be a guiding document that provides direction for future growth, development, and decision-making. [Read more…]

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

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

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 advance to state chess team finals

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Several Oak Ridge teams advanced to the state chess team championship this month after a regional tournament in Lenoir City on March 4.

Two teams from Oak Ridge High School qualified, and so did teams from Jefferson Middle School, Woodland Elementary School, and Linden Elementary School, a press release said.

The Tennessee Chess Association regionals held at Lenoir City High School on Saturday, March 4, included 151 students on 32 teams from 18 schools across East Tennessee, the press release said. In each of the four grade divisions, the top four teams qualified to play in the state team championship at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville on March 25.

The K-9 division was won by the ORHS freshman team of Logan Ogle (captain), Justin Blanchard, Edward (“Bear”) Moran, and Minwoo Kim, the press release said. They were tied for first with top-rated Episcopal School of Knoxville at the end of the last round, necessitating a blitz (10 minute) match to determine the winner. This match was tied 2-2 so a second match followed, which ORHS won. This matched the result of the 2016 ORHS freshman team, which also won the team regionals in a playoff. [Read more…]

Woodland student Caleb Johnson wins first-place award at Dogwood Arts

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Student art work by Caleb Johnson (Photo submitted by Mary Katherine Chin)

Student art work by Caleb Johnson (Photo submitted by Mary Katherine Chin)

 

Woodland Elementary School art student Caleb Johnson recently won first place in his grade level at the Dogwood Arts Festival.

“This is huge,” said Woodland Elementary School teacher Mary Katherine Chin. Hundreds of works of art are sent in, Chin said.

“But only a select few are chosen,” she said. “Even fewer get awards.”

The Dogwood Arts SYNERGY art exhibition features the work of gifted students from local schools (grades K-12). The exhibit is alongside an exhibit by East Tennessee’s finest K-12 art teachers and current art interns/student-teachers from public and private schools and academies, a press release said. Awards and scholarships are presented to encourage further development of these art students’ artistic aptitude.

Jefferson Middle School art teacher Jim Dodson is a committee chair. (You can see him featured in a video on the site, as well as student work from prior years, at this link.) [Read more…]

Eight Teachers of the Year announced by Oak Ridge Schools

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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 Handoff, Tom Froning, and Glenda Bergener. (Photos by Oak Ridge Schools/Composite by Oak Ridge Today)

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

[Read more…]

Oak Ridge students advance to state chess championship

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More than 100 students from 35 schools and home school groups in East Tennessee competed in the Tennessee Chess Association regional tournament at Oak Ridge High School on January 28.

Forty-two of the 115 participants represented schools in Oak Ridge: Jefferson Middle School, Linden Elementary School, Oak Ridge High School, Robertsville Middle School, St. Mary’s, Willow Brook Elementary School, and Woodland Elementary School. Those who qualified for the state tournament to be held February 18 at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville are: [Read more…]

Julie Dallas, Woodland parent, and Laura McLean, Oak Ridge School Board member, receive Tennessee School Boards Association Awards at East Fall District Meeting

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Julie Dallas, a Woodland Elementary School parent, and Laura McLean, an Oak Ridge School Board member, received Tennessee School Boards Association Awards at the East Fall District Meeting in September.

Dallas received the 2016 East Volunteer Recognition Award.

McLean received the Level I Boardmanship Award.

Here is more information from a press release:
[Read more…]

Elementary school success in Da Vinci Arts and Science Fair

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Lilly McDonald of Woodland Elementary School placed first in Life Science for her project, “Birds: Feed, Eat, Repeat” at the da Vinci Arts and Science Fair at New Hope Center in May. (Submitted photo)

Lilly McDonald of Woodland Elementary School placed first in Life Science for her project, “Birds: Feed, Eat, Repeat” at the Da Vinci Arts and Science Fair at New Hope Center in May. (Submitted photo)

On May 21-22, six students represented Woodland Elementary School with science fair projects at the Da Vinci Arts and Science Fair at New Hope Center in Oak Ridge.

Five third-grade students participated: Abi Beach, Isabella Liu, Lilly McDonald, William Shen, and Edie Weston.

One fourth-grader, Isaac Robinson, also competed.

Two students placed in the science competition. Edie Weston placed second in Life Science for her project titled, “How Long Until Sunscreen Blocks UV Light?” Lilly McDonald placed first in Life Science for her project, “Birds: Feed, Eat, Repeat.” [Read more…]

Scottie Mayfield visits Woodland after student taste test suggests plastic milk containers

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Scottie-Mayfield-at-Woodland-4-April-15-2016

Scottie Mayfield, president emeritus of Mayfield Dairy Farms, visited Woodland Elementary School on Friday, April 15, 2016, after hearing from 40 third-graders who conducted a blind taste test of milk stored in two different containers—wax-cardboard cafeteria containers and plastic yellow Mayfield jugs, like those used for store-bought milk—and determined they preferred milk stored in plastic. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Scottie Mayfield, president emeritus of Mayfield Dairy Farms, visited Woodland Elementary School in April after hearing from 40 third-graders who conducted a blind taste test of milk stored in two different containers—wax-cardboard cafeteria containers and plastic yellow Mayfield jugs, like those used for store-bought milk—and determined they preferred milk stored in plastic.

In the blind taste test, about 94 percent of the students preferred the milk that had been stored in plastic jugs, Woodland teacher Linda Young said. The persuasive opinion writing students, who are in the third-grade classes of Young and Inger Scudder, sent letters to Mayfield Dairy Farms suggesting that cafeteria milk be stored in plastic bottles like those used in grocery stores, Young said.

Impressed by the letters and responding to consumer concerns, Mayfield visited the school and met with the students on Friday, April 15.

He said the students were right.

“I appreciate your work,” Mayfield told the third-graders. “It appears to be accurate.” [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…]

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…]

No injuries in minor school bus crash on Northwestern

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School Bus Crash on Northwestern Avenue on Nov. 10, 2015

No one was injured in a minor crash involving an Oak Ridge school bus and a pickup truck on Northwestern Avenue near West Gettysburg Avenue after 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. Pictured above from left are bus driver Walter Erbaugh, Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Nathan Stinnett, and First Student Location Manager Diane Gibson. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

No one was injured in a minor crash involving an Oak Ridge school bus and a pickup truck on Northwestern Avenue on Tuesday afternoon.

The sideswipe collision occurred near West Gettysburg Avenue at about 4 p.m. Tuesday. It involved Bus 1950 from Woodland Elementary School.

There was only one student on the bus at the time, and another bus picked her up.

It’s been 20 months since an Oak Ridge school bus was last involved in a crash. On March 5, 2014, a car crashed into the front of a school bus that had stopped to pick up students at Hillside Road and Highland Avenue. No students were injured in that crash either.

Tuesday’s collision was two houses down from the site of a June 3, 2013, crash between a school bus and car at the intersection of Northwestern and West Gettysburg avenues. No children were reported to be injured in that crash either.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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