2013_Benchmarks-Health&Education

Section D

Health & Education

Takoma A ‘Top Rural Hospital.’ 3 Stroud Heads City Schools. 10 Laughlin Sees Growth. 2 School Safety Issues. 18 Weems Wing Dedicated At WGHS. 13 Tusculum College Expansion. 7 Walters State Expansion. 9

The Greeneville Sun March 23, 2013

2013 Benchmarks

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THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 23, 2013

Laughlin Memorial Hospital Sees Continued Growth In Services

BY LISA WARREN STAFF WRITER

It has been a year of continued growth in services for Laughlin Memorial Hospital.

Among those was the expansion of the hospital’s heart care program.

In partnership with the Wellmont CVA Heart Institute, Laughlin Hospital has added three full-time cardiologists at its campus.

This has enabled the hospital to expand services within its cardiac catheterization laboratory and other non-invasive cardiac procedures, which previously required the transfer of local patients to an out-of-town heartcare facility.

SUN PHOTO BY BRIAN CUTSHALL

WOUND CARE, HYPERBARIC CENTER In January, Laughlin Hospital also expanded its services to include a new wound care and hyperbaric medicine center.

Located in the Laughlin Medical Office Building No. 2, the Laughlin Center for Wound Care is an out-patient, hospital-based program that works in conjunction with the patient’s primary care physician, serving as an adjunctive service for the referring physician and specializing in the treatment of problem wounds.

Greeneville surgeon Dr. Stephen Flohr is the program’s medical director, while also continuing his general surgery practice.

In addition to Flohr, Drs. Mark Patterson, Natalie Scott, Kevin Strohmeyer and Jim Rodgers coordinate an overall care plan for each patient, working in partnership with the patient’s referring physician.

“Our program is completely devoted to healing problem wounds, and helping our patients to reclaim their quality of life,” said the program’s

Chuck Whitfield, president and CEO of Laughlin Memorial Hospital, speaks at news conference in June to announce the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study-3 initiative. Laughlin Hospital is serving as one of four local enrollment sites. The other three are DTR, MECO/Unaka Corporation, and Asbury United Methodist Church.

CHUCK WHITFIELD PRESIDENT AND CEO

director, Ron Gobble.

CANCER STUDY In June, Laughlin hosted a news conference to announce the start of a landmark cancer prevention study being conducted by the American Cancer Society.

The hospital served as one of four enrollment center sites in Greeneville for those who wanted to participate in the study to enroll.

The other sites were Asbury United Methodist Church; DTR Tennessee, Inc., and MECO/Unaka Corporation.

Greene County was one of just five areas in Tennessee where participants in the program, known as Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3), are being sought.

The other areas in the state are: Memphis, Chattanooga, Nashville and the Upper Cumberland area of Putnam, Cumberland and Warren counties.

Elise Allen, of the area ACS chapter, said that the four Greene County enrollment sites signed up 250 participants for the study.

This is a remarkable feat considering that the entire city of Nashville only signed up 500 participants, Allen said.

Nationwide, researchers hope to recruit at least 300,000 participants.

been given a three-year reaccreditation with commendation by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer (CoC).

The hospital was granted its first CoC accreditation in 2009.

The purpose of the accreditation program, hospital officials say, is “to improve survival rates and the quality of life of cancer patients by setting quality-of-care standards.

Applying for and maintaining accreditation is given only to those facilities that voluntarily make this commitment of excellence to cancer patients by complying with 36 qualityof-care standards.

During the CoC survey process, which occurs every three years, a facility undergoes a rigorous evaluation and review of its performance and its compliance with these qualityCANCER PROGRAM of-care standards.

REACCREDITATION Currently, there are Laughlin Hospital’s more than 1,500 CoCcancer-care program accredited cancer proreceived word that it has grams in the U.S. and

Puerto Rico, a number which represents about 30 percent of all hospitals.

Dr. John Boys, medical director of the Radiation Oncology Center at Laughlin Memorial Hospital, said that achieving accreditation for the hospital’s overall cancer care program involved a very great amount of work not only from his department, but virtually the entire hospital.

Having a successful survey by the CoC means that the “commission affirms that our services are of the highest quality and surpass the standard of care nationwide,” Boys said.

“This is a team approach,” Boys added.

“People need to know that cancer care has a full-team approach here.”

‘FIT-FRIENDLY WORKSITE’ In November, Laughlin Hospital was recognized as a “Fit-Friendly Worksite” by the American Heart Association (AHA).

In a letter to hospital officials, AHA CEO Nancy Brown extended congratulations to the hospital on the recognition.

“You are among an elite group of awardees for this important initiative,” Brown said in her letter.

“As a Gold-level award recipient, you have not only recognized the importance of a healthy workplace for your employees, but have taken important steps to create a culture of wellness by providing support to employees, and we commend you and your employees,” she added.

With the Fit-Friendly Worksite designation, Laughlin Hospital received recognition on the AHA’s website and at area AHA events, and earned the right to use the AHA’s Gold seal on all hospital communications.

The award and seal usage rights are valid until Oct. 1, 2013.

Lauren Ladd, regional director for the American Heart Association, presented a recognition plaque to Laughlin Hospital in honor of the special designation.

WHITFIELD HONORED In November, Chuck Whitfield, president and CEO of Laughlin Memorial Hospital, was the recipient of the highest leadership award presented annually by the Tennessee Hospital Association.

Whitfield was presented with the THA’s 2012 Distinguished Service Award during the organization’s 74th annual meeting, held Nov. 2 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville.

The award recognizes leadership and service by an individual member of the state hospital association throughout his or her career.

On The Cover ning Jan. 7, an officer was posted at each of the six city schools throughout the school day in an effort. In the cover photo, Hal Henard Elementary School students TAKOMA NAMED A ‘TOP RURAL HOSPITAL’: ONE OF JUST 13 IN U.S. are introduced to Officer Cameron Spradlin, at left. Pre-K teacher Heather Jones, Takoma Regional Hospital was recognized nationally in December for its strong standing at center, assisted incoming students. Sun photo by O.J. Early. commitment to patient safety. The hospital was one of only 13 in the nation to be named a “Top Rural Hospital” by The Leapfrog Group, a national organization whose focus is helping consumers compare hospitals based on outcomes and CLAUDE “JUNIOR” WEEMS JR. WING DEDICATED AT WGHS patient safety. The “Top Hospital” designation is described by the organization as The late Greene County Board of Education member Claude Weems Jr., fourth “the most competitive national hospital-quality award in the country.” Sun photo from right, cuts the ribbon in June 2012 for additions and improvements at West

by O.J. Early.

Greene High School. Shown, from left to right, are: student Richard Vradenburgh; County Commissioners Brenda Grogan (partially visible; now deceased) and Hilton Seay; County Director of Schools Dr. Vicki Kirk; school board members DR. LINDA STROUD ASSUMES LEADERSHIP OF CITY SCHOOLS Kathy Austin and Nathan Brown; County Commissioner David Crum; school board Greeneville Director of Schools Dr. Linda Stroud stands in her new office in June member Kathy Crawford; County Commissioner Nathan Holt; WGHS Principal 2012 with the rocking chair and prayer shawl that she received as gifts when she Julia Lamons; school board Chairman Roger Jones; County Commissioner Wade moved from her position as Greeneville High School principal to the director of McAmis (partially visible); Weems; school board members Rex Hopson and David schools post. Sun photo by O.J. Early.

Johnson; and student board member Seth Smith. Weems died only a few days later at 79 from injuries sustained in a farming accident. Sun photo by O.J. Early.

FROM THE TOP, AND LEFT TO RIGHT:

LAUGHLIN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SEES CONTINUED GROWTH IN SERVICES

Laughlin Memorial Hospital held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Feb. 1 to mark the opening of its new Laughlin Center for Wound Care. Shown, from left, are: Larry Coughlin, Laughlin Health Care Foundation Board of Trustees; Bill McNabb, WIN representative; Tom Gregory, Laughlin Foundation Board of Trustees; Dr. Kevin Strohmayer; Dr. Stephen Flohr, Laughlin Center for Wound Care’s medical director; Artie Wehenkel, Greene County Partnership (GCP) Green Coat Committee; Joy Rader Nunnally, GCP Green Coat Committee; Ron Gobble, director of the Laughlin Center for Wound Care; Mark Stokes and Ken Earl, of the GCP Green Coat Committee; Dr. Jim Rogers; Willard Blevins, LMH Board of Directors; James Smith, GCP Green Coat Committee; Janet Cody, safety director of the Laughlin Center for Wound Care; Herbert Whitfield, Ray Adams and Jack Wilson, all members of the LMH Board of Directors and Laughlin Health Care Foundation Board of Trustees; and Dominick Jackson, LMH Board of Directors. Sun photo by O.J. Early.

NEWTOWN SHOOTINGS, LOCAL BUS INCIDENTS RAISE SAFETY ISSUE

A police officers was assigned to each Greeneville school in January in the interest of safety, after students returned from Christmas vacation. Previously, one officer was assigned to Greeneville High School throughout the school day, while a second officer rotated patrol among the other five schools during the day. Begin-

TUSCULUM COLLEGE ENTERS PERIOD OF CONSTRUCTION, EXPANSION

A groundbreaking ceremony for two new residence halls at Tusculum College in February 2013 involved, from left to right: Dr. Nancy B. Moody, president of Tusculum College; Joe Woody, area director of USDA Rural Development; the Rev. Dr. Dan Donaldson, pastor of First Presbyterian Church and member of the Tusculum College Board of Trustees; student Chris Weems, of Dickson; student Cierra Ockstadt, of Portland; City of Tusculum Mayor John Foster; U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st, of Johnson City; and Dr. Kenneth A. Bowman, chair of the Tusculum College Board of Trustees. Sun photo by Kristen Buckles.

CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN SOON ON WSCC CAMPUS EXPANSION

The Greeneville/Greene County Campus of Walters State Community College completed the pre-planning phase for major expansion of its local campus, with construction work on the first phase of the plan scheduled to start around the beginning of April. The $20 million expansion of the campus calls for the corners where Tusculum Boulevard meets College Street and Main Street to undergo a dramatic transformation. A $9 million appropriation related to the project from the Tennessee Board of Regents is the largest single state-supported capital outlay in the college’s 41-year history. Sun photo by O.J. Early.

Advertisers Index Takoma Regional Hospital ..........................................................3 Benchmark Physical Therapy ......................................................4 Pharmacy Guide ........................................................................4 Life Care Center of Greeneville ...................................................5 Assisted Living Guide .................................................................6 Fitness Guide.............................................................................6 Takoma Regional Hospital ..........................................................7 Dental Guide .............................................................................8 Nursing Home Guide ..................................................................9 Mountain States Health Alliance ..............................................11 Health & Wellness Guide ....................................................12-13

Corley’s Pharmacy....................................................................14 Holston United Methodist Home for Children ...........................14 State of Franklin Healthcare Associates ...................................15 Child Education & Development Guide ....................................16 Frontier Health .........................................................................16 The Job Network ...................................................................... 17 Greeneville City Schools...........................................................18 High Road Digital .....................................................................18 Durham-Hensley Health and Rehabilitation ..............................19 Laughlin Memorial Hospital......................................................20

www.greenevillesun.com

Saturday, March 23, 2013

THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION

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Takoma Named A ‘Top Rural Hospital’: One Of Just 13 In U.S.

BY LISA WARREN

uncomfortable being inside an MRI machine.

STAFF WRITER

Takoma Regional Hospital was recognized nationally during the past year for its strong commitment to patient safety.

In December, the hospital was one of only 13 in the nation to be named a “Top Rural Hospital” by The Leapfrog Group, a national organization whose focus is helping consumers compare hospitals based on outcomes and patient safety.

The Leapfrog Group, which is an independent, quality-review organization based in Washington, D.C., announced its annual list of “Top Hospitals” on Dec. 4, 2012, at a special meeting in Baltimore.

The “Top Hospital” designation is described by the organization as “the most competitive national hospital-quality award in the country.”

According to Leapfrog, the honor recognizes hospitals “that deliver the highest quality of care by preventing medical errors, reducing mortality for high-risk procedures, and reducing hospital readmissions for patients being treated for conditions [such as] pneumonia and heart attack.”

Only 92 hospitals in the United States received recognition as a Top Hospital in any of the three categories: Top Rural Hospital (13), Top Urban Hospital (67), and Top Children’s Hospital (12).

Only two hospitals in Tennessee were honored with the Top Hospital designation in any of the categories — Takoma, in the Rural Hospital category, and Vanderbilt University Hospital, in the Urban Hospital category.

‘IN GOOD COMPANY’ “This is a huge honor for us,” said Takoma President and CEO Daniel Wolcott, upon receiving news of the honor.

“Takoma once again finds itself in good company.”

Wolcott thanked Adventist Health System for what he said are its ongoing investments in technology and evidence-based care.

“Their continued commitment to invest in state-of-theart technology, beginning more than 10 years ago and continuing today, has enabled us to meet criteria that led to this top national honor,” he said.

NEW PROGRAMS In August, Takoma unveiled a new program for breast cancer patients called “Day By Day Feel Better.”

The program provides oneon-one counseling, prosthetics, wigs, scarves and other services to patients in active treatment.

A new wellness initiative launched by Takoma Hospital during the past year is CREATION Health.

The program is based on eight health principles: choice, rest, environment, activity, trust, interpersonal relationships, outlook and nutrition.

As part of the intitiative, the hospital is making available to its patients copies of the book, “CREATION Health Discovery: Your Path To A Healthy 100.”

ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF TAKOMA REGIONAL HOSPITAL

Takoma Regional Hospital installed a 16-channel Tesla MRI scanner in March 2012. With the new technology, “We are taking our fight on breast cancer to a whole new level,” said Dr. Raymond Kohne, Takoma Hospital’s medical director of radiology.

As an early adopter of evidence-based care, Takoma participated in a collaborative with Johns Hopkins University Hospital and the Adventist Health System in 2006, the Takoma news release stated.

“This collaborative focused on reducing infections related to central lines,” Wolcott explained.

“Because of this collaborative, Takoma has maintained very low infections related to central lines, which is one area measured by Leapfrog.”

To be named a Top Hospital, facilities are required to meet demanding quality and resource-use standards set up

by The Leapfrog Group.

In addition, to qualify for the honor, hospitals also have to earn an “A” in Leapfrog’s newest initiative: the Hospital Safety Score, which looks closely at how safe hospitals are for patients.

‘A’ IN PATIENT SAFETY Also in December, Leapfrog announced that Takoma was among 25 other Tennessee hospitals to receive an “A” in the patient safety category.

This was the second consecutive year that Takoma had

received that designation.

Scores — ranging from “A” to “F” — were assigned to the 1,200 participating hospitals based on expert analysis of infections, injuries, and medical and medication errors that frequently cause harm or death during a hospital stay.

“Leapfrog holds hospitals to a fixed set of defined and transparent standards that are extremely high, and only the hospitals that meet those standards earn the distinction,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group.

“By achieving the Top Hospital accolade, Takoma has demonstrated exemplary performance across all areas of quality and patient safety that are analyzed on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey.

“Takoma stands out as one consistently providing safe, high-quality care, and I would be comfortable sending my family to Takoma for care,” Binder said.

Takoma is a member of both the Adventist Health System and the Wellmont Health System.

Although no other Wellmont hospital was named to the Top

Hospital list, Bristol Regional Medical Center, a part of the Wellmont system, received an “A” in Leapfrog’s Hospital Safety Score.

BREAST MRI Also during the past year, Takoma Hospital began serving its patients with a new 16-channel Tesla MRI scanner, which, according to Dr. Raymond Kohne, Takoma’s medical director of radiology, is allowing the hospital “to take its fight on breast cancer to a whole new level.”

“Recent studies have shown that breast MRI is a key tool in detecting tumors,” said Vickie Henegar, director of Takoma Hospital’s Imaging Department.

MRI uses magnetic fields rather than radiation to create an image of the breast. “The strength of breast MRIs is the exquisite soft tissue contrast, which helps us better search for malignancies,” Henegar added.

The new MRI technology in place at Takoma cuts the scan times in half for patients, Henegar said.

“That is a big plus,” she said, especially for patients who are

WIRELESS VITAL SIGNS Earlier this year, Takoma Hospital received 25 new wireless, vital-sign devices that hospital officials say will improve the accuracy and timeliness of important health information record-keeping for patients.

The Phillips Wireless vital sign devices utilize bar-code scanning that automatically uploads data directly into patients’ electronic medical records.

Valued at more than $100,000, the devices were purchased for Takoma by Adventist Health System, which owns the hospital in partnership with Wellmont Health System.

Tammy Albright, the hospital’s chief nursing officer, said that the devices eliminate the process of manual data entry of the vital signs into the electronic medical record, which nursing staff currently enters throughout a patient’s stay.

MCKINNEY HONORED In October, long-time Takoma Medical Associates family physician Dr. James Ray McKinney was honored by the Tennessee Hospital Association.

McKinney was presented with the prestigious “Meritorious Service Award” by the state organization to honor his 52 years of service to patients in the region.

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THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 23, 2013

Holston Home’s Masker To Retire; Williams To Replace Him

BY LISA WARREN

Home. They are supportive, engaged and active in the strategic direction of the organization.

• Facilities are clean, neat and well-maintained. Fire and tornado drills are conducte, and critiqued for performance. Youth and staff are safe and secure.

• Foster Care is very well established with strengths-based services.

Programs receive positive support from foster parents, a biological parent and the children in care.

It is unique but very significant that this service received accolades from all three groups.

STAFF WRITER

A change of leadership will take place in the coming year at Holston United Methodist Home for Children.

In December, Arthur S. (Art) Masker, who has guided Holston Home as its president and CEO for the past 14 years, announced that he will retire next fall.

Masker said that his resignation will take effect on Sept. 1, 2013.

Bradley S. Williams, who has worked at Holston Home for the past 10 years, most recently as its chief operating officer, has been named as Masker’s successor.

MASKER’S BACKGROUND Masker became president and CEO of Holston Home in December 1999.

He joined Holston Home in 1973 as a case manager for the Wiley Center residential home.

Since that time, Masker has served as director of several of Holston Home’s program divisions.

In 1983, he was promoted to program administrator and, in 1997, he was promoted again to vice president for program services before being named the Holston Home president and CEO in 1999.

Under his leadership, the size and scope of Holston Home’s services have more than doubled.

In addition to his role at Holston Home, Masker is also an active, longtime volunteer leader with the Boy Scouts of America and serves in many leadership roles at Asbury United Methodist Church in Greeneville.

“I have known Art for 40 years,” said the Rev. Charles A. Hutchins, Holston Home vice president for development/ church relations.

“From the day I met him, it was obvious that he was committed to creating the best possible program for the children and youth.

“He has moved Holston Home to the highest level, and bringing Brad Williams onto the staff several years ago assures the continued success of this organization,” Hutchins added.

WILLIAMS’ BACKGROUND Williams joined the Holston Home executive team in 2002.

In his current role, he is responsible for administering the agency’s program services, which serve more than 400 children each day.

Prior to joining the Holston Home team, Williams served as the deputy director of the Cumberland County Department of Social Services in North Carolina.

He also held leadership roles with Camelot Care Centers in Tennessee and Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina.

In his early career, Wil-

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN

Tennessee Department of Children’s Services Commissioner Kate O’Day, in the center of the back row, visited Holston United Methodist Home for Children in December. “Holston Home is making a good transition from ‘orphanage’ to the professional, multi-service agency it is today,” O’Day said at the time. Shown, from left to right in the front row, are Mary Margaret Denton, chairman of the Holston Home board of trustees; and Gayle Mrock, administrator of residential services. On the back row, left to right, are Bradley S. Williams, Holston Home chief operating officer; O’Day; and Arthur S. (Art) Masker, Holston Home president and CEO, who will retire in the fall. Williams has been named as Masker’s successor as president and CEO. liams provided direct services as a social worker and therapist in Tennessee and North Carolina.

He earned his master’s degree in social work from the University of Tennessee, where he also earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

“Art has done a great job in leading Holston Home for a long time,” Williams said. “His shoes will be hard to fill.”

REACCREDITATION In August, Holston Home learned that it had once again been reaccredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA): the respected international, independent, notfor-profit, child- and family-service, and behavioral healthcare accrediting organization.

National accreditation measures the agency’s policies, practices, and operations against national best-practice standards and testifies to the agency’s commitment to high quality services and ethical practices.

Holston Home has carried national accred-

itation for the past 14 years.

“Re-accreditation is a detailed process that occurs every four years,” Masker said. “This process is evidence of our long-term commitment to excellence for the children and their families.”

As part of the 2012 reaccreditation process, four national peer reviewers conducted an exhaustive review of Holston Home and spent several days onsite reviewing operations and obtaining feedback from clients and their families, trustees and community partners.

STRENGTHS NOTED Upon notification of the re-accreditation, Holston Home was praised by COA for several strengths, including: • The organization consistently practices within an ethical environment.

They have earned and sustained the public trust and respect for several decades.

• The board is very passionate about the mission and is committed to the services at Holston

DCS COMMISSIONER VISITS In December, Holston Home received a special visit from Tennessee Department of Children’s Services Commissioner Kate O’Day. O’Day toured the campus and met briefly with the organization’s board of trustees.

During her visit with Holston Home’s trustees, O’Day noted that the number of children in the state’s care is down. “But it is starting to come back up,” she said.

“The state really needs Holston Home to be strong,” she said.

“It has a long, distinguished history of caring for children in its 117 years of operation.

The tour showed me that Holston Home is making a good transition from ‘orphanage’ to the professional, multi-service agency it is today.”

O’Day thanked Holston Home for the good work that the agency does, and noted that the state needed more agencies such as Holston Home throughout Tennessee, especially East Tennessee.

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Saturday, March 23, 2013

THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION

5

FWBFM Sees Leadership Change, Continues Growth, Outreach

BY LISA WARREN STAFF WRITER

The previous year saw a major leadership change as well as continued growth for Free Will Baptist Family Ministries, a Greene County-based Christian organization that provides a variety of services to children and families, including residential group homes for children and youth who are in state custody.

On July 1, the Rev. Frank Woods took over the helm as the new Family Ministries executive director.

Wood succeeded Dr. James Kilgore, who stepped aside as the organization’s executive director on July 30 after nearly 15 years of service to Family Ministries.

Prior to becoming the new executive director, Woods had served as vice president of financial development and operations for Family Ministries since 2005.

In addition, he had served on the Board of Trustees for 12 years, five of those as board chairman.

In a statement, the Rev. Derek Bell, chairman of the Board of Trustees and director of development, said, “I don’t think words can express our gratitude to Dr. Kilgore for his vision and leadership during his tenure, and we are equally as excited about our future under the direction of Rev. Woods, as we know that great things are yet to come for Family Ministries.”

BELL IS NEW DIRECTOR Also this year, Bell was named as the new director of development for Family Ministries.

He was formerly the pastor at First Free Will Baptist Church in Church Hill . He has been a member of the Family Ministries Board of Trustees since 2005, and has

THE REV. FRANK WOODS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FWBFM

SUN PHOTO BY LAUREN HENRY

The Knights of Columbus of Notre Dame Catholic Church partnered with The Hope Center to purchase an ultrasound machine for the crisis pregnancy center. Standing beside the purchased machine are, from left: Frank Woods, CEO and president of Free Will Baptist Family Ministries; Sharon Hodgens, Hope Center director; Timothy Shaw, Notre Dame Knights of Columbus treasurer; and Bud Noe, Deputy Grand Knight for the Notre Dame Knights of Columbus. The Hope Center is an outreach of Free Will Baptist Family Ministries. served as the chairman of the board since 2009.

Additionally, in July, it was announced that Colleen Cox would be returning to Family Ministries to once again serve as the organization’s director of marketing and corporate development.

She previously served in that capacity, but, more recently, had been assistant director of alumni relations for Tusculum College. At the college, she was Tusculum’s primary liaison for alumni and the college’s Alumni Executive Board.

Founded in 1939, Free Will Baptist Family Ministries provides a variety of services to youth and families through residential group homes, The Hope Center Crisis Pregnancy/Resource Center, and The Oaks

Retreat Center.

GOVERNOR’S BEND OPENS Most recently, FWBFM has expanded its services to senior citizens through The Laurels Retirement and Assisted Living Center, located in Wise, Va., and the newly opened Governor’s Bend Retirement and Assisted Living Center, at 1631 Zane Whitson Drive, in Erwin.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of Governor’s Bend was held in November.

At the event, Woods said that Family Ministries is “honored to be a part of the Town of Erwin and looks forward to a lasting partnership in caring for the senior citizens of this area.”

Governor’s Bend is a

48,000-square-foot facility that consists of 52 suites featuring three different layout options.

It offers many amenities such as a library, spa, beauty salon, barber shop, chapel, wireless Internet, cable television, one-floor living, private mail boxes, 24-hour emergency assistance, and dining services.

HOPE CENTER’S SUCCESS The Hope Center, the crisis pregnancy center operated in Greeneville

by Family Ministries, has seen continued success in the past year in reaching out to mothersto-be in the community who find themselves at a crossroads in their lives.

Located at 314 Tusculum Blvd., The Hope Center offers free services for teens and women who

find themselves in an unplanned, crisis pregnancy situation.

Among The Hope Center’s services are: a 24hour telephone hotline, free pregnancy tests, maternity clothing, baby clothes and supplies, education about fetal development, alternatives to abortion, post-abortion counseling, parenting classes, baby care classes and nutrition classes, as well as adoption information and referrals to a licensed adoption agency and referrals to maternity homes.

of Notre Dame Catholic Church and matched by Hope Center fundraising efforts.

The Knights of Columbus contributed $20,612.45 to The Hope Center for the ultrasound, and the center was able to match those funds with approximately $19,000 raised through churches, individuals and businesses.

T he ultrasou nd machine will be used as an educational tool to show women and teens who come to The Hope Center for counseling what their unborn baby looks and sounds like in the womb, said Sharon Hodgens, the center’s director.

The goal, Hodgens said, is to help them reconsider abortion as a means of dealing with their unplanned pregnancy.

REV. FRANKLIN GRAHAM In October, more than 325 local supporters of the Hope Center packed the ballroom of the General Morgan Inn for the annual fundraising gala ULTRASOUND MACHINE and to hear the Rev. Among the newest ser- Franklin Graham. vices now being offered Graham, of Boone, by the center is an ultra- N.C., the son of internasound machine, which was purchased thanks PLEASE SEE FWBFM | 8 to money donated by the Knights of Columbus

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THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 23, 2013

DIDD-Run Community Homes Cope With Death Of Resident

BY KEN LITTLE

room as the temperature increased, although he was capable of doing so and was known to express discomfort to staff as necessary; and the negative toxicological examination in this case, indicating he was in no way intoxicated or chemically impaired, it is considered most probable that [Derrick] suffered a sudden cardiac death rather than death by hyperthermia,� the summary said.

Hyperthermia is greatly increased body temperature. “The manner of death is natural,� according to the autopsy summary.

STAFF WRITER

The December 2012 death of a resident of a state-run community home in Greene County prompted a visit to Greeneville by the commissioner of the state Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD), and investigations of the death.

In an interview with The Greeneville Sun during that visit, Commissioner James M. Henry said the Greene Valley Developmental Center (GVDC) will continue to be a viable force in the area for years to come.

The elimination in 2011 of 338 positions at GVDC had a lasting impact on the community, and caused many local citizens to wonder about its future.

Henry said Greene Valley Developmental Center remains one of the most significant components of the DIDD system. “Greene Valley has been a special place for this department and its responsibility in taking care of people. It is recognized as the best developmental center in the state,� Henry said. “The community has always accepted it.�

Physical improvements to the facility have been made in recent years, Henry said. “We’re not shutting it down — that’s for sure,� he said.

Greene Valley remains one of Greene County’s major employers, providing jobs for about 670 people.

DEATH INVESTIGATION An internal DIDD investigation was conducted after the Dec. 2, 2012, death of 47-yearold Ronnie Derrick in a community home at 2015 Susong Drive.

Preliminary results of that investigation showed Derrick’s death “does not indicate that the death was a result of abuse or neglect by the staff.�

A separate investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation had not been completed by mid-March. “The currently available evidence in this case does not indicate that the death was a result of abuse or neglect by the staff at the East Tennessee Community Home,� the DIDD report released in February states.

There are 13 community homes operating in Greene County, and three more scheduled to

SUN PHOTO BY O.J. EARLY

This is the state-run community home, at 2105 Susong Road in the Camp Creek community, where 47-year- VISUAL CHECKS DONE old resident Ronnie Derrick died on Dec. 2, 2012.

The DIDD report sum-

JAMES M. HENRY DIDD COMMISSIONER

open this year.

Each one houses four residents and is an Intermediate Care Facility (ICF), for intellectually disabled clients.

His medical history includes hypertension and high blood cholesterol.

Before he went to bed on the night of his death, Derrick was described as ‘FOUL PLAY NOT being in a “good mood�

SUSPECTED’ and expressed no discomResults from Derrick’s fort, the summary said. autopsy were provided by the TBI to DIDD and HEATING MALFUNCTION made available in late Derrick was found February. The autopsy dead in his room in the said that Derrick died of community home in the “a sudden cardiac death� Camp Creek community likely brought on by chronic heart conditions and not by the excessively hot temperature in his room on the night of his death. “Foul play is not suspected in his death,� the autopsy summary said. “[Derrick] had a medical history of autism and was considered fairly ‘high functioning’ in that he was capable of expressing discomfort, although not via specific verbalization,� the summary said.

Derrick was able to take care of “his own basic physical needs,� the summary added.

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he was capable of notifying others of discomfort and taking care of his own basic physical needs,� it said.

ENLARGED HEART Derrick had various cardiac medical conditions, including “an enlarged and thickened heart� and narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the heart with blood, the autopsy summary said.

He had “superficial burns� over part of his body and by the time he was found dead, the process of decomposition had already started, “likely accelerated by heat exposure,� the summary said. “It is not possible to determine with certainty whether thermal injury to the skin is incurred [before death] or postmortem,� the summary said.

Derrick’s risk of “sudden unexpected cardiac death� was significantly increased due to the “severity� of his cardiovascular disease, the summary said. ‘NATURAL’ DEATH “Given the investigative findings that the decedent did not exit the

mary said that Derrick’s condition was “normal and routine� the night before his death and at bedtime. “Visual bed checks were conducted hourly. This person preferred to not be disturbed throughout the night so bed checks were done visually with staff not physically entering his room,� the report said.

But the investigation summary also said that one staff member on duty at the home “admitted to leaving his shift an hour and 10 minutes early without authorization.� “It does not appear that this contributed in any way to the person’s death, as the home exceeded ICF [Intermediate Care Facilities] and DIDD staffing requirements,� the report said.

DIDD spokeswoman Missy Marshall said in February that “at this point in time, no policies have been changed� in connection with Derrick’s death.

Physical checks, as opposed to visual checks, on all home residents are one policy option, she said.

PLEASE SEE HOMES | 8

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at 6:05 a.m. on Dec. 2, a Sunday morning.

On the night of his death, a malfunction of the heating system at the home resulted in a “significantly increased� temperature within his room, the autopsy summary noted. “When he was discovered deceased, it was noted that he had removed articles of clothing and cast them off the bed, potentially as a response to increasing room temperature,� the summary said.

A core temperature of Derrick’s body was not taken at the scene, the summary noted. “The room temperature upon initial entry was estimated to be over 100 degrees; however, the actual temperature of the room was not measured at that time,� the summary said.

Derrick was reportedly not confined to his room “and was free to leave the room of his own volition,� according to the summary. “Therefore, the question as to why the decedent did not leave his room when the temperature had increased to an extreme is raised, since

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Saturday, March 23, 2013

THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION

7

Tusculum College Enters Period Of Construction, Expansion

BY KRISTEN BUCKLES STAFF WRITER

Construction is in full swing at Tusculum College after a year of expanding programs and receiving major donations.

Major announcements by the college began in the summer with the celebration of a $3.875 million gift toward a new center for science and math.

This was followed in the fall with announcements about new partnerships between the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development and the college, and between Tusculum and BlueCross BlueShield.

A $39 million USDA Community Facilities direct loan was announced in September and will allow the college to lower its overhead while also funding renovations to Tredway Hall and construction of the new science and math facility.

Early this year, another $6 million loan from the USDA was announced, which is providing resources for the construction of two new apartment-style residence halls on campus.

In November, the college announced a $263,996 grant from BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation, which provided for the installation of a simulation lab for the new nursing major program at the college.

The year also saw the establishment of the Center for Development and Entrepreneurship to serve local business-owners and entrepreneurs.

The program is an expansion of the studentfounded-and-coordinated “Help Me Help You” program.

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN

Officials participating in a signing ceremony for the USDA Rural Development loan for construction of new residence halls at Tusculum College are, front row, from left: Tusculum President Dr. Nancy B. Moody, Rural Development State Director Booby Goode, and Tusculum Board of Trustees Treasurer Mark Williams. In the back row, from left, are: Joe Woody, Rural Development Area Director; Tusculum Vice President and CFO Steve Gehret; Louis Trivette, Rural Development Area Specialist; Tommy Burleson of Burleson Construction; architect John Fisher; Bridgett Baird, representing U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn.; and Lana Moore, representing U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.

from USDA for renovation of current space and construction of a new science and math building will significantly lower what the college pays in debt service for the building, making the new construction and renovation possible while also improving the college’s overall finances.

Plans for the new center for science and math were part of the announcement in July of a $3.875 million gift toward funding the construction of the facility.

The gift will be recognized with the naming of the new facility, the “Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math.”

Mrs. Meen chose to make the gift in memory of her husband, Dr. Ronald H. Meen, who died in NEW FACILITIES 2008 and was an organThe $39 million loan ic chemist for Eastman

Chemical Company.

The Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math will be a three-story, 50,000square-foot state-of-theart science and math facility with an estimated total project cost in excess of $15 million.

The architectural design will be consistent with the historic architectural context of the campus.

RESIDENCE HALLS The construction of two new residence halls has also been made possible by the USDA partnership.

The USDA Rural Development Office granted the college a $6 million Community Facilities direct loan in January.

Residence hall space has been a pressing need for the college for the past few years as the result of an occupancy rate of

more than 100 percent.

With record numbers of students living on-campus, the college has utilized every resource available, including increasing the occupancy in existing residence halls and using off-campus housing.

The new apartmentstyle residence halls will provide housing for 120 students.

Construction began this winter on the two new buildings, which will be located on the Gilland Street side of campus near the four existing apartment-style residence halls.

The residence halls are expected to be completed in August 2013, in time for the fall semester.

tion degree have been added to the college’s academic offerings in the past year.

Each was added after a feasibility study that included research into community and student needs.

Chemistry, criminal justice and nursing have been added as majors of undergraduate study.

Criminal justice and nursing programs were offered this academic year. Courses for the chemistry major will begin during the fall 2013 term.

Criminal justice and nursing are new majors for the college.

The chemistry major was last offered in the 1970s at the college, and NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS a minor in the subject continued and remains Three new undergradu- an option. ate majors and a master The nursing program of business administra- was the recipient of a

$263,996 grant from BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation, which funded the installation of a simulation laboratory for the program.

The grant funding was utilized to purchase and install two simulators, along with video recording equipment. In addition, the funds are being used to train college and community partner staff in using the simulation equipment.

The lab has been used by community healthcare partners and is available for use by other academic programs at the college.

Using simulators allows students immediate feedback from their peers and instructors.

Simulated clinical experiences provide the opportunity for students to administer independent nursing care and to observe the effects of their care.

In addition, the master of business administration program began adding cohorts this fall in Knoxville. A cohort started at the Greeneville campus earlier this year, with others planned.

ADDITION IN MADISON The college has entered a partnership with Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College to offer Tusculum’s master of arts in education degree program in North Carolina.

The college began a process to provide on-site instruction in Madison County after receiving requests from educators there to offer a master’s program in the area and after documenting the demand and need for the program.

The State of North Carolina gave approval to the program in the fall. Tusculum will offer the Master of Arts in Education PLEASE SEE TUSCULUM | 8

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THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 23, 2013

Tusculum Starts on Page 7 Curriculum and Instruction Degree program for licensed teachers with the first cohort expected to begin in June.

Classes will be held at Asheville-Buncombe Community College’s Madison County site.

DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP A new Center for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship established this fall aims to help students, businessowners and individuals in a number of areas related to entrepreneurship, small business development, personal f inance, and professional development.

Programs and events are offered in seven different divisions: business analysis, business education, entrepreneurial advancement and implementation, community engagement and interactive learning, student empowerment through

business, business consulting, and personal finance.

Pa r tic ipa nt s can attend the 10-session “Help Me Help You Program,” which has been recognized by the Clinton Foundation as one of the most promising student-led programs in the world.

In addition, monthly activities, guest speakers and events are open to the whole community.

The center has partnered with East Tennessee State University’s Northeast Tennessee Regional Entrepreneurial Accelerator (NTREA). The goal of this program is to connect entrepreneurs with critical resources to accelerate business creation and growth.

Because of community support, attendees and program participants have not been charged a fee in any events and/or programs.

More information about the center is available at http://web.tusculum.edu/cede.

SUN PHOTO BY KEN LITTLE

Individuals instrumental in securing a $39 million U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Facilities direct loan for Tusculum College display an architectural rendering of the planned Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math. Shown from left are: Board of Trustees member the Rev. Dr. Dan Donaldson; U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st, of Johnson City; Board of Trustees Chairman Dr. Ken Bowman; Tammye Trevino, USDA Rural Development administrator; Bobby Goode, Tennessee USDA Rural Development director; Tusculum President Dr. Nancy B. Moody; and Board of Trusteses member Scott M. Niswonger.

Dental Guide

FWBFM Starts on Page 5 tionally-famed evangelist Billy Graham, was the keynote speaker at this year’s Hope Center Celebration Dinner.

Proceeds from the annual Hope Center Celebration help to continue and expand the services that the center provides to local women, teens and babies who are in need.

Graham serves as president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, the international relief organization, which he founded in 1979.

In addition, Graham also serves as the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, founded by his father, 93, who is almost entirely retired.

Graham was welcomed to the Hope Center benefit by Greeneville businessman and philanthrophist Scott M. Niswonger, who was instrumental in arranging Graham’s visit to Greeneville for the annual fundraising event.

‘WORDS OF HOPE’ The chairpersons for this year’s Hope Center Celebration were Daniel Wolcott, president and CEO of Takoma Regional Hospital, and his wife, Cynthia.

The theme of this year’s benefit for the center was “Words of Hope.”

During his keynote address, Graham said, “being able to give hope [to those in need] is a tremendous thing.”

He cited a passage from Scripture in the Book of Matthew about Jesus calming the storm on the sea.

Graham noted that Jesus’ friends and disciples were extremely frightened as their boat threatened to capsize in the sudden storm that they encountered.

“In frustration they awakened Him and said, ‘Lord, don’t You care

Homes Starts on Page 6 Commissioner Henry said in February that one person was placed on administrative leave as a result of the death.

RESIDENTS BACK IN HOME The three other men living in the group home returned there on Jan. 3, and Marshall said in February that East Tennessee Community Homes (ETCH) was in the process of moving a resident into Derrick’s former room.

DIDD officials have not commented on the role the high temperature in his room may have played in his death.

The heating/cooling systems in the Susong Drive community home

DR. JAMES KILGORE STEPPED DOWN AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

that we are about to drown?!’”

The passage in Matthew recounts that Jesus arose, and told them not to worry — that He was with them.

“These guys had no hope, but their hope was with them,” Graham said. “Their hope was there.”

Jesus got up, and He rebuked the wind and waves. At once the sea was again calm, Graham said.

The disciples were amazed. “ ‘What kind of man is this?’ they asked, but they knew that Jesus was not just any man.

He was the Son of God,” Graham said.

“Jesus Christ came to this earth to calm those storms that we find ourselves in,” he continued, adding that every one of us will find ourselves in a storm at some point in our lives.

“These young kids and others who come to the Hope Center find themselves in a storm as well ... But we thank God that there are ministries like the Hope Center that can focus on a group with a storm that they are getting ready to go through — and can be an anchor for them ... and love them, pray with them, counsel them and give them Godly advice.”

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New Patients Always Welcome! where Derrick lived, and seven others built in Greene County about the same time, were all inspected, Marshall said in February.

“The HVAC systems in all eight homes were inspected by an independent heat and air company as a safety pr e c aut ion . P r oblem s were found in four homes, but corrective actions have been taken,” Marshall said.

“ETCH continues to measure room temperatures every 15 minutes when the [Susong Drive] home is occupied.”

Henry said in December that the safety of community home residents is an ongoing priority.

“We spend all of our careers trying to take care of these people, and we didn’t want any harm to befall them,” he said.

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Saturday, March 23, 2013

THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION

9

Construction To Begin Soon On WSCC Campus Expansion

BY KRISTEN BUCKLES STAFF WRITER

Enhancing and expanding programs and services to meet the specific educational and workforce needs of Greene and surrounding counties continued to be the focus of the Greeneville/Greene County Campus of Walters State Community College during the past year.

The college completed the pre-planning phase for the major expansion of its local campus, with construction work on the first phase of the plan scheduled to start around the beginning of April.

In August 2011, WSCC President Dr. Wade McCamey unveiled plans for a $20 million expansion of the Greeneville/Greene County campus.

The plans call for the corners where Tusculum Boulevard meets College Street and Main Street to undergo a dramatic transformation.

The college plans to add 84,000square-feet of new space so it can develop and expand workforce training

and educational programs to meet local economic demands.

The project is designed by Greenevillebased architect John Fisher and his architectural firm, Fisher + Associates.

Fisher has stated that the 84,000square-foot building will house the college’s residential police academy, the proposed fire academy and allied health programs.

The building is to include natural science and allied health labs and areas for student services such as a library, counseling, tutoring and financial aid.

The design by Fisher also includes outdoor spaces, such as a pedestrian plaza, and possibly an amphitheater, he said.

A $9 million appropriation related to SUN PHOTO BY JIM FELTMAN the project from the Tennessee Board of Regents is the largest single state- The George Jones House, on North Main Street, which was built in the period from supported capital outlay in the college’s 1830-1865, is likely to be demolished as a result of the $20 million planned expansion of the Greeneville-Greene County Center of Walters State Community 41-year history.

PLEASE SEE WSCC | 10

College. The plans call for one of the main new buildings to occupy the site of the house. The property is owned by Walters State and is not officially a part of the Greeneville Historic District.

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THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 23, 2013

Dr. Linda Stroud Assumes Leadership Of City Schools

BY SARAH GREGORY STAFF WRITER

The beginning of a new chapter of leadership was one of the primary highlights for the Greeneville City School System during the past year.

The year also saw Highland Elementary School exit the year-round schedule in favor of the traditional school year calendar.

The school system was also recognized for leading the state in energy management.

STROUD BECOMES DIRECTOR The 2012-13 school year began a new chapter for the city system, under the leadership of Dr. Linda B. Stroud as Director of Schools.

Dr. Stroud succeeded Dr. Lyle Ailshie, who served as Director of Schools for 12 years until accepting a position as Superintendent of Kingsport City Schools beginning in March 2012.

Stroud was selected for the position following an unusual decision by the Board of Education to forego the search process that typically accompanies a change in a school system’s leadership.

Board members cited input from the community, a long and impressive list of accomplishments by Stroud, and her demonstrated genuine love of students

as reasons for their decision.

She began her tenure in early June 2012, saying that being appointed was an honor “because I love the school district so much.”

“Every decision is what’s best for kids,” she said.

With the change to the Stroud era, the city system also adopted a change in the motto and slogan used on official documents from the former “Small Town, World Class” to “Cultivate the Mind, Impact the Heart.”

HIGHLAND SCHEDULE A unanimous vote by the Board of Education in October 2012 removed Highland Elementary School from the year-round schedule it had used since 1996.

Beginning with the 2013-14 academic year, the school will use the same calendar as the rest of the system.

Stroud said at the time of the vote that the changes were “very well received by the parents” of Highland students.

Highland Principal Brenda Ottinger and the school’s Instructional Specialist, Pat Barnett, had proposed the change to the school board during an October retreat.

“We’ve got to look at what’s best for the kids,” they said, noting that state testing schedules necessitated

the change.

As an example, they cited an incident in which Highland students were back from a three-week break for only three days before a state-mandated standardized test.

“Just because we have had the program for 16 years does not mean that program is effective for today,” said Board Chairman Craig Ogle.

The change went into effect after the 2012 Christmas break, but students will not be affected by the change until spring break.

Highland’s original spring break would have started on March 20 and lasted through April 5, but now, students join the rest of the city school system on spring break from March 25 to April 1.

Highland will, however, end the 201213 school year a bit earlier than other Greeneville City schools in order to meet the state and local requirements for 180 instructional days.

ENERGY MANAGEMENT The Greeneville City School system is leading the state in energy management — saving financial and energy resources and winning awards in the process.

The city schools system is one of only three in the state of Tennessee to have

ENERGY STAR-certified facilities.

It is also the only system in the state to have 100 percent of its school buildings — six in all — receive the ENERGY STAR certification.

An ENERGY STAR-certified facility meets strict energy performance standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), uses less energy, is less expensive to operate, and results in fewer greenhouse gas emissions than its peers.

ENERGY STAR certification recognizes the top 25 percent of energy-efficient buildings in the nation that are classified as school facilities.

At an October 2012 meeting of the Board of Education, Truman Atkins, Ed.D., regional president of Energy Education, presented ENERGY STAR building certification and an Energy Stewardship award.

‘CONSERVING RESOURCES’ The award “shows continuous growth and development of the energy conservation program, and Greeneville City Schools have demonstrated that very well,” Atkins said at the time.

Melanie Williams, who heads the school system’s energy management

WSCC Starts on Page 9 Greeneville businessman and philanthropist Scott M. Niswonger committed to provide a required match, and pledged approximately $2 million to the project.

“We’re building it in phases,” said Associate Vice President for Communications and Marketing J.B. Pectol.

“What we’re getting ready to start is Phase One. We’re continuing to raise funds for the remaining phases.”

The new construction is expected to be completed by fall 2014, according to Pectol.

Stormwater drainage improvements around the construction site were completed earlier this month in a joint effort by the Greene County Highway Department and the Greeneville Public Works Department.

LIMITED ENROLLMENT Because of the capacity constraints of its current facility, the former Laughlin Memorial Hospital building, the community college has been unable to increase enrollment in existing programs and create new programs to meet the community’s demand for additional allied health and public safety professionals, spokesmen have stated.

The new space that will be built as part of the campus enhancement project is expected to significantly increase the number of individuals who graduate each year with degrees in allied health, public safety and other areas of study.

In support of the Greeneville / Greene C o u nt y C a mp u s en ha ncement project, Walters State was awarded a $ 500,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission last year.

The ARC grant will fund the purchase of instructional equipment for academic programs that will be housed in the new building.

Walters State is providing $ 500,000 in matching funds, bringing the total cost of the equipment purchase to $1 million.

Of this total, $500,000 will be used to purchase equipment for the physical therapist program and the proposed occupational assistant program, and $500,000 will fund equipment for the WSCC Regional Law Enforcement Academy.

ECONOMIC IMPACT The WSCC Greeneville campus is a significant force in the local economy, according to a study released last year of the college’s economic impact in the communty during 20102011, and its projected impact for 2011-2016.

According to the study, during 2010-2011 the local campus contrib-

SCHEMATIC DRAWING BY JOHN FISHER, COURTESY OF WSCC

This schematic drawing shows the proposed development of the Greeneville-Greene County campus of Walters State Community College that was presented to the Tennessee Board of Regents in connection with Walters State’s application for a major grant. The view in this drawing is from the corner of Tusculum Boulevard and College Street, looking toward the downtown area. uted $13.9- $14.5 million to the local economy in business volume and individual income generated by college expenditures, with major positive impact on hundreds of jobss.

The f igures were based on the college’s having spent approximately $5.4 million in 2010-2011 to operate the Greeneville /Greene County campus, of which about $4.9 million, or 90 percent, was spent directly in Greene County.

The study notes that “the report is based largely on a standard model of economic impact modif ied for community colleges.

The model uses conservative income and employment multipliers to determine economic impact.”

The WSCC study also projected that, for the 2011-2016 period, including a $20 million expansion and renovation, the college would expend approximately $ 53.1 million to operate the local campus, with about $ 39.7 million, or 75 percent, spent directly in this county.

The study also estimated the increased p ot ent ia l ea r n i n g capacity of a class of Walters State Greene County graduates compared with their high school graduate counterparts.

The 2011 class as a whole could expect to earn as much as $90.7 million more over their work lifetime than individuals with only a high school diploma, the study said.

HIGH PLACEMENT RATES There was also good news for WSCC graduates who plan to enter the workforce immediately after graduating from Walters State.

Overall, the job placement rate for WSCC graduates in technical fields is 92 percent.

Twelve technical education programs at Wal-

ters State have a 100 percent job placement rate.

DUAL ENROLLMENT Last year, a total of 283 students from all four Greene County high schools and Greeneville High School enrolled in dual-enrollment courses at the WSCC Greeneville campus.

The dual enrollment program gives local high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to earn both college and high school credit in subjects such as English, history, math, and natural science.

While a majority of dual-enrollment students take two or three courses to get a jumpstart on their college education and save money, some extremely motivated students are actually earning enough credits to simultaneously complete their high school and two-year college degrees.

One such student was Tammy Knapp, who earned her associate’s degree before she received her high school diploma from Greeneville High School.

K napp graduated summa cum laude from Walters State in May 2012.

SERVICE LEARNERS The WSCC Greeneville / Greene County Campus Service Learners is one of the most active student groups on any Walters State campus.

Last semester, the group collected 3,135 pounds of food for the local food bank.

The group also operates the Service Learning Store on campus.

The store is stocked with school supplies, snacks, bottled water and microwavable lunches — all available to students who need these items at no cost.

Students are also active with the Gifts for Kids organization, and volunteer time with other organizations.

The group has been recognized several times with the Volunteer Spirit Award presented by The Greeneville Sun and the Volunteer Center of Greeneville and Greene County.

RECOGNITION Walters State received state and national recognition last year for WSCC’s use of technology to improve student engagement, its service to industry, and in public safety.

The college was recently named a 201213 Apple Distinguished Program for its mobilelearning initiative.

The award is reserved for programs that meet criteria for innovation, leadership and educa-

tional excellence, and demonstrate Apple’s vision of exemplary learning environments.

Walters State was also ranked among the nation’s top 10 most tech-savvy community colleges in the annual “Digital Community Colleges Survey.”

The survey is conducted by eRepublic’s Center for Digital Education and “Converge Online.”

The college’s Division of Community Education, which offers classes at both the Greeneville/ Greene County Campus and the Greene Technology Center, was recognized with the Interest Level Recognition in the annual Excellence in Tennessee recognition program administered

PLEASE SEE CITY | 12

by the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence.

This is the only statewide quality program in Tennessee and is patterned on the Baldridge Performance Excellence Program.

The Division of Community Education offers many non-credit programs in Greene County, including industrial safety, technical skills such as welding, and healthcare training for positions like certified nursing assistants.

Walters State was ranked the second-safest campus in Tennessee and the 12th-safest campus in the country by StateUniversity.com for 2012.

The rankings are based on incidents of crime as reported by campus safety officials and the result of the outstanding work of many individuals, including the Campus Police Department.

LOCAL ENROLLMENT Enrollment at the WSCC Greeneville/ Greene County Campus currently includes more than 1,100 credit degreeseeking students and more than 2,000 students taking non-credit courses.

About half of the college’s students are enrolled in university parallel programs and transfer to four-year colleges and universities to complete their bachelor’s degree.

The other half are enrolled in technical education prog rams, such as nursing and engineering technology, that prepare them to enter the workforce i m med iat ely a f t er ea r n i n g a sso c iat e degrees or technical certificates.

SUN PHOTO BY O.J. EARLY

Work to replace partially-rusted-out storm drainage infrastructure takes place on North College Street in a parking lot at Walters State Community College, the site where the community college is planning a major expansion. The Greeneville Department of Public Works contracted with the Greene County Road Department to complete the project.

www.greenevillesun.com

THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 23, 2013

JOHNSON CITY MEDICAL CENTER was recognized for its high-performing cardiology program by U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

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12

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THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 23, 2013

City Starts on Page 10 program, said being mindful of energy consumption “started as a means of conserving resources.”

Williams compiles energy consumption data from weekly usage audits and tries to create innovative ways to manage the schools’ energy use, such as remote access controls that allow the buildings’ heating and cooling to be turned off completely when not in use, reducing small amounts of “phantom energy” that can drive up costs.

Energy use reductions have resulted in significant savings for the school system, which has seen a 21 percent decrease in energy costs in the two years since the program was started.

By September 2020, the Energy Education company with which the city system has partnered projects $2.985 million in energy cost savings — a number that, combined with the school system’s history of exceeding expectations, could turn out to be significantly larger.

SACS ACCREDITATION Greeneville City Schools will no longer participate in AdvancEd Accreditation — formerly known as Souther n A ssociation of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Accreditation.

The Board of Education approved a proposal in December 2012 to forego the accreditation as a cost-savings

SUN PHOTO BY LAUREN HENRY

The Greeneville Board of Education voted in 2012 to change Highland Elementary School’s academic calendar from year-round to coincide with the traditional calendar. Shown, from left to right, are: Vice Chairman Cindy Luttrell; Director of Schools Dr. Linda Stroud; board Chairman Craig Ogle; Mary Ellen Honeycutt, Stroud’s administrative assistant; board member Mark Patterson; board member Jerry Anderson; board member Mike Hollowell; and student representative Parker Mitchell. measure.

Stroud pointed out that other area schools have also dropped the accreditation.

“It has no impact today on admission for college and university applications for our students,” she said at the time.

“With tightening budgets and time lines, Greeneville City Schools leaders feel that spending precious dollars on this redundant process must be evaluated,” she added.

Each year, the system was spending $4,550 for the accreditation.

The board voted unanimously to accept the proposal to end

participation.

That generally equals a 70/30 percent split between the county and city school systems, respectively.

In late July, before the tax increase was approved, the city Board of Education adopted a $24,052,136 general purpose budget for 2012-13.

At that time, more than $500,000 in cuts to positions, salaries, hours, and programs were made.

Another $500,000 had to be tapped from the school system’s fund balance to make ends meet.

“We can’t cut any further,” said Stroud at the time, adding, “we’re balancing a deficit budget of half-a-million dollars.”

TAX HIKE BALANCES BUDGET An infusion of increased revenue following a 20cent county property tax increase approved in 2012 by the Greene County Commission led to a balanced budget for the city school system.

The 20-cent property tax increase approved by the County Commission designated 15 cents for education.

State law mandates that the Greeneville City Schools shares in schoolsrelated county property tax revenues on the basis of Average Daily Attendance in local public schools.

The county property tax increase, however, meant that an additional, estimated $500,000 would be made available for the Greeneville City Schools, allowing the system to operate under a balanced budget without pulling money from the fund balance.

Board of Education member Jerry Anderson said at the time, “We were going to take money out of our reserves” to balance the 2012-13 budget. “Now we don’t have to.”

BUDGET ALLOCATIONS The balanced budget passed by the city Board of Education included a

2.5 percent raise for professional staff as mandated by the state and a 25-cent hourly wage increase for non-certified employees.

The budget also prepared for a 9.2 percent increase in health insurance costs that became effective Jan. 1, 2013.

The biggest expense category, “regular instruction,” budgeted $11,773,118 in expenditures that included teacher salaries.

Revenues included in the budget were $11,900,309 from state funds and $5,717,185 that included an appropriation as well as transfers and insurance recovery from the Town of Greeneville.

The Town’s annual appropriation to the school system has not changed since the 200708 budget year, holding steady at $5,442,395.

Requests for additional funding from the Town have met with mixed success.

For 2012-13, the system requested an additional $519,709, which included $35,000 for the credit recovery and tutoring program to reduce dropout rates and another $250,000 for use in capital projects.

However, the Town approved an additional appropriation of only $234,709, to fund an additional mathematics teacher for Greeneville High School, two teacher assistants at Greeneville Middle School, and the purchase of two buses.

The additional teaching positions, however, were not funded on a recurring basis.

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Saturday, March 23, 2013

THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION

13

Property Tax Increase Clears Way For County Schools’ Start

BY KRISTEN BUCKLES STAFF WRITER

The Greene County School System’s 20122013 budget received the Board of Education’s final approval in August.

The budget includes $45.5 million in revenues balanced against the same amount in expenditures, thanks in large part to a 20cent county property tax increase approved earlier that same month by the Greene County Commission.

Of that increase, the commission designated 15 cents for education.

State law mandates that these funds be split between the local school systems based on Average Daily Attendance, which normally results in an about 70 percent/30 percent division between the county schools and the Greeneville City Schools, respectively.

Director of County Schools Dr. Vicki Kirk said in August that 70 percent of the revenue from the 15 cents allocated for the schools in the tax increase would amount to an additional $1.38 million for the county school system.

Of that, $1.19 million balanced the system’s anticipated budget deficit, and another portion provided 2 percent raises for the system’s classified (non-teaching) employees.

Any additional revenue went for items such as instructional supplies, library books, and capital projects.

The tax increase also

SUN PHOTO BY O.J. EARLY

Greene County Board of Education Chairman Roger Jones and County Director of Schools Dr. Vicki Kirk pinpoint areas of change from a proposed county schools budget that included a $1.19 million deficit, to a larger, balanced budget following the Greene County Commission’s adoption of a 20-cent property tax increase in August. allowed the board to avoid proposed deep cuts to balance the deficit, including the possibility of closing Glenwood Elementary School. (Please see related article, Page 15.) “I would like to thank all citizens of this community, and this county, for the sacrifice that they’ve made with having to pay additional money — property-owners and anyone else,� School Board Chairman Roger Jones said. “We’re going to work

hard to make sure we wheel tax. stand true to that.�

The referendum failed by a 58-to-42 percent marSCHOOL START DELAYED gin, with 6,025 opposed Earlier that same and 4,340 in favor. month, the board decided Majorities in seven in a split vote to delay precincts voted in favor the start of school by one of the increase, while week following the fail- majorities in 32 precincts ure of a referendum on a were opposed proposed $20 wheel tax Director of Schools increase to fund the sys- Kirk said the delay in tem’s deficit. starting school was The increase proposed needed to minimize the in the referendum would disruption for students have doubled the coun- that would be likely if ty’s current $20 Motor a property tax increase Vehicle Tax, more com- was not approved by the monly referred to as the County Commission and

necessary cuts and proceed with what we have left.�

The remaining board members, including Nathan Brown, Rex Hopson, Kathy Crawford, Jones, and Mark Douthat, voted to approve the delay.

As a result, schools did not open until Aug. 15, following the Aug. 13 meeting of the Greene County Commission to approve all county budgets and the county property tax levy for the 2012-2013 budget year.

The delay prompted changes to the 2012-2013 calendar for the first semester, including: • Aug. 31 was no longer a part of the Labor Day Holiday, leaving only Monday, Sept. 3, for that holiday; • Oct. 15-16 and Nov. 21 were regularly-scheduled school days for students, rather than the previously-scheduled holidays; and, • Dec. 18 was a full day, rather than an abbreviated day, while Dec. 19 was an abbreviated day rather than a full holiday.

No dates changed in the second semester.

it became necessary for budgetary reasons to shift students and/or teachers to schools different from the ones for which they had been scheduled.

WGHS WING DEDICATED In addition to the strugSCHOOL CALENDAR gle the board faced with Voting against the the budget, members also delay to the school calen- faced the loss of Claude dar were board members “Junior� Weems Jr., who Kathy Austin and David died at 79 from injuries Johnson. sustained in a farming “I think we need to accident. get on with the curricuJust prior to his death, lum,� Johnson said. “If the board had voted to the County Commission dedicate a new classroom deals us a fatal blow on PLEASE SEE COUNTY |14 the 13th, we’ll make the

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THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 23, 2013

County Starts on Page 13 wing at West Greene High School in his honor.

Weems was a 10-year member of the board, as well as a long-time member of the Mosheim Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

In December, the dedication of the new Freshman Academy wing included a special ceremony in Weems’ memory, including two plaques placed in the wing in his honor.

These were made possible through community donations.

“As a school board, we will try our best to continue those things as we walk forward,” Jones said. “We can’t match his step, but we can follow

his lead.”

Members of the Weems family attending included his wife, Janet, and their children, Bryan Weems and Shari Weems-Cook.

NEW PRINCIPALS Other items in the past year included the placement of three new principals in the county system.

• Diann Musgrove is now serving as principal at DeBusk Elementary School.

Musgrove has been a teacher at Doak, Chuckey-Doak Middle School and DeBusk.

She was recognized as the C-DMS Teacher of the Year in 2011-2012.

Musgrove completed a bachelor’s degree at East Tennessee State University, a master’s degree at Tusculum College and an Educational Specialist Degree

SUN PHOTO BY O.J. EARLY

Greene County Board of Education Chairman Roger Jones looks on as Director of Schools Dr. Vicki Kirk signs an extension of her contract with the Greene County School System in early 2012.

at Lincoln Memorial University.

• Catherine McCoy returned to Chuckey Elementary School as the principal after serving in an interim position the previous year.

McCoy has eight years’ experience as a teacher and three years’ experience as an assistant principal at Doak Elementary School.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Tusculum College and earned a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from East Tennessee State University.

• Filling the assistant principal position at Doak Elementary School was Autumn Sunshine Broyles, who also served in an interim role in the past year.

Broyles taught at Doak Elementary for 12 years.

She received her bach-

elor’s degree from East Tennessee State University, a master’s degree in education at Tusculum in 2006, and Educational Specialist degree in administration and supervision in 2008 from Lincoln Memorial University.

“I am very pleased with the knowledge, skills, and talents that each of the administrators will bring to the assigned positions,” Kirk said upon making the announcements in July.

“These educators have demonstrated strong leadership abilities, and they have pursued advanced training opportunities in the field of education.

“I am confident that the students, parents, and community members will be involved in many positive educational experiences at these schools,” Kirk added.

Chuckey-Doak High Gets New Fieldhouse SUN PHOTO BY KRISTEN BUCKLES

Officials with the Greene County School System gather at the ChuckeyDoak High School football field in October to celebrate with a ribboncutting for the school’s new fieldhouse, shown behind them. ChuckeyDoak was the final county high school to receive a new fieldhouse. Present, from left to right, were: County Board of Education member Tommy Cobble, C-DHS football coach Aaron Christian, County Director of Schools Dr. Vicki Kirk, school board Chairman Roger Jones, school board member Kathy Crawford, C-DHS Principal Michael Garland, school board member Rex Hopson, County Schools Transportation Director Clark Justis, and school board members Nathan Brown and Mark Douthat.

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Saturday, March 23, 2013

THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION

15

Glenwood Elementary School Remains Open After A Close Call

BY KRISTEN BUCKLES

“An inefficiency in this school system is running small schools,” Kirk told the board.

Closing Glenwood would have cut several positions and reduced energy and other costs.

The district’s smallest schools include Glenwood, West Pines and Ottway elementary schools.

STAFF WRITER

Glenwood Elementary School is still alive with the sounds of students this year, but the school, the smallest in the county, barely escaped the budgetary chopping block in 2012.

In May, with the Greene County School System facing an anticipated $1.2 million budget deficit for the 2012-2013 fiscal year, Director of Schools Dr. Vicki Kirk presented the County Board of Education with a list of possible budget cuts.

The list, she explained, was not a list of proposals, and there was no priority order among the items on the list.

They were all, she said, just possible options for the board members to consider if they found that they, along with her, had to carve $1.2 million out of the 2012-2013 school budget in order to balance it.

Included on that list of options was the possibility of closing Glenwood School, a step estimated to bring a budgetary savings of $590,000 made possible in various ways including not filling several open teaching positions there.

Closing the school was by far the largest single item on the list in terms of the money it would save the school system.

Another “hot-button” option on the list, and one of the larger ones, was eliminating salary supplements for county school system coaches: a step that, if taken, was expected to eliminate traditional athletics in the county schools, with a budgetary savings of about $265,000.

The list also included a number of other options, such as reducing the number of music program teachers and driver education teachers, and

SUN PHOTO BY O.J. EARLY

Paul Burkey, standing, of the Glenwood Elementary School Parent Teacher Association, encourages the Greene County Board of Education to keep the school open despite budget difficulties.

paying retiring teachers’ “loyalty incentive bonuses” from the system’s fund balance rather than from the operating budget.

‘COMMUNITY’S HEART’ However, no potential cut stirred emotion like the potential closing of a school that Glenwood parents said holds their community together.

School board member Kathy Austin referred to closing a school as “disenfranchising a whole community.”

“Any time you [close a school], you’re losing the heart of the community,” she said. “After your churches, it’s your schools.”

Austin frequently requested that the board remove Glenwood as one of the potential cuts, saying that the system was holding a community hostage.

Parents, teachers and

students all echoed this sentiment during “red outs,” in which they wore the school’s red mascot shirts to community meetings, and to public hearings on the school budget.

Paul Burkey, a representative of Glenwood’s Parent Teacher Association, addressed the school board during a public hearing.

He asked that the board do “the right thing” and keep the school open.

“As you look over at the sea of red, you see a lot of them are here in support tonight,” he said. “Our purpose for being here is to keep Glenwood open.”

He also asked them not to ignore the fact that closing Glenwood would mean closing the only public building on Warrensburg Road.

“No one will be able to say, ‘I’m from Glenwood,’ again. That’s because

Glenwood [as a community] won’t exist,” he said.

Finally, Burkey noted that his children have, in the past, attended schools in big cities that are well funded and able to achieve the results Greene County dreams of acheiving.

However, those schools strove to mimic the closeknit quality that he said comes naturally in places such as Glenwood.

“As you pursue their results, it would be a shame if you failed to preserve what those very schools take extraordinary efforts to manufacture,” he said.

DEFICIT EXPLAINED Throughout the process, County School Board Chairman Roger Jones said that the system could not make any further budget cuts without “causing harm” to the school system’s core

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responsibility of providing a good academic education to its students.

“We’ve cut about all we can cut,” he said. “[To make these cuts] we’re affecting the level of education in this county. We need to be raising the bar instead of lowering it.”

Kirk explained the increases in expenditures as the result of scheduled or expected increases, such as a state-required 2.5 percent pay increase for certified employees, step (or scheduled) salary increases based on the number of years employees are with the system, and a 9 percent increase in the cost of medical insurance.

These increases exceeded the projected revenue increases for the school system, she said.

Closing Glenwood was under consideration because of its small size, she added.

PUBLIC HEARING Numerous members of the Glenwood community took the opportunity to express their fears and frustrations about the possible closing of Glenwood Elementary School to elected officials during a public hearing held at the school in July.

The Town Hall-type gathering was at times boisterous.

Members of the school’s Parent Teacher Association headed up the meeting, which drew about 200 faculty, staff, students, parents and others to the school’s gymnasium.

Burkey moderated the session.

He had intended for the meeting to conclude at 8 p.m., but disgruntled Glenwood parents and school employees began calling down from the stands, asking why the officials needed to leave at 8, and demanding answers to further questions.

The officials agreed to stay longer and accepted many questions outside the moderated format.

During this part of the meeting, the tone often became heated, with the audience demanding answers and the questions at times slipping into insults and accusations.

COMMUNITY FEEDBACK Long-time Glenwood teacher Windy Hensley was the first to address the officials with a writPLEASE SEE GLENWOOD | 16

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THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 23, 2013

www.greenevillesun.com

Awards Honor Educators For Their Service And Achievements

BY O.J. EARLY STAFF WRITER

Several local educators were honored for service in 2012.

In May, longtime Greeneville High School math teacher Betty Burley was presented the Kathryn W. Leonard Outstanding Service to Students Award at the Greeneville City Schools Personnel Banquet.

The annual award for the Teacher of the Year was presented by Chuck Whitfield, then chairman of the Greene County Partnership.

Whitfield described Burley as “a dedicated professional who loves kids, teaching and the Greeneville City Schools.”

He added that she has a “loving, quiet, and gentle nature about her.”

Burley was an educator for 50 years, including 38 years at Greeneville High School.

The award recipient is selected by a vote of the school system staff. The recognition includes a $1,000 prize.

SUN PHOTO BY O.J. EARLY

Betty Burley, longtime mathematics teacher at Greeneville High School, received the Kathryn W. LeonSUN PHOTO BY O.J. EARLY ard Outstanding Service to Students Award in 2012.

The award was presented during the Greeneville City Lynda Edwards, left, was presented the “OutstandSchool System’s personnel banquet by Chuck Whit- ing Service to Students Award” in May 2012 for the Greene County School System. Greene County Direcfield, chairman of the Greene County Partnership. tor of Schools Dr. Vicki Kirk is at right. man of the Greene County Partnership Board of Directors.

He described Edwards as being very competitive, with a passion for teaching.

According to Whitfield, Edwards was the driving force behind many new programs implemented at the schools where she has been a teacher or principal.

“God has blessed me

Former Glenwood Elementary School Principal Lynda Edwards was presented the “Outstanding Service to Students Award” during the Greene County Schools Personnel Reception in May. Edwards retired at the end of 2012, stepping down as Glenwood’s principal.

The top award was presented to her by Chuck Whitfield, then chair-

richly,” Edwards said in May. She had been principal of Glenwood Elementary School since 2002.

Before that, she was a business teacher at West Greene High School, assistant principal at Doak Elementary School and principal at both Camp Creek and Ottway elementary schools.

Tusculum College President Dr. Nancy

B. Moody was awarded the first-ever Founders Award in February 2013, presented by the Tusculum College Board of Trustees.

The award was presented at a reception during a Board of Trustees meeting by Dr. Kenneth A. Bowman, chair of the Tusculum Board and a 1970 alumnus of the college.

The Founders Award, named in memory of the Rev. Samuel Doak, the Rev. Samuel Witherspoon Doak and the Rev. Hezekiah Balch, is presented by the Tusculum College Board of Trustees to recognize those who moved Tusculum College forward in serving its students, its community and the world. “[Dr. Moody] has distinguished herself as an executive leader through her vision, hard work and dedication to the college,” Bowman said in February.

“Since her arrival at Tusculum College, Dr. Moody has embraced the opportunity to encourage faculty, staff, students and volunteers to push Tusculum College forward through creative teaching and learning, responsible stewardship, and a renewed commitment to service and civic engagement,” he added.

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN

Dr. Nancy B. Moody received the inaugural Founders Award, presented by the Tusculum College Board of Trustees, in early 2013. Board of Trustees Chair Kenneth A. Bowman is at right.

Glenwood

benefits of a smaller school.

He asked the board members to recall the uncomfortable fear every student feels on the first day of school, saying that the board would not even suggest closing Glenwood if they cared about the students.

“You’re killing our hope,” he said.

Starts on Page 15 ten speech emphasizing how upset she has been about the potential closing.

“Glenwood Elementary School is not an economic burden. It is an investment into the future of this community,” Hensley said. “Glenwood Elementary School is the soul of this community.”

PTA President Shelley Knight stood in the bleachers, saying that it did seem as though Glenwood is being “picked on” when they are the only school on the list of cuts.

One student, Trevor Shelton, said that he is an A-B honor roll student who lives closer to Mosheim but chooses to go to Glenwood for the

EXPENDITURES QUESTIONED Others quizzed the board on planned or recent expenditures, including employee raises that were not mandated by the state, and building improvements such as the ChuckeyDoak High School fieldhouse.

Jones explained that the money used for the fieldhouse was a onetime expenditure and that the school system

could not continuously pay an operating deficit out of the system’s reserve funds.

The chairman told the audience that there is not a single member of the board that wants to see Glenwood closed, and he urged the parents and teachers to carry on as if the school will remain open in the coming year.

“Right now, your school is open,” he said.

The following month’s vote by the Greene County Commission to increase property taxes by 20 cents, 15 cents of which went to the schools, provided more than enough revenue to cover the anticipated deficit, preventing any cuts and allowing the school to remain open. (Please see related article on Page 13.)

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www.greenevillesun.com

Saturday, March 23, 2013

THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION

17

Greene Technology Center Has New Name, Updated Focus

BY O.J. EARLY

machine-tool technology.

Courses also are offered in computer repair technology and networking, criminal justice, early childhood education careers, health science and preengineering These courses provide entry-level or pre-professional training in technical fields.

The center also provides an adult education program designed with assistance from area businesses and industries to meet their particular training needs.

STAFF WRITER

The Greene Technology Center, formerly known as the GreenevilleGreene County Center for Technology, was christened with its new name in 2012.

The name change came in June 2012, when the Joint Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the decision.

In doing so, the school shifted to a more “green” focus, a niche that makes it the first such entity in Tennessee.

In addition, the center plans to become a satellite school for the Tennessee Technology Center in Morristown.

“This is the first one in the state.

The state’s been waiting for someone to do this,” center Principal Jerry Ayers said in June. “I think this will be the only full ‘green’ technology center in the nation at the secondary-level in the public school sector.”

He added: “We also believe it will provide a wonderful marketing tool, not only for the two school systems, but also for the Greene County Partnership as we recruit new business and industry into this community.”

SUN PHOTO BY O.J. EARLY

MORE ACCURATE NAME According to Ayers, the name change was needed in order to give a more accurate description of what the center currently offers.

In the past, Ayers has said in several meetings, the center was a place that students went if college was not an option.

Now, the center is a place to prepare for specific careers, many of which lead students to post-secondary schooling.

Several “open houses” have been held since the name change in June, with the center’s teachers showing off the offered programs.

SATELLITE SCHOOL Along with the name switch, another major change is in the works, according to Ayers.

Under current plans, the center would serve as early as Fall 2013 as a satellite school for the Tennessee Technology Center in Morristown, in order to alleviate the long waiting list facing students interested in post-secondary certifications.

The Tennessee Board of Regents will first have to approve this proposal, Ayers said, a decision which may not occur until April 2013.

If given the green light, the satellite school would begin with four programs: welding, machine tool, industrial electricity and industrial maintenance.

Class schedules at the center will be reworked to allow advanced students to come in the afternoons instead of

Greeneville Director of Schools Dr. Linda Stroud and Greene Technology Center Principal Jerry Ayers review curriculum development plans for the updated Greene Technology Center.

PARTNERSHIP WITH WSCC The center has entered into a partnership with Walters State Community College, and most adult and industry training is administered by WSCC. Training includes the following two components: • pre-employment programs designed to meet the needs of new and expanding industry, and training for new hires; and • industry-specific courses designed

by WSCC and Technology Center staff at the request of area businesses and industries to meet specific training or retraining needs for their employees.

Courses may be taught at the center or on-site at a company location.

The center’s telephone number is 639-0171, and the website is www. gcschools.net/cft/.

the mornings so that they can stay for the evening classes and begin working on their certifications while they are still in high school, Ayers reported in March.

“The devil is in the details. We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Ayers said.

His latest public report came in March during a meeting of the Education and Workforce Committee.

HISTORY The center, located at 1121 Hal Henard Road, has been in operation for nearly 40 years.

It is operated jointly by the Greeneville and Greene County school systems, receiving funding by revenue from the state government and the Greeneville and Greene County governments.

The Greeneville City Schools System is the Technology Center’s fiscal agent.

The Greeneville and Greene County school systems send students to the center throughout the academic year, with classes offered during normal school hours.

In 2011-2012, more than 400 highschoolers each term took classes at the center.

Available trade programs include welding, auto mechanics, auto body repair, cosmetology, carpentry and

SUN PHOTO BY LAUREN HENRY

Crimsinal Justice student Shalimar Mathes, a sophomore at Greeneville High School, drives the Police Patrol simulator at the Greene Technology Center. Classrooms were open to the public in November, and attendees could get a hands-on experience with many of the programs that are being offered.

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www.greenevillesun.com

THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 23, 2013

Newtown Shootings, Local Bus Incidents Raise Safety Issue

BY KEN LITTLE

year, the Greene County Board of Education held the first meeting of the board’s newly-formed Safety Committee.

Board of Education member Nathan Brown led the meeting and told other members about recommendations provided from an administrative safety subcommittee formed by county Director of Schools Dr. Vicki Kirk.

The subcommittee includes principals, administrators and local law enforcement officers, who are working together to review policies, procedures and all aspects of the school system’s safety measures.

Their recommendations were forwarded to the board’s Safety Committee for further cost analysis.

The cost of implementing the enhanced security recommendations could be expensive, but committee members emphasized the importance of the need.

SUN PHOTO BY SARAH GREGORY “We’ve got to do someDr. Linda B. Stroud, director of schools for the Greeneville City School System, leaves Greeneville Middle thing [to improve safety], School after a lockdown was lifted Feb. 13, 2013, when a report of a suspicious and possibly armed man but we’ve got to be carenearby was determined to be unfounded. An unidentified parent leaves the school at the same time. ful, too,” board member Tommy Cobble said, referdle School and the four tor Todd Smith.

• temporarily enhanc- schools. ring to not having funds elementary schools. ing security at the schools In a nearly-unani- diverted from other imporAfter the shootings, an DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE for the remainder of the mous vote in January, tant budgetary areas. officer was quickly placed The board also contin- 2012-2013 year. The cost the Greene County Comat GMS and each of the ues discussions about is estimated at $80,000 to mission agreed that any OFFICERS IN SCHOOLS four elementary schools long-term security proce- cover the cost of officers’ mandate from the state Some safety improvethroughout the school dures at the schools. overtime for the remain- to have armed security ments will come with a day, in addition to the Options suggested in der of the current fiscal officers in every school cost, said Brown, who preofficer on duty at GHS. January by City Admin- year, which ends on June should be paid for from sented a list of priorities Then, in January, the istrator Todd Smith 30. the state’s budget and not developed by the adminBoard of Mayor and include: • implementing a direc- using county funds. istrative safety subcomAldermen unanimously • hiring four addi- tive requiring all on-duty The County Commis- mittee. approved a motion to tional city police officers police officers to be “sta- sion resolution was spon“[An officer in every continue the enhanced to provide one officer in tioned” at a school dur- sored by Commissioner school] — that was their security arrangement each school — an option ing school hours when not Robert Bird. number one recommendathrough the end of the that would not be avail- responding to a call.

Bird, a retired FBI tion, that we should ask 2012-2013 school year able until the 2013-2014 special agent and a for- for it,” Brown reported. without further approval school year because of the COUNTY SCHOOLS mer mayor of the City of In conjunction with the from the board, at a cost time it takes to hire and In the Greene County Tusculum, summed up recommendation, the comthat should not exceed train officers.

School System, an armed his resolution concerning mittee agreed to research $73,000.

The hiring of the four guard has been stationed armed guards: “The pur- the costs, grant availabilThe decision to put offi- additional officers would at each of the four county pose of the resolution is, ity and state aid. cers in schools for the come with one-time costs high schools for years, but if you do it, pay for it,” he Safety Committee memrest of the 2012-2013 of $110,000 for new cruis- such guards are not pres- said. bers agreed that placing school year came after a ers, $16,000 for training, ent at the other schools.

The county does not an officer in each of the Jan. 3 meeting between and $4,500 for uniforms/ As of January, no con- need to face another county’s 17 schools carries Greeneville Director of equipment. In addition, sensus had been reached “unfunded state man- a significant cost factor, Schools Dr. Linda Stroud, annual costs with that in the county school sys- date,” Bird stated. in addition to the county’s Mayor W.T. Daniels, option would include tem concerning assigning PLEASE SEE SAFETY | 19 police Chief Terry Can- $129,000 for salaries and armed security guards in BOARD SAFETY COMMITTEE non and City Administra- $64,000 for benefits. elementary and middle In February of this

STAFF WRITER

The safety of students in Greeneville and Greene County schools has become a frequently discussed issue, particularly after the December school shootings in Newtown, Conn.

The topic also came to the forefront after two school bus crashes in the area last year resulted in the death of a student in one case, and injuries to dozens of other students after a September 2012 crash in Washington County near the Greene County line.

POLICE IN SCHOOLS Greene County parents and educators joined other Americans in expressing shock following the fatal shootings of 26 students and adults on Dec. 14, 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

Talk locally focused on how students in Greeneville and Greene County can be protected from a similar tragedy.

The discussion continues.

Solutions differ for the city and county school systems, as administrators and school board members struggle with the costs associated with providing some forms of enhanced security.

GREENEVILLE SCHOOLS Greeneville police officers will provide enhanced, armed security at all Greeneville City Schools for at least the rest of this school year, following action in January by the Greeneville Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Prior to the Connecticut shootings in December, an officer was already assigned to provide security throughout the school day at Greeneville High School, while a second officer rotated on patrol among Greeneville Mid-

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Saturday, March 23, 2013

THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION

19

Safety

charges, it remains a very sad event for all of us.”

Starts on Page 18

SAFETY EMPHASIS All county school district bus drivers met in May 2012 with the THP about safety issues. The THP coordinated with school officials to hold additional safety training sessions, Kirk said after the fatality.

Kirk also emphasized “the need for continued communication about bus safety.”

“We will keep this at the forefront. It’s a very important issue. It always has been,” she said last year.

“We are working on ways to make sure students understand they have to follow the safety rules.”

desire to study the issue before implementing changes.

“It would definitely be a good part of this plan,” Brown said.

SAFETY ENTRANCES Brown said among the subcommittee’s recommendations is constructing a safety entrance at every school that allows an administrator to buzz visitors into the school, and directs traffic into the school through the school office.

Some schools currently allow visitors direct access to classrooms and common areas before the visitors are required to enter the school office.

The subcommittee’s recommendation for such enhanced security entrances included Glenwood and Nolachuckey elementary schools, South Greene, West Greene and Chuckey-Doak high schools, and the T.H. McNeese Educational Center.

Once safety entrances are in place, Brown said, the subcommittee’s next recommendation is for magnetic locks for the doors entering each school’s office and, if affordable, for the doors exiting each school’s office.

The purpose would be to make it possible for the administrator to block off an aggressive visitor, he said.

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT The subcommittee recommended additional equipment for teachers and schools, including two-way radios with earbuds for private intercommunication between teachers and administrators; working locks on every classroom door; and remotely accessible camera systems in every school.

Use of two-way radios is already in place at DeBusk Elementary School.

At the January 2013 meeting, Commissioner Fred Malone asked Kirk to offer her opinion on having teachers and principals carry firearms rather than placing armed guards in the schools.

Kirk agreed that the system could ask teachers and administrators to do that if they are willing, and if they hold a private-carry gun permit, but added she doesn’t believe it is possible to compel them to share that information.

Kirk said that she is “not in favor” of arming these individuals, and cited two reasons: • that doing so would involve a division of those teachers’ and administrators’ duties, and • the lack of training on the part of teachers and administrators to act as law enforcement officers.

She said that the school system is working with the Greene County Sheriff’s Department to secure the schools in other ways, such as installing working locks and safety entrances.

SUN PHOTO BY KEN LITTLE

School officials and law enforcement authorities reacted swiftly on Feb. 13, 2013, when a suspicious man who may have been armed was reported walking in the area of Greeneville Middle School and Hal Henard Elementary School. Both schools were locked down until investigation determined that the report was unfounded.

“There are certain ways that we need to secure the schools in a practical way,” Kirk said.

“For me, that is higher on the priority list than armed guards. But we would certainly consider it should the state decide to do it.”

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY The issue of student safety on school buses was raised after two incidents in 2012, one involving a Greene County School System student who died after being run over by a bus.

Austin Lee Baughard, 12, a seventhgrader at Chuckey-Doak Middle School, was struck and killed in front of his Holder Road home on April 12, 2012, as the bus began its morning rounds.

In October 2012, the Tennessee Highway Patrol announced that no charges would be filed in connection with the accident.

It was still dark when the bus struck Baughard, who had been suspended from riding the bus the week the incident occurred, school system officials said.

Bus driver Ronnie Whitson continues to work for the school system in a nondriving capacity, school officials said in mid-March.

INVESTIGATION ‘CLOSED’ “The investigation into the April 12 fatal bus crash in Greene County is closed. After consultation with the district attorney’s office, no charges will be filed,” THP spokeswoman Dalya Qualls said.

Third Judicial District Attorney General Berkeley Bell said in October that the case will be reviewed in “the near future” by a Greene County grand jury.

BRENDA GRAY CHARGED IN CRASH

That had not happened as of midMarch of this year.

“The [THP is] not going to file any charges, but we will submit the action to the grand jury for further determination,” Bell said.

All violent death investigations go before a grand jury as a matter of procedure, Bell said.

“I expect the [THP closing the investigation] will be the determining factor, but it gives them the opportunity to kind of look over our shoulder,” Bell said.

Kirk was not surprised by the THP decision to close the investigation.

“From the beginning, they have told me they did not anticipate charges, so I am not surprised by this outcome,” she said.

“While we are very glad there are no

CRASH IN WASHINGTON CO. Brenda Gray, who was behind the wheel on Sept. 20, 2012, when a bus filled with 39 David Crockett High School students rolled over and crashed on Mount Wesley Road, remains free on bond as her case moves forward in Washington County Criminal Court.

Gray, 54 at the time of the crash, is charged with 39 counts of reckless aggravated assault.

The Jonesborough resident entered a not guilty plea to the charges on March 1 in Washington County Criminal Court.

In addition to the felony counts of reckless aggravated assault, Gray was also indicted by a Washington County Grand Jury on single counts of reckless endangerment and speeding.

The wreck resulted in injuries requiring hospitalization for at least 26 of the 39 students on board.

Tennessee Highway Patrol investigators who testified at Gray’s preliminary hearing after the wreck said that the school bus was traveling at a speed of between 52 and 60 mph when Gray lost control and the bus overturned.

The bus was traveling nearly twice the posted speed limit on the two-lane, winding road in Telford, investigators said. The speed limit on the road is 30 mph.

Just before the bus topped a hill, Gray “asked if we wanted to lose our stomachs before we go over the hill,” a 14-year-old passenger testified at the hearing.

STUDENTS TO BE COMPENSATED Johnson City lawyer J. Eddie Lauderback was appointed in February by a circuit court judge to oversee disbursement of $700,000 in insurance funds to students injured in the bus crash.

The Washington County School System accepted responsibility after the crash for the students’ injuries. State law caps a government agency’s liability to $700,000 per incident.

The funds have been deposited to the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office by the school system’s insurance company, Tennessee Risk Management Trust.

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THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION

Saturday, March 23, 2013

www.greenevillesun.com

Are you getting your ZZZZs?

Laughlin Sleep Center Lately it seems you can’t read the paper or watch TV without hearing another story about someone in an important position falling asleep on the job. Recently, the buzz has been about a rash of incidents involving air traffic controllers (including one in Knoxville). For those of us who fly, these stories are concerning to say the least.

In reality though, these stories are just the tip of a huge iceberg. Stories like this are highly visible and news worthy. However, lurking just under the surface, and certainly not headline worthy, is a huge population of people suffering from the same condition.

The increase in obesity, long works hours, and poor sleep habits is spiraling our country into an epidemic of sleep related disorders. These disorders range from poor sleep hygiene, which is common in adolescents and teenagers, to sleep apnea, predominantly seen in adults. The average American’s sleep disorder may not be news worthy but it has consequences nonetheless. The most common symptoms for sleep disorders are excessive daytime sleepiness, irritability, lack of concentration, morning headaches, and loud snoring. Additionally, many patients stop breathing numerous times during the night and sometimes awake gasping for air.

Many people have accepted poor sleep as a “norm” but few realize the long term implications. Poor or inadequate sleep places stress on the cardiovascular system and, left untreated, can increase the risk of stroke, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Patients who already have high blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes are at an even greater risk.

Aside from these medical issues you can add poor job/school performance, slowed reflexes, reduced energy levels, tiredness despite adequate sleep, and increased risk of accidents.

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