May 2014
Fr e e
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Children are not small adults. And when it comes to medical care, they have much different needs. At Children’s Hospital, we understand that the first step in treating a child is to make them feel comfortable and safe — and that’s something we do every day. We’re passionate about treating children. After all, we’re not just a hospital, we’re Children’s Hospital.
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KNOXVILLE
A Message From the Publishers
May 2014 Volume III • Issue 5 Michael Kull and Eva Nations, Publishers Advisory Board
Contributing Writers
Sr. Mary Marta Abbott, RSM The Diocese of Knoxville
Marcin Gornisiewicz, M.D. Cheryl Hill Audrey Madigan Jim McIntyre, Ph.D. SSG James Miller Michael Kull Erin Nguyen Mike O’Hern Kathryn Rea Smith, Ph.D. Michael K. Smith, Ph.D Barry Van Over Aaron Yarnell
Marie Alcorn United Way of Greater Knoxville Mike Bailey Small Business Representative Paul Parson East Tennessee Children’s Hospital Tracey Matthews Knox County Schools Family and Community Engagement Elizabeth Pooley Marketing Professional Lee Tramel Knox County Sheriff ’s Department
Dear Readers, This month is all about getting active. As warm weather settles in, we want to encourage everyone to become more active with their families. The Knoxville area is absolutely beautiful this time of year. Television shows can be recorded, the internet will always be there, the daylight hours continue to increase, so what better time than now to take what you are doing outdoors? Activity is a key component to living a healthy and balanced life. Even more, since being active matters in both thought and deed, no matter what the issue or where the starting point, everyone can make improvement.
Contributing Photographers
Stay active, Eva Nations and Michael Kull
Edward Foley Photography Michael Kull SSG James Miller Eva Nations Web Master/ Distribtion Adam Kalwas
Liza Zenni The Arts and Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville
Parent publications are GREAT places to advertise! For more information, please call: (865) 622-9680. Contact Info: Phone: 865.622.9680 Fax: 888.457.9602 E-mail: KnoxvilleParent@gmail.com KnoxvilleParent.com Knoxville Parent is published twelve times a year and is distributed throughout the city of Knoxville and surrounding communities. Knoxville Parent is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No person without written permission from the publishers may take more than one copy per monthly issue. Knoxville Parent may be distributed only by authorized distributors.
On The Cover: Shannon Granger rides a yak at Citico Wildlife Wilderness as vetrinary technician Celeste Miller leads another of the versatile animals along the trail.
Contents 3
A Letter From The Publishers
14 Ten Terrific Books About Getting Active
5
Polandnow Again
15 A Healthy Family Requires Active Participation
6
Thinking Globally At West High School
16 Get Outside, Get Fit, Get Active...
7
The Psychological Benefits of Exercise
18 Healthy Eating Is N.E.A.T.!
8
The Wild Wild...East?
19 Some Summer Math Musings
10
Be Home Before The Street Lights Come On
20 Too Much Gaming Can Be A Real Pain
12
A Message From The Superintendent
22 Understanding Cleft Lip And Cleft Palate
13
A (Digital) Promise To Keep
Knoxville Parent, LLC PO Box 52605 Knoxville, TN 37950, phone 865.622.9680 • fax 888.457.9602 The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted and property of Knoxville Parent. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publishers. Knoxville Parent utilize freelance writers, and the views expressed within this publication are not necessarily the views of the publishers or editors. Knoxville Parent takes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or other materials. Letters to the editor must include name, address and daytime phone number for verification. Knoxville Parent reserve the right to edit letters for space and clarity. Please keep letters within 500 words in length.
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
PolandNow Again
Knoxville’s second annual contemporary Polish festival By Michael Kull with photos by Edward Foley Photography
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University of Tennessee ROTC Color eing active can mean different things Guard, the singing of the American and to different people: an active mind, Polish national anthems accompanied by and active body, active creativity, to name local trumpet player, Pee Jay Alexander, a few. This is why the many family-friendly and remarks by Nations, Pienkowski, public events that are taking place around former US Ambassador to Poland (and Knoxville are great ways to get active. former Knoxville City Mayor) Victor Rhythm and Blooms, the Dogwood Arts Ashe, Jesse Mayshark, City of Knoxville Festival, the Rossini Festival, and the Communications Director, and Dean Rice, Saturday morning Farmer’s Market on Knox County Chief of Staff. Market Square have all been great ways Seven different food tents offered a wide for families to actively spend quality time variety of contemporary Polish cuisine together. based on traditional ingredients, all designed Another great example of this was this and prepared by Memphis Chef, Edward year’s PolandNow Festival, a celebration Nowakowski with the support of Chef of contemporary Polish culture, which Greg Eisele and the UT Culinary Institute. took place over two days at two locations This was a culinary tour of six of Poland’s in Knoxville this year. The Pienkow Former U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Victor Ashe, speaks to the nineteen regions and showed the rich Gallery, situated in the lobby of West Knox crowd on Market Square as Jesse Mayshark, City of Knoxville diversity of Poland’s food culture. Plaza (and the office of Knoxville Parent Communications Director (left), Dr. Marek Pienkowski, Honorary While the aromas of delicious food wafted contributor Dr. Marek Pienkowski) was the Consul for the Republic of Poland (center) and Eva Nations, throughout Market Square, local funk site of an exhibition of contemporary Polish President of PolandNow (right) look on. band Soulfinger, led by front man art by painter Agnieszka Żak-Biełowa, Tim Spencer, likewise, filled the air who lives in Warsaw, Poland. with their heartfelt and relentlessly This event was a quiet one, with energetic music. By the end of the wine and cheese, relaxing music, evening, when most of the people and families taking their time to would already have headed home, the study and admire Ms. Żak-Biełowa’s food was gone, but the crowd wasn’t. mesmerizing paintings displayed on Any divisions between people melted the two floors of the gallery. away, as the area in front of the stage Knoxville city Mayor Madeline was filled with people of different Rogero was there and visited with races and nationalities, young and the crowd before being recognized old, the able as well as the wheelchair by Honorary Consul for the Republic bound, all united, holding hands and of Poland, Dr. Marek Pienkowski. joyfully dancing together until the Knoxville Parent Co-Publisher, Eva very last minute. Nations, who also serves as the Chef Edward Nowakowski serves his A family views one of the paintings culinary creations (based on different created by Agnieszka Zak-Biełowa It’s events like this, and ones President of PolandNow greeted regions of Poland) to hungry festival goers. on display at the Pienkow Gallery coming up like Jazz on the Square visitors and welcomed everyone (knoxjazz.org), the International to this, the start of the two-day Biscuit Festival (biscuitfest.com) and celebration. the Kuumba Festival (https://sites. Then, on the following evening, google.com/site/kuumbafestival) that the festivities moved to Market make Knoxville such a terrific place Square, where the quiet admiration for families to get active, whether for contemporary art gave way to is through the mind, body, or the the raucous enjoyment of live music, creative spirit. So, come on...what dancing and specially prepared Polish are you waiting for? food. This event also included an opening ceremony that featured the Children wearing PolandNow T-Shirts shake up the dance floor during PolandNow 2014.
People young and old begin filling out the dance floor as Soulfinger fills the air with its energetic funk, R and B, and soul.
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
Thinking Globally At West High School by Michael K. Smith, Ph. D.
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he goal of the International Baccalaureate Program is to prepare students to be global citizens,” says Katherine Banner, principal at West High School. Before coming to Knoxville, Ms. Banner taught IB English in South Florida and was the parent of a student who graduated with an IB diploma. Since 2011, she has led the development of the IB program at West High School, one of only a dozen such programs in Tennessee and among the few dozen that exist in the United States. What is unique about this program? How does it try to achieve a worldclass education? The IB program originated in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1968 as a way to prepare internationally mobile students for colleges and universities. The IB learner profile stressed ten attributes that the sponsors felt helped develop internationally minded people: Inquirers nurture curiosity and develop skills for inquiry and research. Knowledgeable students learn across a range of disciplines. Thinkers use critical and creative thinking skills on complex problems. Communicators express themselves confidently in more than one language.
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Principled learners act with integrity and honesty with respect for rights of people everywhere. Open-Minded students seek and evaluate a range of points of view. Caring learners show empathy, compassion and respect. Risk-Takers are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenge and change. Balanced students understand the importance of balancing intellectual, physical, and emotional aspects of their lives.
Reflective learners understand their own strengths and weaknesses. To instantiate these attributes into a workable curriculum requires a lot of work by students and extensive teacher training. To earn a full IB diploma, students at West must complete the following requirements. They must take a two-year sequence in each of the following six areas: Science, Arts, Mathematics, Individuals and Society, Studies in Language and Literature, and Language Acquisition. At the end of two years, students must pass an “international exam” in each area. These exams are administered and scored by the international IB panel. Furthermore, students research and write an Extended Essay that combines two of the subject areas and focuses on a topic with global significance. Finally, students engage in a Creativity, Action, and Service project usually through activities that extend classroom learning into the community. All components focus on international and interdisciplinary perspectives, especially in the specific courses that students take. Teachers attend training workshops that show how to restructure the classroom to promote the goals of the IB program. For instance, the Theory of Knowledge course demonstrates how to take different perspectives on critical issues and how to evaluate the merits of opposing arguments. The English courses have students read literature from Western and non-Western cultures. In History, students learn about different civilizations and historical conflicts between cultures. Students are also expected to become bilingual in a chosen second language and to become conversant in the literature and culture of that language. Math and science courses focus on real world problem solving that requires the integration of these two disciplines. IB students have to be extremely motivated, very active in taking charge of their learning activities, and good at time management. Colleges and universities value an IB diploma highly, Ms. Banner said. The diploma can facilitate admissions and be used to receive college credit at some institutions. “The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect,” notes the mission statement of the IB program. This global thinking has come to West High School. We can only hope that IB graduates are successful in making the world a better place.
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Michael K. Smith, Ph.D., is owner of TESTPREP EXPERTS (www.testprepexperts.com ) which prepares students for standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT. He is also a consultant to Discovery Education Assessment. He can reached at mike@testprepexperts.com.
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
The Psychological Benefits of Exercise by Kathryn Rea Smith, Ph.D.
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his past Sunday afternoon, I went for a run at Lakeshore Park in Knoxville. It was a beautiful spring day, with temperatures in the high 70’s, low humidity, and a light breeze. As I ran along the park trail, I felt inspired from seeing so many people of all ages engaged in physical activity. People were running, jogging, walking, playing soccer and climbing on the jungle gym. Some were pushing strollers and others were being pulled along by dogs. I especially enjoyed seeing parents walking with their young children. It brought to mind the times my husband and I had dragged our boys to Lakeshore for a walk when they were younger. They usually complained about being made to go but would end up having a good time. Afterwards, we all felt a bit spent, but relaxed and in a better mood than before the walk. Exercise tends to have this effect on people. When I was twelve, I took up running because my best friend had joined the middle school track team and I wanted to tag along with her. I ran track that spring and cross--county the following fall and have been running ever since. My initial motivation for running was social, but very soon after I started running on a regular basis I saw there was a powerful connection between exercise and my mood. If I felt down or anxious, I could go for a run and nine times out of ten, I felt better afterwards. I did not need to understand the science of exercise physiology to know that exercise was good for my mind as well as my body. I feel so grateful that I stumbled upon the psychological benefits of exercise at such a young age. Now at 47 I am just as enthusiastic as I was at age 12 because I know I can rely on exercise to help with mood regulation and emotional stability. As someone with a genetic vulnerability to anxiety and depression, I shudder to think about the condition I might be in if exercise were not an important part of my daily life.
their overall health and well-being. To that end, I try to support and encourage people I know to find a form of physical activity that fits their lifestyle and personality. While running might be my preferred activity, it’s certainly not for everyone. My husband prefers biking, my mother likes water aerobics, and my father enjoys the machines at the gym. I have one son who likes to run, and another who loves playing basketball. Fortunately, the options for physical activity are almost endless. The important thing is to find something that works for you and to help your children discover what works best for them.
“...very soon after I started running on a regular basis I saw there was a powerful connection between exercise and my mood.” While the benefits of exercise for physical health are well known to all, there is also a growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating the value of regular physical activity for psychological health and well-being. For instance, research has shown that people who exercise regularly have lower rates of depression and anxiety, indicating exercise may help prevent development of mood and anxiety disorders. For those individuals who are already suffering, exercise may reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression both as a first line treatment and when used as an adjunct to therapy and/or medication. Regular physical activity can decrease stress and improve the quality of one’s sleep. Exercise has also been shown to enhance cognitive functions such as attention, concentration, memory, and learning capacity for children and adults. My wish is for everyone to experience the psychological benefits of exercise for Kathryn Rea Smith, Ph.D. is a private practice psychologist specializing in psychological assessment and parenting consultation. Dr. Smith can be reached at kerea@aol.com.
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
The Wild Wild...East? by Michael Kull Photos by Michael Kull and Eva Nations
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he Citico Wildlife Wilderness is just a short drive from Knoxville, and yet, it is a destination that feels worlds away from the familiar skyline most of us enjoy. This unique wildlife preserve is nestled in the bosom of the Cherokee National Forest, far from city lights, traffic noise and amenities like electricity and cellular service. It is a world unto itself, an enchanted place protected by a specially constructed fence designed to contain the wildlife within, as it protects them from the predators (coyote and bear, mostly) lurking just outside. There are no identifying signs or landmarks leading to its gates. In fact, only after booking a tour (It’s actually more like a safari), does one receive instructions on how to get there. Once inside the first gate, which leads into the Cherokee National Forest, one is met by owner, host and tour guide, Cleve Tedford, a passionate naturalist and expert on subjects ranging from environmental concerns like watershed management: erosion prevention and groundwater filtration to protect endangered species, to animal science. Tedford has spent a career traveling the world studying various species of indigenous wildlife. His expertise in working with deer and elk has made him a frequent consultant to organizations like the University of Tennessee, the National Wildlife Research Center in Ft. Collins,
Cleve Tedford discusses the operation at Citico Wildlife Wilderness with Knoxville Parent Co-Publisher, Eva Nations
This African watusi (left) and Sicilian donkey (right) make an unlikely pair, but they stick together. The donkey even chases animals four times his size away!
This French Plateau donkey Was curious to see just who was riding along with Cleve in the 4-wheel tour vehicle.
Colorado and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In speaking with Tedford during a guided tour (safari) at his preserve, it is clear that this land has always been a magnet, his true north, the place where he was destined to finally settle. Little did anyone realize that Tedford would not only bring his years of experience and knowledge back as fond memories and observations. Tedford has literally brought his work home with him in the form of the 25 different species of animals from all over the world (some endangered) that freely roam the 100 acre preserve. Tours can accommodate up to 40 people in an open air 4-wheel drive vehicle, a kind of mountain Jeepney with an elevated canopy replacing the standard windshield, side windows and roof. the terrain is rough and, in places, narrow, and the only other way to traverse it would be on horseback (or on the back of a Yak - more on that later). While there are one or two species that require pens for their own protection, the majority of animals have no such restrictions, and one may cross your path at any moment. This was exactly the case from the moment we entered the gated preserve. As we approached a small lake, we spied two Pere David’s Deer grazing along the quiet bank. These deer, also called milu, are considered extinct in the wild, and so, only live in captivity. They were introduced to the West by a French missionary working in China called Pere David, the animal’s namesake, in the 1860’s. It’s antlers are impressive, easily spanning several feet above its head, and by Tedford’s estimate, one of the deer here easily holds the world record for the size of his antlers. Further up the road, we came across a menagerie straight out of Doctor Dolittle (the 1967 Rex Harrison version, if you please). Whereas the Pere David’s Deer might resemble your run-of-the-mill elk or perhaps a 10 point buck if you were to catch a glimpse out of the corner of your eye, the site of Banteng from Southeast Asia, African Watusi and a Sicilian donkey all gathered together in one place was visually arresting and even a bit disorienting. We realized that we were no longer in Appalachia but in a geographic reality springing from the curious mind of Cleve Tedford. The Ankole-Watusi is impressive, because of its massive horns that extend some four feet from its head in a lazy upward
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
also serves as a watering hole for humans and has a quaint little gift shop. Here, there is a large penned area with Silky Fainting goats, Chinese Muntjac deer and a Wallaroo (entomologically a mash up of Kangaroo and Wallaby, though, in fact, its own distinct species). It’s here that the tour (safari) ends, but with time enough to freshen up, pet the goats and even feed the Muntjac, and prepare for re-entry into civilization. It is difficult to describe the feeling of being driven out of the gate and back down the trail to the car other than to say it’s like waking from a particularly exotic and colorful dream only to be back in the slightly monochromatic reality that was left only a couple of hours before. Driving back to Knoxville amongst all the traffic and houses and shops, the only thought echoing was, “Two hours wasn’t nearly long enough. When can we schedule a time to go back?”
This zebra is completely comfortable in these surroundings because the preserve is predator free.
These Fallow deer run free throughout Citico Wildlife Wilderness. Here, they found one of the best views on the preserve.
curve. This one was even more fantastic, because its horns never found that upward curve and, instead, jutted out on either side like the wings of a Piper Cub. “They use their horns mostly to challenge other males during mating season or to protect themselves against predators,” says Tedford, “but I’ve lost several side view mirrors to this one.” Standing alongside the Watusi was his unlikely sidekick, a Sicilian donkey (The movie Shrek immediately came to mind). This donkey is perfectly proportioned, maybe three feet tall and carries itself with a six foot attitude. It spent its time chasing the Banteng away from the Watusi, braying with a sound that echoed throughout the valley below. Then, as if this weren’t enough of a challenge to our newly expanding reality, up walked a French Plateau donkey, with ears almost as long as the Sicilian donkey was tall, and then, to complete this surreal tableau, a zebra appeared! “I don’t keep any predatory animals in the preserve, so they all get along pretty well. Some of the animals keep to themselves, and others, like these here, seem to like being with each other,” says Tedford. A bit further down the trail, we came to a widening stretch, where horse trainer turned yak trainer, Rayna Granger, and her daughter, Shannon, were saddling up two yaks. “They are very gentle as long as you approach them gently,” says Rayna. She has taken her knowledge of horses and applied that to the yaks with great success. “The yak,” according to Tedford, “is truly the world’s most versatile animal.” Used as transportation, www.stemscouts.org worker, sport animal, food, clothing, fuel, building material, there is no part of STEMology Race Engineering: Ten80 USA BMX Bikes this animal that hasn’t proven useful for June 17th- June 20th, June 23rd- June 27th, June 23rd- June 27th, human survival. Celeste Miller, Vet Tech 1pm- 5pm 1pm- 5pm 8:30am- 12pm and U.T. graduate in Animal Services, The Muse Knoxville Pellissippi State Pellissippi State was assisting the pair. Celeste functions Coed AGES 9-14 Coed AGES 13-18 Coed AGES 13-18 as Tedford’s right hand support, the two COST: $60 COST: $150 COST: $150 communicating via two-way radio all day across the 100 acre expanse. Discovering the world around us Discovering the STEM world of You will be building and learning After the lesson in the proper way to through Serious Play! We will be hav- the mechanics of remote control BMX Bikes by combining BMX ride a yak, we proceeded along the trail, ing FUN with Science, Technology, racing with STEM education. cars. You don’t want to miss this encountering Patagonia Cavy, Barbary Engineering, and Math. interactive, hands on program that Sheep, Capybara (the world’s largest is both fun and exciting. Limited Space Remaining! member of the rodent family), Axis deer, Indonesian Anoa, and Emu, all along To register please contact the winding, climbing trails until we Sarah Barnett at 865-243-8057. Space is limited. reached the Information Center, which
I
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
“Be Home Before The Street Lights Come On” By SSG James Miller, Assistant Center Commander US Army Recruiting Center Knoxville
n my job as an Army recruiter, I see more of us growing up prior to all these great and more high school aged kids who do technological innovations had no choice not meet the physical standards to become a but to be active. I remember as a child soldier. When I ask these kids what kind of that in order to talk to my friends, I had activities they participate in, their answers to physically go and find them. If I wanted overwhelmingly include: sitting at home to hang out with my friends, I either got and playing video games or playing on their on my bicycle, or I walked to each and smart phones. every friend’s house, until I found someone Being a father of two young children, I home. There were many days when I would find it extremely upsetting that the level spend the whole evening doing nothing of physical activity of this generation is but walking or riding my bicycle, because practically non-existent. “Be home before those friends were either not home or the street lights come on,” is a phrase that had other obligations. Today, we hold has disappeared from our vocabulary. We, entire conversations with multiple friends as parents, need to take responsibility and without leaving the couch. This constant ensure that our children are not denied the inactivity has to change. opportunity to live a long and healthy life. What can we do to remedy this? In my SSG Miller’s children not only take their father’s advice to heart, There have been numerous studies showing own experience, I have found that little they have a great time working together in the family garden. that physical activity extends life, and it must changes make big differences. One activity begin with our younger generation. that we do in my family is a family work We have become so reliant on technology, that we are willing to neglect our day. This activity is not meant to punish, but, it is rather meant to get the kids health in order to embrace the convenience that technology affords. Many off the couch. We have a larger-than-normal flower bed Around our house. It
“ h s
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
“In my job as an Army recruiter, I see more and more high school aged kids who do not meet the physical standards to become a soldier. ” is the responsibility of the children to maintain this flower bed each weekend under the supervision of the parents. This task gives the children a sense of accomplishment, and it keeps them active. Once the flowers start blooming, the children are able to reap the rewards of their efforts. In my experience, the children eventually want to do the work, and they often work extra to try to make their flower bed as beautiful as they can. Adult’s lives today are hectic, and it may seem like too much of an unnecessary burden to find the extra time to spend with our children. The question may arise, “When do I have the time?” The simple answer to this is to include your children in your busy lives. If you have errands to run, like grocery shopping, include your kids. Those 30 minutes of walking around the grocery store will make a difference. This time can also help strengthen your relationship with your child. With my two children, my wife and I take turns getting a child out of the home. What works best for us is splitting the errands on the weekends between the two of us, each taking one of the children. This gets our tasks done more quickly and improves our relationships with the children. This has become such a routine in our home, that our children argue over who gets to go with daddy or mommy. The long-term benefits of these activities will pay off. If you do not have the time to make your children get up and get out, you need to take a look at yourself and not blame your children. All it takes is finding an activity your kids are interested in and spending a couple of hours on the weekends to get them started. We, as parents, need to get more involved in our kids’ lives. Sometimes, it may be hard to tell your children to put the phone or game controller down, and go outside, but we are their parents, and it is our obligation to direct them in the right way. If your child is suffering from laziness, the only person you can blame is yourself. Change has to start with the parents. As parents, we need to take back control of our children’s lives. The children may not like it at first, but they will thank us later. SSG James Miller is a 24 year veteran of the U.S. Army currently serving as an Army recruiter in Knoxville Most importantly, the father of two wonderful children and husband to a great wife.
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
Dear Knox County Schools’ Families
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he theme of this month’s Knoxville Parent is “Get Active!” To many of us, this conjures images of spending time outdoors with family, engaging in creative pursuits or perhaps even getting hands into the soil to plant a garden. But “getting active” doesn’t just mean physical activity. It also can mean families meaningfully engaging as critical collaborators in our educational efforts. As our current five-year strategic plan sunsets, the Knox County Schools is in the process of creating the next iteration of the strategic plan, which will serve as a powerful guiding blueprint for how we continue to move our school system forward. We’ve asked our stakeholders what they believe our educational priorities should be...and what both the journey and the destination should look like for our district, our schools, our teachers and our students. We hosted 10 community forum meetings attended by almost 800 people, visited with nearly 700 students and held numerous “chatterbox” sessions and teacher meetings. All of these, plus a community survey—from which we received more than 6,000 responses— yielded a rich collection of ideas, suggestions and comments from you, education stakeholders. It is this type of hearty stakeholder engagement that will help us produce the best learning opportunities for each and every child. While our goal is to complete and present a draft strategic plan to the Board of Education later this spring, some clear common themes are beginning to surface based on the feedback we have received: Focusing on Every Student Maintain rigorous academic standards but seek ways to individualize instruction, enrichment and supports for each of our more than 56,000 children. Investing in People Ensure our teachers and staff are valued, supported and are appropriately compensated for the enormously important work they do for children. Partnering with Stakeholders Enhance and strengthen efforts to open the lines of candid, collaborative two-way communication with stakeholders.
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“...getting active” doesn’t just mean physical activity. It also can mean families meaningfully engaging as critical collaborators in our educational efforts.” Embracing a Culture of Excellence Embrace collective and collaborative engagement of stakeholders in high quality education rooted in a shared vision for high expectations, outstanding instruction, continuous improvement, mutual accountability and a constant focus on student learning. I invite you to again take an opportunity to “get active” in the direction of the Knox County Schools by giving your feedback on the five-year strategic plan at our upcoming forum: Strategic Plan “Town Hall” Meeting Thursday, May 8, 2014 6 – 7:30 p.m. Sterchi Elementary (900 Oaklett Drive) Streamed live on knoxschools.org or watch live on Comcast Ch. 10 or ATT U-verse Ch. 99 At the forum, you will have an opportunity to see how the information gathered from the community over the past several months is reflected in planning for the next five years. You will be able to ask questions, seek clarity and provide feedback on the future direction of the Knox County Schools. For more information on our strategic planning process, please visit knoxschools2020.org. Additionally, the Knox County Board of Education recently approved its fiscal year 2015 general purpose budget. This budget, which must be approved by the Knox County Commission, totals $432.335 million and includes a 2.5% base salary increase for teachers. Without a doubt, this budget would be a bit of a stretch for our community at a time when budgets are tight, but I believe a more competitive and professional level of compensation for our teachers will have a profoundly positive impact on our ability to retain and continue to attract outstanding educators to teach our children. Families can learn more about the school system budget by visiting knoxschools.org. While this is undoubtedly a challenging fiscal landscape and a somewhat “no frills” budget, I am confident that this educationally-focused and student-centered budget will enable the Knox County Schools to sustain the strong academic progress our students have been making. You can “get active” in this budgeting process by sharing your thoughts with us or your local elected representatives on School Board and/or County Commission. We are enjoying unprecedented levels of success in many areas in the Knox County Schools, and I recognize these results could not have been possible without the outstanding work of our teachers and staff coupled with the support and input of our parents and community. Talk about “getting active!” The many stakeholders in our educational system have done just that over the past five years, and I’m incredibly appreciative. I hope to see you on May 8th at our Strategic Plan Town Hall Meeting. I’m excited about our future, and together, we will continue to work to achieve our very ambitious goal of Excellence for All Children.
Individual tutoring and group classes at reasonable prices.
Sincerely,
Call Dr. Michael K. Smith at 865-694-4108
Dr. Jim McIntyre Superintendent, Knox County Schools
In Knoxville since 1983. Convenient location at 308 South Peters Rd.
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
A (Digital) Promise To Keep by Knox County Schools
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echnology is continually evolving. To imagine and capture innovation that can come from the use of technology, school systems must actively collaborate, continually learn and seek out and embrace new opportunities. In short, they must be willing to “get active” in the pursuit of innovation. As demonstrated by a recent designation, the Knox County Schools is, indeed, actively pursuing possibilities through technology to best support its students. This spring, Digital Promise, a national, independent nonprofit organization authorized by Congress to accelerate innovation in education, named the Knox County Schools as one of nine new members accepted into the League of Innovative Schools. The League of Innovative Schools is a national coalition of school districts and educational agencies that is both a professional learning network and an incubator for innovative educational practices. The League brings together educators, researchers and entrepreneurs to demonstrate, evaluate and replicate promising ideas, with the goal of improving student achievement. “We are thrilled to be selected to engage in this unique collaborative learning opportunity,” said Dr. Jim McIntyre, Superintendent of the Knox County Schools. “The League will help us to learn from other innovative school districts as well as better leverage the tremendous talents of our teachers and classroom technology to better prepare our students for success in our increasingly digital world.” The Knox County Schools was selected from a competitive and national pool of applicants, based on its leadership, evidence of results, innovative vision for learning powered by technology and commitment to collaborating with other
League members. Upon joining the League, members will share lessons learned, participate in national and regional forums and partner with research institutions, technology developers and one another to deliver better results for students. “The idea behind the League is simple but ambitious: Innovative superintendents can support each other in transforming the learning environment and improving engagement and achievement,” said Karen Cator, President and Chief Executive Officer of Digital Promise. “By adding these nine new members and the sum of their experiences, the League can become an even stronger catalyst for improving opportunity for students around the country.” The nine members of the League of Innovative Schools spring 2014 cohort are: • Department of Defense Education Activity Kaiserslautern District — Baumholder, Germany • Highline Public Schools — Burien, WA • Knox County Schools — Knoxville, TN • Lexington County School District One — Lexington, SC • Mentor Public Schools — Mentor, OH • Pascack Valley Regional High School District — Montvale, NJ • Richland School District Two — Columbia, SC • Rowan-Salisbury Schools — Salisbury, NC • South Fayette Township School District — McDonald, PA With these additions, the League now includes 46 school districts and education agencies in 25 states, representing nearly 3 million students. For more information, visit knoxschools.org and www.digitalpromise.org.
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14
Knoxville Parent • May 2014
Ten Terrific Books About Getting Active Compiled by Erin Nguyen
Children’s Department, Knox County Public Library
Max and Zoe at Soccer Practice by Shelley Swanson Sateren K-3rd In this beginning reader Max learns that practice is important to improve his soccer skills, but he’s tempted to cheat when he sees what a good player Zoe is.
Replay by Steven Sandor 4th-7th Warren is selected as running back for the football team and becomes the town hero when a referee calls his last play as the winning touchdown, The Highest Number in the World but Warren didn’t quite reach the end zone and by Roy MacGregor struggles with whether 2nd-5th or not to be honest Hockey player Gabe is disappointed about it. when she receives jersey number 9 on her new team rather than her lucky number 22 until her grandmother tells her about all the great players who’ve worn New Kid number 9 over the years. by Tim Green 4th-7th Tommy has just been forced by his father to hide out in Big Nate: Game On! a new town and take a new by Lincoln Peirce name, and instead of laying 3rd-6th low he draws attention to This full-color collection of Big himself and his baseball Nate comics is all about sports, talent when he gets in from basketball to soccer. trouble with the local baseball coach. Perfect Game by Fred Bowen 4th-6th When perfectionist Isaac has a meltdown following a disappointing baseball game, his coach encourages him to help out a soccer team consisting of both intellectually challenged and mainstream players to teach him about life’s ups and downs.
Gold Medal Winter by Donna Freitas 5th-8th Espi’s dreams seem to be coming true when she lands a spot on the U.S. Olympic Figure Skating team, but the newfound fame and media attention make it difficult for her to concentrate on practicing and competing.
For library information in your area visit: www.knoxlib.org/
Foul Trouble by John Feinstein 7th-12th In this action-packed novel, friends and teammates Terrell and Danny are both on track for basketball scholarships and maybe even the NBA - but poor decisions could ruin everything.
Second Impact by Perri Klass 8th-12th High school star quarterback and sports blogger Jerry is caught in the middle between sports reporter Carla and school administration when controversy erupts over sports injuries in this timely novel.
The Academy:Game On by Monica Seles 9th-12th In this series opener tennis star Seles introduces readers to the athletes enrolled at an elite sports academy where sports action, high school drama, and even romance are all part of the mix.
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
A Healthy Family Requires Active Participation By Barry Van Over, President of Premier Martial Arts International
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e all that know American families, as a whole, are becoming increasingly unfit at an increasing rate. Each year, the rates for obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes increase in both adults and children. And, looking at the 5 to 10 year forecasts, obesity is projected to become a serious epidemic. Currently, 1 in 3 American children are overweight and/ or clinically obese. The 3 items below affect our children’s (and the families’) current and long-term physical and emotional health, as well as their future financial wellbeing (As obesity rates grow, so will our healthcare costs/rates over time.). This brings decreased health and increased costs to the modern family, creating more stress. The biggest contributing factors to obesity are: 1. Each day, children (and adults) are spending an average of 7.5 hours in front of a screen (TV, computer, smartphone, video game, etc.). This promotes a sedentary lifestyle, causing muscles to not strengthen or develop. It also slows down metabolism. 2. Meal portion sizes have not only increased, but the quality of food consumed has dramatically decreased. Too much processed food contains way too much refined sugar and few nutrients. 3. Soda is being consumed at alarming quantities. Soda is LOADED with sugar and chemicals, which are a major contributing factors for obesity. Plus, not enough water is being consumed to properly hydrate and flush the body of toxins, thus leading to weakened immune systems. What You Can Do To Strength the Health of Your Family While genetic influence plays a role in obesity, it is a minor role, and, most importantly, it is something that can be controlled and overcome with proper diet and exercise. Good health starts at home. Parents need to educate their children and take the initiative when it comes to family health and wellbeing. After all, what is more important than good health for you and your family? Unfortunately, usually little help or structure is offered for overcoming this important family issue, so, here are some suggestions for promoting a healthy lifestyle within your family. 1. When it comes to meal time, give EVERYONE a job. Nobody said it’s easy to prepare healthy meals, but this should not be the job of one parent. Both parents and ALL kids should participate, in some way, to help make meal preparation and clean-up easy and successful. In fact, the whole family should pitch in with all household chores (laundry, yard work, cleaning, etc.). 2. Plan your week to control your budget. Emotional stress (like running a household) and lack of planning and preparation can lead to stressful decision making. With just a little planning, you should easily be able to minimize your trips to the grocery store or farmers markets, prepare meals and budget time for family exercise. Need help? Read through my Food & Nutrition Guide 3. Parents should control portion sizes & consumption. Parents need to control the timing and set a healthy example for meals and snacks. To promote healthy options, don’t buy excessive prepackaged junk food, and do NOT keep soda, chips or candy in the house. Do not allow your kids to eat only meat or carbs, and pass on their salad or vegetables. Also, dessert (if any) should be viewed as a small treat, not a meal in itself. Control the food in the house by controlling the potion size and consumption at meal time. Children are learning from you, their guardian, so set the right kind of example. 4. Limit electronic entertainment. Limit the following electronic entertainment Barry Van Over is the owner and president of Premier Martial Arts International, of which there are currently over 80 location nationwide. Mr. Van Over has two locations in the West Knoxville area and been empowering families lives through the martial arts in the Knoxville community for over 20 years. Mr. Van Over and his local studios can be reached at www.premiermartialarts.com.
to only 1 hour per day: TV, movies, video games, internet, Facebook, texting, etc. Also, all electronic devices should be left in the common/living areas of the house, not in the kids’ bedrooms. Today, kids suffer from a lack of sleep due to hours of playing in front of virtual screens. 5. Budget time for family fitness Typically, kids are sent to play in community sports leagues with other children their age or engage in school sports. These are important, but to promote a health as a lifestyle, family physical activity is equally important, especially at an early age. Family time builds a strong foundation that children will carry with them for life. The family that exercises together, thrives together. Physical activity can be a fun bonding experience for the entire family. Kickball, tennis, biking or just walking around the neighborhood together are all good ways to exercise as a family. Also, don’t be afraid to strength train as a family. New studies show that children, as well as adults, need to strength train, in order to promote muscle growth and development, build a strong frame and prevent injuries. I’m NOT talking about major weight lifting, rather more resistance and body weight training, which involves pushups, resistance bands and moderately weighted medicine balls. For information about our family martial arts programs go to premiermartialarts. com, or contact one of our locations directly. Premier Martial Arts strives to promote the overall well-being of our students and their families. From fitness kickboxing classes, self-defense classes, to competition classes, we have something for the whole family.
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
Get Outside, Get Fit, Get Active... and still keep your technology with you by Detective Aaron Yarnell, Knox County Sheriff ’s Office
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pring has sprung, and the flowers are blooming! I started with the several free step counters, those So, what does that mean? It is time to get devices that measure walking or running distance and outdoors! With beautiful weather approaching and how many calories are burned, which are available on the urge to get out into it, now is the time to put IOS and Android markets. One quick internet search down your cell phones, iPads and laptops and enjoy will reveal a ton of these kinds of apps. The ones I the outdoors. But, what if technology could help found were nice, but I wanted more. I finally started us with our healthy lifestyle and getting outdoors? looking for different apps to help with my food intake Let’s take a look at some great apps for your and also for wearable fitness bands that can sync to my phones and even wearable technology to help with device to help me track my progress. After researching motivation to get outside and moving. a few different apps and fitness bands, I settled on two Rumor has it, with the growth of wearable different solutions. The My Fitness Pal app and the The FitBit Flex Tracker syncs via bluetooth technology, Apple is in the process of developing FitBit Flex bracelet. with both Apple and Android smart phones. more health conscious apps for the new integrated My first step was to monitor what kinds of food operating system in IOS 8 along with an iWatch. and just how much I would eat. I downloaded the My The problem with Apple junkies, myself included, who want to get in Fitness Pal app, which allows me to set up a profile with height and weight shape now is that these are all just rumors, and any actual devices wont be along with a few other bits of information. After the initial setup, I started announced until later this year. So, what is available now to mix technology my log. With the My Fitness Pal, I can log the food I eat throughout the with fitness to get motivated to move around outside? I’ve been on the prowl day: breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner. With a huge database of different and researched different technologies to help me get in shape. types of foods, it is easy to search and add them to the log. I can also log my
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
exercise. Throughout the day, the app will tell me my total calories available and how many I have left. Exercising and logging earns me points, and the food I eat will reflect in total. My Fitness Pal also has a social aspect to it that allows me to connect to my friends or other people that may need encouraging. Getting in shape and living a healthier life style seems to be easier with friends. After inviting a friend to follow me inside the app, we can view each other’s progress in the app. This is a great way to stay motivated (and also a way to motivate my friends). The My Fitness Pal app is a free download from the Apple IOS app store or the Android Play store. Getting more familiar to using My Fitness Pal and logging my food and exercise was working great, but I wanted a way to track and do more. My next step into getting fit was to get outdoors and move! I opted for the FitBit Flex band that is available online and at some local department stores to help me The Fitness Pal with my outdoor activities. The app logs food intake and Fit band flex is a rubber type keeps track of bracelet with a monitor inside calories taken that acts as an activity monitor. in and calories It includes tracking my steps burned. along with my other movements.
The bracelet connects via bluetooth to an Apple or Android phone and automatically syncs to the free FitBit app to be downloaded after purchasing the bracelet. After syncing the bracelet once, the app remembers my device and auto updates. I can launch the app and monitor my step count, water intake and even log my sleep patterns. I can also set goals on how many steps I want to walk in a day up to a 7 day period. This helps me stay motivated to hit my walking or jogging goals. Like the My Fitness Pal app, I am able to invite friends and family who have a FitBit bracelet to monitor each other’s activities to help one another. Using Technology to help me get outside is working! I am enjoying outdoor walks, jogs and even mapping different parks and areas that have good walking trails. I encourage you to get out, get fit and get healthy! Utilize technology to help get you in shape!
“Using Technology to help me get outside is working! I am enjoying outdoor walks, jogs and even mapping different parks and areas that have good walking trails.”
Detective Aaron Yarnell works with the Major Crimes and Family Crisis unit of the Knox County Sheriff ’s Office. In addition, Aaron instructs local citizens on the growing social media world along with the technology that follows it. His SMART Initiative helps educate parents on keeping children safe in a growing social media and technology filled world. Aaron also maintains SocialSafetyPatrol.com, a blog that rates social media apps. Detective Yarnell has been with KCSO since May 1995.
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18
Knoxville Parent • May 2014
Healthy Eating Is N.E.A.T.!
By Cheryl Hill, Healthy Weight Program Manager at The Knox County Health Department
N.
E.A.T., or Nutrition Education Activity Training, is a program designed to teach and promote healthy eating behaviors among youth in Knox County. N.E.A.T. began as an initiative to combat childhood obesity and now reaches more than 650 children in afterschool sites. During the school year, trained volunteers lead interactive discussions and games centered on healthy eating and physical activity. Children also prepare and eat healthy snacks as part of the lessons. The History of the N.E.A.T. Program In 2006 a partnership was established by Knoxville Parks and Recreation (KPR) and the Knox County Health Department (KCHD) to implement N.E.A.T, a program targeting youth who are at high risk for developing unhealthy lifestyle and eating behaviors. During the 2012-2013 school year, N.E.A.T. provided:
“After a year with them and the NEAT program, the kids are better equipped to make healthy eating choices and know they are keeping their bodies healthy in order to live fuller lives.” • •
One healthy snack per week for each child at 24 participating sites Evidence-based nutrition lessons incorporating physical activity, utilizing the CATCH Kids Club curriculum • Lessons and healthy snacks to more than 650 children • 61 student volunteers and interns for a combined 1,450 volunteer hours “N.E.A.T. Approved” Seeking to enhance the N.E.A.T. program and create healthy environments where the healthy choice is the easy choice, KCHD and local after-school programs developed the “N.E.A.T. Approved” designation. This designation requires after-school providers to incorporate environment and policy change at their sites that would apply not only to the after-school program, but also the after-school staff. To date, eleven YMCA and two parks and recreation afterschool programs in Knox County have been designated “N.E.A.T. Approved”. What N.E.A.T. Educators are saying... “I loved many things about the N.E.A.T. program! My favorite was watching the kids learn throughout the semester. I was excited to see that they remembered information from previous lessons and were able to repeat the information back to me. The snacks were a huge incentive and made the kids excited to participate in the lessons.” “The NEAT program as a whole was fabulous! It is a great, non-stressful way to get experience with kids, teaching them a small lesson. It allowed me to get a taste of what working in a classroom would be like without all the worry of a regular teacher. It is really effective and great to see that they were listening to me every step of the way! Thank you so much for the opportunity, and I hope to continue with you next year!” “As both a YMCA employee and a NEAT Program intern for the Knox County Health Department, I was afforded the opportune view to see the impact the efforts of the program made on the children at the YMCA. After a year with them and the NEAT program, the kids are better equipped to make healthy eating choices and know they are keeping their bodies healthy in order to live fuller lives.” “I was a volunteer for NEAT last semester at E.V. Davidson. It was a great experience interacting with the kids there and I would like to do so again this semester.” Websites and other resources for more information http://catchusa.org/documents/catchschools/eatsmart/GSW_with%20Intro_ reduced%20format_English.pdf http://catchusa.org/about.html http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/downloads/MyPlate/ MyPlateCommunityToolkit.pdf http://www.choosemyplate.gov/healthy-eating-on-budget.html http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/ with a database of low-cost, easy-to-prepare recipes following the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
Some Summer Math Musings By Mike O’Hern, Center Director of Mathnasium of West Knoxville
month, and came up with a big nuthin’. Well, not exactly nothing, but nothing good. Here was my first attempt: “My grandmother was an entrepreneur and sold her pies, so it was quite natural that I should become an engineer. Engineers use pi all the time.” See what I mean? Nothing good. So then I thought about the KP theme this month about getting active. My first thought was baseball (‘tis the season, eh?) and how cool it is with all the stats and all. That got me thinking about a Smokies game I went to last year. One batter came to the plate and the scoreboard said he had a .500 average. That’s way too amazing to be plausible, so I figured he was just starting his career. He got a hit. On his next at-bat the scoreboard said he had an average of .667. Aha! I deduced that he had had two at-bats in his first game, because the only way to get from .500 to .667 in a single at-bat is to go from 1 out of 2 to 2 out of 3. Wait a minute. If I can figure that out for this batter, can I figure it out in general? Now I’m thinking “this is going to be an AWESOME column this month!” I went to work to figure out how to be able to calculate the number of at-bats based on the before and after averages of one turn at the plate. After ten or fifteen minutes of pencil and paper and a slog through the quadratic formula I had found that if you simply divide one minus the new average by the change in the average you’ve got what you wanted. Unfortunately, I could think of absolutely no reason anyone but a major nerd would care about that. But that brought me to the idea that a high school student could see how a quadratic function could be used in “real life!” Yeah, right. That’ll get ‘em y excited about algebra. So I nearly gave up, but decided that instead of some grand insight about math on this last issue of the school year I would leave you (and your high-schooler) a proof that’s not a proof. I’m going to show, mathematically, that 2 = 1:
“My first thought was baseball (‘tis the season, eh?) and how cool it is with all the stats and all. That got me thinking about a Smokies game I went to last year.” 1. Given: x = y 2. Multiply both sides by x: x2 = xy 3. Subtract y2 from both sides: x2 - y2 = xy - y2 4. Factor both sides: (x – y)(x + y) = y(x – y) 5. Cancel (x – y) from both sides: x + y = y 6. Substitute y for x (see #1 – they’re equal): 2y = y 7. So if y = 1: 2 = 1 So here’s your assignment over the summer. Tell me why this proof doesn’t really work. It all looks really good, but there’s a problem with it. You know that there must be a problem, because you know that two does not equal one! (Insert brilliant insight about not being fooled by good-looking logic or something.) And if you can’t stand it anymore, here you go:
Step number 5 is illegal because to “cancel” (x – y) really means to divide both sides by it, but since x = y, x – y = 0, and you cannot divide by zero. Maybe the next column will be about why one cannot divide by zero! Have a wonderful summer!
e poiler alert: If you want to figure out the gSproblem, cover up the last paragraph where put the solution! sI’veI was trying to think about what to write this
As owner and director at Mathnasium (a math learning center with locations in West Knoxville and Chattanooga (www.mathnasium.com/westknoxville) for the past five years, Mike has extensive experience teaching children and young adults the foundations of math concepts that are crucial to building their confidence and engagement with math throughout life.
I
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Knoxville Parent • May 2014
Too Much Gaming Can Be A Real Pain by Marcin Gornisiewicz, M.D.
t is definitely a strange sensation to wake up in the middle of the night unable to move an arm or to sit with legs crossed then be unable to walk, due to a loss of sensation, as if the legs are not there anymore. This is called temporary paresthesia. When pressure is applied for a prolonged period of time either by sleeping on an arm or sitting on a foot, nerves are compressed and kept from sending massages back to the brain properly. The communication from the brain to other parts of the body os basically cut off. Once the body moves again, the pressure is off the arm or leg. The feeling comes back slowly, however, there is re-adjustment time. There may be an itching, pricking, tingling “pins and needles” sensation before the body part finally returns to normal. We all go through this once in a while, and it is completely benign and normal, but if tingling and numbness occurs on a regular basis, it may be a sign of a certain medical condition. The most common condition affecting over 8 million Americans each year is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). The tunnel is not made of bricks and cement, we can’t drive through it. It is under the skin in our wrists at the palmar side. The bottom and walls of the tunnel are formed by wrist bones, and the top (roof) is covered by a ligament, a strong band of tough, flexible connective tissue. Nine tendons and one nerve pass through this tunnel. The tendons allow us to bend our fingers. The nerve
is called the median nerve and is the only nerve that passes through the carpal tunnel. It provides feeling to the thumb, index and middle fingers, and half of the ring finger. It is pretty tight inside the tunnel, and if anything takes up extra space, the median nerve gets pinched or squeezed. This might happen when tendons get swollen, tissues surrounding the tendons harden or when hands are held in a position that makes the tunnel smaller. Symptoms often affect both hands, but usually one hand is worse then the other. There is tingling, burning or numbness especially in first three fingers that worsens with wrist movement. Pain and tingling may extend to the whole hand or even up to the forearm. There may be loss of grip strength, difficulty making a fist, and one can frequently drop objects. Symptoms are usually worse at night, but somewhat better after waking up in the morning. Driving, typing, holding a phone, using a mouse or joystick can make things worse. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is no longer an adult disorder. The number of children with CTS is growing. It is believed, that hours of sitting in the same position using finger muscles over and over again by playing video games contribute to the problem. Kids can also develop CTS upon playing a stringed instrument or flute and in certain sports like tennis and gymnastics. Diabetic children are more susceptible. Though not many kids get CTS, it is important to learn good habits now to prevent this problem in the future. Here are some tips to minimize traffic in the tunnel: • Schedule regular breaks when working on computer or playing games. • Keep wrists in neutral position for typing or using the mouse, don’t bend them up. • The angle at the elbows should be 90 degrees. • Keep your back straight and feet flat on the floor. • Use a chair that can be adjusted for your height. • Consider ergonomic keyboard, wrist pad and trackball instead of mouse. • Keep your hands warm to promote adequate circulation. • Place things you use a lot within close reach. • Forget Minecraft for a while, read a book. Dr. Marcin Gornisiewicz graduated with an MD degree from the Medical School of Warsaw in Warsaw, Poland. He completed residency training in internal medicine at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey. He completed fellowship training in rheumatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, Alabama. He joined Rheumatology Consultants, PLLC (rheumatologyconsultants.org) in 2002. He is board certified in Rheumatology.
Jessica’s New Future A few years ago, Jessica Demby was struggling. After graduating from high school Jessica tried college, but soon realized it wasn’t for her. Jessica did not know what to do and felt she had run out of options. All she knew was that living at home and making minimum wage was not what she wanted. Now, in less than two years she’s doubled her salary, has paid vacations and holidays, and is truly enjoying her work every day.
What did she do?
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Jessica enrolled in the Dental Staff School, run by Janet Waldron and her husband, Dr. Jon Waldron, practicing dentist. Today, the Dental Staff School offers students the same great opportunity to build a career Jessica has enjoyed. In just ten weeks, students learn professional dental assisting in a real-office setting. Each Saturday, the school hosts the current class of students and offers state-of-the art dental equipment for students’ lessons. From working on models to practicing with the dentists and fellow students, Jessica really enjoyed the hands-on learning. “It wasn’t boring,” she says, “it was a whole lot of fun!” Dental Staff School (www.DentalStaffSchool.com) is a ten-week dental assisting school in Pelham, AL; Marietta, GA; Knoxville, TN and Franklin, TN. Classes are held on Saturdays at local working dental offices. The program is accredited through National Accreditation for Colleges and Schools, Non-public Postsecondary Commission in Georgia, and the Alabama and Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
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22
Knoxville Parent • May 2014
Understanding Cleft Lip And Cleft Palate by Audrey Madigan, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital
E
ach year approximately 4,200 babies in the United States are born with cleft lip or cleft palate. Oral clefts are the fourth most common birth defect in the U.S. and are more common in children of Latino, Asian or Native American origins. Clefts develop very early in a woman’s pregnancy and result when there is not enough tissue in a baby’s mouth and lip area to join properly. Ultrasound can often detect a cleft in an unborn baby. This allows the family to meet with a member of the cleft palate team before birth, receive educational materials, and begin a treatment plan. What is cleft lip and cleft palate? A cleft lip is a split in the upper lip that can be as small as a notch on the edge of the lip or as large as an opening that goes through the lip into the nose. This split can occur on one or both sides of a child’s mouth. With a cleft palate, a child’s mouth doesn’t form completely leaving an opening in the back soft tissue or the front bony part of the roof of the mouth. A cleft palate can result on one or both sides of a child’s palate. Since the lips and the palate develop separately (lips at about 6 weeks during pregnancy and palate at approximately 10 weeks), a child can have just a cleft lip, a cleft palate or both. The cause of cleft lip and cleft palate isn’t entirely known. However, some possibilities are: • Being genetically predisposed – a child has a greater chance of developing clefts if a sibling, parent or relative has had the problem. •
Deficiency of certain vitamins in pregnancy, such as folate, can increase the risk.
•
Resulting from another medical condition a child may have.
Cleft lip and cleft palate can be connected to other problems such as: • Trouble feeding – a baby with a cleft palate can have difficulty sucking and with food and liquid entering their nose. •
Middle ear fluid buildup and hearing loss – kids with cleft palate usually require small pressure equalization tubes placed in their eardrums to drain fluid and increase hearing.
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Dental abnormalities – a child can have missing, small, extra and
malpositioned teeth as well as problems with gums and the bone that supports the teeth. • Speech difficulties – children with cleft lip have fewer problems than those with cleft palate. The most common is hypernasality, a condition that causes a child’s speech to sound as if he is talking through his nose. There is good news for parents and children born with cleft lip and cleft palate – the condition can be treated. In most cases, clefts can be repaired with surgery. With cleft lip, surgery is usually done at 10 to 12 weeks of age. With cleft palate, surgery is usually done between 6 to 9 months of age. Surgery can close the lip and the palate and restore form and function. Affected patients often require a few specialized surgeries and therapies during childhood into the teen years. They can also require plastic surgery, dental and orthodontic care, speech therapy, treatment for ear, nose and hearing problems and emotional and psychological support. As a result, a team of professionals from many different specialties is usually needed to provide care at different stages of a child’s development. Members of a treatment team could include: Pediatrician Audiologist Plastic surgeon Speech or language specialist Ear, nose and throat doctor Genetic counselor Dentist Social worker Oral surgeon Team coordinator Nutritionist Orthodontist At Children’s Hospital, R. Mark Ray, M.D., an ear, nose and throat specialist and reconstructive surgeon can even begin treating a child with an oral cleft before they take their first breath. Dr. Ray meets with parents whose baby has been diagnosed with a cleft to inform and reassure them about their child’s condition and treatment. Ray also works with parents adopting out-of-country children who may have an oral cleft. The comprehensive team Ray has developed at Children’s Hospital treats children with efficiency and compassion. Ray says, “A cleft lip or pallet is no longer a roadblock, it’s merely a speed bump that, with proper treatment, can be overcome.”