FARRAGUT www.ShopperNewsNow.com
|
www.facebook.com/ShopperNewsNow
twitter.com/shoppernewsnow
A great community newspaper
VOL. 6 NO. 40
IN THIS ISSUE
|
October 1, 2012
Teaching the teachers
SPECIAL SECTION In support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Coffee Break Richard Maples certainly has enough successful business ventures on his resumé to generate the question, “What’s your game plan for success?” His modest answer is always the same. Meet Richard over a Coffee Break.
➤
See page A-6
Working on sponge balls for their Make-It Take-It in-service class at Smart Toys & Books are preschool teachers Elayne Monnig, Joyce Carden and Suzie Henry from Cokesbury Children’s Center.
Miracle Makers Inskip Elementary’s reading scores soared last year, catching everybody’s attention and leading to an appropriation of $3 million to replicate the program in nine other schools. Inskip was one of five elementary schools to pilot the first-grade reading intervention program. In one year, it is credited with moving the proficiency in reading score at Inskip from 27.7 percent to 98.9 percent.
➤
See Sandra Clark’s story on page A-9
Party time The Tennessee cross-country family is celebrating the historic NCAA championship of 40 years ago. Oh, the joy of triumphant recollections, tall tales, monstrous exaggerations and bare-faced lies.
➤
See Marvin West’s story on page A-5
Index Sherri Gardner Howell A3 Government/Politics A4 Marvin West/Lynn Hutton A5 Coffee Break A6 Faith A7 Kids A8-10 Business A11 Calendar A12 Health/Lifestyles Sect B
10512 Lexington Dr., Ste. 500 37932 (865) 218-WEST (9378) news@ShopperNewsNow.com ads@ShopperNewsNow.com GENERAL MANAGER Shannon Carey shannon@ShopperNewsNow.com EDITOR Sherri Gardner Howell gardners@tds.net FARRAGUT REPORTER Suzanne Foree Neal papernews@tds.net ADVERTISING SALES Jim Brannon brannonj@ShopperNewsNow.com Debbie Moss mossd@ShopperNewsNow.com Shopper-News is a member of KNS Media Group, published weekly at 10512 Lexington Drive, Suite 500, Knoxville, TN, and distributed to 33,237 homes in Farragut, Karns and Hardin Valley.
Pre-school in-service classes focus on educational needs By Betsy Pickle It doesn’t just take a village to raise a child. It takes an educated village, beginning with preschool. That’s why teachers are so excited about the Preschool In-Service Training Program at Smart Toys & Books, 9700 Kingston Pike in Franklin Square. The wide-ranging program, now in its third year, brings preschool teachers together with proven experts to keep them at the forefront of pertinent and professional teaching practices. Wanda Mooney, director of Cedar Springs Weekday School, was one of the first people Smart Toys & Books owner Lynda Blankenship turned to for advice when she was considering creating the in-service program. Mooney recalls that Blankenship wanted to know, first, what teachers needed and, second, who were the professionals in the community who would best lead the training sessions. “They just did a wonderful job putting these ideas together, then getting it approved through the
departments of Education and Human Services, who are over all in-service for all of Knoxville’s preschool teachers,” says Mooney. “And it just took off. They didn’t know if it would or not, but it did.” There are 36 primarily faithbased preschools, the majority of them in West Knoxville, making use of the Smart Toys program. Preschool teachers are required to take 18 hours of in-service training accredited by the state. In addition to obtaining state approval, Smart Toys works closely with the Knox Area Association for the Education of Young Children. The program has included “everything from potty training to how to keep children safe in a group atmosphere, health-wise, to how to teach young children numbers,” says Mooney. The class leaders could be pediatricians, music teachers, teachers from Montessori schools or other professionals, but the emphasis is always on providing as much information as possible in a twohour session. “Sometimes you go for training, and it’s just one subject, and it’s six hours long. You think the day is never going to end,” says Mooney.
Board sees ‘run’ on events for Nov. 3 By Suzanne Foree Neal It seems everyone is on the run in Farragut. In a fairly routine Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting Thursday, the most discussion came on approval of a special event application by the Dream Connection for a 5K run/walk and a 1-mile fun run through parts of Farragut at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3. The discussion came when Alderman Bob Markli noted that the run is the same day as the annual Farragut Fall 5K Race, Fun Walk and Pet Parade, which was postponed from an earlier date. The Farragut Fall run also starts at 8 a.m. “I think that’s a shame,” said Markli. “Even I can’t run in two
LOWER RATES HOME AND AUTO
INSURANCE CALL 689-3006
“This is the best of the best coming out at all times, and teachers just can’t get enough.” Based on feedback from participants, the most beneficial programs are repeated in subsequent sessions and new classes are added. “My staff goes every time the doors open,” Mooney says of her 80 staffers. “They come back and give us tremendous feedback on whatever the topic is.” One of the favorites among Cedar Springs teachers is “How to Get a Child Ready for Kindergarten.” “(Smart Toys is) really good at that because they bring in kindergarten teachers … and tell you what’s happening this year in kindergarten, not what happened 20 years ago from someone who’s been in an office for a while,” says Mooney. “My staffers love the music classes. They love the ones on giving children quality literature. “Children think that unless something flashes or has lights or noise, it cannot be entertaining. And the most entertaining thing you will sit down and do with your child is to read a book. Nothing can take the place of that. Even a good preschool program.” In recent years, preschool’s Knoxville Volunteer Rescue Squad. The event will feature rescue vehicles from the Knoxville Volunteer Rescue Squad, Knoxville Fire Department, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Karns and Seymour Volunteer Fire Departments, Rural/Metro Fire Department and the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. There will also be safety demonstrations. The board also honed in on other vehicles, passing on second and final reading a revamped ordinance to permit rental car businesses in its general commercial district. Enterprise Rent-A-Car Co. plans to present site plans for a new location to the board in an upcoming meeting. Knoxville Wine & Spirits, Turkey Creek Partners, was granted a certificate of compliance for an off-premise liquor store permit, 10741 Kingston Pike. The store will be a separate building from the new Costco.
races at once.” The Dream Connection participants will be running through parts of Parkside Drive, the Cove at Turkey Creek and Sweet Briar subdivisions. The Farragut Fall 5K Race events are at Mayor Bob Leonard Park on Watt Road. Special guests at the board meeting were Colin Cumesty and Kathy Saunders from the Knox County Fire Prevention Bureau and Herb Anders, Dr. Russ Frazier and Capt. Bobby Jones from the Knoxville Volunteer Emergency Rescue Squad. They were there to thank the town for its support of the fifth annual Knox County Fall Fire Prevention Festival, scheduled this year for Sat- Scott wins photo contest The Corporation for National and urday, Oct. 6, at Turkey Creek Medical Center parking lot. Proceeds Community Service has awarded from food concessions benefit the Jason Scott, Farragut stormwater
WATCH BATTERY COUPON WA UPON
5 Foster' s
$
Barbara Ashdown looks over teacher packets at the Smart Toys & Books in-service for preschool teachers. importance has become more recognized. “In order to change something that’s happening in 3rd grade, you have to change it before they go to kindergarten or you end up just trying to deal with a problem instead of eliminating it altogether,” says Mooney. The store offers fall and spring sessions, with the current session ending Nov. 8. The classes are held 6-8 p.m. Thursdays and are two credit hours. They are limited to 20 participants and are $15 each. Registration may be done at the store or by calling 6911154 during business hours. coordinator, $2,000 for a winning photograph about the impact of national service. His photo, titled “Water Pollution Is Hazardous to River Unicorns,” can be viewed at http:// americorpsphoto.challenge.gov. Scott is a former AmeriCorps member and current president of the AmeriCorps Alums Knoxville chapter. The photo was taken in collaboration with Farragut’s 2011-12 AmeriCorps service member Josh Cunningham. The money will go for water quality initiatives in Farragut.
New employees The town has hired three new employees: Jennifer Brown fills the new position of administrative assistant for the public works department; Jeff Giles is GIS/IT analyst, also a new position; and Chris Woudstra is Farragut’s 2012-13 AmeriCorps service member. Dates for the November and December Board of Mayor and Aldermen meetings will be Nov. 8 and Dec. 13.
Get started on your Christmas Chris Shopping!!! Preserve those old Pr reels, slides & vhs tapes today!
Includes battery & installation
Watch & Jewelry Repair
Fine Jewelry
Expires 10/15/12 Must present coupon
7023 Kingston Pike In the West Hills Center
584-3966
www.fostersjewelry.com
$10 VHS Tape transfers Bring your VHS, slides, 5 or more tapes. Includes VHS, VHS-C, Hi8, Mini-DV Cannot be combined with any other discounts or offers. film and more into Coupon must be presented at time order is dropped off. Discount will the digital age.
not be applied to previous orders or orders that are being processed. Expires 10/31/12 SN100112
Audio & Video Conversion
686-5756
www.DigitizeItNow.com 12752 Kingston Pike, Renaissance Farragut, Ste 103, Bldg E