VOL. 52 NO. 46
IN THIS ISSUE
Holiday
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Welcome to
November 18, 2013
Walker-Warren Court
Special Section Holiday cheer and more!
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Miracle Maker Nearly a semester into Knox County School’s 1:1 technology pilot program, Corryton Elementary seems to be off to a running start. “We take what we used to do with pencil and paper and find interesting ways for them to engage with it with technology. Every day we’re trying something new,” says teacher Sherrie Dudley.
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NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ
Halls B&P to meet Tuesday The Halls B&P will meet at noon Tuesday, Nov. 19, at Beaver Brook Country Club. Shopper-News publisher Sandra Clark will discuss the newspaper’s ongoing series addressing issues in Knox County Schools. Lunch is $10.
Halls Middle School students Kinley Koontz, Eli Simmons and Jacob Price hold up signs to honor Pam Walker, Neil Walker and Bill Warren during the dedication of the basketball court. Photos by Ruth White
Surrounded by family and friends last Thursday, Halls Middle School honored Neil Walker, Pam Walker and Bill Warren for their dedication to the school’s basketball and cheerleading programs. The basketball court has been officially named the Walker-Warren Court in their honor. Neil Walker coached the girls basketball team for 25 years and wife Pam coached the cheerleaders for 35 years before they both retired. Bill Warren was the coach of the girls team for one year and has coached the boys team for the past 34 years.
FC Lions to hold bike drive The Fountain City Lions Club is holding its annual Christmas bicycle drive in partnership with Mission of Hope to benefit the children of Appalachia. A $50 donation will purchase one bike. An additional $20 will buy a helmet. The bicycle drive is held each year in memory of Michael Williams. Make checks payable to Fountain City Lions Club (note Bicycle Fund on your check) and mail to P.O. Box 5276, Knoxville, TN 37928. Donations are tax deductible. Info: Gib Galyon, 4144630.
Halls Toy Drive underway The Halls Welfare Ministries Toy Drive is underway. Collection boxes are located at the Halls Commercial Bank and the Halls Senior Center. Toys can also be dropped off at Cross Roads Presbyterian Church 8:30 to noon Tuesdays through Fridays. Children can be sponsored by calling coordinator Jeanie Sager at 922-3137. Applications to receive toys will be available at Cross Roads Presbyterian Church in the box on the wall by the steps. No applications will be taken after Dec. 1.
7049 Maynardville Pike 37918 (865) 922-4136 NEWS news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sandra Clark | Jake Mabe ADVERTISING SALES ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Shannon Carey Jim Brannon | Tony Cranmore Brandi Davis | Patty Fecco
New boss talks straight about Central
Tom Brown stresses teamwork at Gibbs
By Sandra Clark Dr. Jody Goins wowed the crowd with straight talk about Central High School at last week’s meeting of the Fountain City Business and Professional Association. “I’m asking for something harder to give than money,” the new principal said. “We need your time to mentor and tutor children. … And then, after we’re successful, we need celebrations – a pizza party or a good meal for teachers. (pause) And that takes money.” By now the audience was in his pocket. More than anything else, the Fountain City business community wants Central High School students to achieve and excel. Many in the room were CHS grads themselves. They remember the motto “Pride and Tradition.” Goins has three goals at Central: Increase the graduation rate. “Every student has value, and now the minimum threshold for success is a high school diploma.” Central is trending up, now in the 88 to 89 percent range. Goins wants to get above 90 percent quickly and then push above 95 percent. Increase the AP offerings. Advanced Placement courses are more rigorous and research shows the kids who take AP classes, whether they pass the test for college credit or not, have a better
By Jake Mabe
Dr. Jody Goins success rate in college. Central now has 11 AP classes, and Goins wants 20. Increase ACT scores. Central’s average is now 17-19; Goins wants students to score 21 or above. Again, it’s not just about the number. The ACT is a nationwide indicator of how well students have been prepared for college and/or the workforce. “Good things have been happening and continue to happen at Central High School,” he said. Just last spring, CHS graduates
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Things have come full circle for Tom Brown. The longtime Holston Middle School principal, who was named principal at Gibbs High this year, is already familiar with much of the student body. “I absolutely adore these kids out here,” he says. “I had so many of them as middle schoolers. To see them now as 15, 16 or 17-yearolds and competing academically or athletically, that’s a lot of fun.” Brown says making the jump from middle school to high school was a bit of a learning curve. “But kids are kids. I may feel the learning curve but I don’t know that the rest of the school feels it. I have a different way of thinking in terms of how to lead change in schools.” He elaborates: “Education remained static for at least the last 50 years. And that wasn’t good because the kids have changed. We know so much more about how kids learn. Teaching needs to reflect that.” The school holds a one-hour session for teachers in groups of four each Thursday called Strategy. “We focus solely on instruction. Where I would like to see us go is to pay attention to each other through collaboration. If I
Gibbs High School principal Tom Brown have a great teacher, I want to put them on a pedestal. I want to use them as models. It worked very well at Holston Middle and I’d like to see that happen here.” He says the school’s biggest strength is community support. Weaknesses? “We’ve identified a couple of academic areas that need improvement, math being one. We’re taking corrective actions now.” Brown also wants to see a boost in the school’s Advanced Placement program. “AP courses have not been strong. I would like for us to of-
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