Karns/Hardin Valley Shopper-News 090213

Page 1

VOL. 7 NO. 35

IN THIS ISSUE

Miracle Maker

Leslie Howe didn’t write the book on math, but she did write the computer program on it. Make that “programs.” A math and computer science teacher at Farragut High School since 1985, Howe has written more than 400 computer programs to help teachers help students find the best path to learning.

See Betsy Pickle’s story on A-9

Busy bees When you hear the word “bees,” most of us immediately think of honey bees, those industrious, job-focused little insects that live in hives, work on clover blossoms and make us honey. All that’s true, of course, and they’ve been doing just that for a long time. But there’s a lot more to the bee story than just honey.

See Dr. Bob Collier’s story on A-5

MOPS for moms Now that school is back in session, some moms are able to enjoy just a bit more “me” time. But what about those mothers of preschoolers? MOPS, Mothers of Preschoolers, is an international organization that promotes friendship, sharing and “me” time for mothers who have preschool-age children. In the Knoxville area, many of the MOPS groups are encouraged and supported in part by churches.

Read Ashley Baker on A-7

Improvement is coming (soon) There are reasons to believe even the immediate future will be better than the past. As you may have heard, Tennessee football is facing a trap game in Western Kentucky and things really get tough after that. “No matter what happens at Oregon and Florida, keep believing that success is again in sight, out there on the horizon. If you can’t see it, get out your telescope,” Marvin West writes.

Betty Bean takes a look at “Coup,” the new book by Keel Hunt that discusses the early swearing-in of Gov. Lamar Alexander, back in 1979. Read Bean on page A-4

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September 2, 2013

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Pellissippi goes online By Betsy Pickle As the new fall term gets started, Pellissippi State Community College is focusing on reaching students where they live and taking them where they want to go. “Historically, we have viewed our site campuses as access points and as a way of bringing courses and offerings to students in particular communities,” says Anthony Wise, PSCC president. “One of the things that we’re really focused on this year is making sure that we’ve got all the pieces of a program in place to help students graduate from their particular campus. “For example, we want a student who starts at Magnolia to be able to finish at Magnolia, so we’re looking at … what kind of resources we need to put in place, what kind of faculty we need to put in place to make sure that we’ve got complete degree offerings at each of our campuses throughout Knox and Blount counties.” In addition to the main campus at Hardin Valley, PSCC has campuses in Blount County, on Magnolia Avenue near downtown Knoxville, on Division Street and

Dr. Anthony Wise, president of Pellissippi State Community College, stands outside at the main campus off Hardin Valley Road to greet students and answer questions on the first day of the Fall 2013 semester. Photo submitted

at Strawberry Plains in East Knox County.

Thanks to what Wise describes as a “supportive” yet “rigorous” faculty, Pellissippi prepares students to continue their education at four-year schools. “Based on conversations we have with students who graduate – and we need to get more of them to graduate – but those who do graduate from Pellissippi State are very well prepared to transfer successfully either to our public partners or our private college partners like Maryville (College) or King (University) or CarsonNewman (University).” The outlook is good for PSCC students heading straight to the workforce as well. “Our students who are in our technical programs are doing well in terms of job placement,” says Wise. “Our placement rate for employment for the last year we have data was 96 percent. It’s gone up each of the last three years, so we’re pleased that we’re providing the kind of training and education that allows those students to complete an associate’s degree and move directly into the workforce.” Much of the success is due to

working with area businesses and addressing their needs. “We’ve always had as part of our mission to do workforce training for local business and industry,” says Wise. “We continue to do that. In fact, we had a presentation with Denso yesterday where they’re asking us to create forcredit programs, either certificate programs or degree programs or portion-of-degree programs to offer to their employees. “Those conversations often start with business and community services, but we’re bringing our faculty into those conversations so they can help design the curricula for programs for companies like Denso and Green Mountain (Coffee) and Y-12. We’re working on apprenticeship programs and degree programs and creating certificate programs as well. That’s something that’s really picked up in the last year, and I imagine that that will continue.” A new opportunity awaits technology-minded students this fall. “We’ve got a new partnership To page A-3

Ball Camp goes retro for game night By Sara Barrett Parents and students alike dressed in their 1980s best last week for Retro Game Night at Ball Camp Elementary School, sponsored by the school’s PTA. Heather Murphy, the PTA first vice president, said the event was a great way for families to mingle and meet each other. “We have so many new families this year after the rezoning … about 120 new students over all,” said Murphy. The school had to add a new kindergarten class because of the increase. In addition to playing games, families could join the PTA and learn about helping the school

raise money, with activities such as collecting cereal box tops. Josh and Karen Armstrong enjoyed a family game of Trouble. Karen said she is proud her children, Anna and Addison, go to Ball Camp because it is where she went to elementary school. Fourth grader Dale Henley had the win of the evening when he defeated principal Brandon Pratt in a game of Battleship. “Make sure you say that I won!” said Dale.

Megan Arndt and her son, 1st grader Christian, play a game of Ice Cubes during Ball Camp Elementary School’s game night. Photos by S. Barrett

More photos on A-3

Allen Morgan: the guy can’t keep a job

See Marvin’s story on page A-6

‘Coup’ is good read

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called in the decorator. Their son, Chris, is senior pastor to First Baptist Church of Chickamauga. He and wife Melanie are proud parents to a daughter, Collins. That name has a story. But then everything about Allen Morgan has a story.

By Sandra Clark It’s been 15 years since Allen Morgan’s surprise resignation as superintendent of Knox County Schools. It was a jolt for KCS, especially when his top assistant, Shirley Underwood, followed. Morgan was our last elected superintendent. Morgan, now 66, then joined Jim Clayton and worked 10 years as president of CMH Parks, leading a team of 300 to develop some 22,000 homes in communities across the country. He retired again, taking four years off to earn a pilot’s license and lower his golf score. Then, on March 12, 2012, he accepted a new job as athletic director at Carson-Newman University. The guy is full of surprises. Underwood, now 70, claims al-

Morgan-isms

■ Satellite dish – the state flower of West Virginia. ■ Experience – the ability to make good decisions, learned after first making bad decisions. ■ Getting hired – You be the very best at what you are and they’ll come and find you. ■ God needed a big stick in each hand to beat me out of retirement. ■ Being a grandparent is great, but the downside is I have to live with Granny.

most retirement after a decade of education consulting. She’s given away her home office desk and boxes of folders. There’s a good chance both made more money in the 10 years after retirement than in their 30 years as educators. They’re not talking.

Allen and Phyllis Morgan are rumored to have set up a fund to help kids at Carson-Newman. They’ve also bought a house in Jefferson City just four doors from the campus. Allen can walk to work, and he’s given all the players his cell phone number. Phyllis

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Allen arrived at C-N in the fall of 1964. He made the baseball team under legendary coach Frosty Holt and played sparingly that first season. The team won the 1965 NAIA national championship, the school’s first. Allen said his main job was to roll out the batting cage, a chore he relinquished the next year to Dale Rutherford of Halls. (Dale To page A-3

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