Powell/Norwood Shopper-News 020314

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POWELL/NORWOOD VOL. 53 NO. 5

IN THIS ISSUE

Valentine Specials

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February 3, 2014

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Students practice ‘self’ expression

on page 6

Who’s in charge? Mayor Madeline Rogero’s trip to Turkey set Victor Ashe to wondering about the city charter provision for managing the city in the absence of the mayor.

Read Victor Ashe on A-4

Bluegrass album The last name Brewster and bluegrass music go together in this town like the last name Litton and burgers do. Paul Brewster has released a new album and Jake Mabe says it’s one you don’t want to miss.

Read Jake Mabe on A-11

Rating recruits Here’s what you will hear on Wednesday, after the fax machine clicks off and the celebration fund-raiser begins: Typical Tennessee football fan: “Great recruiting class.” Blind optimist: “Best ever!” Shopper reader: “Looks good to me, but Marvin says The General reserved evaluation of young players until after the Alabama game of their sophomore year.

Read Marvin West on A-5

WHERE the

JOBS ARE 81 new jobs in Clinton

Aisin Automotive Casting Tennessee Inc. is expanding its plant in Clinton. The $53.8 million investment will create 81 new jobs over the next two years in Anderson County, said Bill Hagerty, the state’s commissioner of Economic and Community Development. It’s the company’s second major expansion since locating in Tennessee in 2004. According to its website, the Clinton plant has 580 full-time employees.

Read Sandra Clark on A-13

7049 Maynardville Pike 37918 (865) 922-4136 NEWS news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sandra Clark | Cindy Taylor ADVERTISING SALES ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Shannon Carey Jim Brannon | Tony Cranmore Brandi Davis | Patty Fecco

By Cindy Taylor

by Cindy Taylor Art students at Powell High School are blessed with teachers who believe art is more than just putting paint or graphite to paper. While those methods are taught as well, students consistently learn how to express their art through expansive media such as clay and fabric. muslin and color. The results are students see themselves in an abStudents in Lee Jenkins-Freels’ advanced sculpture class have com- far removed from boring or ordi- stract view but also their extensive pleted an assignment in soft sculpture abstract self-portraits using nary and portray not only how the talent.

Hagen Owenby to play football at ETSU By Bill Mynatt Powell High standout Hagen Owenby will continue to be a multisport athlete in college. He will sign a Letter of Intent with East Tennessee State University to play both football and baseball at 2:50 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, at PHS. Owenby occupies a prominent place on the impressive list of Powell High football record holders. Among his accomplishments: ■ 4th all-time in single season total offense with 2,934 yards as a junior in 2012 ■ 5th all time for career total offensive with 5,227 yards ■ 4th in single-season passing yardage with 1,753 yards in 2012 ■ 3rd all-time in career passing yardage with 2832 yards ■ Tied for 3rd in single season touchdown passes with 17 in 2012 ■ 4th in career touchdown passes with 29

As a freshman, Owenby backed up All State quarterback Dustin McPhetridge. He started at a wideout spot while continuing to backup McPhetridge the next season, helping the Panthers to the Class 5A Blue Cross Bowl, where Powell lost a heartbreaker to Henry County, 17-14. Powell finished 141, setting school records for wins and winning percentage. As a junior, with McPhetridge moving on to Austin Peay State University, the 6-1, 205 pound Owenby assumed the quarterback position full time and had a fabulous season, garnering Associated Press First Team All State honors. Owenby led a young team to a semi-final berth, losing at Columbia Central, before ending the season 12-2. Unfortunately, Owenby’s senior year didn’t go as he and Powell supporters had hoped. Owenby

went down with a season-ending knee injury against arch-rival Halls in the season’s 7th game. Owenby was also named First Team All District 3-AAA as a sophomore, junior and senior. Playing baseball for Jeff Inman his first two seasons, and for current head coach Jay Scarbro, Hagen has been named All District 3-AAA for three years. He boasts a .400 plus career batting average, and has been also included on the All KIL and All PrepXtra teams so far during his career. As a pitcher, Owenby has been amazingly consistent as Powell’s No. 1 or 2 starter since he stepped foot on Danny Maples Field. He has also played center field, short stop, third base and catcher. Hagen’s parents are Tony and Kristi Owenby. His older brother, Drake, is a sophomore pitcher at Hagen Owenby carries the ball. UT.

Photo

by Eric Kennedy

A teacher’s story: letters of concern By Betty Bean The letter teachers dread ends like this: “In the 2012-13 school year, your summative results rating was x, or below expectations. Should your summative results continue to be below or significantly below expectations in the 2013-14 school year and beyond, you may face negMark Taylor ative employment consequences up to and including termination from your position. “To avoid any negative consequences, you are expected to comply with all administrator directives, collaborate with colleagues and improve your overall performance in the upcoming school year.” Farragut Middle School science teacher Mark Taylor has received two such letters. He was one of the

teachers who accepted Tony Norman’s invitation to speak to County Commission last week, and he told the commissioners he fears for his job, despite having a reputation for turning out the highestachieving 8th-grade science students in the county. He racks up consistently high scores in teaching observations but is considered an “outlier” because he scores more than two points higher on evaluations than his students’ Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) scores. Theoretically, these scores should be the same, and principals can lose their jobs if they don’t reconcile the gap. “My TVAAS was a 1. Can you imagine what my observation scores are going to be this year? If they give me anything higher than a 3, they’re going to have repercussions,” Taylor said. His primary problem is that he teaches high-school level physical science to 8th-graders whose

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Powell High School advanced art students with self-portraits: Carly Ducote, 12th grade; Emily Lackey, 11th grade; and Eli Braden, Sara Groos, Hannah Gayer and Lora Stephens, all 12th grade. Photo

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progress is difficult to measure because they are not taught the standard curriculum. His secondary problem is that his students are so advanced that there’s not much room to “grow” their scores, as measured by TVAAS, which tracks student “gains.” The first year of evaluations, only one of Taylor’s four classes was tested – a standard 8thgrade science class that included several ESL (English as a second language) speakers. His 130 highschool level students were left out of the equation, thereby lowering his (and his school’s) overall test scores. Last year his advanced students were evaluated but were found to have made insufficient progress because they performed at such a high level coming in. Taylor has received low TVAAS scores, no bonus money and “conference of concern” letters for the past two years. He expects another one this year. He filed a grievance and said he discussed his predica-

ment with schools superintendent James McIntyre. “Dr. McIntyre suggested I lobby the state to have another test for those students. I cringe when I think of me lobbying for more tests for our students,” he said. “Here’s the worst thing in all of this. I have had principals and coaches tell me I need to put myself ahead of my students. They’re saying this because they want me to continue teaching and the only way they see that happening is if I put myself ahead of my students. But as soon as I think I’m more important than my students, then I do not belong in a classroom.” Forty to 50 teachers showed up for the commission meeting, as did McIntyre (who canceled a scheduled appearance at the Knox County Education Association to be there) and his chief of staff, Russ Oaks. School board chair Lynne Fugate was seated between McIntyre and Oaks.

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