News
Franklin’s Storybus Plus program wins national award
When up against every school districts’ 2014 program in the nation, the Franklin Special School District’s Storybus Plus program outranked its competitors.
The FSSD is one of 15 first-place winners in the 21st annual Magna Awards program sponsored by the National School Boards Association’s flagship magazine, American School Board Journal. The district’s summer literacy outreach program, Storybus Plus is one of five first-place winners in the “under 5,000 students” division and will be recognized during the NSBA’s 75th annual conference, which will be held March 21-23 in Nashville.
The program’s primary purpose is to foster the love of reading in children who typically do not have access to a library over the summer.
“The district’s goal in creating this program 16 years ago, under the constant leadership of former FSSD teacher Joyce Smith, was to put books in the hands of children who need them most during the summer months,” David Snowden, FSSD director of schools, said in a news release.
This past summer’s program was the most attended, with more than 850 kids boarding the bus.
Besides the NSBA conference, the American School Board Journal will feature the accomplishment of the school district in its April issue.
Story By Todd Barnes
TOSS February Feature on Mr. Robert Mullins
“He’s not in. He is visiting a classroom at one of the schools.” – Bobby Mullins, in response to what the news story of his life’s headline would say
One Christmas during winter break Robert Mullins’ sophomore year in college, he did some substitute teaching and loved it. When he returned to college, he changed his major to education. He has now served in education professionally for 36 years and has been a superintendent for the past four years in Crockett County. He shared with me some of the things that inspire him in all areas of his life, “Outside of my relationship with God, Christ, and my wife, it would be the teachers of our school district. The effort shown for the care of their students and the constant work to help their students be successful is inspiring.”
A few of the things Mr. Mullins is particularly excited about that are going on in his district right now –
At the elementary level, one of our schools is a member of ‘No Excuses University.’ NEU is a network of schools that work together to promote college readiness for all. NEU has a philosophy that encourages schools to focus not on programs but instead on the creation of six exceptional systems. Those systems are:culture of universal achievement, collaboration, standards alignment, assessment, data management, and interventions. Maury City Elementary School has been a member for two years. Our two other elementary schools are applying this year. The staff at Crockett County High School has collaborated in developing a RTI program for their students. The teamwork displayed in data analysis and scheduling interventions has been impressive. The staff at Crockett County Middle School is collaborating in developing common assessments. This work has been challenging but it has encouraged our teachers to work together.
Mr. Mullins thinks highly of the teachers in his school system. In fact, he mentioned that the most rewarding part of his job “are the smiles on the faces of the students and teachers when they are successful. Mr. Mullins shared a time when he saw a student and teacher overcome that stayed with him, stating, “[He] watched a teacher become the student and the student become the teacher. A teacher was having some difficulty with technology and the student helped the teacher. That teacher then asked the student to stay to help her learn more.” In fact, one of Mr. Mullins favorite thing about visiting with the students in his school system are when he sits down and they teach him about what they are learning that day.
Mr. Mullins’ favorite subject when he was a student was American History. “Mr. Bill McPeak could make the classroom come to life and you felt you were in the middle of a battlefield or in the middle of the roaring 20’s.” It is no surprise then when I asked Mr. Mullins of a place he would like to visit someday that he stated, “Washington, D.C. I would love to spend some time visiting the history of our country.”
When Mr. Mullins does have time to relax from his busy schedule he enjoys “reading about the education challenges/successes of other school districts and walking.”
Mr. Robert Mullins, 2015 TOSS Legislative and Learning Conference
TOSS January Feature on Dr. Versie Hamlett
Dr. Versie Hamlett is excited about many things that are currently going on in the Humboldt City School District. Recently, the school board voted to close the middle school because it was deteriorated, which will be a cost saving measure that will allow funding for new educational programs. Also, Humboldt “received The Mathematics Science Partnership Grant from the state department worth 260,000.00,” which Dr. Hamlett will use to “focus on K-8 teacher professional development.” The system has implemented new reading intervention programs K-12.”
Dr. Hamlett has been working professionally in education for twenty years. Her favorite subject as a student was Government and History. When asked about her favorite things as well as her most challenging things so far as a superintendent in the Humboldt System, Dr. Hamlett shared that she enjoys “the opportunity to have a direct impact [in changing] students’ lives.” The most challenging thing she has experienced is “getting all stakeholders … on board quickly to impact student achievement this year.” A year from now Dr. Hamlett would hope to have achieved a smooth transition in combining the Junior and Senior high school, implantation of new education programs, and to have improved test scores.
For times of relaxation, Dr. Hamlett’s favorite things to do with her family is spending time with them at the holidays and vacations at the beach.
To learn more about Dr. Hamlett please see her bio below:
Dr. Versie Ray Hamlett is a native of Palestine, Arkansas where she attended Shiloh Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Her mother, Minister Oretha Ray, served as the pastor of Shiloh for 20 years, Miles Chapel of Marianna, Arkansas for five years, and Moore’s Chapel in Poplar Grove, Arkansas for 14 years. Dr. Hamlett grew up on a farm with 9 siblings where her parents instilled Christian values and a very strong work ethic. After graduating from Palenstine High School, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Lane College in 1994; her Master of Arts degree in Education from Freed-Hardeman University in 1995; her Education Specialist Degree from Union University in 2006 and her Doctor of Education degree from Union University in 2008.
Dr. Hamlett was recently appointed Superintendent of the Humboldt (Tennessee) School System. On the occasion of her historic selection by the City of Humboldt School Board, she became the first African-American and the first woman Superintendent in the history of Humboldt. Prior to her appointment, she served as the Chief Academic Officer of the Jackson Madison County School System; and also as a former Leader of Elementary Education, elementary school principal and teacher over a span of 19 years. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Education at Lane College.
Dr. Hamlett is a member of the Jackson Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and the Humboldt Rotary Club. She is a member of Hurt’s Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church for over 20 years where Dr. Nathaniel Carter is her pastor. She is married to Mr. Melvin Ross Hamlett, Sr., Lane College’s Vice President for Business and Finance.
Oak Ridge Schools: A-bomb project inspires STEM in Tennessee town
A-bomb project inspires STEM in Tennessee town
Oak Ridge Schools’ chief Bruce Borchers pushes rigorous initiatives
By: Ariana Rawls Fine
Oak Ridge, a Tennessee city founded by the U.S. government in 1943 as a secret production site for the Manhattan Project, is steeped in technology.
It’s home to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Y-12 National Security Complex and a multitude of technology companies. The complex is a manufacturing facility that plays a role in the U.S. Energy Department’s nuclear security program.
Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers has worked with his board and administrators, and partnered with local businesses, to create a multifaceted program to bolster STEM education. From experimental scientific research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to industry certifications in welding, the district’s students are being provided with multiple avenues to train for STEM careers.
What inspired your STEM initiatives?
The driving force behind how this began was our “Seven keys to college and career readiness” initiative, which was created with input from our staff and community. The seventh key is the most important: “All students should participate in AP coursework, dual enrollment, industry certification or a military preparation program by graduation.”
We found that not all of our students were getting one of those four experiences. We needed to create new industry certifications or courses of study that would provide an opportunity for them when they leave Oak Ridge’s high school.
We are in one of the best locations for STEM, with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Y-12 and other STEM-related employers nearby. The world’s second fastest computer is housed in Y-12. We needed to go back to our community roots. We focused our mission on areas that would lead to STEM careers, pathways and industry certifications that our local businesses are looking for.
How have community resources and business partnerships contributed?
One local chamber of commerce focuses on ensuring that it is supporting the schools in STEM and looking for possible connections between our schools and businesses. We needed to be having conversations directly with business owners rather than looking at U.S. Department of Labor statistics that are usually three or four years old.
Oak Ridge School District
- Superintendent Bruce Borchers
- Schools: 8
- Students: 4,659
- Staff and faculty: 668
- Per child expenditure: $11,876
- Students on free or reduced-price lunch: 53%
- Yearly budget: $48,496,128
- www.ortn.edu
We are heading down the path of problem- or project-based learning by trying to develop ways or connections to make the learning real for the students, whether it is through summer camp or internships with Oak Ridge National Laboratories. We have a major partnership with Discovery Education.
We are collaborating with Roane State Community College on a dual-credit program that will enable Oak Ridge High School students to graduate and move on to the college for a mechatronics certificate and/or associate’s degree. In addition to partnerships with Tennessee Technological University, we have simulated business environments and work-based learning in our schools.
We are looking at digital tools that can help our teachers meet the various learning needs of students, including math-related tools with DreamBox at the elementary level.
Other partnerships cover multiple areas of study, including:
- Wetlands research through the Clinch River Environmental Studies Organization
- Computational/experimental scientific research with Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Computer science students working with National Institute of Computational Sciences professionals
- Materials sciences camp through The University of Tennessee at Knoxville
- Health sciences clinical internships at the Methodist Medical Center and other local healthcare facilities, including veterinary clinics
- Industry certifications in welding and dual credit toward post-secondary welding credentials
How has the district supported teachers and educators to drive innovation?
To encourage teacher leadership and new ideas, we have provided additional stipends to regular teachers in the schools. Part of the job of these new STEM innovators and coaches is to look at STEM lessons and how different departments can work together on problem-based issues. We have 50 STEM innovators and coaches across the district. They have license to try new things with this cross-curricular learning and to share the work they are doing in their individual schools.
There are so many great open source tools they can use to enhance engagement. For example, our middle school’s math and English departments worked with students to determine which local agencies had the most impact in supporting families. Through the teen activism STEM project, the students calculated ratios, made conjectures and created digital presentations.
We have a strategic and innovation committee as a structure to gather all the great ideas generated, as well as PLC coaches and analysts.
What STEM-related programs did the district create?
We have Project Lead the Way, robotics and 3D printing. Coding from pre-K and older means students come to the high school more ready to take on high-level math and science classes. We also have one of the best welding programs in the state. Our partnerships with area businesses enable us to offer even more opportunities while using resources not usually available to a school system.
The district is holding discussions with area businesses about how we can make even more additions, such as chemical sciences, given Y-12’s presence in our community. Other subjects being considered for eighth grade and up are composites, drone technology, industrial maintenance and mechatronics.
We are talking with a large local business to provide the material needed and possibly an employee to teach the STEM-related skills the company needs personnel for. Our school would provide the space. Students would benefit from an internship that would give them an industry certification.
We know there are other countries that are going to be producing students like ours. We should be preparing our own for those jobs.
What lessons did you learn?
This is not a one-person endeavor. Getting the chamber of commerce and our school board on board was important. It is very labor intensive talking to local chambers, businesses, colleges, employers, teachers and administrators. We needed to add making all those connections to the regular workload of running a district.
Professional development is always key; as is sitting down with local companies to see what they need in general, not only tied to STEM, to find pathways locally for our students. We needed to ask ourselves: “Are the offerings across the system aligned with the real needs of students and of employers?”
We have incredible teachers and administrators. Honoring those who take on extra duties is vital; they are giving more because they want more. Our school board is a wonderful, collaborative group that supports our STEM initiative. We have maintained the Tennessee School Boards Association’s Board of Distinction status since 1999.
We are changing the instructional environment from what we are used to, to make it real for the students, whether it’s through activities, career pathways or internships. Making it more real for them captures their interest.
When we say we want to be the premiere STEM district in the country, we mean it; our mission is to highlight it from pre-K to grade 12. It has re-energized our staff, especially those in the elementary schools. We can teach literacy by reading a science book or doing a science project. One of our elementary schools even received a $10,000 grant for coding from the private, nonprofit Code.org.
Ariana Rawls Fine is newsletter editor.
