Loudon County Girl Scout Troop # 21188
Band Instrument Collection for
Ft. Loudoun Middle & Philadelphia School Band Program
Girl Scout Troop # 21188 will be collecting band instruments for Fort Loudoun Middle and Philadelphia School band programs. Due to the economy, many parents are not able to afford the purchase or rental fee of these instruments. At the present time, Fort Loudon Middle does not offer general music classes. If a student wants to learn how to play a musical instrument, they join the band program. There are many children interested in joining the band program; unfortunately, there are not enough instruments for these children to use. The average rental fee is between $25 and $50 per month ($216 - $450 per school year). Girl Scout Troop # 21188 is working with the band director, Lisa Michaels, to help raise the awareness of the need for band instruments. Monetary donations from individuals, groups, or companies are also appreciated. Checks can be made out directly to Philadelphia School Band or Fort Loudoun Middle School band.
The troop will be set up to receive donated instruments
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Loudon County Courthouse Lawn
10:00 a. m. – 4:00 p. m.
If you have any questions or need a donated instrument picked up, please contact:
Troop Leader, Sherri Colvard at 458-9385
Loudon High School Band Alumni, David Colvard at 235-8238
Middle School Band Director, Lisa Michaels at 458-2026 ext. 1814
Troop # 21188: Whitney Lorig, Gianna Chavarria, Karen Gilbertson,
Britney Colvard, Jordyn Lindsey, Gabriella Chavarria
School Reporter
SherriColvard.com is pleased to announce Kaylan Chaparro will be reporting activities from Greenback School. To see Kaylan's news reports click on the Greenback School button on the left side of the screen.
BIG PINEY CORN MAZE
Big Piney Corn Maze | Howard Farms
11122 Watkins Road Loudon, TN 37774
865-389-6106 | bryanthowardiii@gmail.com
Thursday 6-10pm*, Friday 6-10pm*, Saturday 10a – 10pm*, Sunday 1-8pm*
Open September 3 - November 7
School groups accepted on Tuesdays with advanced notice
Haunted every night October 21-31 from dusk till 10 pm
.
*Last person to enter maze
For more information visit
http://thehowardfarms.com
by clicking above link you will leave sherricolvard.com
By JOSH AULT
6 News Reporter
CLINTON (WATE) - Two candidates who tied on election day in the race for Anderson County juvenile court judge have different ideas about deciding who wins.
Brandon Fisher and Zach Farrar both received 6,442 votes.
The Anderson County Election Commission retabulated the race on Friday.
"I've been told this is the first time this has happened in Anderson County," said Administrator of Elections Mark Stephens.
Since the vote is still tied, the election commission has picked August 23 for the certification date for the election.
The majority of the commissioners' vote will equal one vote. This process isn't sitting well with Farrar.
"I think the people of Anderson County deserve to have a recount," Farrar said. "The people of Anderson County deserve to know everything that could be done was done. I think the only fair way to settle this matter is to have another election or run off."
Farrar says he's looking at all options in helping settle this election. "I would hate to see the county commission decide the race."
Brandon Fisher, who's the interim juvenile court judge, has other worries. "I'm just glad the process is moving along. I have a wife who is about to give birth any moment, so I just hope we get this resolved before Audrey shows up."
Both men say it was hard to believe the vote was tied, and they hope this teaches everyone that every vote counts.Half of Tennessee students fail tougher state tests
Tougher standards give TN honest look at where kids stand
By Jaime Sarrio • THE TENNESSEAN • July 31, 2010
About half of Tennessee's public school students failed to meet state academic standards this year, the result of a more rigorous curriculum, harder exams and tougher grading.
The dismal results didn't come as a surprise to state leaders, who for years have said that Tennessee schools are too easy and that the state does not accurately report academic performance.
But the new scores are a sobering look at just how far behind students in the Volunteer State trail. For example:
* Only a quarter of eighth-grade math students posted scores showing they're on track to graduate with the skills needed to do college-level work.
* Fewer than half of fourth-grade test-takers read on grade level under last school year's higher standards.
* Under last year's Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, only 9 percent of students in grades 3-8 would have failed math exams. As it stands, 67 percent failed, demonstrating weaknesses in the old system and increased expectations now.
The news came Friday as the Tennessee Board of Education decided which TCAP scores should be considered passing.
Last fall, public school students were introduced to a more rigorous curriculum. In the spring, a more difficult TCAP made its debut. Now, in the third and final phase, those test results are being graded. Individual school and student reports will be available in September and October.
As hard as the new scores are to swallow, state leaders say they are proof substantial changes are being made to the education system, and parents are getting their first honest look at how kids are performing.
"We're finally telling the truth about where we are and where our kids are," said Education Commissioner Tim Webb. "We
just didn't know. Our teachers didn't know. But now they do. And so we will move forward."
State asks for time
Conversations about new standards started in 2006 when a magazine called Education Next gave Tennessee the "cream puff award" for having the worst standards in the nation. For years, 80 percent to 90 percent of students have been sailing through state exams with proficient or advanced scores, while bombing national tests like the ACT college entrance exam or the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
The end result? In a few years, state officials say, Tennessee's scores will improve on local and national tests, and students won't need remedial college courses.
"It's something we all need to take a great deal of pride in, where we've moved during these last several years," said B. Fielding Rolston, chairman of the state Board of Education.
Ruth Stewart, parent of a rising sophomore at Hume-Fogg Magnet High, said she doesn't expect her son's scores to drop, but regardless she'll be OK with the results if they present a more accurate view of how he's doing on a national level.
"We do need to be compared with kids nationally," she said.
"If we think our kids are doing well and they're not nationally, I want to know that. These are the kids we're going to be competing with for college placement and jobs. My view is all information, if it's accurate, is good."
In the wake of the results, the state is waiting to see how it will respond to schools that end up not meeting state standards.
Under the federal No Child Left Behind law, the state must intervene when schools fail to meet testing benchmarks, which are calculated for students of subgroups like race and income level. The longer a school fails to meet the benchmarks, the more severe the intervention required.
But because so many schools are bound to fail this year under the new system, state officials are asking the federal government for time to make the transition into the new standards without having to take drastic interventions. Instead, they want to focus state resources on training teachers.
Commissioner Webb, who sent a letter to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan asking for the reprieve, said preliminary conversations with federal officials have been positive.
"We've talked to them, and they materially agree with what we're saying, but we're waiting on final approval," Webb said. "I think we have some good promise."
New national standards
In another development, the board joined 32 other states in voting to adopt new national standards called the Common Core.
All total, 48 states have agreed to adopt the standards, which aren't federally mandated but are the closest thing that exists to a uniform national curriculum. That means all students in all the Common Core states will be learning the same things at the same time.
State leaders say the Common Core is an 85 percent match to the curriculum currently in place. The standards cover math and English language arts and must be integrated into schools within the next three years.
Students will be tested on the new material in 2014-15. Those exams also will tread new ground: They will be computerized.
Contact Jaime Sarrio at 615-726-5964 or jsarrio@tennessean.com.
