“National School Lunch falls this year during Child Health Week in Tennessee, and it’s a good time to focus on the importance of healthy, nutritious meals that give students the fuel they need to excel in school and establish good habits for a lifetime of good health,” Governor Bredesen said. “The school lunch program helps fill that need and complements the health education Tennessee students receive through local school nutrition programs and coordinated school health partnerships.”

Students across the state are invited to participate in “Vote for School Lunch 2008” to raise awareness of the nutritional value of different school lunch options. With children’s nutrition a prominent US health concern, the “Vote” campaign also serves to educate parents and students on the nutritional programs available in schools.

“We’re fortunate to have the federally funded National School Lunch Program to provide balanced, nutritious meals to Tennessee children every school day,” said Sarah White, Tennessee Director of the School Nutrition Program. “For some children, this lunch is their most nutritious, if not their only, meal of the day.”

Every school in Tennessee is served by the National School Lunch program, providing more than 111 million meals to Tennessee students each year.

Each child may vote at www.VoteForSchoolLunch.org before the deadline on October 17. Parents and community members can help celebrate National School Lunch Week with your local school by volunteering in a school cafeteria or visiting your child’s school to eat lunch. Families can learn more about the school nutrition programs available by contacting your local school nutrition director.

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.

“I am pleased to know that we can continue to support local school students with funding that will provide them the resources necessary to protect the physical, mental and emotional health of Tennessee’s students,” Gov. Bredesen said. “A student’s health can support or hinder academic success and it is our responsibility to ensure a stronger generation through partnerships like the Coordinated School Health initiative and CoverKids.”

Since piloting 10 partnerships in 2002, Tennessee has dedicated a steady stream of funding that has in turn resulted in an additional $4 million gain at the district level as the result of partnerships developed by local CSH Coordinators. Through these partnerships families, community members and schools are brought together to focus on health awareness, physical activity, healthy nutrition and counseling services.

“These partnerships help provide our state’s children with a more well-rounded learning experience, focusing not only on academics, but the health and well-being of students,” Education Commissioner Dr. Timothy Webb said. “With the amount of time children spend in the classroom, it makes sense that we invest in their physical and mental health.”

Each year school systems can reapply for the grant that provides for or continues support of a full time CSH coordinated, assistants if needed, basic office supplies or travel expenses. Assembled teams at the local level build relationships with local agencies, write grant applications and collect data to better enhance the school atmosphere focused around healthy students.

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.

“I am pleased to congratulate these administrators on their dedication to constant improvement for the sake of a better education for students,” Education Commissioner Timothy Webb said. “Good leaders take calculated risks and achieve a higher standard by doing so. Thank you to Mr. Ross and Dr. Timbs for your service to Tennessee’s students.”

Mr. Ross’ administrative career is marked by the successful implementation of programs that raise student achievement and strengthen the teaching team. One program, Project Grade Recovery, helped the school achieve a 98 percent grade completion/promotion rate. A colleague said of him, ‘He strives to assist students in realizing what they can do instead of focusing on what was done earlier in their educational careers.’ Mr. Ross is also an active member of the Tennessee Army National Guard.

Dr. Timbs has built his leadership style around empowering teachers with the skills they need to be exceptional educators. He initiated school-level data coaching teams to improve the use of student data in guiding how teachers teach. That effort has helped raise value-added and achievement scores from C’s and D’s to A’s. He places emphasis on assessment literacy, best-practices in instruction, and curriculum aligned with the standards that define what students should learn. Dr. Timbs has shared and collaborated with educators from schools across the state, region, nation and world.

The Grand Division Winners are:

The Supervisor of the Year and Principal of the Year programs are co-sponsored by Education Networks of America (ENA). The winner and each of the finalists received awards provided by ENA at an awards banquet during the 2008 Tennessee Educational LEADership conference.

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.

“Teachers are on the front lines making sure every student gets the education and help they need to graduate and be successful,” Education Commissioner Timothy Webb said. “It’s a challenging and rewarding task that requires tenacity. Congratulations to Ms. Bryan, Dr. Krishnan and Mr. Brown on modeling the best of what our profession has to offer.”

Ms. Bryan has dedicated 35 years to teaching in Tennessee public schools and currently teaches 10th-12th grade math at Walker Valley High School in Cleveland. Her classroom work has been featured in Time magazine, USA Today and Education World. The student body awarded Ms. Bryan the honor of Most Dedicated Teacher in 2006. She is a long-time member of national and state professional organizations for teachers of mathematics, has been a guest speaker at regional and state professional events, authored an article for Mathematics Teacher, a national professional journal, and has been commissioned to co-author a 2009 Pre-Calculus textbook.

“Recognizing the hard work of some of the state’s outstanding educators also gives us pause to show gratitude to all teachers making a positive difference in the lives of Tennessee students,” said Connie Smith, Assistant Commissioner for Accountability and Teaching and Learning. “There is great honor in working to prepare the next generation to achieve a better future.”

Dr. Krishnan has eight years teaching experience and now teaches honors and AP biology at Arlington High School. She chairs the Science department, is a mentor for new biology teachers and has conducted coordination between Arlington Middle and Arlington High science teachers. Mr. Brown has 15 years teaching experience, the last five at Montgomery Central High School in Cunningham teaching honors pre-calculus and AP calculus. Mr. Brown has been active in education at the state-level as a trainer and member of numerous steering committees. He has remained active in the practice of his field through numerous research projects and extensive ongoing education.

Tennessee’s Teacher of the Year award program is sponsored by The Niswonger Foundation, a Greeneville-based organization that provides student scholarships and resources for school systems in Tennessee. Each of the finalists receives a cash award courtesy of The Niswonger Foundation.

More detailed information about the award winners and photos are available upon request. For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.

“The LEAD conference is an opportunity for Tennessee’s education leaders to learn from each other and respected colleagues from across the country,” Education Commissioner Timothy Webb said. “To practice excellence in education, it is important to stay abreast of how best to help students reach their academic potential.”

The conference focuses on improving student learning through leadership, assessment, instruction and support systems. Professional development sessions include increasing parent involvement, an overview of Tennessee’s redesign of education leader preparation, creating a safe and supportive school environment and developing leadership skills beyond curriculum and data.

“The professional relationships developed during such events are particularly important in education where administrators spend the majority of time in a silo,” said Barry Olhausen, Executive Director of Professional Development. “Part of leadership is exchanging ideas and providing support. It’s also a reminder that the paperwork can wait; students come first.”

The LEAD conference is a training and networking event for district supervisors, principals and other instructional leaders from public and private schools. The conference focuses on how to grow as an education leader by cultivating the many roles of being a successful and effective leader. To view detailed conference information, visit www.tennessee.gov/education/lead/index.shtml .

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.

Dr. Smith will now oversee the Office of Curriculum and Instruction, previously lead by Susie Bunch, in addition to the Division of Accountability. Mr. Opie will oversee all legislative issues for the department in addition to assuming oversight of regulatory functions including teacher licensure, recruitment and professional development.

“For many years these individuals have demonstrated a firm commitment to education in Tennessee,” Commissioner Webb said. “As we streamline our department to better serve school districts and families, I know that these new Assistant Commissioners will succeed in providing the support and direction necessary to improve education for all children.”

Dr. Smith has served in education for over 30 years, first as a special education teacher in Tullahoma, Tenn., then as a special education supervisor in Wilson County and as a principal in New York City. For the past fifteen years, she has worked for the state Department of Education developing the statewide School Improvement Planning Process, transforming the state’s accountability system, and combining state approval and regional accreditation practices. Most recently, Dr. Smith was the Executive Director for Assessment and Accountability. She has her Baccalaureate and Masters degrees from Tennessee Tech University, an Ed.S. degree in Psychology and Special Education from Vanderbilt University, and a Ph.D. from Columbia University in New York City.

“I am honored to serve Tennessee at this critical time,” Assistant Commissioner Smith said. “Under Governor Bredesen’s leadership we are implementing greater accountability in education, more challenging assessments, and have revised our curriculum standards to provide graduates with the tools to succeed after graduation.”

Mr. Opie has also spent more than 30 years in education. He served as a classroom teachers and administrator in Montgomery County Schools for nine years, during which time he was awarded the DAR Tennessee History Teacher of the Year. He joined the state Department of Education in 1985 and has served as the Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, helped to develop the Exemplary Educator program, and served as Director of Legislation, acting as a liaison with the Tennessee General Assembly. He holds a Masters degree in Education Administration and a Bachelors of Science from Austin Peay State University.

“Governor Bredesen has truly demonstrated that education is the number one priority of this state,” said Assistant Commissioner Opie. “I am excited to take on this new responsibility and to continue to advocate for students across Tennessee.”

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.

“Meeting the criteria for Blue Ribbon status is a tremendous achievement for each of these schools and is evidence that schools are doing the job of educating our children while still meeting federal benchmarks,” Education Commissioner Timothy Webb said. “Administrators, teachers, parents and students in these communities should be proud of themselves and their schools.”

The schools are selected based on one of two criteria:

• Schools with a least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that dramatically improve student performance to high levels on state tests; and
• Schools whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests or in the case of private schools, in the top 10 percent of the nation on nationally-normed tests.

“We are so very proud of these schools for proving that success can be achieved and they should now serve as a model for other Tennessee schools on moving forward on the path to closing the achievement gap,” said Julie McCargar, Executive Director of Federal Programs for the state.

Tennessee’s Blue Ribbon Schools include:

Northwest Elementary - Fayette County Schools - Ms. Santita Wright, Principal
Walnut Grove Elementary - Hardin County Schools - Ms. Linda Gean, Principal
Mountain City Elementary - Johnson County Schools - Ms. Gay Triplett, Principal
Lawrenceburg Elementary Schools - Lawrence Co. Schools - Dr. Gari Lynn, Principal
John P. Freeman Optional School - Memphis City - Ms. Georgia Parks, Principal
Greeneville High School - Greeneville City Schools - Mr. Jerry Ayers, Principal

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.

“Our goal is to provide a quality education for every child in Tennessee and to work to raise academic standards to better prepare them for college or career after high school,” Gov. Bredesen said. “Being chosen to participate in the Institute will only further support our efforts.”

As part of the institute, education leaders across the selected states will collaborate over the next two years to put in place assessment and accountability systems that fully reflect the goal of all students graduating college- and career-ready. To support these states, several national organizations have joined forces: Achieve, Data Quality Campaign, Education Counsel, Jobs for the Future and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices will work together to provide guidance, advice and support to participating state teams.

“Working with the Institute and other states, were going to make it our number one priority to ensure our policies, practices and leaders provide the support that schools and districts need to make this a reality,” Commissioner Webb said.

Tennessee will join Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Mexico and Ohio in Washington, D.C. today to launch the Institute as part of the American Diploma Project leadership meeting. The ADP Network is a coalition of states whose governors and education and business leaders have committed to ensuring that K-12 standards focus on the same knowledge and skills necessary for success in college and work. Governor Bredesen launched Tennessees participation in the American Diploma Project in 2007.

As part of the Tennessee Diploma Project, high school standards have been aligned with college and workplace expectations, teachers will be required to use a work- and college-based curriculum and learning institutes will be held accountable with benchmarks that describe specific math and English skills high school graduate must have to succeed.

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.

This year’s theme is, “Where Health and Academics Meet”, and the four-day event will focus on the physical, social and emotional health of students in relation to their time spent in the classroom. State and national data reveal that many Tennessee students engage in unhealthy behaviors that are detrimental to both their health and academic success.

“It is important for us as educators to not only focus on students’ academic progress, but to ensure the health and well-being of every child,” said Education Commissioner Timothy Webb. “This conference will help educators across the state become better acquainted with the health issues facing children these days and develop the leadership skills necessary to create solutions at the school and community level.”

The CSH Institute will begin tomorrow, Sept. 9, with an opening reception. For the remainder of the week CSH Directors, school nurses, teachers, school board members and many others will discuss issues related to adolescent and school health.

“We all know the importance of having healthy students and it is our duty to ensure that each child’s health does not hinder their academic progress, but rather supports their growth as a student and in the future as an adult,” said Connie Givens, Director of the state Office of Coordinated School Health.

Located at the Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville, keynote speakers include Pat Cooper of the Childhood and Family Learning Foundation, who will speak Wednesday, and Hal Weschler, of the Division of Adolescent and School Health for the Center for Disease Control, who will speak Thursday. Please contact us for additional scheduling details.

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.

“We have made a serious commitment to education in this state, from raising standards to fully funding school districts,” Governor Bredesen said. “These grants support our mission to see all students graduate ready to succeed in college and the workforce.”

Twenty-two school systems and community organizations received grants to open a total of 74 sites across the state. Grantees can reinforce student achievement in a variety of ways such as character education, arts education, remedial help, academic enrichment, expanded library hours and technology instruction. Program effectiveness must be based on strong scientific research.

“These programs provide valuable learning experiences to students who otherwise might not have access to such resources,” Education Commissioner Timothy Webb said. “Partnerships like these strengthen our state’s ability to meet the needs of all students and provide a quality education.”

Below are the grantees of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers:

Each grantee will receive funding for the next three years with the opportunity for a two year extension if the program demonstrates adequate student progress. For more information on Tennessee’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers, visit http://www.tennessee.gov/education/learningsupport/titleiv/partb/index.shtml.

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.