Teacher Advisory Committee Discusses Evaluations by Mike Steely [email protected] “Tiger” System Seems Less Russell Asked the Advi- Stressful on Teachers
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December 5, 2016 www.knoxfocus.com Now offering onlinePAGE A1 auction services Fountain City Auction for all of your auction needs (865)604-3468 fountaincityauction.com FREE Take One! December 5, 2016 Teacher Advisory Committee discusses evaluations By Mike Steely [email protected] “Tiger” system seems less Russell asked the advi- stressful on teachers. Any sory group for volunteers Teacher evaluations and new system adopted by the and the interim superinten- school textbooks were the school board would be for dent will nominate some of topics of Tuesday’s meet- future use, not the current those to a subcommittee. ing of the Knox County year. The working subcommit- Teacher Advisory Commit- “Or perhaps you want tee would then report back tee and Interim Superin- to customize ours, just for with suggestions on a new tendent Buzz Thomas said Knox County,” the interim evaluation process. the meeting was incredibly superintendent said. Board of Education helpful. He called on Dr. Rodney member Terry Hill and Chair Thomas chaired the Russell, Director of Human Patti Bounds watched the group, made up of 20 Capital Strategy for the meeting and Hill suggest- teachers and one assistant school system, to act as ed that the evaluation sub- principal, and opened the coordinator for coming up committee be compensat- PHOTO BY MIKE STEELY. discussion about options with an evaluation system ed for their time while they Interim Superintendent Buzz Thomas meets with the Knox County Teachers Advisory to the current evaluation based on the Advisory Com- work on a plan. Committee and he asked for comments about future teacher evaluations and the need system. He said that the mittee’s suggestions. Cont. on page 4 or lack of textbooks. City Council $100k Grant Awarded to Beaumont City considers Magnet Teacher for Playground Redesign updating all zoning ordinances By Mike Steely [email protected] The Knoxville City Council is being asked to hire Camiros, Ltd, to tackle the huge task of rewriting the city’s Zoning Ordinances. The council hears the request, from the Department of Engineering, Tuesday evening during its regular session. The contract, for $280,250 following a request for bids, will stipulate that the company would work under the direction of Gerald Green and the Met- ropolitan Planning Commission staff. The idea is to update the entire zoning regulations and the MPC has been working on bringing updates and changes to the city. Some proposed changes involve sidewalk require- ments, setbacks from the streets, mixed use areas, Continued on page 3 Five Points Up coalition hosts third annual Winter Wonderland event Five Points Up invites the public to its third annual Winter Wonderland program on Thursday, Dec. 8 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Dr. Walter Hardy Park, 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. Beaumont Magnet art teacher Cheryl Burchett received a $100,000 grant from Farmers Insurance for the school’s “Winter Wonderland is an opportunity for those playground. Present for the ceremony were Board of Education members Patti Bounds (Chair), Gloria Deathridge who don’t have a family to share the holiday with the (District 1) and Jennifer Owen (District 2); State legislators Richard Briggs, Roger Kane, Becky Duncan Massey, Rick community. It’s also a way to rejoice in the season, Staples and Jason Zachary; Mayor Tim Burchett; City of Knoxville Special Program Manager Indya Kincannon; City as well as share some refreshments and entertain- Council Member Mark Campen; Great Schools Partnership Interim President Stephanie Welch; Knox County Schools ment with each other,” said Albert Nelson, Five Director of Innovation and School Improvement Dr. Daphne Odom; Farmers Insurance #5 NASCAR driver Kasey Points Up member and Community Action Commit- Kahne; and representatives from Farmers Insurance. tee (CAC) East Neighborhood Center director. The free event is open to the public and will fea- Students from Beaumont Magnet month of October. Halfway through will be used to create several arts- ture a holiday lighting ceremony in Hardy Park fol- Academy gathered Thursday morn- the contest, Beaumont—the only Ten- themed areas on the existing BMA lowed by entertainment and refreshments at the ing for what they thought was a holi- nessee school in the running—was in playground that would be available Tabernacle Baptist Church, 2137 Martin Luther day performance by the school’s the- first place. While these results were for both school and community use. King Jr. Ave. Partners include Project GRAD, Cold ater group, but the program was cut exciting, it was nothing compared to “I’m humbled to be a part of Bur- Springs Neighborhood Association, Michael Mead- short to surprise art teacher Cheryl actually winning the grant. chett’s journey from the very begin- owview Neighborhood Association, OUR Commu- Burchett with a $100,000 Dream Big “The entire process has just rein- ning, and celebrate her winning of nity Organization, the Knoxville-Knox County Com- Teacher Grant from Farmers Insur- forced how supported our school is these well-deserved funds,” said munity Action Committee, The Village of Knox- ance for the redesign of the school’s in this community. I am blown away Farmers Insurance® local agent ville, the East Knoxville Business and Professional playground. by how many people in Knoxville and Shannon McCullock. Association, and the Knox County Health Depart- Beaumont is the only elementary Knox County help us every time we do Burchett is not new to reaping ment (KCHD). The purpose of the event is to build arts magnet school in Knox County something, and especially now with the benefits of the Thank Amer- relationships among community members in East and was one of 15 finalists for the something as big as this!” said Mrs. ica’s Teacher’s program, as this is Knoxville. $100,000 grant. The 15 finalists Burchett. her second educational grant from The mission of Five Points Up is to beautify and were ranked based on the number of Great Schools Partnership will act Farmers Insurance in addition to unify East Knoxville through community-based votes their grant idea received on the as a key partner in the project and as the $2,500 grant she won this past activities and events. Farmers Insurance website during the the fiscal agent for the funds which spring. PAGE A2 The Knoxville Focus December 5, 2016 Main considerations when drafting a simple will A large portion you want them leave everything they own sure if they will try to say manage the assets until can always hire an attorney of Tennesseans to get, you need to their spouse first, then they are the best people to the time in which the child to help them (and I recom- do not have a to have a will in if they have no spouse, take care of your children is able to claim it? Who will mend this), but still good to will that dictates place. It doesn’t or their spouse is already if you pass. Better to have watch over it? I usually rec- have someone you trust in who gets what have to be com- deceased, that they want to in writing in your will with ommend that the people this role. when they die, plicated. Fur- split the remaining assets whom you want your chil- caring for your children also To recap, the three main they simply have ther, there are evenly among their chil- dren to live after you pass. manage their money until considerations to think not gone to the some common dren. This may not be the This goes without saying, they receive it, but it does about when drafting a will trouble of ever By Jedidiah misconceptions case though. You may want make sure you talk to who- not have to be the same are: who are you going to making a will. McKeehan about who gets to make a specific gift to ever you pick ahead of time person/people. leave your stuff to, who is attorneyknoxville@ When this hap- gmail.com what when you an uncle or aunt, or give an and make sure they are will- Third, determine who will going to take care of minor pens, the state’s die. Did you heirloom to a specific child, ing to take on such an enor- watch over your estate. children, and who is going laws of intestate succes- know, that if you die while these are all things that mous, although unlikely to The third important con- to be the executor of your sion, aka who gets what married, your spouse does need to be considered and occur, obligation. sideration is, who will be estate? when there is no will, dic- not automatically get every- articulated in your will. Another thing to address the executor of your estate? Of course, you may have tate which relatives of the thing you own? That itself Second, determine what is at what age would the Typically, it is a spouse. many other considerations deceased person get their may be a reason to draft happens to minor chil- minor children inherit the But it is wise to have a in regard to your will, but possessions, property and a will. dren. assets left to them in the backup executor in case for most Tennesseans, this money. Here are three things If you have minor chil- will. Because they are your spouse dies before simple list is all that you Now, if someone does you should consider when dren, an essential consid- minors, they are not legally you or you die at the same need to answer, provide to not really care who gets drafting a simple will: eration to address would allowed to be given monies time.