Local teacher named Tennessee's Outstanding Technology Teacher of the Year
A Hamilton County Schools teacher has been named the Outstanding Technology Teacher of the Year by the Tennessee Educational Technology Association.
Nikki Russell is a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) teacher at Orchard Knob Elementary School, where she works to provide STEM opportunities to the school's often underserved population. Last year, she organized more than 60 learning exploration field trips for students.
"Nikki is an amazing classroom teacher that cultivates her students to have a desire to create and learn with technology," reads a statement from Greg Bagby, the coordinator of instructional technology for Hamilton County Schools. "She is the type of teacher you can put anything on her plate, and you know it will get done. Sometimes you think maybe she does too much, and yet she keeps the plates spinning. I am not at all surprised by this honor - greatness can't be ignored."
Russell is a certified Google Educator, Apple Teacher, Ozobot Certified Educator, and Microsoft Educator, she is also a graduate of the Public Education Foundation's Leadership and STEM Fellows programs. She is also a facilitator for Tech Goes Home Chattanooga, a part of The Enterprise Center, which partners with schools, libraries, churches, and nonprofits to offer free technology courses to Hamilton County residents.
County announces minors of Hamilton Shines billboard art contest
Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger recently visited several Hamilton County schools to recognize the winners of the annual Hamilton Shines Billboard Art Contest.
The contest was developed to help reduce the practice of littering through education and enforcement, and students are encouraged to help raise awareness about the problem.
Winners included: Jillian Neal, a fifth grader at Nolan Elementary for the Elementary School Division; Carrigan Hudson, a seventh grader at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School for the Middle School Division; and Elma Verdugo, an eleventh grader at The Howard School for the High School Division.
Each student received a plaque, pin and a poster rendition of their billboard. The billboard featuring their artwork will also be posted near their school. The Hamilton Shines Billboard Art Contest is co-sponsored by the Scenic Cities Beautiful Commission in cooperation with the Hamilton County Department of Education.
Ooltewah High Spanish class receives $1K grant from McKee
Students at Ooltewah High School recently received brand new comprehension-based second language acquisition readers, or textbooks, for their Spanish class thanks to the McKee Baking Company, distributors of Little Debbie.
Haven Caylor-Brown, a Spanish teacher at the school, applied for a grant through McKee in order to purchase the materials. The readers allow the Spanish language students to read popular novels in Spanish so they can make the language more relevant and meaningful, according to a press release.
"With our grant money, we have purchased four classroom sets of Spanish readers and their supplemental instructional materials," Caylor-Brown said in a statement. "The readers and their supplemental materials are awesome tools that help our World Language teachers maintain a classroom environment where 90 percent of the instruction and learning is in the target language."
Taylor Elementary chorus students perform at Cleveland State
Taylor Elementary students recently performed for more than 200 faculty and staff members at Cleveland State Community College.
The school's chorus, led by Taylor Elementary music teacher Leah Hughes and accompanied by teacher Alice Smith, provided the entertainment for Cleveland State's annual Holiday Luncheon in the Mathis Student Center last week.
The Taylor Elementary School Chorus, accompanied by music teacher Leah Hughes (far right), teacher Alice Smith and Cleveland State Community College President Bill Seymour (back), performed at Cleveland State's Annual Holiday Luncheon on Dec. 6 in the Mathis Student Center. Photo courtesy of Cleveland State Community College. Contributed Photo/Times Free Press.Approximately 200 faculty and staff were on hand to enjoy the performance. Taylor Elementary and Cleveland State are long-time BEST (Business and Education Serving Together) partners through the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce.
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