The Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) hosted the East Fall District Meeting at Jefferson County High School in Jefferson County on September 27. “TSBA's Fall District Meetings provide our staff the opportunity to speak with our members and listen to their concerns on multiple topics. This allows us to advocate effectively on their behalf while providing them with information they need to make informed decisions for the students in their community,” said TSBA Executive Director Dr. Tammy Grissom. During the meeting, members of local boards of education and superintendents from the region participated in a survey where they expressed their opinions on a number of issues for the upcoming General Assembly.
For a press release, click here.
To view the photos from the meeting, click here.
Updating and Honoring School Boards TSBA East Fall District Meeting
The Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) hosted the East Fall District Meeting at Jefferson County High School in Jefferson County on September 27. “TSBA's Fall District Meetings provide our staff the opportunity to speak with our members and listen to their concerns on multiple topics. This allows us to advocate effectively on their behalf while providing them with information they need to make informed decisions for the students in their community,” said TSBA Executive Director Dr. Tammy Grissom. During the meeting, members of local boards of education and superintendents from the region participated in a survey where they expressed their opinions on a number of issues for the upcoming General Assembly.
AREA STUDENT HONORED
Each year TSBA honors one student from each of its nine districts who has achieved distinction in the areas of academics, community leadership, and engagement as part of its Student Recognition Award program. One of those nine students will win the statewide Student Recognition Award to be presented at the TSBA Annual Convention in November, which will include a $2,000 scholarship. The 2022 East District winner is Juliet Didenko of Sevier County. Juliet is a Senior at Gatlinburg-Pittman High School and has maintained a 4.0 GPA. She is a volunteer for the Women’s Care Center and volunteers regularly at St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Gatlinburg. She helped deliver groceries to the elderly during the pandemic. She has served as Junior BBQ Ambassador for the Sevierville Bloomin' BBQ Music and Food Festival and was also a 2022 Smoky Mountain Youth Leadership Graduate. Juliet currently serves as her school’s Drum Major and is an assistant coach for the competitive swim team.
AREA SCHOOL VOLUNTEER HONORED
Each year TSBA honors one school volunteer from each of its nine districts who have distinguished themselves by demonstrating exceptional commitment to volunteerism in a local school district. The district winner has exhibited exemplary leadership, creativity, cooperation and hard work in their service to a school. One of those nine volunteers will win the statewide School Volunteer Recognition Award to be presented at the TSBA Annual Convention in November, which will include a $1,000 grant to the school of their choice. The 2022 East District Volunteer Recognition Award winner is Jake Greear of Oak Ridge. As the PTSA President for Robertsville Middle School and the Oak Ridge School’s Volunteer of the Year, Jake spends a lot of his time helping within the Oak Ridge community. Jake organized volunteers, including himself, to raise funds during the annual PTSA donation drive to support students and staff in a wide variety of ways, from help sponsoring field trips to providing additional classroom supplies. He has served on the School Improvement Plan Committee and in this role worked as the reviewer of the annual school improvement plan. He has also worked to organize volunteers for school-wide programs such as school picture day, Robertsville Middle School Back to School Night, STEM Night, and Teacher Appreciation Luncheons.
AREA BOARD MEMBERS EARN HONORS
Several East District school board members earned TSBA Boardsmanship Awards in 2022. The awards are presented to individual board members who have achieved one of five levels of boardsmanship standards over the past year. The program is designed to recognize school board members for participation in board activities beyond the local level through a commitment to training, willingness to participate in workshops and a volunteer spirit. The Boardsmanship Award honors not only the quantity, but also the quality of participation. Levels I-IV are given at Fall District Meetings, while Level V Boardsmanship is awarded at the association’s annual convention in November. East District board members who were honored for their achievements this year were:
LEVEL I
Daniel Watson, Knox County Matthew Coleman, Lenoir City Kenneth Presley, Loudon County John Ridgell, Monroe County Tammy Howard, Morgan County Benjamin Stephens, Oak Ridge Erin Webb, Oak Ridge
Nancy Hamilton, Roane County Kristy Oran, Roane County
LEVEL II
Crystal Creekmore, Campbell County Marcus Long, Grainger County Kimberly Bridges, Loudon County Zack Cusick, Loudon County
John Ridgell, Monroe County Billy Ward, Morgan County Benjamin Stephens, Oak Ridge Erin Webb, Oak Ridge
Christy McCosh, Sweetwater
LEVEL III
Teresa Portwood, Anderson County Brent Lester, Campbell County David Queener, Clinton
Marcus Long, Grainger County Kimberly Bridges, Loudon County Sharon Freeman, Monroe County Benjamin Stephens, Oak Ridge
Jon Campbell, Sweetwater
LEVEL IV
Marcus Long, Grainger County
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