It looks like the District 6 School Board race is shaping up to pit incumbent Danny Hale against respected educator Nancy Glover.
Glover currently serves as principal at Jack Anderson Elementary. It is expected she will retire this year.
Hale has faced questions about his business dealings over the past year. His reputation is one of a combative, angry board member who often makes off the wall suggestions. He once insisted the Board study and revise the policy on Cheerleading squads when his own daughter wasn't selected for the squad at her school.
He also supported the questionable move to rename Knox Doss Middle School to Station Camp, costing taxpayers at least $70,000.
Neither candidate has officially filed, though reports seem to indicate Glover will certainly make the race.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Glover Pulls Papers to Run for School Board
Dr. Nancy Glover, Principal of Jack Anderson Elementary, has pulled papers to run for School Board in District 6, the seat currently held by Danny Hale. There's no indication yet on whether or not Hale will seek re-election.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Full Day Kindergarten Coming to Sumner Schools...
...And unfortunately, it's happening with little public input.
This story details the Board's unanimous approval of full day Kindergarten on January 17th.
According to the story, the final decision could be made on Feb. 21st -- and if so, the change would take effect in the 2012-2013 academic year.
Some teachers and parents have expressed frustration that they were not consulted about this decision.
In the past, significant changes like this one have been submitted to parents and teachers via survey and listening meetings. No such surveys were conducted about full day Kindergarten. Teachers contacted have said they are not supportive of the move and wish they had been consulted.
Director of Schools Del Phillips recently conducted a "Listen and Learn" tour of Sumner County and did not mention an overwhelming desire by parents for a full day Kindergarten program.
It appears there may be benefits to the program, though teachers believe it also has some drawbacks - including the need for a nap time for students and a very exhausting first few weeks of school for 5-year-old children.
Tune in the Feb. 21st Board meeting to see if Kindergarten will be full day in Sumner in 2012-13.
This story details the Board's unanimous approval of full day Kindergarten on January 17th.
According to the story, the final decision could be made on Feb. 21st -- and if so, the change would take effect in the 2012-2013 academic year.
Some teachers and parents have expressed frustration that they were not consulted about this decision.
In the past, significant changes like this one have been submitted to parents and teachers via survey and listening meetings. No such surveys were conducted about full day Kindergarten. Teachers contacted have said they are not supportive of the move and wish they had been consulted.
Director of Schools Del Phillips recently conducted a "Listen and Learn" tour of Sumner County and did not mention an overwhelming desire by parents for a full day Kindergarten program.
It appears there may be benefits to the program, though teachers believe it also has some drawbacks - including the need for a nap time for students and a very exhausting first few weeks of school for 5-year-old children.
Tune in the Feb. 21st Board meeting to see if Kindergarten will be full day in Sumner in 2012-13.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
School Lunch Program Under Attack...
...Or, another example of how Sumner County fails to properly fund its schools.
This article details a recent School Board study session during which numerous questions were asked about the School Lunch program in Sumner County.
There seems to be little need for a full scale audit, however.
The School Lunch program is totally self-supporting. That is: all food, equipment, salaries and benefits are paid by the money collected from selling lunches. Also, the program is efficient at collecting debts -- at the end of last year, there was only a total of $700 in unpaid lunch accounts. In a system of 28,000 students, that's remarkable.
So, why are costs higher than surrounding counties?
As School Nutrition Director Linda Becker points out, in other systems, the County and/or the School Board pays the salaries of employees. That means the school lunch money collected only need cover the cost of equipment, utilities, and food. If the Board would pick up the $200,000+ annual cost of utilities currently being billed to the lunch program, the cost could be even lower.
The School Board might look at a budget that includes full funding of salaries for school nutrition employees -- and if they do so, they could then ask that school lunch prices be lowered significantly.
This article details a recent School Board study session during which numerous questions were asked about the School Lunch program in Sumner County.
There seems to be little need for a full scale audit, however.
The School Lunch program is totally self-supporting. That is: all food, equipment, salaries and benefits are paid by the money collected from selling lunches. Also, the program is efficient at collecting debts -- at the end of last year, there was only a total of $700 in unpaid lunch accounts. In a system of 28,000 students, that's remarkable.
So, why are costs higher than surrounding counties?
As School Nutrition Director Linda Becker points out, in other systems, the County and/or the School Board pays the salaries of employees. That means the school lunch money collected only need cover the cost of equipment, utilities, and food. If the Board would pick up the $200,000+ annual cost of utilities currently being billed to the lunch program, the cost could be even lower.
The School Board might look at a budget that includes full funding of salaries for school nutrition employees -- and if they do so, they could then ask that school lunch prices be lowered significantly.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Mike McDonald Among Semi-Finalists for Vol State Presidency
12 have been chosen...former VSCC professor and long-time state Rep. Mike McDonald of Portland is on the list.
Hendersonville's Remaining Food Lion to Close
There's only one Food Lion left in Hendersonville...and it's closing within 30 days.
Hendersonville Gets New Legislative Reps
So, the battle over legislative districts is over - and Hendersonville will go from having two state representatives to three -- but also from having two state Senators to one.
The redistricting plan adopted by the legislature adds a few Hendersonville precincts to the district held by 44th District Rep. Mike McDonald of Portland. McDonald is a Democrat and the added precincts (two on the Indian Lake peninsula) are heavily Republican.
Additionally, some in Hendersonville will be represented by current Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver -- who represents a largely rural district in Smith and Dekalb counties. Her district now penetrates Sumner by way of Trousdale County and takes on the outskirts of Gallatin (Castalian Springs, Bethpage) and heads all the way over to Hendersonville.
We've not seen street level maps, but she seems to have SOME of the territory held now by Wilson County Rep. Linda Elam of Mt. Juliet.
Then, Debra Maggart, who currently represents most of Hendersonville in House District 45, will continue to do so. She also takes on all of Goodlettsville and territory up to White House...but loses the precincts she once held in Gallatin to McDonald.
On the Senate side, Sumner County will now have its own state Senator. But, the County will lose Mae Beavers of Wilson County who represented a small number of voters on the Indian Lake Peninsula. The plan also means that Kerry Roberts will no longer be in the Senate after this session. Instead, district 18 is essentially a brand new, open district. It includes all of Sumner, all of Trousdale, and the Old Hickory portion of Davidson County.
The filing deadline for these seats is April 5th.
The redistricting plan adopted by the legislature adds a few Hendersonville precincts to the district held by 44th District Rep. Mike McDonald of Portland. McDonald is a Democrat and the added precincts (two on the Indian Lake peninsula) are heavily Republican.
Additionally, some in Hendersonville will be represented by current Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver -- who represents a largely rural district in Smith and Dekalb counties. Her district now penetrates Sumner by way of Trousdale County and takes on the outskirts of Gallatin (Castalian Springs, Bethpage) and heads all the way over to Hendersonville.
We've not seen street level maps, but she seems to have SOME of the territory held now by Wilson County Rep. Linda Elam of Mt. Juliet.
Then, Debra Maggart, who currently represents most of Hendersonville in House District 45, will continue to do so. She also takes on all of Goodlettsville and territory up to White House...but loses the precincts she once held in Gallatin to McDonald.
On the Senate side, Sumner County will now have its own state Senator. But, the County will lose Mae Beavers of Wilson County who represented a small number of voters on the Indian Lake Peninsula. The plan also means that Kerry Roberts will no longer be in the Senate after this session. Instead, district 18 is essentially a brand new, open district. It includes all of Sumner, all of Trousdale, and the Old Hickory portion of Davidson County.
The filing deadline for these seats is April 5th.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Blue Goose AND KMart to Close...
...two Hendersonville icons, one with a Blue Plate Special and one famous for Blue Light Specials, are closing.
yep, the Blue Goose AND Kmart will soon be no more...
yep, the Blue Goose AND Kmart will soon be no more...
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Roberts May No Longer Be Sumner Senator
A new map released by Senate Republicans today indicates that Kerry Roberts, who currently represents Senate District 18 which includes most of Sumner and all of Robertson counties, may no longer be a state Senator after this legislative session.
The new map draws Roberts into a district currently held by fellow Republican Jim Summerville.
Sumner County and Trousdale County plus a tiny portion of Davidson County form the proposed 18th Senate District - essentially creating an open Senate seat with no incumbent ahead of the 2012 elections.
The new map draws Roberts into a district currently held by fellow Republican Jim Summerville.
Sumner County and Trousdale County plus a tiny portion of Davidson County form the proposed 18th Senate District - essentially creating an open Senate seat with no incumbent ahead of the 2012 elections.
Gallatin Football Coach Resigns
Robert Lassiter, the head football coach at Gallatin High for the past 14 years, has stepped down.
Lassiter was the head coach at Hendersonville High until 1998, when he took over for Gallatin.
Some have suggested that a soon-to-be-implemented policy that would end the practice of students and coaches having the last period of the school day reserved for practices led to Lassiter's decision. That's not mentioned in the News-Examiner story, but it will be interesting to see how that situation plays out in the 2012-13 academic year.
Lassiter was the head coach at Hendersonville High until 1998, when he took over for Gallatin.
Some have suggested that a soon-to-be-implemented policy that would end the practice of students and coaches having the last period of the school day reserved for practices led to Lassiter's decision. That's not mentioned in the News-Examiner story, but it will be interesting to see how that situation plays out in the 2012-13 academic year.
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