It is the Holiday season and time to cook and bake.
Last week, we wrote up two great recipes (pumpkin cake and derby pie) and we're looking for more.
If you have a GREAT Holiday recipe you want to share with your Hendersonville friends, email us: newshendersonville@gmail.com
We'll publish the great-sounding (and tasting) ones for all of Hendersonville to see and share.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
County Commission Shopping Spree
Mike Towle takes the County Commission to task for their big spending ways just months after they refused to open the pocketbook for schools.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Holiday Recipes
Here are two reader submitted Holiday dessert recipes...both sound delicious:
Derby Pie
No, it is NOT Derby season. But yes, this pie will fit right in to your Thanksgiving table:
Ingredients:
3 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
2 tsp Vanilla
3 TBSP Bourbon
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 TBSP melted butter
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
9 or 10 inch pie shell
Beat eggs well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Add pecans and chocolate chips last. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 35 min. Cover crust with foil to prevent over-cooking in last 15 mins. Top with whipped cream and serve
Gooey Pumpkin Cake
1 butter recipe yellow cake mix (Duncan Hines is preferred)
1 egg
1 stick of butter (melted)
Mix above and press down into a 13x9 baking dish
8 oz cream cheese
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 stick of butter, softened
16 oz box powdered sugar
15 oz can of pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
mix above with mixer and pour on top of cake mix
Bake at 350 45 minutes or until done in the middle
Derby Pie
No, it is NOT Derby season. But yes, this pie will fit right in to your Thanksgiving table:
Ingredients:
3 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
2 tsp Vanilla
3 TBSP Bourbon
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 TBSP melted butter
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
9 or 10 inch pie shell
Beat eggs well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Add pecans and chocolate chips last. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 35 min. Cover crust with foil to prevent over-cooking in last 15 mins. Top with whipped cream and serve
Gooey Pumpkin Cake
1 butter recipe yellow cake mix (Duncan Hines is preferred)
1 egg
1 stick of butter (melted)
Mix above and press down into a 13x9 baking dish
8 oz cream cheese
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 stick of butter, softened
16 oz box powdered sugar
15 oz can of pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
mix above with mixer and pour on top of cake mix
Bake at 350 45 minutes or until done in the middle
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
School Board Meets Tonight
With a rather thorough agenda, including how to handle potential teacher layoffs should they be required next year (hint: absent new county funding, teacher layoffs seem very likely next school year).
They'll also be discussing the retirement package they plan to offer employees who retire by June 30, 2013.
They'll also be discussing the retirement package they plan to offer employees who retire by June 30, 2013.
County Commission Passes Bailout Bill
Last night, the Sumner County Commission passed a spending package that included a $3 million bailout of the County Insurance Trust.
Why the bailout? Because the Trust is $6 million in the red. That's right, if the Trust were to payout all outstanding claims right now, it'd be at a negative balance of $6 million. So, adding $3 million and adopting some cost-saving measures will allow the Trust to continue.
How did it get this way? YEARS of mismanagement by the County Commission. They consistently under-funded the Trust and now, the chickens are coming home to roost.
Where's the money coming from? The Hospital Reserve Fund. The County has a grand total of nearly $30 million in reserves. However, during the recent budget battle over schools, Hospital fund money was not allowed to be spent on school funding, even for school capital projects.
The Commission also approved funding for 3 libraries and an emergency response center.
It was pointed out that the County can barely operate the libraries it has now. Comm. Chris Hughes asked how the Millersville Library's long-term operating costs would be covered -- no one could answer this question. Comm. Goode asked about where the funds would come from to support over $7 million in technology upgrades needed for schools because of federal testing mandates. No one could answer this. Comm. Hughes (rumored to be considering a 2014 run for County Executive) asked about the $26 million in outstanding school capital projects that have yet to be funded. No one had an answer. Comm. Goode asked about the scrutiny and due diligence paid to these library projects. Again, no solid answers were given.
Lots of questions, no answers. A badly mismanaged insurance trust and a $3 million bailout funded at the expense of other worthy needs. At the end of the night, the project list passed with a 17-6 vote. No word on when the community can expect to hear more answers to these critical questions.
Why the bailout? Because the Trust is $6 million in the red. That's right, if the Trust were to payout all outstanding claims right now, it'd be at a negative balance of $6 million. So, adding $3 million and adopting some cost-saving measures will allow the Trust to continue.
How did it get this way? YEARS of mismanagement by the County Commission. They consistently under-funded the Trust and now, the chickens are coming home to roost.
Where's the money coming from? The Hospital Reserve Fund. The County has a grand total of nearly $30 million in reserves. However, during the recent budget battle over schools, Hospital fund money was not allowed to be spent on school funding, even for school capital projects.
The Commission also approved funding for 3 libraries and an emergency response center.
It was pointed out that the County can barely operate the libraries it has now. Comm. Chris Hughes asked how the Millersville Library's long-term operating costs would be covered -- no one could answer this question. Comm. Goode asked about where the funds would come from to support over $7 million in technology upgrades needed for schools because of federal testing mandates. No one could answer this. Comm. Hughes (rumored to be considering a 2014 run for County Executive) asked about the $26 million in outstanding school capital projects that have yet to be funded. No one had an answer. Comm. Goode asked about the scrutiny and due diligence paid to these library projects. Again, no solid answers were given.
Lots of questions, no answers. A badly mismanaged insurance trust and a $3 million bailout funded at the expense of other worthy needs. At the end of the night, the project list passed with a 17-6 vote. No word on when the community can expect to hear more answers to these critical questions.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Losing Focus?
So, the Focus Academies are going to be more focused on STEM ... and not so much on other things (like health occupations, performing arts, AP, or IB)
Here are some survey results and a presentation that explains what's happening next.
Several reasons. 1) The community at large is most interested in STEM - so, it seems that whatever school got the STEM Academy would be in highest demand -- that was originally Gallatin). 2) Budget issues. It's not clear at all that the County Commission would support a fully-functional focus academy system 3) Some change is needed to move the district forward -- math continues to be a weakness and there is demand for STEM skills.
This option is offered as a means of moving toward Focus Academies at a reduced cost. Of course, the district did not hire 28 needed teachers this year and struggled to start school because of lack of proper funding.
Capital project money was moved to the General Purpose Fund meaning needed physical improvements have been further delayed.
There is (was) significant risk that if the District moved ahead with a Focus Academy plan, it would not be funded at the Commission level and therefore would create all kinds of disturbances for students in terms of plans and programs. Not to mention faculty who may have been hired and then would have to be let go.
So, aside from STEMing the tide of inadequate funding, the focus is on survival.
Here are some survey results and a presentation that explains what's happening next.
Several reasons. 1) The community at large is most interested in STEM - so, it seems that whatever school got the STEM Academy would be in highest demand -- that was originally Gallatin). 2) Budget issues. It's not clear at all that the County Commission would support a fully-functional focus academy system 3) Some change is needed to move the district forward -- math continues to be a weakness and there is demand for STEM skills.
This option is offered as a means of moving toward Focus Academies at a reduced cost. Of course, the district did not hire 28 needed teachers this year and struggled to start school because of lack of proper funding.
Capital project money was moved to the General Purpose Fund meaning needed physical improvements have been further delayed.
There is (was) significant risk that if the District moved ahead with a Focus Academy plan, it would not be funded at the Commission level and therefore would create all kinds of disturbances for students in terms of plans and programs. Not to mention faculty who may have been hired and then would have to be let go.
So, aside from STEMing the tide of inadequate funding, the focus is on survival.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
$7 million in new spending
So, the County Commission's Budget Committee meets Tuesday at 6 PM to discuss, among other items, spending $7.25 million from the Hospital Reserve Fund.
The Commission is proposing to use these dollars to 1) make up for the giant hole in the insurance trust left by their own mismanagement of the program 2) Fund several possibly worthy public projects.
It is interesting to note that the dollar amount matches almost exactly the dollar amount requested by the School System this year during the budget battle.
It's also interesting that while the County Commission refused to spend the money on schools because the money had to be spent on an "economic development purpose" they are now proposing to use $3 million to balance the insurance trust - which hardly seems an "economic development purpose" and is rather a "crisis avoidance purpose." The other projects may or may not merit expenditures from the County -- but remember, we didn't seem to have ANY money available for schools back in August. Now, it's fine to spend over $7 million on a BIG mistake and on special projects.
Again, that meeting is at 6 PM on Tuesday. Will the Budget Committee authorize these expenditures? Will doing so pass legal muster? Stay tuned ...
The Commission is proposing to use these dollars to 1) make up for the giant hole in the insurance trust left by their own mismanagement of the program 2) Fund several possibly worthy public projects.
It is interesting to note that the dollar amount matches almost exactly the dollar amount requested by the School System this year during the budget battle.
It's also interesting that while the County Commission refused to spend the money on schools because the money had to be spent on an "economic development purpose" they are now proposing to use $3 million to balance the insurance trust - which hardly seems an "economic development purpose" and is rather a "crisis avoidance purpose." The other projects may or may not merit expenditures from the County -- but remember, we didn't seem to have ANY money available for schools back in August. Now, it's fine to spend over $7 million on a BIG mistake and on special projects.
Again, that meeting is at 6 PM on Tuesday. Will the Budget Committee authorize these expenditures? Will doing so pass legal muster? Stay tuned ...
Monday, November 5, 2012
Dogs and the Arts
Steve Brown is counting on lovers of the performing arts ... and of dogs to support his campaign:
Tommy Elsten Campaign Commercial
Here it is: Tommy Elsten's positive spot about why he should be Mayor:
Friday, November 2, 2012
SURGing into an impact
Or so they claim... will SURG sway city voters? And if so, what will a SURG-run Hendersonville look like?
Thursday, November 1, 2012
But what if the schools were fully-funded?
Dr. Phillips sent out this email announcing Sumner County's success on the State Report Card. There's lots of improvement to be noted. Which means our teachers and staff are doing an amazing job in spite of inadequate funding.
Here's the message:
Hello All,
The Tennessee Department of Education released studentperformance data this morning in the 2012 Report Card. As your Director of Schools, I want you all to know how proud I am of each and every one of you. Sumner County made great gains this year, and we need to celebrate those gains. We are all part of the same team – our custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, teachers, teacher assistants, principals, parents, and students; and we each play a pivotal role in our system’s success. The dedication and hard work of each and every one of you contributed to the success of each student, each classroom, each school, and our district. Day-in and day-out, you are on the front lines preparing students for success and expanding their opportunities. For that, I say, “Thank you and congratulations!”
There are too many success areas to mention in this letter, but I do want to give attention to a few. As far as academic achievement, our system improved by one letter grade in two of the four content areas. That’s wonderful! We failed to make an “A” in math by only one point. Had we achieved a 55 in math, our district would have had straight As in achievement.
Math
2011 B
2012 B
Rdg/LA
2011 B
2012 A
SS
2011 A
2012 A
Science
2011 B
2012 A
In grades three through five, we saw the percentage ofstudents performing at proficient and advanced levels increase in all four subject areas, with the most improvement in math. When comparing data from 2010 to 2012, 15.6% more students performed at proficient and advanced levels in math.
The story is the same for grades six through eight. More students performed at the proficient and advanced levels than the past year(s). Again, the percentage of students performing at these levels grew from 28.2% in 2010 to 47.1%, with science seeing an increase from 59.3% to 74.1%.
Our algebra I students were also top-notch performers. Twelve percent more students scored proficient and advanced compared to last school year, and our ACT composite score increased from 20.1 to 20.5.
As far as value added is concerned, Sumner County improved three letter grades, missing a “C” in reading/language arts by one tenth of a point. Math improved by two letter grades!
Math
2011 D
2012 B
Rdg/LA
2011 D
2012 D
SS
2011 C
2012 B
Science
2011 F
2012 D
Our attendance rate is holding steady at 95.9 for K-8 and 94.5 for grades 9-12. This tells me that you make our schools safe, fun, and welcoming environments where students want to be.
Finally, our graduation rate (which is our main purpose) improved from 89.6% in 2011 to 91.2% in 2012.
The true mark of a great school system is its people. I am continually amazed by the willingness of our employees to go the extra mile to do what is needed for our students to realize their greatest potential. I can’t say enough about how proud I am of the hard work and dedication it took from each and every one of you to achieve such impressive results. These resultsshow that we truly are Sumner Strong!
Again, I say, “Thank you!” YOU make THE difference everyday!
Your Director of Schools,
Del R. Phillips III, Ph.D.
Here's the message:
Hello All,
The Tennessee Department of Education released studentperformance data this morning in the 2012 Report Card. As your Director of Schools, I want you all to know how proud I am of each and every one of you. Sumner County made great gains this year, and we need to celebrate those gains. We are all part of the same team – our custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, teachers, teacher assistants, principals, parents, and students; and we each play a pivotal role in our system’s success. The dedication and hard work of each and every one of you contributed to the success of each student, each classroom, each school, and our district. Day-in and day-out, you are on the front lines preparing students for success and expanding their opportunities. For that, I say, “Thank you and congratulations!”
There are too many success areas to mention in this letter, but I do want to give attention to a few. As far as academic achievement, our system improved by one letter grade in two of the four content areas. That’s wonderful! We failed to make an “A” in math by only one point. Had we achieved a 55 in math, our district would have had straight As in achievement.
Math
2011 B
2012 B
Rdg/LA
2011 B
2012 A
SS
2011 A
2012 A
Science
2011 B
2012 A
In grades three through five, we saw the percentage ofstudents performing at proficient and advanced levels increase in all four subject areas, with the most improvement in math. When comparing data from 2010 to 2012, 15.6% more students performed at proficient and advanced levels in math.
The story is the same for grades six through eight. More students performed at the proficient and advanced levels than the past year(s). Again, the percentage of students performing at these levels grew from 28.2% in 2010 to 47.1%, with science seeing an increase from 59.3% to 74.1%.
Our algebra I students were also top-notch performers. Twelve percent more students scored proficient and advanced compared to last school year, and our ACT composite score increased from 20.1 to 20.5.
As far as value added is concerned, Sumner County improved three letter grades, missing a “C” in reading/language arts by one tenth of a point. Math improved by two letter grades!
Math
2011 D
2012 B
Rdg/LA
2011 D
2012 D
SS
2011 C
2012 B
Science
2011 F
2012 D
Our attendance rate is holding steady at 95.9 for K-8 and 94.5 for grades 9-12. This tells me that you make our schools safe, fun, and welcoming environments where students want to be.
Finally, our graduation rate (which is our main purpose) improved from 89.6% in 2011 to 91.2% in 2012.
The true mark of a great school system is its people. I am continually amazed by the willingness of our employees to go the extra mile to do what is needed for our students to realize their greatest potential. I can’t say enough about how proud I am of the hard work and dedication it took from each and every one of you to achieve such impressive results. These resultsshow that we truly are Sumner Strong!
Again, I say, “Thank you!” YOU make THE difference everyday!
Your Director of Schools,
Del R. Phillips III, Ph.D.
An apple for teachers?
House candidate Jeanette Jackson has another press release -- she's standing with teachers.
Full text below:
45th District State House candidate Jeanette Jackson today stated she stands with Sumner County teachers and will fight for them if elected to the General Assembly.
“Our teachers have been under attack,” Jackson said. “The outgoing representative was relentless in her attacks on teachers – from diminishing the role of their professional association to pushing down a clumsy, ineffective evaluation system. Our teachers and schools deserve better.
Jackson noted that her opponent, Courtney Rogers, also supports Maggart’s positions on teachers.
“Courtney Rogers said during the primary that she agreed with Maggart on just about every education issue,” Jackson said. “In fact, Rogers’ describes her own education views as to the right of Maggart. That’s extreme and not right for Sumner County.
Jackson said that as the next state representative for the 45th District, she’ll fight for teachers every single day.
“I’ve worked in a public school for 30 years,” Jackson said. “I work with teachers every day. Our schools only succeed when we support our teachers. It’s time for a representative who will fight to repeal this silly, time-consuming evaluation system that takes time away from meaningful instruction. We need a plan developed by teachers who are in classrooms every day – not designed by bureaucrats in Nashville.
“I’m proud of the work our teachers and school employees do every day and I’ll fight for them every single day when I’m your state representative.”
Full text below:
45th District State House candidate Jeanette Jackson today stated she stands with Sumner County teachers and will fight for them if elected to the General Assembly.
“Our teachers have been under attack,” Jackson said. “The outgoing representative was relentless in her attacks on teachers – from diminishing the role of their professional association to pushing down a clumsy, ineffective evaluation system. Our teachers and schools deserve better.
Jackson noted that her opponent, Courtney Rogers, also supports Maggart’s positions on teachers.
“Courtney Rogers said during the primary that she agreed with Maggart on just about every education issue,” Jackson said. “In fact, Rogers’ describes her own education views as to the right of Maggart. That’s extreme and not right for Sumner County.
Jackson said that as the next state representative for the 45th District, she’ll fight for teachers every single day.
“I’ve worked in a public school for 30 years,” Jackson said. “I work with teachers every day. Our schools only succeed when we support our teachers. It’s time for a representative who will fight to repeal this silly, time-consuming evaluation system that takes time away from meaningful instruction. We need a plan developed by teachers who are in classrooms every day – not designed by bureaucrats in Nashville.
“I’m proud of the work our teachers and school employees do every day and I’ll fight for them every single day when I’m your state representative.”
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