Cover courtesy of The Nashville Scene and photographer Michael W. Bunch

What a way to end 2012.



Two teachers in Metro Schools have been named Nashvillians of the Year by the Nashville Scene. Adam Taylor of Overton High School and Christina McDonald of Nashville Prep Charter School represent the teachers who "give Nashville's schoolchildren, no matter what their background, a fighting chance to reach their brightest future."



 In a lengthy and detailed article, reporter Steven Hale lays out the bare - and sometimes forgotten - fact in our city's current debate over education: whether charter school or district school, great teachers are at the center of great education.



It's a great piece, and I strongly recommend you take a few moments to read the full article so you can see how teachers like Christina and Adam can bring the focus of the education discussion back where it belongs.

The Scene would like to refocus the discussion of public education not on differences and squabbles, but on the enormous asset that charter and public schools have in common: the teachers who are the most active, direct agents of hope Nashville's children will face outside the home. As our 2012 Nashvillians of the Year, the Scene honors two such instructors: one from a charter school, Christina McDonald at Nashville Prep, and one from a traditional Metro district school, Adam Taylor at Overton High. They are hardly alone. Space does not permit us to list the many outstanding district and charter teachers who slug it out in Nashville's trenches throughout the school year, fighting the shared enemies of poverty, hunger, troubled home lives, behavioral problems, language barriers, bad outside influences and limited resources. But McDonald and Taylor are sterling examples of what can be accomplished by creative thinking, supportive administrators, and sheer determination. To look inside their classrooms is to see small miracles happen every day — and to see a brighter future for Nashville schoolchildren of all races and backgrounds than statistics sometimes let us hope.

Read the full article here.

Hey art teachers! The Nossi College of Art has something for you.



Help them design a new tote bag and you could win $500 in art supplies for your classroom.



Full details:

Nossi College of Art believes an arts education is important for all high school students. Because of this, Nossi is hosting Art Makes Cent$, a contest open to all Middle Tennessee art teachers! Win and you will receive a Nossi College of Art goody bag plus a $500 gift card to Plaza Art Materials to help buy art supplies for your classroom. During the 2012/2013 school year, admissions rep Gerald Graves will be contacting Middle Tennessee high school art teachers to participate in Art Makes Cent$. Art teachers should design their Nossi recycled bag, take a picture of the finished design and send the picture to Libby Funke, LFunke@nossi.edu, before March 15, 2013. Photos will be posted to Facebook on March 25, 2013. The contest will run for 2 weeks. Fans from Nossi College of Art’s Facebook page will be asked to vote on their favorite design. The teacher with the most ‘likes’ will receive a $500 gift card to Plaza Art Materials. Use this money to buy art supplies for your classroom! Want to make sure you receive a Nossi recycled bag? Contact Gerald to schedule a visit with your classroom! 615/514.2787 or GGraves@nossi.edu

Nine Metro Schools educators, including teachers and coordinators, took a ride with Sally Ride Science Academy sponsored by ExxonMobil. Through this program, each teacher will learn new and innovative strategies to help raise student interest in science subjects and careers.



Congratulations to the following teachers selected for the Academy:

• Nicole Kloor-Janz, Maxwell Elementary


• Hildateri Parks, Lakeview Elementary


• Amanda Sheaffer, Tom Joy Elementary


• Shauntel Jennings, Isaac Litton Middle


• Stephanie Lankford, McMurray Middle


• Carlene Taylor, Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet


• Mary Jane Woomer, DuPont-Hadley Middle


• Ernestine Saville-Brock, MNPS Mathematics Coordinator


• Sarah Baker, MNPS Science Coordinator

Front Row: Debra Jenson, Kimberly Osborne, Jennifer Norton, Keri Davis, Lauryn Crabtree Back Row: Lisa Baranoski, Darcie Finch, Ernestine Saville-Brock (math coordinator), David Williams

The Tennessee Department of Education is putting the work of the Common Core transition into the hands of those who know best - a few of Metro's top teachers!



As Tennessee gears up to implement the Common Core State Standards in grades 3-8 math next school year, more than 200 teachers from across the state will spend their summer as Core Coaches, helping colleagues in their districts navigate the transition to the rigorous standards.



“This is an exciting moment for Tennessee as we take the important concepts of the Common Core State Standards directly to classroom teachers where they will have the biggest impact for children,” said Emily Barton, assistant commissioner for curriculum and instruction for the Tennessee Department of Education.



More than 400 teachers applied to be Core Coaches, and the 205 chosen state-wide went through a rigorous application process. Kicking off the transition process to new standards and assessments, they will now spend the spring training to lead sessions this summer for more than 11,000 teachers across the state.

The faculty and staff at Whitsitt Elementary will soon dedicate the school’s gymnasium to Ray Whittaker, a 35-year member of the Whitsitt family.  Sunday, April 15, at 2 p.m., the Whittsitt community will gather to celebrate at a special dedication ceremony.

Whittaker dedicated more than three decades to the students, staff and families of Whitsitt Elementary. During his tenure, he served as physical education teacher and principal designee. He also served as a mentor, friend, and father figure to many. He encouraged and inspired countless young people including their family. Even after retirement, Whittaker remained active in the profession serving as a substitute teacher.  Whittaker passed on August 28, 2011.

Kimberly Woodard, eighth grade science teacher at Apollo Middle, is among the top in her class, and for good reason! The district Teacher of the Year finalist says she feels “overwhelmed and truly honored to be considered” for the award.

Woodard was inspired to teach by her fifth grade teacher, Robert Mitchell, who showed the class how to be an adult advocate for students. Woodard says he taught them life lessons beyond the academic setting.

Now in her 14th year of teaching, Woodard says the parts she enjoys most are developing relationships with the students and the creativity she is able to employ daily.

“When a teacher has established relationships with his/her students it cultivates an atmosphere of trust,” Woodard says. “I have found that when students know that you genuinely care about them as individuals, they are not only more compliant, but more motivated to learn. On the other hand, my ability to be autonomous and creative as a teacher is just as rewarding. I really enjoy creating authentic and interesting science lessons for my students.”

Woodard attended Tennessee State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in biology as well as a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. She received a second master’s in educational leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University.

When she isn’t teaching, Woodard is generally found giving back to her community. She frequently volunteers at the Sexual Assault Center, Nashville Rescue Mission and Hickory Hollow Towers, an assisted living facility in Antioch. She also works monthly with the ladies of the Nashville Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., to feed homeless women.

Next Friday, find out why Stratford teacher Simyka Carlton feels she was born to teach!   

Board Member & Sports Fan Mark North

Proud Elementary School Teacher – Greatness Groomed Early

The North Sports Report visited Chadwell Elementary School recently and chatted with Music teacher extraordinaire Marsha Brewer who spoke fondly of a former Chadwell student named Devin Wilson and pointed out that Devin recently received the Collegiate Scholar-Athlete Award from the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, after leading the TSU Tigers in receiving this year and carrying a 3.15 grade point average. TSU’s Coach Rod Reed described the Chadwell Elementary alumnus as “a true student-athlete. He is a great role model for young kids and spends time reaching out to our youth.” Mrs. Brewer remembers Devin as “a great music student.”



Every high school and college scholar is built on a foundation of tremendous elementary school and middle school teachers. Congratulations to Devin and to Chadwell Elementary!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Can you imagine receiving a scholar-athlete award from a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Thanks to retired MNPS athletic director Scott Brunette, sports photo-journalist Mike Strasinger, and the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, these scholar-athletes have a memento to treasure, and the North Sports Report proudly shares the pictures with you.

PHOTOS of Student Athlete Awards

MNPS: The First Choice for Tremendous Teachers

Jenny Gambill, third grade teacher at Glengarry Elementary, is more than just a proud MNPS teacher and finalist for this year's Teacher of the Year. She is also an alumni of Overton High School. In fact, her third and fourth grade teachers, Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Rogers, at Tusculum Elementary were key reasons she entered the profession. The pair served as inspirations and showed Gambill that learning can be fun and rewarding.

When asked what she loves most about teaching, Gambill replied, “My favorite part of teaching is when I see that spark in mystudents’ eyes when they finally get what they’ve been struggling with. I know that I’ve succeeded as a teacher when I can reach them.”

Gambill says that being a finalist for Teacher of the Year is humbling and a great honor because there are so many outstanding educators in the district.

Gambill attended McMurray Middle and graduated from Overton High before enrolling at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She holds a bachelor’s degree in deaf education and elementary education. She is in her 28th year of teaching with Metro Nashville Public Schools.

When she isn’t teaching, Gambill’s family takes priority. She and her husband enjoy spending time with their three sons, three daughter-in-laws, and one granddaughter. She also enjoys walking, reading, bicycling, movie-going, home decorating and other outdoor activities.

Gambill is a finalist for Metro Schools Elementary Teacher of the Year. This year’s Teacher of the Year Reception will be held Tuesday, April 16.

This Friday, Julie Hasjford, third grade teacher at Julia Green, shares why she was determined NOT to be a teacher and what changed her mind.

View the Complete List of 2012-13 Teachers of the Year

Nashville Teaching Fellows is now accepting applications for the 2012-13 school year. This project recruits recent college graduates and outstanding professionals to bring their knowledge into the classroom. Those selected will train in a intensive summer training program, and then pursue a teaching license during their first years in the classroom. 

What is Nashville Teaching Fellows?

The Nashville Teaching Fellows program is an initiative of Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) which recruits, selects, and trains high-achieving individuals from all backgrounds to teach in critical shortage subject areas and schools. It seeks to close the achievement gap in Nashville’s schools and ensure that every child, regardless of background, has excellent teachers.

Nashville Teaching Fellows (NTF) is unique because it seeks candidates who want to make a long-term career change to teaching. We help Fellows achieve that goal by providing intense pre-service training, and by working with them to find full-time teaching positions in MNPS. NTF is different from other alternative route licensure programs because Fellows teach full time in their own classroom and earn salary and benefits as full time MNPS employees while they are also taking evening classes offered by NTF to pursue their Tennessee teaching license.

Who is Nashville Teaching Fellows looking for?

We are looking for applicants who realize that one teacher's influence can change the possibilities for numerous students. We want people who are leaders in their community and who possess the commitment, flexibility, and drive necessary to achieve success in the classroom. We want professionals, recent college graduates, parents, and individuals who want to be the difference in Nashville’s schools. There is no specific type of applicant that NTF is looking for, but we want candidates who will use their experience and energy to ensure that all of our students excel academically.

Previous coursework in education is not required, but candidates must:

• Possess a bachelor's degree (conferred by June 2012).
  


• Have an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher.
  


• Be eligible to work in the United States.
  


• Not currently, or have ever been, a fully-licensed teacher or a graduate of an education program designed to lead to licensure.
  


• Meet requirements for your subject area.
  


• Report any criminal records on your application.
  

For More Information:

To learn more about NTF visit our website: www.nashvilleteachingfellows.org or email us: info@nashvilleteachingfellows.org

Applications accepted online at www.nashvilleteachingfellows.org

Early Application Deadline is November 28, 2011.

Apply Today!

Thursday, Sept. 8, Norman Binkley Elementary teacher Betsy Cate will be featured as the News2 Educator of the Week. See what makes Cate standout in a special segment Thursday night at 10pm or Friday morning between 6 - 7 am.

Kenton Wesby, Madison Middle School, and Tanisha Wesby, Goodlettsville Elementary, have been invited to serve on the SECME National Advisory Council and as SECME Master Teacher Mentors throughout 2011-12. SECME has served as a key source of professional development for teachers, grades K-12, who focus on science, technology, engineering, and math - also known as STEM courses. According to a news release issued by SECME, as Master Teacher Mentors, the Wesbys will expand the role of SECME Master Teacher beyond the Summer Institute as Professional Learning Community Mentors. They will assist other teachers