At Farragut Middle School, there’s a new, cutting-edge Print Shop program that’s changing the way students engage with their education.
Thanks to the vision of FMS administration and Brian Fogarty, a former math and science teacher turned creative leader, the school is embracing the challenge of bringing real-world experiences to these 6th- through 8th-graders.
“They’re designing, producing, marketing, and budgeting,” Fogarty said. “The students are doing everything themselves in the shop.”
The program is hands-on from day one. Students dive into every aspect of the process, from brainstorming designs to operating equipment like silkscreen presses and heat presses.
Fogarty is passionate about giving students real-world experiences, saying, “It’s all about giving them an opportunity. They’re going to mess up, but that’s part of learning.”
Students in 6th grade begin with a career awareness course where they are introduced to different areas in the industry, and they start career exploration in 7th grade before choosing their “department” for 8th grade.
“For a lot of them, this class has really helped to give them an outlet to show their creativity and be successful,” Fogarty reflects. “They’re shining stars here.”
The Print Shop isn’t just about making posters and T-shirts; it’s about teaching valuable skills like communication, problem-solving, and entrepreneurship. Students learn to work with customers, manage finances, and market their products. Fogarty envisions a future where students take these skills and run with them, whether starting their own Etsy stores or pursuing careers in design.
As the program continues to evolve, Fogarty is excited about the possibilities. From expanding partnerships with high schools to exploring new technologies like 3D printing, the Print Shop is just getting started.
“We’re giving them a little taste of everything,” Fogarty says with a smile. “Who knows where they’ll take it?”
In a world where creativity and innovation are more valuable than ever, Farragut Middle School’s Print Shop is leading the way. Thanks to dedicated educators like Brian Fogarty, the next generation of designers, entrepreneurs, and problem-solvers is already hard at work, shaping the future, one print at a time.
Today, as we observe School Security Officer Appreciation Day, we pay homage to the brave men and women who stand as the first line of defense in our schools.
Among them are four remarkable individuals from different corners of our district, each with their own unique journey, challenges, and heartfelt dedication to the safety and well-being of our students.
Officer Jay Gibson, Amherst Elementary School
After working in security for years, Jay Gibson made the switch to school security to be on the same schedule as his son when he began school.
A 13-year career allowed him to experience settings from Ridgedale School to Hardin Valley Middle – where his now-senior son attended at the time – to his current posting at Amherst Elementary.
“At Ridgedale, most of the kids’ paths were kind of chosen for them through their environments outside of school,” Gibson said. “I knew that if I could influence one percent of those kids, it would make all the difference.”
He remembers a special moment when he was directing traffic at HVMS during after-school pick-up when he heard a voice call, “Officer Jay! Officer Jay!” A student from Ridgedale recognized him and was excited to share his success in class and extracurriculars.
“He’d gotten farther than I thought he would, and even though his progress wasn’t directly because of me, it was a sense of team accomplishment, and he wanted to tell me about it,” he said.
Gibson hopes more people show interest in the field and see the positive impact school security officers have on their community.
Officer Kimberly Mays, Gresham Middle School
Similarly to Officer Gibson, Kimberly Mays pursued other passions before joining the KCS School Security Division 10 years ago.
After experiencing a high school and elementary school setting, Mays knew she found the place where she could do the most good for her community at Gresham Middle School.
Mays speaks passionately about the unique qualities and unending kindness of the students at Gresham, and Principal Melissa Glover described her as whole-heartedly unselfish and loving to all people in the building.
“She is so involved, and the kids love her,” Glover said. “When kids are upset, she is the go-to person for a lot of them. I’ve never seen someone who is so involved in their school.”
Her dedication to the safety and well-being of students earned her an Officer of the Year recognition, and she even earned the Life Saver Award when she sprung into action to offer life-saving aid to a staff member last year.
She notes there are stressful moments that come with the job.
Mays said that in the last few years, more of her attention has been devoted to hostile parents.
“It is important for people to know how the escalation of parents has changed the scope of our jobs,” she said. “I want that to be the smallest part of my job and for the majority to be championing kids and promoting positivity and encouragement.”
But, she says every day is a fresh start, and remains positive and focused on her goal of creating great experiences for all students.
Officer Lee “Izzy” McDermott, West View Elementary School
At 18 years old, Lee “Izzy” McDermott knew he wanted to work in law enforcement. After security jobs at a few different companies, a friend recommended checking out an SSO position.
Now in his second year with Knox County Schools, he’s serving in the school he once attended as a young boy.
“I know a lot of the parents here because I attended school with them,” McDermott said. “The principal, Amy Brace, was my gym teacher when I was at Sarah Moore Greene, and there are a few teachers that were here when I was in school.”
He says returning to his childhood school gives his job a bigger meaning.
“It’s a very surreal feeling,” he said. “I’ve lived in this community my whole life, and this fills me with a deeper sense of purpose serving in this school.”
His experience building relationships with the students at West View has been a highlight of his career. He plays basketball with them during recess and sets the example for good sportsmanship. He encourages them throughout the day and celebrates their successes with them.
McDermott said when his students win in the classroom, “it’s almost like a proud dad moment.”
Officer Lisa Smith, Karns Elementary School
Lisa Smith, like so many others, came to this position from years of working in security. Now in her eighth year at Karns Elementary, she said no two days are ever the same.
“You never know what to expect when you come in each morning,” she said. “I could have a slow day or be busy for eight hours. It’s an awesome experience as a school security officer, and it’s a big responsibility.”
Principal Jamey Romig knows Smith handles all situations at Karns with the utmost care and devotion.
“On the rare occasion that something does happen at school or in the community, she takes charge of our security,” Romig said. “When a tough decision needs to be made, I trust her 100% to take care of our school.”
Smith said being in uniform and gaining the trust of students has impacted a number of individuals.
“I’ve had families say to me, ‘My child was afraid of officers before she came here, and she’s not afraid anymore.’” She continued, “It makes you feel good because you’ve positively influenced a child’s perception of people like you who care for their safety.”
As we reflect on the dedication and sacrifice of our school security officers, let us take a moment to express our gratitude for their unwavering commitment to keeping our schools safe and nurturing environments for learning and growth. Their selfless service is a testament to the power of compassion, resilience, and community spirit.
A dinosaur roar is a common sound in Connie Mithcell’s classroom at Fort Sanders Educational Development Center, where she works with two extraordinary students, Dino and Aiden, who both require total care, are non-verbal, and have low vision.
Despite being medically fragile, Dino and Aiden share the same love for play as their peers — especially drums, sound toys, and roaring toy dinosaurs — their favorite.
To make this possible, Aiden and Dino’s toys are adapted to suit their abilities — typically equipped with large buttons, arms, or switches that allow them to activate the sounds, motion, and other multi-sensory experiences.
“Adaptive toys and musical instruments provide unique learners a better chance to experience the joys other children in traditional classrooms do,” Mitchell said. “Even if they can’t hold or grasp a drumstick, they can play the drums like other students with the push of a button.”
According to Special Education Supervisor Shelli Eberle, adaptive toys play a vital role in facilitating communicationandlearning for students like Dino and Aiden.
“Using highly-engaging, brightly-colored, noisy switch toys, allows us to offer a full sensory experience, regardless of a student’s skill or ability,” she said. “It’s a crucial element of their education.”
But, like any well-loved play thing, these adaptable toys sometimes break and have to be thrown in trash or put away until they can be fixed.
L&N STEM Academy math teacher Brooke Carter knew fixing broken toys was something her Physics, Mechanics, and Engineering School sophomores could do. It was a creative and challenging task perfectly suited for a class service project.
“Some kids learned new skills through this project, and others were able to practice things they had already learned in class,” Carter said.
During the evaluation process, students worked together to identify malfunctions and devise repair solutions.
“It was pretty obvious what was wrong with some of the toys,” said student Kenzie Self. “But for some, we had to test out their circuits and other functions. We even had to remove some of the fur on one toy so a broken arm could be soldered back on.”
“Normally when we make something, it gets taken apart to be used for something else,” reflected student William Bieber. “Repairing these toys felt like recycling – giving them a new life.”
“The whole giving-back aspect was really cool because it puts a bigger sense of meaning into it,” said L&N STEM student Vivienne Ratner. “It’s nice to do something for someone else and have fun doing it.”
This kind of hands-on learning is exactly what The 865 Academies are designed to provide. Thanks to a little creative problem-solving, Dino and Aiden’s dinosaurs weren’t the only things roaring back to life. When all was said and done, the students successfully repaired 10 toys to return to Fort Sanders EDC.
Both schools plan to continue their partnership, and expand it to help more schools across the district.
As the end of the year neared and anticipation grew to hear back about a life-changing scholarship, Austin-East senior Angeline Irankunda almost pulled her application so she didn’t feel disappointed if she wasn’t chosen.
But one day in early December, the email hit her inbox that she had earned a full-ride to Emory University through the QuestBridge Match Scholarship.
QuestBridge connects the brightest students from low-income backgrounds with elite colleges and universities across the nation. Only about 10% of applicants ultimately are matched with a school, and recipients are awarded with over $200,000 over a four-year period.
“This scholarship is set up to allow students to have access without barriers. It’s going to give her so much financial independence,” said Instructional Coach Lindsay Davis. “It’s so amazing to watch her realize how this is going to free her up to just be a student for the first time in her life.”
Austin-East counselor Katrina Thaxton introduced Irankunda to QuestBridge when she was a junior for the College Prep Scholars program. Through the program, students receive additional admissions resources and are five times more likely to earn the scholarship.
“I want her to speak to some of our high-achieving juniors and let them know about the opportunity that is there,” Thaxton said. “I’m hoping that we have multiple scholars, and they could move forward to be matched.”
At Emory, Irankunda is looking forward to studying psychology or elementary education. She feels drawn to working with children because of her own childhood experiences.
“I’ve always loved kids, and I feel like teaching would be my way of pouring into other kids,” she said. “In elementary and middle school, I got in a lot of trouble and nobody ever took time to figure out why I was acting like that. So I feel like if I were to become an educator, that would be my contribution – to be that good person for kids.”
As an immigrant from Tanzania, Irankunda has changed the outlook of her future by remaining focused on her goals since she first entered Austin-East High School.
“I think when she got to high school, she realized this was her last step before adulthood, and everything she does from the moment she stepped foot in this building was going to impact what comes next,” Davis said. “So she decided she wanted to be in the top of her class. She decided she wanted to take all the AP and honors classes. To watch her from day one recognize this is all leading to what she wants and not wanting to blow this chance has been so amazing.”
Four years of building maturity and working on her personal and educational goals have changed her life, and she’s not over yet.
“One of the things I wanted to do when I came to Austin-East was leave my legacy and show everyone that you can break the norms,” Irankunda said. “You can make history like I’m making history.”
Mia Warren has a family friend who is legally blind and has to rely on sighted individuals in order to experience things as visual as a museum.
In order to help her friend Campbell Rutherford, the Karns High School senior developed the MIA Project – Museums Increasing Accessibility – to expand the possibilities for the visually impaired. Her vision was brought to life at the East Tennessee History Center (ETHC) in downtown Knoxville.
Warren developed a website where information on artifacts can be uploaded and linked through a QR code. Users scan the code to play the audio or translate the text to their language.
“The speed that Campbell listens to things is beyond anything we can understand,” Warren said. “It’s super, super fast, so we decided to do a text file so you can speed it up or slow it down to whatever pace you’d like to listen.”
It is now possible for more people than ever before to experience the ETHC with this increased accessibility, and Warren hopes to expand the program throughout Knoxville and beyond.
Other local museums have reached out to the developer to bring the project to their locations, and she hopes to approach additional high-traffic places to deploy MIA.
This amazing project earned Warren a Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement given within the organization, and was celebrated during the kick-off event with a proclamation to make Jan. 4, 2024, “Mia Warren Appreciation Day.”
“The whole ribbon-cutting ceremony was just insane. I was trying to not cry the whole time,” she said. “Just being able to open this program and seeing people other than Campbell using it and seeing it be successful was really, really exciting.”
The student is high-achieving beyond this incredible accomplishment.
She has been a dedicated Girl Scout and dancer for over a dozen years, and the AP scholar has participated in the band with a sprinkling of additional clubs and commitments over the years – all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
“My friends have really pushed me a lot,” Warren said. “I have been in the same group of friends ever since middle school because we are all in honors and AP classes together, and we really push each other to work harder.”
Planning to attend the University of Tennessee to study plant genetics, she hopes to discover new ways to grow vegetation and help the planet. She shared a piece of advice for any student who hopes to pursue as much as she has while succeeding and mastering all she does: “Go beyond simple.”
Just days into her new role as executive principal principal, Sofia Roth makes it a point to visit every classroom each morning.
It’s a daily routine she’s kept up no matter what school she was in. Now at Richard Yoakley, it’s helped her to quickly get to know everyone at the school during her mid-year transition from Fulton.
“I’m a people person, and I like to make relationships wherever I go,” Roth said. “I want the students and teachers to see me everyday and have the opportunity to chat if they need to.”
The relationships she’s built throughout her 20+ year career in education have created a strong network that’s been helpful to her every step of the way. She still calls on the principals she’s had over time for advice and guidance.
As the first Latina executive principal at KCS, Roth also hopes to be that role model for those teachers like her who want to explore what they think is out of reach.
“There’s a handful of Latino teachers in the county, and my door is always open for those who might want to visit and shadow me,” Roth said. “You don’t know what life as an administrator could look like until you see it for yourself.”
She also connects with a lot of the students at her schools because, like many of them, she is the product of an ELL education.
“I hope some of them will see that there’s a world out there where they can do whatever they want to,” she said. “The other day I had a student ask if I thought she could do what I’m doing. I said, ‘Absolutely!’”
It’s her passion for building relationships that made her realize that she works really well with the at-risk populations in Knox County.
“I quickly discovered that a lot of those children don’t have people they can rely on,” Roth said. For this reason, she’s trying to change the perception of her new school placement. She continued: “I think that people hear ‘Richard Yoakley,’ and they run the other way; they think it’s a bad school, and it’s not. We have really good kids that made a mistake.”
Every morning at 7:15 a.m., 20 three- to five-year-olds run into a colorful classroom at West View Elementary, ready for the day ahead.
Pre-K teacher Sandra Robledo has each day planned for them down to the minute so they know what to expect every time they come to school.
After a trip to the cafeteria for breakfast, the class returns to their room for a group read-aloud and a nursery rhyme.
“In Pre-K, we work on phonemic awareness and pre-skills, like some of the letters, letter sounds, and what starts with what letter. Then they need to know their name and how to write their name,” she said. “If you introduce these skills in Pre-K, they’ll be better prepared in kindergarten.”
Building on strong foundational literacy skills is a priority for Knox County Schools, especially as studies have shown that students who are not proficient readers by third grade are four times less likely than their peers to graduate high school.
This is why the Learning and Literacy Department and the Early Childhood Department provide high-quality instructional material in every classroom, starting with Pre-K.
Robledo said the improvement she has seen in her students “has been amazing” since Heggerty was implemented three years ago.
“They’re sponges,” she said. “It’s important for me to know that the kids are getting high-quality teaching, but also care as well.”
She holds back tears as she recalls how “Pre-K chose me.”
Robledo returned to Knoxville from teaching at an international school in Caracas, Venezuela, when she attended a KCS Hiring Fair. She thought she might teach first or second grade, but as she wandered around the booths and tables of local schools looking for her future home away from home, she saw Carol Idol, the former Pre-K program coordinator, waving an application at her.
“I thought, ‘Wow, I might want to try that,’ so Carol brought me to West View. I knew this was the school I wanted to be in,” she said. “I’m so happy here!”
This year marks a decade at West View, but she’s been a lifelong educator, as she began teaching children English when she was 16 in her home country of Colombia.
“I was a struggling student, so I felt like I could help kids that were also struggling or have trouble learning,” Robledo said. “That compassion came from a home that always wanted to help.”
Brianna Andrews was shooting for clouds when she decided to pursue aerospace engineering as a young girl.
A senior at L&N STEM Academy,her high school experience has prepared her to take the next step. Andrews is ready for college, but not everyone is.
That’s why the 865 Academies initiative was implemented at high schools throughout Knox County to help prepare students for enrolling in a college or trade school, enlisting in service to their country, or finding employment in a high-skill, high-wage career.
L&N offers its students programs in the School of Advanced Inquiry; School of Computational Science and Cybersecurity; School of Design Thinking; and School of Physics, Mechanics, and Engineering.
With advanced academic pathways like these now available, Andrews admitted she was a little envious of not being able to take part. Each high school has launched the academy initiative with a Freshman Academy to ease the transition from middle to high school. Those students will be the first to experience the academies and pathways model, but to get involved where she can, Andrews has participated in the Gryphon Guides, the student ambassador program for L&N.
“Being a Gryphon Guide allowed me to find my voice and become a leader because I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of things that I wouldn’t imagine myself doing,” Andrews said. “It’s been a great experience to get to be a part of something so special.”
Ambassadors serve as school representatives, giving tours to visitors and being the spokespeople for media spots. More than just repping their school, these programs also teach the soft skills necessary to nail job interviews, successfully lead teams, and converse with notable community members.
She said it’s easy to talk about L&N. It’s where her brother went, and it’s a place that she is proud to attend.
L&N STEM Academy was recently recognized as a Gold AP Honor Roll school, along with several other KCS schools.
“I really love talking about the things that we have going on here, and it’s such an impactful experience to be able to meet people in the community and talk about the things that I love about STEM – to help other students see the beauty in the school from the architecture to the people and the different things that we offer,” she said.
(Side note: Andrews’ favorite place on campus is the Idea Factory, a collaborative workspace for the newest ideas in STEM.)
Though she isn’t a part of the Academies, Andrews has taken part in a few unique internships – an important component of the 865 Academies model in addition to career talks, job shadowing, and work-based learning.
Andrews’ internship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory will grow her experience and increase her confidence as she prepares for an elite aerospace engineering program at a school like the University of Tennessee, Purdue University, or New York University.
With the help of her teachers, the support from her parents, and rigorous coursework from her school, Andrews is certain she will be prepared for all that comes her way.
Interested in learning more about how your organization can be an 865 Academies partner? Visit knoxschools.org/academies for details.
Science teacher Matthew Walker tutors a student after school in Central High’s library.
Nearly every day after the final bell, students gather in the Central High library for an hour of tutoring.
Central’s program, like so many others across Knox County Schools, offers free tutoring in math, science, and English four days a week.
It’s in these sessions that math teacher and program coordinator Andrew Turner sees an impact on students and teachers.
“We talk about resilience and finishing strong a lot at Central,” Turner said. “I really feel like the tutoring program assists the idea that it’s never over. You may have started poorly or gotten behind here or there, but we’re going to help you and support you in catching up.”
Over the years, Turner has tracked student participation in the program and found that it has a deep influence on graduation rates. He said one year 20% of graduates who were on the line of eligibility were able to finish high school because of the extra support they received in tutoring.
The teachers leading the afterschool sessions also learn and benefit in their own way.
In a room full of students all needing assistance in different subjects, teachers oftentimes step in to help with courses they don’t teach. An algebra teacher might help with biology, or a literature teacher could assist with world geography. “It’s fun to watch teachers push themselves professionally and stay fresh on content,” Turner said. He added, “The hearts of these teachers are so big. Getting paid is nice, but they would do it for free. They really do care about the kids.”
When the Whole Child Support Team concept was introduced last year at Holston Middle, the counselors were ready to welcome the process with open arms.
“Whole-child support means you’re looking at every piece of the child, so when a kid is struggling in math, for example, we dig deep into what else is going on in their life that might lead them to struggle in math,” said sixth-grade counselor Hannah Roberts.
In just over a year, Holston’s students have already seen significant improvements in behavior and academics.
Anjelica Nichols, the seventh-grade counselor, said at one point in time 35 seventh-graders were failing a class. In just two weeks of whole-child meetings and interventions, 70% of those students no longer had Fs.
“If we hadn’t had everyone at the table with those different ideas or reached out to the students’ families, I don’t think we would have seen that much of a turnaround,” she said. “Everyone’s insight is needed to help the child be successful.”
When a teacher notices a change in a student, they are encouraged to refer them to the Whole-Child Support Team. Counselors then conduct a root-cause analysis and determine what additional supports are needed.
Eighth-grade counselor Taylor Branson also emphasized the importance of echoing support at home.“Be as involved as possible, and do a ten-minute check-in with your kiddo every day,” she said. “If you have any questions about your student and want our perspective, reach out! We want to work together to build support around your kids.”
