Kaleigh Walker Great Educators, Student Supports

Celebrating Heroes of Education during National School Counselor Week

National School Counselor Week is a time to shine a spotlight on a group of heroes in our district – our school counselors. These dedicated professionals play a pivotal role in shaping the academic and emotional well-being of our students. 

For many counselors, the decision to enter the field is rooted in a deep-seated passion for helping young minds navigate the challenges of growing up. 

Kriston Ramsey, the counselor at Gap Creek and Fountain City Elementary, started her career as a family service worker for the Department of Children’s Services but felt her efforts were only retroactively impacting the students she worked with.

“There’s so many things we can do proactively to impact their life longer term,” she said. “I want to try to give these kids the skills they can use to avoid those situations in the future at all possible. I’ve seen the effects of negative situations, and they’re not pretty.”

Sterchi Elementary Counselor Devin Debusk

School counselors wear many hats, providing a wide range of services to address the diverse needs of their students. 

Hardin Valley Middle School counselor Rebecca Gomez said each day is different. She could walk in with a plan for a classroom lesson on diversity and identity, a group counseling session on building friendship skills, and a one-on-one with a student who is struggling, and have her entire schedule change if a child is in crisis.

She added, “There is so much collaboration and consultation behind the scenes with teachers, administrators, and parents as we may identify larger barriers to learning. Side by side, we put the pieces together to remove those for students.”

From showcasing potential career fields to boosting social-emotional skills, counselors play a crucial role in nurturing the holistic development of their students.

Despite the hardships and troubles they assist with every day in their schools, counselors love interacting with their kids.

“One of my favorite things is when the kids say silly things or tell funny stories. They sometimes forget you’re an adult and just pour their heart out to you like you’re their friend,” said the counselor at Sterchi Elementary, Devin Debusk. “Our kids are so loving and supportive of each other. They can be wild and crazy, but they just love their teachers and love to have fun.”

Hardin Valley Middle Counselor Rebecca Gomez

In their daily interactions with students, these counselors are attuned to the common issues affecting today’s youth. 

“I’m working with a lot of students on social skills and coping skills, along with working through anxieties,” Ramsey said. “We’re still seeing the effects of COVID through the behaviors of our kids and how much social learning they missed out on during that time.”

Gomez added, “I have seen an increase in mental health concerns, for sure.” She continued, “But I also see that the conversations around it are being brought into the open and a lot more people are wanting to support students in that area.”

When it comes to supporting their child outside of school, Debusk stressed the importance of community involvement in student development.

“Kids crave undivided, positive attention from adults. That’s something anyone can provide, whether you’re a family member, daycare worker, or school staff member. Just listening to them and giving them respect to share their thoughts is so important to them.”

The stories of these incredible individuals are just a glimpse into counselors’ passion and commitment to their vital roles in schools across the district. 

Gap Creek and Fountain City Elementary Schools Counselor Kriston Ramsey

As we celebrate National School Counselor Week, Knox County Schools encourages the community to take a moment to appreciate and honor these dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to shape the future of our children.

Kaleigh Walker Uncategorized

KCS Black History Month Collection of Stories

Austin-East Senior Makes History with Full-Ride QuestBridge Scholarship

Student Spotlight: Gryphon Guide and STEM Innovation Leader

From the Navy to the Classroom: A Veteran’s Journey as an Inspiring Teacher

CMA Student’s Difficult Journey Leads to Academic Success

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is TheotisRobinson-1-1024x682.webp

Theotis Robinson Paved The Way For Black Students At UT

Austin-East Junior Receives MLK Commission Youth Award

Central High School Artist Chosen for Frist Exhibition

AE Educator Receives National Teaching Award

Delaney Legacy Continues to Grow

AE Students Earn Flagship Offers from UTK

Diverse Curriculum Provides “Windows and Mirrors” for Students

Kaleigh Walker 865 Academies, Career Empowerment, Student Success

Engineering Compassion: 865 Academies Students Repair Adaptive Toys for Special Learners

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 communication and learning 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.

Kaleigh Walker Career Empowerment, Student Success

Austin-East Senior Makes History with Full-Ride QuestBridge Scholarship

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.”

Kaleigh Walker Student Success

MIA & Mia: Empowering the Visually Impaired and Excelling Academically

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.”

Kaleigh Walker Great Educators, Student Success, Student Supports

Building Connections as KCS’s First Executive Latina Principal

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.”

Kaleigh Walker 865 Academies, Career Empowerment

Unlocking Manufacturing Opportunities: A Day with MSC

Manufacturing plays a pivotal role in shaping the economic landscape of the United States, driving innovation, and providing lucrative career opportunities – but like so many other industries, it is projected to face significant personnel shortages in the next several years.

To respond to the growing issue, MSC Industrial Supply partnered with other organizations in East Tennessee – The University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory – to host the first Manufacturing Day of its kind in our area. 

865 Academies students from Karns High School in the Automotive; Coding; Computer Science; Fire Science; Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Systems (MEPS); Structural Systems; and Welding pathways attended the event at the MSC Machining Research Laboratory to have a first-hand look at the cutting-edge technologies under development and experience hands-on metalworking demonstrations.

“Manufacturing typically loses out to things like computer programming, 3D printing, or robotics, and people don’t realize that all of those are manufacturing technologies,” said Senior Innovation R&D Engineer Michael Gomez. “This is a really unique way for us to show kids what manufacturing looks like and then hopefully get some of them excited and interested in it, especially if they’re interested in going to college or a community college.”

During one demonstration, a machining expert took a chunk of medal and showed the steps it takes to turn it into a hinge for an airplane door. 

“You might not understand the word ‘manufacturing,’ but you’re probably interested in jets and planes and these types of things. We showed how these things are made,” Gomez said. 

It’s partnerships like these that make the 865 Academies initiative so unique for the students in Knox County. We are preparing the next generation of manufacturers, researchers, and innovators through career-themed pathways for students to earn industry certifications and participate in internships by leveraging the world-class organizations right here in our backyard.

MSC provides valuable experiences through internships for students interested in manufacturing that offers a look into research and development in a laboratory environment.

Be on the lookout for more from MSC. Gomez said they will continue to support the 865 Academies through hosting Manufacturing Day events and providing lab internships, but he also hopes they will expand their outreach to more schools and include even more partners to build excitement for the field.

Interested in learning more about how your organization can be an 865 Academies partner? Visit knoxschools.org/academies for details.

Kaleigh Walker Career Empowerment, Community Partners

“Real Forrest Gump” Medal of Honor Hero Inspires High School Students

As highly decorated First Class Army sergeant Sammy Lee Davis reached the podium for a visit with the Powell High School junior class, he opened the floor to questions, rather than reciting the eight-page speech he had prepared. 

Powell High School teacher Rusty Smith helped to bring the Medal of Honor recipient to the school in hopes that his students could apply Davis’ story to their lives. 

As an Army private, his unit fell under heavy fire from the Viet Cong. During the attack, he suffered several gunshot wounds and broke his back. Despite the severity of his injuries, Davis crossed a river in waist-high water to retrieve and save the lives of three fellow soldiers.

“That’s one of the reasons why my country awarded me a Medal of Honor,” he said. “I could have not stood up and done the job I needed to do for my brothers, but I knew in my heart they would do it for me.”

Students asked about his life, military service, recovery from physical injuries, and the medals he earned. 

Davis answered with stories from his service during the Vietnam War and about the heroic acts that ultimately earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military medal of valor.

It was this display of courage that inspired some of the film Forrest Gump, in which video of his Medal of Honor ceremony was used with actor Tom Hanks’ head superimposed over Davis’ – ultimately earning him the “Real Forrest Gump” the nickname. 

During the hour of Q&A with the living legend, Davis told a story about trying snake meat for the first time after running out of food in the jungle; shared the first song he learned on the harmonica – “Oh Shanondoah,” which is still one of his favorites; and detailed a meeting with former Vietnamese soldiers that took place only a few years ago. 

“We sat there for almost an hour, not looking at each other, not talking to the Vietnamese troops,” he recalled. “But after a while, I just wanted them to know that I didn’t hate them. I was just a soldier doing my job. And that’s when they said, ‘I feel the same way.’”

Davis told an inquiring student that despite the horrors he saw, the injuries he sustained, and the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) he still battles to this day, he would do it all again if he needed to. 

“Heroes are everyday Americans like us. He doesn’t want all the attention and credit, and to me, that humility goes a long way,” Smith said. “I hope that they could see that some of the qualities and characteristics he has can apply to their own lives.”The biggest lesson for students and community alike? “You don’t lose until you quit trying.”

Kaleigh Walker Great Educators, Student Success

From Struggles to Scribbles: A Pre-K Teacher’s Literacy Triumph Inspires Little Learners

Sandra Robledo proudly stands in her Pre-K classroom after school.

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.”

Kaleigh Walker Great Educators, Student Supports

El triunfo en alfabetización de una maestra de preescolar inspira a pequeños estudiantes

Sandra Robledo proudly stands in her Pre-K classroom after school.

Todas las mañanas a las 7:15, 20 niños entre tres y cinco años de edad corren a su aula en West View Primary listos para el día que tienen por delante.

La maestra de Pre-K Sandra Robledo planea cada día y cada minuto para que ellos sepan qué se les espera cada vez que vengan a la escuela.

Después de ir a la cafetería a desayunar, los estudiantes regresan a su aula para la lectura de un cuento en voz alta y una canción infantil.

“En Pre-K, trabajamos en la conciencia fonémica y las habilidades tempranas, como reconocer letras, sus sonidos y con qué letra comienza algunas palabras. También aprenden las letras de su nombre y cómo escribirlo,” dijo. “Si se introducen estas habilidades en el Pre Kínder, estarán mejor preparados para entrar a Kínder.”

El construir habilidades básicas y sólidas de alfabetización es una prioridad para las escuelas del condado de Knox, especialmente porque los estudios han demostrado que los estudiantes que llegan al tercer grado y no son lectores competentes tienen cuatro veces menos probabilidades que sus compañeros de graduarse de la escuela secundaria.

Es por eso que el Departamento de Aprendizaje y Alfabetización y el Departamento de Enseñanza Preescolar proporcionan materiales didácticos de alta calidad en todas las aulas, comenzando con Pre-K.

Robledo dijo que la mejora que ha visto en sus estudiantes “ha sido asombrosa” desde que se implementó Heggerty hace tres años.

“Son unas esponjitas,” dijo. “Es importante para mí saber que los niños no solo están recibiendo un buen cuidado sino también una enseñanza de alta calidad.”

Se le encharcan los ojos al recordar cómo “Pre-K me eligió a mí.”

Robledo regresó a Knoxville después de enseñar en una escuela internacional en Caracas, Venezuela y asistió a una feria de trabajo de KCS. Pensó que tal vez enseñaría primero o segundo grado, pero mientras iba de mesa en mesa de las diferentes escuelas locales buscando su nuevo destino, vio a Carol Idol, la que era en ese entonces la coordinadora del programa de pre kínder, llamándole la atención con una aplicación de trabajo.

“Pensé: ‘Wow, tal vez me interese hacer eso’, así que Carol me llevó a la mesa de West View Elementary. Supe entonces que ahí era donde quería enseñar,” —dijo. “¡Estoy tan feliz de estar aquí!”

Este año cumple diez años en West View, pero ha sido educadora toda la vida, ya que comenzó a enseñar inglés a niños cuando solo tenía 16 años en su país de origen, Colombia.

“Tuve dificultades como estudiante, así que sentí que podía ayudar a los niños que también tenían dificultades o problemas de aprendizaje.” dijo Robledo. “Esa compasión vino de un hogar que siempre quiso ayudar.”