Benchmarks 2017 | Section D | Health & Education

Section D

Health & Education The Greeneville Sun

On The Cover: The Ronald J. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math opened in January 2017. The 100,000 square-foot facility includes classrooms, chemistry and nursing simulation labs, a lecture hall, study rooms, and a top-story meeting room with picturesque views of campus and nearby mountains.

Sun photo by Sarah R. Gregory.

Benchmarks — March 18, 2017

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The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition Saturday, March 18, 2017

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Takoma Regional Hospital Gains New Ownership, New President

BY LISA WARREN STAFF WRITER

T

akoma Regional Hospital received both a new owner and a new president in 2016.

In early January, Wellmont Health System announced that it had completed its acquisition of Takoma Hospital from Adventist Health System.

The $13.5 million deal also included the acquisition of Takoma Medical Associates, the medical group that includes physicians who provide primary care and specialty services such as obstetrics, gynecology, psychiatry, general and orthopedic surgery, neurology, gastroenterology, cardiology, bariatric medicine and podiatry.

Takoma Regional has more than 650 providers and support sta , and Takoma Medical Associates has more than 50 providers in 17 specialties. The hospital also has about 100 beds.

With the acquisition also came a change in leadership: Former Takoma Chief Nursing O cer Tammy Albright was named president of Takoma.

“We’re excited to add Takoma Regional and Takoma Medical Associates to our family and are ready to work collaboratively with their sta members and physicians to enhance care delivery in our region,” Wellmont President and CEO Bart Hove said in a statement. “The hospital and this medical group have produced outstanding results for patients, and the synergy that will result by bringing them into our organization will benefit those we are privileged to serve.”

This marks the second time Wellmont has had an ownership stake in Takoma, and the first since 1954 that the hospital will not be partially owned by Adventist Health or the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

“AHS had a long and proud association with Takoma Regional and the community, but we are now excited to be entering a new chapter as part of Wellmont,” Albright said. “We are confident the hospital will continue to receive excellent stewardship and believe Takoma Regional will continue to positively impact the quality of life in Greene County and surrounding areas.”

Wellmont jointly owned Takoma, along with Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based Adventist Health System, from 2007 until 2014.

During that time, Wellmont owned 60 percent of the hospital, while AHS retained 40 percent ownership and management.

In 2014, the companies announced that Takoma would again be wholly owned by Adventist Health System or its predecessor, which has had a stake in the hospital since the early 1970s, most of those years as 100 percent owner. Wellmont then announced plans to acquire 100 percent ownership of Takoma in 2015. That came after Wellmont had announced plans to merge with Johnson City-based Mountain States Health Alliance, its main competitor in the Tri-Cities region. Should that plan be approved by Tennessee and Virginia regulators, Takoma would be part of the new company, which will be known as Ballad Health. Decisions are expected to be made by both states later this year.

Wellmont o cials said the acquisition of Takoma means the hospital will enjoy a renewed partnership with other Wellmont facilities and providers, including Wellmont Medical Associates and the Wellmont CVA Heart Institute, as well as the Wellmont Cancer Institute, Holston Valley

SUN FILE PHOTO BY LISA WARREN

Tammy Albright is now serving as the new president of Takoma Regional Hospital.

SUN PHOTO BY LISA WARREN

Wellmont Health System completed its acquisition of Takoma Regional Hospital during the past year.

Medical Center, Bristol Regional Medical Center and the neonatal intensive care unit at Holston Valley.

“Takoma Regional has been part of Greene County since 1928 and has experienced many changes in the last 88 years that have advanced the quality of care,” Albright said. “As we enter the next phase, we are thrilled to align with an exceptional health system that also has a proud tradition of delivering excellent care to patients in our region. Together, we will develop innovative solutions that will bolster the quality of care and position our hospital for long-term success.”

Wellmont’s completion of the Takoma acquisition was delayed several months because attention was being given to the merger process with Mountain States, o cials had previously said.

Takoma had even filed a lawsuit against Wellmont in Greene County Chancery Court in August for breach of contract in an attempt to move the acquisition forward.

Wellmont o cials also said that the delay had to do with the fact that Takoma and Adventist Health had been named in

a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department involving complaints about doctor referrals to hospitals. Adventist eventually settled with the federal government for $118.7 million.

Albright said she has been extremely encouraged by everyone with whom she has met at Wellmont through the transition process.

“We have the same mindset,” Albright said in comparing Takoma’s mission with Wellmont’s. “Wellmont’s mission rang true for us — to provide superior health care with compassion. That totally aligns with what we strive to do here at Takoma.

And so it’s easy to integrate when you have similarities.”

Since Wellmont is a regionally based health system, Albright said she also feels this will be a good opportunity for Takoma to share and learn from its fellow Wellmont hospitals.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to get out in those other facilities and hook our directors up with other directors so they can form those relationships that help everybody learn best practices from each other.”

Albright has been employed at Takoma Hospital since 2006. Since that time, she has continued to evolve in her career and take on new projects, which has resulted in key advancements for Takoma and the patients that it serves. Among those have been major quality improvements, including the full implementation of an electronic medical records system.

The electronic medical records implementation is one of Albright’s proudest achievements to date, she said, because “it touched every part of the organization” at Takoma.

“I think that has given me a unique ability to work and bond with people in the different departments,” Albright continued.

“With the implementation of the electronic medical records, you had to take a patient through the whole process. I had to learn admissions. I had to learn the lab. I had to learn the pharmacy.”

Through this experience, Albright said she began to form new relationships and came to better understand how “one misstep in a process can cause a lot of problems downstream.”

She honed not only her problem-solving skills, but her people skills as well.

In 2011, Albright was named the hospital’s chief nursing o cer, and continued to serve in that role until being named the new hospital president.

Albright succeeded Dennis Kiley, who had served as interim president of the 100bed hospital since August 2015.

In her new role as Takoma president, Albright said she would like to continue to guide the hospital toward continued growth.

“We have really grown,” Albright said of Takoma’s recent history.

Not only has the hospital grown in patients, it has also grown in the number of physicians.

“We have a great patient base here,” she said. “Physicians here don’t have to worry about filling up their practice. If you’re doing the right things, it’s going to fill up pretty quickly.” “ I think there’s a lot of need in the community and a lot of people who need health care, and we want to make sure that we match our services and what we o er to what is needed. There’s a lot of potential growth there,” she said.

Wellmont, Mountain States Officials Continue Working With States On Merger Request

BY LISA WARREN STAFF WRITER

A

fter more than a year of pushing hard toward a merger, o cials with the region’s two health system giants are still working to satisfy health o cials within Tennessee and Virginia.

In 2015, Wellmont Health System and Mountain States Health Alliance leaders o cially filed a cooperative agreement merger request in Virginia and asked for a Certificate of Public Advantage in Tennessee.

The two health systems — which each have ties to each of the hospi-

tals in Greeneville — are continuing to answer questions and supply additional information to health o cials of both states.

Wellmont is now the full owner and operator of Takoma Regional Hospital, and MSHA and Laughlin Memorial Hospital have signed a letter of intent for Laughlin to become part of the Johnson Citybased health system.

The rival Tri-Cities-based health systems hope to form a single health system and call it Ballad Health with the tag line, “It’s Your Story. We’re Listening.”

In January, the proposed merger was placed on hold by the states in order to allow the health systems

additional time to submit more information about their plans.

Many of the questions from each state ask the health systems to project multiple years into the future and provide more specific data about promised benefits.

“Our objective is to ensure the record in both states reflects our vision for the improved health of our region and that the record strongly supports a positive outcome,” said Alan Levine, president and CEO of Mountain States.

“This is so important, and we are committed to leaving no doubt about our intent,” Levine said.

SEE WELLMONT ON PAGE 3

Alan Levine

Bart Hove

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Saturday, March 18, 2017 The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

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Laughlin Hospital Officials Announce Intentions To Join Mountain States Health Alliance

BY LISA WARREN STAFF WRITER

I

n November, Laughlin Memorial Hospital o cials announced the signing of a letter of intent that would make the Greeneville hospital become part of Mountain States Health Alliance.

Since that time, o cials have not provided additional updates in regards to the matter, other than saying that both parties have been involved in “a period of due diligence.” In legal terminology, this step means that a comprehensive evaluation is being undertaken by a prospective buyer to look at the assets, liabilities and commercial potential in preparation of a business transaction, such as a corporate merger.

At the time of the announcement, o cials with both Laughlin and MSHA said that they expected the deal to become final in the early part of 2017. The letter of intent was reportedly approved unanimously by both boards of directors.

Based in Johnson City, MSHA operates 13 hospitals, which serve a 29-county region across Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, Southeastern Kentucky and Western North Carolina.

The health system is currently involved in a potential merger with the Kingsport-based Wellmont Health System, which owns and operates Takoma Regional Hospital, in Greeneville.

Mountain States’ flagship hospital is

WELLMONT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

“This is not just about a merger. This is about a region coming together to make strides in solving our health care challenges.”

The boards of both health systems said in a joint statement that they believe the proposed merger is “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to tackle the critical health issues our region is facing, sustain our rural hospitals, expand access, protect local jobs, ensure important decisions are made by people who live and work in our region, and reinvest millions of dollars right back into our local communities.”

Wellmont President and CEO Bart Hove added, “We have recognized from the beginning that this would be both complex and unprecedented. We are working with thoughtful leaders throughout our health

SUN FILE PHOTO

Officials involved in the $1.1 million expansion project at Laughlin Healthcare Center are shown at the ground-breaking ceremony. From left, are: Tony Street, architect with BLS Architects; Wayne Woods, of Burleson Construction Co.; Greeneville Mayor W.T. Daniels; Chad Martin, director of facilities for Laughlin Memorial Hospital; Brian Cooks, Laughlin’s director of rehabilitation; Christine Stuart, director of nursing for Laughlin Healthcare Center; Rick Souder, Laughlin Health’s administrator; Laughlin President and CEO Chuck Whitfield and Greene County Mayor David Crum.

the Johnson City Medical Center, a large tertiary hospital that is equipped with a level 1 trauma center and a dedicated children’s hospital. The MSHA organization also includes several community hospitals,

two critical access hospitals, a behavioral health hospital, two long-term care facilities, home care and hospice services, retail pharmacies and a comprehensive medical management corporation.

“We’re thrilled to announce our historic decision to join Mountain States,” said Chuck Whitfield, president and CEO of

systems, in our community and in both states in this important and deliberate process. This process with our community and both states has made our vision for this merger better.”

Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner said: “Wellmont Health System and Mountain States Health Alliance have asked the state for a Certificate of Public Advantage to allow a merger, which would result in less competition for health care services in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

“Due to the size of the region, the size of the population impacted and the involvement of two states, this is an unprecedented proposal, not only in Tennessee but across the country. The Tennessee Department of Health takes its role in this process very seriously on behalf of Tennesseans.

“The applicants have requested to make

additional submissions to the application and have requested that the department withdraw its decision in September deeming the application complete,” the statement continued.

“Based on the unique nature of this application, it is appropriate to accept and consider additional information and grant the applicants’ request. Therefore, the application is currently deemed not complete, and the 120-day deadline to act on the application has not yet started.”

O cials with both health system recently met with members of the media to discuss how the process was progressing.

“We are providing as much information as we can, and we are having to prepare some new information,” said Anthony Keck, senior vice president and chief development o cer of MSHA. “When we don’t believe we have the ability, for either legal reasons, or we don’t have the data to provide an answer, we’re having conversa-

tions with the attorney general in Virginia.

We’re doing our best to answer all questions, and when we have trouble answering a question or we don’t understand a question, the states have been more than willing to sit down with us.”

Todd Norris, Wellmont’s senior vice president of system advancement, called the merger process “a complex process that requires a lot of deliberation and a lot of information to be digested.

“In our engagement with the two states, we wanted to be sure to provide all of the information to help them understand our vision — and the supporting documentation around that vision was submitted as they deliberated,” Norris said.

Health systems o cials expect to hear back from both states by June 15.

When the proposed merger was first announced in March 2015, health system o cials expected decisions by the states in 2016.

SEE LAUGHLIN ON PAGE 4

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The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition Saturday, March 18, 2017

www.greenevillesun.com

SUN FILE PHOTO

Officials with Laughlin Memorial Hospital announced in November 2016 that they have signed a letter of intent with Mountain States Health Alliance that could lead to the Greeneville hospital becoming part of the Johnson City-based regional health system.

LAUGHLIN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

Laughlin, at the time of the announcement. “O cially becoming part of Mountain States is a natural next step for us. For more than 20 years, we have collaborated together in various ways to enhance health care services in Greeneville and in our surrounding communities. This step will allow Laughlin and Mountain States to be more successful as an integrated system devoted to measurably high-value care for our communities.”

This decision comes as Laughlin, similar to many rural hospitals around the country, faces growing financial, demographic and regulatory pressures that pose threats to the hospital’s long-term sustainability, according to hospital o cials. These pressures, which have led to the closing of more than 70 rural hospitals since 2010, have also led to projections that as many as 30 percent of America’s rural hospitals could close in the next several years. The pressures leading rural hospitals to this point include declining population growth trends, reduced inpatient hospital utilization, downward pressure on reimbursement and the shift from fee-for-service care to value-based care.

Even as financial pressure mounts on rural hospitals, Laughlin has maintained high scores on patient satisfaction, value-based purchasing and quality. Yet, despite these e orts, Laughlin’s revenue has increased less than 1 percent over the past five years while expenses have risen between 2 and 5 percent each year, o cials said.

During the same time period, inpatient volumes have declined by approximately 400 patients per year. Outpatient volumes have also decreased, it was reported. The combination of declining hospital use rates with the demographics of low population growth and slow employment expansion create sustainability issues for rural and non-urban hospitals.

The board of Laughlin determined it was best to make this decision while the hospital is strong and in a position to determine its future rather than having to make the decision in a crisis.

“With the future of Laughlin and our neighbors in mind, our board considered a variety of types of partnerships for our hospital, including those with larger health systems and hospital companies outside of our region,” said Dominick Jackson, Laughlin’s chairman of the board of trust-

ees in a statement. “Ultimately, we believe Mountain States is the right partner for Laughlin. It is in the best interest of our hospital and our community to join an organization that is governed locally, is already invested in our community, and most importantly, that shares our hospital’s culture and values.”

Details of the future partnership include: • Laughlin will maintain a local board of trustees, which will have the responsibility of ensuring high-quality care and good stewardship of the hospital, similar to the boards of other Mountain States hospitals; • Laughlin’s leadership team will remain in place; • Laughlin’s employees will join the Mountain States team, gaining access to Mountain States’ benefits and opportunities for professional development; • Mountain States will make capital investments based on assessed needs to enhance services and to continue the excellent stewardship of the hospital’s fixed assets; and • Mountain States is not buying Laughlin, and no money is changing hands. Instead, Laughlin is merging into Mountain States, and Mountain States will assume any future liabilities or benefits related to Laughlin.

“We have always had a terrific relationship with the leadership of Laughlin, and we were honored when they approached us to explore this partnership,” said Alan Levine, president and CEO of Mountain States. “Laughlin believes in Mountain States’ vision for the future, and they want to be a part of it. And Mountain States believes in Laughlin. Together, we can both be stronger.”

Levine added, “We have a special relationship with Greene County. It was a Greene County leader who helped to make Mountain States’ Niswonger Children’s Hospital a reality. The Mountain States physicians in Washington County have long enjoyed working with the physicians from Greene County. There is just an incredible cultural synergy between our organizations.”

“The board of directors of Mountain States is committed to our rural partners,” said Barbara Allen, chair. “Laughlin is a special hospital to us because we have always worked in partnership with them to serve the people of Greene County.

Laughlin is joining a health care system that welcomes them with open arms and that shares their commitment to ensuring Laughlin thrives in the future.”

“The board of directors of Laughlin

SUN PHOTO BY LISA WARREN

Work is progressing on an expansion project at Laughlin Healthcare Center, the long-term care facility owned by Laughlin Memorial Hospital. Ground was broken on the project in November.

has long been committed to the success of our physicians and employees,” added Jackson. “We believe this partnership with Mountain States joins two organizations that culturally share a legacy of devotion to our region. Mountain States is committed to ensuring Laughlin thrives in the future, and given the challenges we know exist for rural hospitals, this relationship is an exciting next step for us.”

Laughlin Memorial Hospital’s roots go back to 1939. Its a liated agencies include Laughlin Healthcare Center; a 90 bed skilled nursing facility, Laughlin Home Health Agency, Laughlin Medical Group Surgery, Laughlin Medical Group Primary Care and Laughlin Medical Group Orthopedics.

LAUGHLIN HEALTHCARE EXPANDS The day after Laughlin’s announcement that it would be joining MSHA, a ground-breaking ceremony was held at Laughlin Healthcare Center for a planned

$1.1 million expansion for a rehabilitation wing at the long-term care facility.

The new wing will house expanded physical, occupational and speech therapy services for Laughlin Healthcare patients, according to the faciliity’s administrator Rick Souder.

“It’s much needed,” Souder said of the expansion. “We really need the space here.”

Laughlin Healthcare is licensed for 90 beds. It currently provides care to about 75 residents, he noted.

The new addition is being constructed on the backside of the nursing facility, which is located at 401 E. McKee St. Members of the Greene County Partnership Green Coat Ambassadors attended the ground-breaking ceremony as well as Greeneville Mayor W.T. Daniels and Greene County Mayor David Crum.

The project was designed by BLS Architects and is being built by Burleson Construction Co.

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Saturday, March 18, 2017 The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

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Officials Confident In Greene Valley’s Summer Closure, Abuse Cases Investigated

BY SARAH R. GREGORY STAFF WRITER

S

tate o cials say they are confident Greene Valley Developmental Center will close by June 30 to comply with a court-accepted plan to exit a more than 20-year-old lawsuit.

Throughout 2016, the population at the congregate care facility declined as residents moved to private, community-based care services and new group homes throughout the state, including in Greene County.

Just 37 remained at the facility as more new homes opened locally in February. Others are expected to begin operating in the coming weeks.

Earlier this year, a former Greene Valley employee plead guilty to attempted assault in connection with an abuse claim dating back to 2014 after the District Attorney General’s o ce requested two prior abuse cases at the facility be reinvestigated by the Greene County Sheri ’s Department.

In 2016, the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities confirmed that it had provided summaries of 21 substantiated cases of abuse, neglect or exploitation at the center since 2009.

WORKING TOWARD CLOSURE As of early 2016, closure of Greene Valley Developmental Center remains the only still-to-be-completed provision of an agreement allowing DIDD to resolve a federal lawsuit.

The suit, brought by People First of Tennessee and the U.S. Department of Justice in 1995, related to conditions at Clover Bottom Developmental Center, Greene Valley and Nat T. Winston Developmental Center.

Nat T. Winston shut its doors in 1998. Clover Bottom was closed in late 2015.

In January 2016, a federal judge issued an order vacating injunctive relief and partially dismissing the long-standing lawsuit following an exit plan entered by the U.S. district court in January 2015.

The plan, which included nine sections of obligations for DIDD and the Bureau of TennCare, called for the case to be dismissed after two phases — all eight sections of responsibilities in one phase followed by a second phase overseeing closure of Greene Valley Developmental Center.

The plan called for Greene Valley to close by June 30, 2016, but its provisions included two six-month extensions, meaning the center could remain open through June 30, 2017, while still complying with the agreement.

In September 2016, DIDD o cials confirmed the state’s intention to exercise the second six-month extension, citing delays in construction of new community homes for current Greene Valley residents.

“As a result of these delays, some of the persons scheduled to transition from GVDC in the late fall and winter of 2016 will instead transition in the early spring of 2017,” a letter from DIDD Commissioner Debra Payne to Greene Valley employees said. “As persons transition to their new homes in the community, sta ng at GVDC will be reduced appropriately.”

In November 2016, DIDD conducted a reduction in force at the center, dropping 128 total positions. Of that number, 106 were vacant.

As of January 2017, there were still 318 authorized positions at the facility.

OFFICIALS CONFIDENT IN SUMMER CLOSURE With fewer than 40 residents remaining at Greene Valley and new community homes run by private care providers opening across the state, DIDD o cials say they are confident the center will close by the time limit outlined in the lawsuit exit plan.

“We are confident that Greene Valley will be fully closed

by June 30,” DIDD Communications Director Cara Kumari said in recent weeks.

Construction of community homes in Greene County is expected to wrap up this month, meaning more Greene Valley residents will transition out of the facility and into private, community-based care.

“We are transitioning folks in a way that respects their health and safety during the move,” Kumari said. According to DIDD, detailed transition plans outline each step of an individual’s move to a new home, selected based on their preferences and those of their conservators.

“This department is committed to ensuring the safe and orderly transition of persons leaving GVDC,” Payne wrote in a letter to Greene Valley employees. “In addition, we are equally committed to continuing to work with the private provider community to ensure employees have an opportunity to meet with them and discuss future employment opportunities.”

Payne and other DIDD o cials have praised the work of Greene Valley employees throughout the transition and closure processes.

“I want to personally thank you for all of the wonderful work you are doing and for your continued support to those who count on you every day,” she said. “While the process of closure is not without its challenges, it is you who continue to be both steadfast and reliable throughout the duration.”

SUN FILE PHOTO BY O.J. EARLY

State officials say they are confident Greene Valley Developmental Center will close by June 30, 2017, as part of a court-accepted plan to exit a long-standing lawsuit. The center’s John M. Jones Administrative Building is shown in this 2016 photo.

SUN FILE PHOTO

The Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities continues work toward closure of Greene Valley Developmental Center. Fewer than 50 residents remain at the facility.

Earlier this year, a former Greene Valley employee entered a plea of attempted aggravated assault in Greene County Criminal Court and was placed on the state abuse registry for the rest of her life, prohibiting her from working with vulnerable people in any capacity.

Alysia Ann Prater, 22, formerly of Cedar Creek Road, was sentenced to two years and one day at 30 percent release eligibility. As part of the agreement, she was granted judicial diversion, meaning she will not serve any jail time and her criminal record will be expunged after a period of time if she does not commit further o enses.

As part of the agreement, Prater dropped her appeal to DIDD opposing placement of her name on the abuse registry.

She is now a resident of South Carolina and her probationary period is being overseen by authorities there.

According to records, on Dec. 7, 2014, Prater “did unlawfully commit the o ense of abuse of a dependent adult” after allegedly slapping a resident in the face with a shoe after a person needing physical support became loud while being assisted with a shower.

As the DA’s o ce requested renewed investigations of the incident in which Prater was involved and others, questions arose about the initial police response to abuse incidents at Greene Valley. Tusculum police said they were provided few details about the November and December 2014 abuse allegations, and had received reports of just three abuse cases in total since 2001.

Armstrong called for greater cooperation between local authorities and state o cials in investigating abuse, neglect and exploitation claims.

“The only criticism I have is for DIDD, that, if you have a substantiated abuse or neglect case, especially if you believe it should land someone on the (abuse) registry, you should talk to the district attorney,” Armstrong said in 2016. “I don’t think there was any attempt to hide anything. I don’t think that these handful of cases over the years is a reflection of the modus operandi of Greene Valley … The vast, overwhelming majority of people at Greene Valley have been treated well. In any organization that big, you’re going to have incidents.”

DIDD has said it will comply with the DA’s request to communicate information about abuse claims substantiated during its own administrative investigation and review process.

At Laughlin Memorial Hospital...

Home Is Where The Heart Is. aughlin provides the only Cardiac Cath lab in Greene County, allowing our patients to receive emergency and specialized heart care locally without traveling to other medical facilities.

Our hospital utilizes the latest in cardiac ultrasound technology, stress labs, and nuclear cardiac stress testing, provided by experienced and professional technologists, nurses, and cardiologists.

This highly specialized care is provided by our hospital-based team of cardiologists from Wellmont CVA Heart Institute.

L

ABUSE CASES REVIEWED In 2016, the District Attorney’s o ce pushed for renewed investigation of two physical abuse cases at the center, already substantiated by DIDD. Third Judicial District Attorney General Dan Armstrong said his o ce asked the Greene County Sheri ’s Department to review two incidents that occurred at the facility in 2014.

According to DIDD, two sta members were terminated following the department’s administrative investigation into the claims, and both were referred for placement on the state’s abuse registry, maintained by the Department of Health.

DIDD has said the victims were Greene Valley residents scheduled to transition to community-based care in 2016.

The incidents occurred in November and December 2014, and both were reported to the Tusculum Police Department.

DIDD also provided summaries of 21 other substantiated cases of abuse, neglect or exploitation since 2009 to Armstrong’s o ce. However, Kumari said, not all of the cases resulted in harm to individuals supported by DIDD. “We have a very stringent Protection From Harm system, and a person can be substantiated for neglect, even if no harm comes to the person supported. Under state law, neglect includes probable risk of harm,” she said. “To give an example, if a person falls asleep on the job, they can be substantiated for neglect, even though none of the people they were supporting were harmed and were asleep themselves.”

DIDD conducts administrative investigations for all cases of abuse, neglect and exploitation that occur in its service delivery system, including Greene Valley, Kumari added.

According to a 2015 Comptroller’s Audit, DIDD had placed 756 people on the Abuse Registry — the second highest source of referrals in the state, behind only the Department of Health.

“DIDD is committed to removing bad actors from its system and ensuring they can never work again with a vulnerable population,” Kumari said.

At Laughlin Memorial Hospital...

Home Is Truly Where The Heart Is.

Laughlin Memorial Hospital

1420 Tusculum Blvd.

Greeneville, TN 37745 423-787-5000 www.laughlinmemorial.org

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The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition Saturday, March 18, 2017

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New Group Homes Opening For Former Greene Valley Residents

BY SARAH R. GREGORY STAFF WRITER

T

hree new community homes for former Greene Valley Developmental Center residents have already opened this year, and others are expected to be completed and occupied in the weeks ahead.

In February, ribbon cutting ceremonies marked the opening of three private intermediate care facilities, operated by D&S Community Services, on Erwin Highway and Old Stage Road.

Twelve former Greene Valley residents transitioned out of the center to live in the new homes as the state continues to work toward closure of the facility later this spring. Greene Valley’s closure will allow the state to exit a decades old lawsuit that alleged civil rights violations at large, state-run facilities for intellectually and developmentally disabled persons.

Fewer than 40 people remain at the center while the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities oversees their transitions into private, community-based care, made available through the Home and Community Based Waivers program.

Residents’ newly constructed group homes have opened in recent months or will open in the weeks ahead in Greene, Knox, Hamilton and Roane counties.

State o cials have said they are confident Greene Valley will close this spring, ahead of a June 30 deadline.

In all, seven new community homes will open in Greene County for former Greene Valley residents, including the two on Erwin Highway and one on Old Stage Road that opened in February.

Others are being built on East Church Street, Old Shiloh Road, Quaker Knob Road and Chuckey Pike.

The state has issued Certificates of Need for a total of 16 group homes statewide for Greene Valley residents.

In August 2016, private care agency Michael Dunn Center joined DIDD o cials in hosting a celebration for the first person to move from Greene Valley into a newly built home in Roane County’s Rockwood community.

Resident Michael Wyrick’s family joined the ribbon cutting event, and praised the change as “a blessing” that meant the family could spend more time together, even though they described Greene Valley as providing Wyrick with 38 years of “the greatest care that you could imagine.”

O cials have said the center’s former residents can expect the same level of service from private care providers.

“For many years, institutional care was the only way people with intellectual disabilities were able to receive services. For many years, it was thought to be the best way,” said DIDD Deputy Commissioner Jordan Allen at the Roane County event.

“But, when people who receive services were asked what they really wanted, it was to be near family and friends and to have a life like everyone else.”

Currently, more than 8,000 people with intellectual disabilities receive state support while living in community-integrated settings, according to DIDD statistics.

“We support people to exercise their rights and live the lives they envision for themselves,” Allen said in the fall. “For some people, that means having a job in the community,” “enjoying the same

SUN FILE PHOTO BY SARAH R. GREGORY

Two new four-bedroom intermediate care facilities opened on Erwin Highway in February. Former Greene Valley Developmental Center residents transitioned to the homes in recent weeks.

SUN FILE PHOTO BY SARAH R. GREGORY

D&S Community Services President and CEO Mickey Atkins, second from left, and Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Deputy Commissioner Jordan Allen, second from right, join former Greene Valley Developmental Center resident Jane, left, and Tusculum City Commissioner Mike Burns, right, during a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new community home in February 2016.

community activities that you and I enjoy” and “living just down the street from their loved ones.”

Allen was joined by D&S Community Services President and CEO Mickey Atkins in Greene County in February, where they echoed those sentiments.

“The level of care in these homes is outstanding,” Atkins said. “We are thrilled to have this opportunity. For people who have lived in institutions, there is an education process to living in the community.

I just can’t reiterate enough the progress these people are making. It’s outstanding.”

During tours of the newly opened Greene County D&S Community Services homes, caregivers — the majority former Greene Valley employees — showed o the brand-new, four-bedroom facilities.

Residents joined in the celebration, just as they did in April 2016, when state and company o cials, property developers and representatives from the City of Tusculum gathered for groundbreaking ceremonies.

“Our goal here is to be a part of the community, a beautiful part of the community.

We want to be the best neighbors we can

Hope Center Announces Expansion Of Facility To Include Maternity Home

BY LISA WARREN STAFF WRITER The Hope Center, a pro-life Christian counseling and resources center, in Greeneville, announced a major campaign drive this fall to fund an expansion project for a new maternity home.

The facility will be housed in a renovated building located next to the crisis pregnancy center, located at 314 Tusculum Blvd., near the Greeneville High School campus.

O cials says the new maternity home, called Honeysuckle Studios, will provide housing and support for women in crisis pregnancy situations. It will provide accommodations for up to five mothers and their children, with four upstairs apartments and one lower-floor handicapped-accessible apartment.

The announcement for the new project was made at The Hope Center’s annual fundraising gala held at the General Morgan Inn. The guest speaker at this past year’s gala was Pam Tebow, mother of college football great Tim Tebow.

Local architect John Fisher has developed a design for the maternity home.

Scott M. Niswonger, local community and business leader and philanthropist, announced at the gala that an anonymous donor has pledged dollar-for-dollar support for the project for up to $25,000. The Hope Center is seeking $800,000 in the funding drive.

According to the Hope Center’s website,

the ministry seeks to: save the lives of unborn children, and educate and equip its clients with resources to help them obtain a better quality of life for themselves and their children.

The Hope Center exists to serve the needs of those who may find themselves in a crisis pregnancy, as well as having resources available for expectant mothers and parents who need help in caring for their young children, such as diapers, baby wipes, clothing, etc.

The center also works to provide guidance in giving them a spiritual foundation for their families, as well as educational opportunities to enable them to be productive members of our community.

The center provides a 24-hour helpline to anyone in need, as well as free pregnancy tests and counseling, baby and maternity clothing and supplies, newborn layettes and more.

The center also provides post-abortion counseling.

Young expectant mothers are also provided with mentoring and GED class referrals.

During her talk at The Hope Center gala, Mrs. Tebow spoke about her own troubled pregnancy that endangered her life and caused one of her physicians to recommend that she undergo an abortion.

She and her husband, staunch evangelical Christians who were missionaries in SEE EXPANSION ON PAGE 8

be here,” Atkins said at the ground-breaking.

O cials in Greeneville and Tusculum

have raised some concerns over the placement of the homes locally. Leaders in both towns have questioned the placement of the intermediate care facilities in residential only zones, since they are operated by for-profit private providers.

However, the federal Fair Housing Amendments Act pre-empts local and state laws, like zoning ordinances, that might otherwise prohibit construction of housing for people with disabilities.

In September 2016, the Greeneville Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted on measures o cially urging the state legislature to allow cities to collect property taxes on group homes.

That followed steps taken earlier in the year when Greeneville o cials spoke out at a public hearing and later traveled to Nashville in hopes of stopping plans for construction of a group home on Old Shiloh Road. O cials raised several safety-related concerns in addition to comments made in a public hearing by 30 local residents opposed to the home for a variety of reasons, including safety and perceived potential for a negative e ect on nearby property values.

Ultimately, the town declined to file an appeal to a state agency’s decision to advance those plans and the house remains under construction as of the time of publication.

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The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition Saturday, March 18, 2017

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Meen Center For Science, Math Opens At Tusculum

I

n early January, students were welcomed for the first time to Tusculum College’s newest facility, the Ronald J. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math.

The new 100,000 squarefoot facility opened for the first day of the new block following the winter break as college o cials had hoped, and will be o cially dedicated later this fall during homecoming festivities, administrators have said.

Construction crews have remained on site even with the facility open, putting the finishing touches on various aspects of the interior and exterior.

Only finishings remain, and crews were busy installing baseboards and moulding as students and teachers streamed out on the first day the facility, visible to passersby on the Erwin Highway, was open.

Students and sta alike have voiced excitement about the new building and the opportunities its equipment, technology and expanded spaces bring.

“The opening of the Meen Center for Science and Math has created a strong sense of anticipation and excitement particularly for the students, faculty and sta who are the first to experience this 100,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility. Students returning Monday couldn’t wait to see the new building and faculty began settling into their new spaces a week earlier,” Tusculum College President Dr. Nancy B. Moody said in January.

Classrooms and labs have been outfitted to each department’s specifications.

Most include technology like Mondopad “smart” boards. But, in the math department, chalkboards also line the walls, something the professors had insisted upon, Tusculum College Communications Director Suzanne Richey said.

Chemistry labs, nursing simulation lab and a lecture hall are also in use by students and sta now, along with spaces for students to study alone or work in groups on each floor of the building.

“We have expanded facilities, larger classrooms, more up-to-date electronic media,” pointed out Jane Brown, associate professor of nursing, on the first day the facility was opened to students. “Students and sta are very positive. It creates an environment where there’s a lot of excitement for learning.”

Other amenities the new building adds to the Tusculum College campus include a lecture hall for guest speakers or special presentations, which can accommodate students from three or four classes at once, and a meeting space, featuring a top-story view of the college’s campus and the mountains that flank it.

“This is just the begin-

ning. The Meen Center will impact students in the areas of math, science, computer science, biology, chemistry, environmental science and nursing for generations to come,” Moody said. “This is an extremely historic event for an institution founded in 1794 by two Presbyterian ministers who had the desire and foresight to bring education and religion to ‘the area south of the Ohio River.’”

Construction of the facility began in 2015, following an initial groundbreaking ceremony in 2013. By spring 2016, crews were focusing primarily on interior work, including utilities, waterproofing, windows and bricking.

The four-story building includes wings for biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science and environmental science, along with lab space and research areas.

The ground floor features the environmental science wing with a loading dock as well as large general classroom spaces and classrooms equipped for distance learning programs.

A lecture hall is also on the ground floor.

Space in the building is also allocated to the Bachelor of Science program in nursing and at least one other graduate-level health-related program.

The Meen Center replaces Tredway Hall, long known as Science Hall, as the Tusculum College campus’ home for science and math.

Tredway was constructed in 1928 for a much smaller student population and at a time when scientific research and instrumentation was much di erent.

College o cials have said the new, modern facility would not have been possible without a gift of nearly $3.9 million from the late Verna June Meen, who made the contribution in honor of her husband, the late Dr. Ronald H. Meen, an organic chemist for Eastman Chemical Company.

Other contributions have also backed the facility’s construction, including a $100,000 donation from Eastman Credit Union in September 2016 and a $50,000 grant from the First Tennessee Foundation in June 2016, among others.

Both of those gifts were part of the Tusculum First capital campaign to be applied to the Meen Center.

Eastman Credit Union President and CEO Olan O. Jones is a member of the Tusculum College Advisory Board, and noted that the Meens, for whom the building is named, were longtime ECU members.

The gift from First Tennessee Foundation was followed by the naming of the building’s foyer to the First Tennessee Foundation Foyer. Located on the ground floor, it is the main entrance to the center and is utilized by faculty, sta , students and visitors.

EXPANSION

tiny fetal form was actually temporarily misidentified as a tumor by one or more physicians. His siblings, learning of this, would tease him in later years by calling him “Timmy the tumor.”

Through his life experiences and his parents’ raising, the football great developed a special interest in the welfare of children, and began personally hosting an individual special needs or health-challenged child at each of his games.

“Before a game, I can take time and go deal with someone who is facing so much more than I have ever had to deal with, and that’s extremely special for me because I know that what I do with that kid is more important than whatever I do for the next three hours in that game,” Tebow said in a voice-over on the video.

Since then he has also launched various e orts and initiatives to help children in crisis.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

the Philippines at that time, put the outcome in God’s hands, she said, and chose to go on with the pregnancy.

Their prayer regarding that pregnancy was for God to give them a strong son to whom they would give the name Timothy, meaning “honoring God,” and whom they could raise to be a preacher. Though Tim Tebow didn’t become a preacher in the usual sense, he grew into a collegiate and professional football standout who has used his status as a public platform for his Christian faith.

His parents see in him the answer to their prayer, Pam Tebow said.

As part of her Greeneville presentation, Tebow showed a video, featuring herself and her son, that told their story briefly. In the video Tim Tebow discussed the fact that, early in his mother’s pregnancy, his

SUN FILE PHOTO BY SARAH R. GREGORY

Students stream out of the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math after their first day of classes after winter break. The new facility opened to students on the first day of the spring 2017 semester as college officials had hoped.

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Saturday, March 18, 2017 The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

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Page 10

The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition Saturday, March 18, 2017

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Work Continues On Expanded WSCC Facility; More Funding Sought

BY SARAH R. GREGORY STAFF WRITER

W

ork continues at the corner of North Main Street and Tusculum Boulevard, where Walters State Community College is dramatically expanding its downtown Greeneville campus.

Crews are busy on the interior of the new 104,000 square-foot building, expected to open this August.

Greeneville businessman and philanthropist Scott M. Niswonger contributed an additional $5 million toward the project in mid-2016, and, as the year came to a close, college o cials approached the Greeneville and Greene County governments seeking additional funding to finish the project and update WSCC’s existing local facility, the former Laughlin Memorial Hospital building.

INTERIOR WORK UNDERWAY In early 2016, WSCC o cials announced that updated contracts for interior work were approved by the state, allowing for more of the building’s interior to be completed upon opening than originally planned.

At the start of the project, college o cials aimed to have 35 percent of the building’s interior complete. Now, 41 percent or more is expected to be ready for students when the doors open.

WSCC o cials have said the Tennessee Board of Regents, the school’s governing body, recommended and approved that funding approach to allow the college to raise money for the remainder while work is underway and after the building opens, if needed.

“We’ve continued to make significant progress on the construction that’s underway on the interior,” WSCC Vice President for Communications and Marketing J.B. Pectol reported in fall 2016. “They’re progressing on that and are actually ahead of schedule for us to open in August 2017 with 41 percent of the building complete.”

In March 2016, crews returned to the site after a months-long hiatus to begin interior work. The first phase of work, exterior construction, had wrapped up in May 2015, making way for plans and bids for the second, interior phase to advance.

Portions of the interior expected to be completed upon the facility’s opening include the section that faces College Street, the entrance area that includes a clock tower and faces the intersection of College Street and Tusculum Boulevard and a portion of the building facing Tusculum Boulevard.

Those areas will include a science wing, learning center, student services center for tutoring and advising, faculty o ces, a resource center, main entry and reception areas and the building’s mechanical plant.

Key infrastructure will also be completed for a majority of the building, including mechanical, electrical and technological components, wall studs and ceiling tile grids, college o cials have said.

As that work is underway, plans are being finalized for the third phase of the project, exterior site development, expected to advance in the months ahead.

That work will include construction of an amphitheater in the campus courtyard, improved handicap-accessible sidewalks around the grounds, connecting sidewalks on the campus’ interior, pedestrian lighting and relocation of some utility lines underground.

Much of that work is to be funded by state grants awarded to WSCC and the Town of Greeneville.

SUN FILE PHOTO BY SARAH R. GREGORY

Contracted crews continue interior construction at Walters State Community College’s new downtown Greeneville facility, expected to open later this year.

SUN FILE PHOTO BY SARAH R. GREGORY

Greeneville businessman and philanthropist Scott M. Niswonger, left, presents a $5 million gift to benefit construction at Walters State Community College’s downtown Greeneville campus to then-WSCC President Dr. Wade McCamey in May 2016.

Plans are also being developed for as many as three improved crosswalks around the campus.

College o cials have said those upgrades could come on North Main Street, where there is an existing crosswalk; on College Street to link the site to Greeneville High School’s campus, and, possibly, on Tusculum Boulevard near the campus’ clock tower entrance.

RECORD DONATION, MORE FUNDS NEEDED In May 2016, Niswonger presented the $5 million gift to WSCC to benefit the Greeneville construction project. It marked the largest donation in the school’s 46-year history, and, possibly, the largest gift ever made to a Tennessee community college.

“It’s unprecedented,” then-WSCC President Dr. Wade McCamey said at the time.

“We think that what you’re going to hear is going to be the greatest gift that’s ever been made to a community college in the state of Tennessee, and, possibly, the nation.”

Niswonger said the contribution was a “commitment to both my community and Walters State.”

“I really believe that community colleges — all 13 of them across the state of Ten-

nessee — are the unsung heroes of higher education,” Niswonger said, emphasizing that workforce training programs o ered at community colleges play a leading role in attracting high-wage “21st century” jobs.

At the donation announcement, Niswonger praised the work happening at the facility and its architect, John Fisher.

“This is a capstone. It really is beautiful,” Niswonger said. “When a community comes together, a lot can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit.”

Niswonger is the project’s lead benefactor, having also provided the 20 percent match needed to secure $9 million in state capital grant funds in 2010 to green-light the work. Construction of the facility began in March 2013.

He also chairs the capital campaign, working to encourage community support and donations to benefit the facility’s completion.

College o cials continue their work in securing additional funding for projects on the Greeneville campus.

In late January and early February, WSCC o cials, including President Dr. Anthony Miksa, approached the Greene County Budget and Finance Committee and Greeneville Board of Mayor and Aldermen

seeking $2.5 million from both the county and town governments.

College o cials are expected to approach the Greene County Commission with a formal request. In early February, Miksa addressed Greeneville aldermen seeking a 10-year $2.5 million bond to help wrap up the downtown campus “master plan.”

The combined $5 million in bonds, if approved and issued, would be used to finish the new facility currently under construction and address inadequacies at the former Laughlin Memorial Hospital building.

Right now, the college has $27 million of the total $32 million projected campus expansion cost.

Gov. Bill Haslam’s 2017-18 state budget proposal includes $3.4 million for the project, but even if those funds are approved by the state legislature, it won’t get the project across the finish line, Miksa has said.

Currently, he added, there are not funds to finish the WSCC campus’ law enforcement academy. And, Miksa said, the fifth floor of the current WSCC building is currently inhabitable.

WSCC is hoping to secure funds to demolish the former hospital building and reconstruct a facility with additional parking spaces on the lower level and two floors with six classrooms each plus space for students to study and collaborate on group projects.

College o cials contend the expansions are needed because of rising enrollment at the local campus.

Enrollment is expected to climb in the coming years, not just because of expanded facilities, but because of the Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect scholarship initiatives, which grant tuition-free enrollment to state community colleges and technical colleges to high school graduates and adults without post-secondary degrees or credentials.

Current enrollment of 1,100 in Greeneville is expected to grow from 1,500 to 1,800 in the next few years and could surpass 2,000 when the Tennessee Reconnect initiative for adult students takes e ect in fall 2018, Miksa told Greeneville o cials in February.

So far, neither city nor county o cials have acted on WSCC’s request for additional funding.

Greeneville o cials indicated they would review the request further when development of the 2017-18 fiscal year budget gets underway this spring.

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Saturday, March 18, 2017 The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

Miksa Hired To Succeed McCamey As WSCC President

BY SARAH R. GREGORY

dents, not just because of his excellent work and educational credentials, but also because of his strong leadership r. Anthony Miksa was conskills, his people skills and his listening firmed as president of Walters skills,” Gregory said.

State Community College in McCamey, Miksa’s predecessor, May 2016. announced his retirement in December The Tennessee Board of Regents was 2015, effective June 30, 2016. unanimous in its vote to hire Miksa folMcCamey had a nearly five-decade lowing the retirement of Dr. Wade Mccareer in education, including time Camey, a Greeneville native who served as a geography and biology teacher in as WSCC’s top leader since 2005.

Greene County Schools prior to becomMiksa began his duties on July 1, and ing principal of Chuckey-Doak High previously served as vice School. president of McHenry McCamey also served County College in Crystal as assistant director of Lake, Ill. He led that the Upper East Tennessee school’s Academic and Educational Cooperative Student Affairs Division and began his career with since 2009 and had more WSCC after being hired than 20 years of teachto direct the college’s ing, student service and evening and off-campus leadership experience at instruction. several Illinois communiMcCamey was assistant ty colleges. dean and associate dean “I am truly honored of evening and off-campus and humbled that you instruction before leaving have entrusted me to the college temporarily serve as the next presiwhen elected superintendent of Walters State,” dent of Greene County Miksa said after TBR Schools in 1988. confirmed the hire. “The He returned to the colcollege, this board and lege in 1992 and received Dr. Anthony “Tony” Miksa the state of Tennessee the rank of full professor are nationally known for in 1995. He advanced to developing innovative be named vice president initiatives related to stufor academic affairs in dent success and degree 1997, where he remained completion, and I’m so until 2001, when he was excited to become part of named president of Roane that continued progress State Community College. toward these goals.”

McCamey returned to Miksa pledged to work WSCC as president in with faculty and staff, 2005.

TBR, the Walters State Upon his announceFoundation Board of ment of plans to retire, a Trustees, alumni founPresidential Search Advidation and community sory Committee oversaw members to “build upon selection of three finalists the success they have for campus interviews, already achieved at the held in April 2016. college.”

“One of those finalists Miksa’s higher educawas Dr. Miksa, and we betion service began as an lieve he was an exceptionDr. Wade McCamey admissions counselor at al candidate from those Mount Mercy College in outstanding candidates Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from 1995-1997. and are very happy that Chancellor He has also served as dean of MathGregory is making this recommendaematics, Science, Engineering and tion,” said TBR member Danni Varlan Health Professions at Illinois’ Elgin prior to Miksa’s confirmation.

Community College, dean of a simiAccording to TBR, Miksa will be paid lar program at Kishwaukee College in an annual salary of $160,000 with stanMalta, Ill., and as a tenured mathematdard presidential allowances and State ics instructor and assistant basketball of Tennessee employee benefits. coach.

“My family and I are excited to get He earned a doctorate of education down there and really start to connect degree in Community College Leaderwith everybody in the community and ship from National Louis University in the college, and really continue to help Chicago, a master’s degree in mathemove the college forward, because matics at University of Northern Iowa, they’re doing some wonderful things,” a bachelor’s degree in mathematics Miksa said. “I know there’s some great from Mount Mercy College and an asso- faculty and staff there at the institution, ciate degree in math from Kishwaukee and I can’t wait to start working with Community College. them.”

TBR Chancellor David Gregory, Since his hire, Miksa has overseen who recommended the board confirm a variety of WSCC initiatives, includMiksa’s hire, said Miksa has directed ing continued work on the downtown growth of new academic programs and Greeneville campus expansion project. delivery methods, increasing student In February, Miksa approached access, and has supported fundraisGreene County and Greeneville officials ing for academic equipment, helped with a request that each finance $2.5 facilitate efforts to better prepare high million in bonds to complete that projschool students for college and restrucect and overhaul of the existing WSCC tured student success initiatives to Greeneville campus facility, which was increase success rates and credentials the former Laughlin Memorial Hospiawarded. tal.

“I feel Dr. Miksa is the best choice goThat request has not yet been aping forward for Walters State Commuproved or denied by either governmennity College and the success of its stutal body.

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SUN FILE PHOTO BY SARAH R. GREGORY

The Niswonger Foundation is in the midst of an interior renovation project at 223 N. Main St., the longtime former location of Greeneville Orthopaedic Clinic. The education foundation expects to relocate all of its offices and staff into the historic downtown mansion this spring.

Niswonger Foundation Moving To Downtown’s ‘Educational Corridor’

BY SARAH R. GREGORY STAFF WRITER

T

he new year started with plans for a new home downtown for the Niswonger Foundation.

On Jan. 1, the foundation assumed ownership of what will be its permanent location: 223 N. Main St., one of downtown Greeneville’s most prominent historic structures.

Since 1974, the building has housed Greeneville Orthopaedic Clinic. It was built in 1929 as a mansion of late Congressman Oscar Bird Lovette.

In early January, the clinic relocated to the campus of Laughlin Memorial Hospital, making way for an extensive interior restoration project that will return the home to its original state.

Greeneville businessman and philanthropist Scott M. Niswonger, chairman and founder of the Niswonger Foundation, said interior work would begin quickly with the goal of wrapping up in time for the foundation to move its o ces this spring.

“John Fisher, our architect, has been able to find the original blueprints of the house. Our goal is to take it back to its original prominence,” Niswonger told The Greeneville Sun in late 2016. “We’ll spend the next three months working to bring it back to where it would look like a home again.”

Niswonger Foundation o cials have said they plan to host an open house once the restoration is complete so that the public can view the restored mansion.

“Everything that we do will be modular.

We will not, in any way, endanger the original woodwork, moulding or anything so that people can see what that house looked like in 1929,” Niswonger said. “I think the house is just an amazing piece of history.”

Niswonger said the building’s most prominent feature, a spiral staircase, will be a key aspect of the restoration project in the weeks ahead. Other signature features will also be restored.

“The original plans show where the moulding was and what it looked like, and we will put back four to five active fireplaces,” he said.

“We’ll put back the original staircase and then situate our o ces in a bit more of what will be an open environment,” Dishner said. “That will allow the chance to enjoy and value the historical integrity of the house.”

The new location places the Niswonger Foundation’s headquarters in the heart of Greeneville’s “education corridor,” which includes the Walters State Community College campus, Greeneville High School and the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.

Central o ces for both the Greeneville City and Greene County schools systems are also just a short drive away.

Since being established in 2001, the foundation’s o ces have been in a former home on Gilland Street on the Tusculum

College campus.

However, rapid growth in the organization’s initiatives in recent years have resulted in a need for a larger space going forward, said Dr. Nancy Dishner, Niswonger Foundation president and CEO. “We have been very pleased to be located on the Tusculum College campus for the first 15 years of the foundation’s work. It’s not only convenient, but we have found wonderful partners there,” she said.

“We have had a wonderful experience, but we have certainly outgrown the space that we have. This move will allow us to have the additional space we need for all of our o ces and programs.”

To date, the Niswonger Foundation has supported 82 scholars and invested more than $50 million in support of Northeast Tennessee schools.

In 2010, it was a recipient of a $21 million U.S. Department of Education Investing in Innovation grant, and, in 2015, it launched the NiswongerCare program to provide career and college advising services to all of the region’s high school students.

The North Main Street o ce will provide a central point for the foundation’s work throughout the region, and is likely to attract educators and other professionals from other areas to the heart of downtown Greeneville.

“This will be the home for the future of the foundation, and it will be, importantly, part of the downtown community in Greeneville,” Dishner said. “We like the fact that it is not only convenient to Walters State, East Tennessee State University, Tusculum College, Carson-Newman University and a number of other schools, but that it’s also very nicely placed for all 17 school systems that we serve.”

In addition to more o ce space for sta members, the move will give the Niswonger Foundation larger meeting areas for its Niswonger Scholars, alumni and professional development sessions.

The building will also host a “smart” classroom for educational opportunities for the entire community. An addition to the original structure, built for the orthopedic clinic’s physical therapy and rehabilitation programs, will serve as the conference and meeting space, Niswonger has said.

“This will allow us to have a professional learning center for probably 30 to 50 people,” Dishner said. “We will also be able to open it for opportunities for our school systems to use for training.”

Niswonger said he was pleased the education foundation will find a new home in the historic mansion.

“There is not another structure in Greeneville that I think would be as appropriate for the education foundation in the center of our downtown,” Niswonger said just before the property’s ownership changed hands. “To be in that educational corridor of GHS, NPAC and Walters State, which is also opening in 2017, I think is just an ideal place for the foundation to be.”

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Page 12

The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition Saturday, March 18, 2017

www.greenevillesun.com

Issue Of School Resource Officers Dominated County Budget Conversation In 2016

BY CAMERON JUDD STAFF WRITER

W

hen the Greene County Commission approved the current fiscal year’s no-tax-increase budget in August 2016, one topic dominated more than an hour of discussion in the two-hour meeting – a topic Sheri Pat Hankins had said he had grown weary of having to address over and over again.

The topic was School Resource O cers, or more precisely, the lack of them.

At the time, Greene County’s four high schools had security guards, but no actual SROs — specially trained and certified under the authority of the Sheri ’s Department — instead of private security o cers hired by the school system.

There was no disagreement among commissioners about the final goal: the protection of students within the schools.

The disagreement was over how to realistically achieve that goal, how fast to proceed toward it, and most of all, how to pay for it.

Hankins decried past reliance upon armed school security guards who had not been Peace O cer Standards and Training-credentialed. This approach, he argued, provided potentially substandard protection and also subjected the county to possible liability problems.

“None of those (security guards) are qualified to be SRO o cers,” he said. “It would be the same as the school system employing me to be a school teacher and I have no qualifications for doing that.”

Without SRO training, security o cers might not “know how to handle a situation, when it comes up, as a police o cer,” Hankins said.

Terry Hazard, a sheri management consultant with the University of Tennessee’s Institute for Public Service, County

Technical Assistance Service who personally spoke to the Greene County Commission on the SRO issue, said that, under Tennessee law, SROs must be “uniformed, POST-certified, and assigned to a law enforcement agency, not a school system.”

Further, the law enforcement agency must have jurisdiction in the area where the school served by the SRO is located.

The SRO matter was complicated by budgeting and the related question of tax rates. How much would the Greene County public be willing to pay to see credentialed SROs placed in all, or most, county schools?

One commissioner asked Hankins if individual deputies might simply be assigned to designated schools as their individual daily operational stations, staying at the schools to function as SROs unless dispatched in response to other calls.

The idea did not receive the sheri ’s support and gained no traction.

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Settling on how many SROs should be placed proved sticky. Discussion among commissioners indicated general agreement that the ideal would be an SRO in each county school, but the estimated $60,000-per-SRO cost was problematic.

A figure of 10 SROs was discussed at some length, but not formally proposed.

Third District Commissioner Robin Quillen proposed placing eight SROs into the school system.

Quillen’s concept was that one SRO could be placed in each high school, with another four serving as “floaters” between other county schools. The “floaters” would be posted by the sheri in varying school locations each day, one within each quadrant of the county.

Quillen made an impassioned argument that commissioners held a moral duty to provide as much protection for students

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Saturday, March 18, 2017 The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

City Schools Fully Embrace ‘Digital Transformation’

ISSUE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

as possible. Her proposal, however, lacked an immediate funding plan, and failed on a vote of 11-10.

First District Commissioner Wade McAmis suggested that the full answer to the situation was probably not going to be reached in a single e ort, and advised that the focus for that evening move to the “achievable” immediate goal of “not going backwards” on the SRO matter.

Under the older approach, there had been four o cers in the school system, one at each county high school. Reflecting that, McAmis advocated a four-SRO goal, one o cer per high school, as an immediate goal ideally to be built upon later.

Rhetoric on the issue, he urged, should not in the meantime imply that failure to move immediately beyond the basic goal equaled “not caring about kids’ safety.”

When the budget to which the SRO question was tied came to a vote, the majority of the Greene County Commission voted, 17-4, to retain the same property tax and wheel tax rates as the prior fiscal year. That had been the recommendation of the county’s Budget and Finance Committee.

The “inside” property tax rate would remain $1.6613 per $100 of assessed value. The “outside” rate remained $1.8731 per $100 of assessed value.

The budget as passed reflected the goal of four POST-certified SROs for the county system, one for each county high school.

The Greene County School System now contributes about half or more of the cost of the four SROs back to the county, according to Schools Director David McLain. The SROs report to the sheri .

The question of expanding SRO presence into other county schools has not been readdressed by the commission since that initial action in August. Meanwhile, the four rural high schools continue to be served by an assigned SRO.

Page 13

BY SARAH R. GREGORY STAFF WRITER

I

n the last year, Greeneville City Schools have fully embraced the Digital Transformation initiative, buying and deploying new computers for almost all the system’s students.

In early 2016, more than 1,100 new computers were assigned to city students in grades 3-8 after city school board members signed o on the purchases in late 2015. Later, in the fall, hundreds more were bought to expand the 1:1 student/device ratio to grades 2-12.

State funds to prepare school systems for new, required online standardized assessments, textbook funds and donations made possible by the Greeneville City Schools Education Foundation’s Reach4IT fundraising initiative provided for the purchases.

“This is an example of what can be accomplished in a community when people work together,” said Greeneville City Director of Schools Dr. Je Moorhouse when the new systems were being assigned to students during an event at Tusculum View Elementary School. “We want to express thanks to the individuals and businesses in the community for making this happen.

There is a responsibility we feel as an education system to make this transform teaching and learning in our schools.”

SUN FILE PHOTO BY SARAH R. GREGORY

Students from Hal Henard Elementary School demonstrate “snap circuits” during the Greeneville City Schools Digital Transformation Expo in spring 2016.

So far, that transformation appears to be taking place.

Students aren’t just using educational software on the new machines. They have their own individual Microsoft O ce accounts, complete with cloud storage, email, all the standard o ce software like word processing, spreadsheets and more.

All of that tech supports “personalized learning” e orts throughout the school system — an increasingly emphasized concept in the field of education. With their own computers, software and accounts, students are able

to monitor their own custom-tailored learning goals, get quick access to help when doing lessons and collaborate and submit assignments online.

At a special event in the spring, dubbed the Digital Transformation Expo, students took the lead in showing o the classroom technology they use every day — everything from computers to circuit boards, a robot, a drone and more.

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Page 14

The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition Saturday, March 18, 2017

www.greenevillesun.com

Niswonger Foundation Launches ‘CareerConnect’ Pilot Program

BY SARAH R. GREGORY

that CareerConnect will focus on students not traditionally viewed as college bound — a group educators say often has little support when considering post-high school options and identifying skill sets. The same students are also considered the least likely to receive career counseling at school.

Simulated and real-world work experiences are made available to the teens to ensure they successfully transition into careers or post-secondary certification programs that lead to careers.

“We just believe this is the right thing to do,” said Niswonger Foundation President and CEO Dr. Nancy Dishner. “This will

guide children to enter the workforce prepared to be successful in their positions and for their future.”

Niswonger Foundation expects the program to benefit the community at large as well, working under the belief that a well-prepared, young workforce will attract more businesses and industries to the area.

“It’s getting hard for employers to have a new workforce that is ready,” said Greeneville businessman and philanthropist Scott M. Niswonger, chairman and founder of the Niswonger Foundation. “The better we do preparing young people, the easier it will be to attract new employers to our region.”

CareerConnect participants will be chosen as they complete their freshman year and begin the program the following fall when they start their sophomore year, continuing through the end of their high school career.

As sophomores and juniors, CareerConnect “Explorers” will meet once each month during the school year. Summer breaks will bring a two-week “Summer Experience,” complete with hands-on projects and field trips to nearby post-secondary institutions and businesses, all geared toward helping kids zero in on potential career paths.

As seniors, the “Explorers” will be eligible for internships with area industries and get more individualized support as they prepare to continue their education in a two-year or certificate program or to enter the workforce.

“What this will do is begin to give young people a look at business and industry,” Niswonger said. “We will rotate young people through di erent industries to learn what employers expect — how to be on time, how to present yourself and conduct

interviews. Getting that discipline at the sophomore level, we will have employers who will be eager to take our young people and put them into processes and jobs in our region.”

Law Loving, a Niswonger Scholar alumnus, was selected to lead the program as coordinator. He meets monthly with the students to guide them through the program and gauge their success.

“We fail students when we don’t prepare them for soft skills,” Loving said at the CareerConnect launch event. “Communication, problem solving, teamwork, leadership, financial literacy — all are critical for success whether students leave our halls directly for work or continue their education to a Ph.D.” Most important, Loving emphasized, is helping students not considered college-bound find their own path to success.

One way to do that is to reinforce the concept of working to earn a paycheck.

“We start with the students early on in their high school careers in an attempt to get them thinking about what is their future, what is their direction,” Loving said.

“Students receive bi-monthly stipends, mirroring how paychecks work, with the goal being that getting paid for e ort and enthusiasm in the program is a good way to keep them engaged.”

As the program launches, Niswonger Foundation o cials continue to finalize all the details, including securing agreements with area companies to allow for student internships, which are expected to begin in the 2018-19 school year, when the first group of CareerConnect “Explorers” — all currently sophomores — enter their senior year.

our students,” she said. “It was so rewarding for educators throughout the district to be able to learn from our kids. They are so comfortable and confident when it comes to utilizing instructional technology as part of the learning process. Our teachers are to be commended for allowing them to lead the way.”

In the months that have followed, the city school system has earned national recognition for its innovative use of classroom technology.

The Center for Digital Education and the National School Boards Association listed the school system as ninth in the nation among districts with small student populations in its annual Digital School Districts Survey, recognizing “exemplary use of technology.”

Later, in the summer, the district was recognized in a nationwide publication for

its e orts to transform and personalize learning for each individual student.

Education Networks of America, the nation’s largest provider of network infrastructure for schools and libraries, spotlighted GCS in its newsletter, distributed nationwide. The same feature was picked up for further distribution by national nonprofit P21, the Partnership for 21st Century Learning.

ENA billed the spotlight on Greeneville schools as “Cultivating Excellence: A Successful Model for Digital Transformation,” which explained how GCS “is leveraging technology to e ectively personalize its learning environments.”

Technology-driven instructional practices, like GCS’ “IT Teacher Academy,” LEGO League robotics teams, new methods of communication among students and teachers and the variety of programs and

applications accessible to city students were also discussed.

In the fall, representatives from Discovery Education visited Greeneville for a Digital Transformation Showcase, shared with school systems all across America.

Discovery Education, part of Discovery Digital Media, a division of Discovery Communications, determined to visit Greeneville to highlight its “best practices” to other school systems.

“Greeneville City Schools is at the forefront of the innovative use of technology to improve student learning and engagement,” said Rob Warren, vice president of partnerships for Discovery Education. “We are looking forward to helping bring other school districts from across the nation to Greeneville to witness firsthand how they are transforming teaching and learning across the district.”

STAFF WRITER

A

new initiative of the Niswonger Foundation aims to teach students financial literacy, leadership and communication skills.

CareerConnect, a workforce-readiness pilot program, was launched in fall 2016 in the Greeneville and Greene County schools systems to equip kids with the types of soft skills they’ll need to succeed in the workplace while building direct links between them and potential future employers.

At a media event in January 2017, details about the new program were highlighted at West Greene High School as that school’s first group of CareerConnect “Explorers” gathered after school for their inaugural meeting.

In all, 100 Greeneville and Greene County sophomores — 20 each from the five local high schools — will be selected each school year to examine various career paths, develop skills critical to workplace success and earn academic credentials and real-world experience.

They’ll also learn what it’s like to get paid regularly. Those who commit to the program earn bi-monthly stipends totaling $250 per year.

The program is backed by John Tweed, president and CEO of Landair Transport Inc., who committed personal funds to launch it.

“This is embracing young people after school. Giving them these experiences will help build self-esteem, work ethic and understanding of what you have to do to hold down a job,” Tweed said in January.

Niswonger Foundation o cials explained

SCHOOLS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

alike as the crowd worked its way around di erent stations checking out the new era of classroom tools.

“Wouldn’t it have been awesome to go to school with technology like this?” Moorhouse asked at the event. “The students of Greeneville City Schools never cease to amaze. They are challenging us to raise the bar in new and relevant ways.”

GCS Assistant Director of Schools and Chief Technology O cer Beverly Miller said the showcase was a way to demonstrate how comfortable students and teachers have become with new approaches to learning.

“The Digital Transformation Expo was a wonderful opportunity for our district to showcase the group we are most proud of —

SUN FILE PHOTO BY SARAH R. GREGORY

Landair Transport Inc. President and CEO John Tweed speaks during the Niswonger Foundation’s CareerConnect launch event.

Tweed committed personal funds to back the new workforce-readiness initiative.

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Page 15

County Schools See Positive Results From Decision To Outsource Food Services

BY CAMERON JUDD STAFF WRITER

T

he year 2016 began with Greene County Schools having just stared down a significant problem in its food services program. That problem primarily involved not food, but finances.

In late 2015, Greene County’s Board of Education had received unhappy news from its food services department: the program was losing money, in a big way, so much so that on Dec. 17, 2015, in its regular monthly meeting, the board saw themselves metaphorically at the end of a rope.

The food services fund had experienced a six-figure loss since August of that year.

“The bottom line is we can’t keep losing money,” Greene County Director of Schools David McLain said at the time.

The school board agreed. The question was floated as to whether the system might be better served if food services were managed by an outside company. The board voted unanimously to give it a try.

Prior to that vote, the board heard from former food services manager Ellen Myers, who had stepped in to oversee food services after the previous coordinator, Colby Wagoner, left the position the prior month.

Myers said that the fund had fluctuated each month between financial loss, smaller gains and then even larger losses, resulting in a more-than-$100,000 loss in about a three-month span.

The food service fund’s balance had seen decreases each year since the 2011-12 fiscal year, when it closed with approximately $1.2 million.

In August 2015, Wagoner had told the school board that the fund was projected to face a $208,000 deficit by the end of September, attributing it to factors including a failure to budget costs for the summer months, decreased cafeteria participation across the district, and paying food service

sta for days missed for snow.

The board transferred $208,000 from the school system’s general fund to the food service fund to clear the projected deficit, giving the fund a $483,000 balance, one that by the November meeting had declined to around $381,600.

“I would let the board know this cannot go on,” Myers said. “Something has to be done, and it’s too late for our (cafeteria sta ) to do it on their own.”

Myers said the food service sta was not to blame for the fund’s financial woes.

Instead, Myers said lower cafeteria participation, particularly among teachers, was a factor. She also said the food itself was a major contributor.

“The product we’re feeding right now is not acceptable,” she said. “They’re not accepting it, and we have to change.”

Myers said she had authorized managers to purchase better quality items.

The board unanimously appointed Myers as interim food services coordinator for the remainder of the school year.

The board also decreased the salary by $25,000, moving the funds to purchase food supplies.

The board had the option of either hiring a new food service director to oversee operations internally or outsourcing.

The motion to move toward outsourcing was made by board member Brian Wilhoit and seconded by board member Kathy Austin.

“We can’t keep going in the direction we’re going,” she said.

Prior to the outsourcing decision, the board heard from Verdelle Bowie, a representative of Chartwells, a food service management company. Bowie told the board that signing with Chartwells would reduce food services costs while likely increasing cafeteria participation.

She said current food service employees could remain school district employees, be transferred to the company’s payroll, or long-tenured employees could remain on

the school system’s payroll until retirement, with new hires being placed on Chartwells’ payroll.

In June 2016, the school board made it o cial: Chartwells would take over oversight of the food services program beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year.

The vote was unanimous with one board member absent.

“We’re going to be able to bring good things to this county, to their food service, to the children, to students,” Chartwells District Manager Peggy Luther said after the meeting. “And that’s what it’s all about.

We’re going to take care of the employees, but we’re going to feed the kids.”

Bids from three third-party food services management companies, including Chartwells, had been opened May 17. Chartwells presented a maximum allowable cost per meal of $2.99.

Chartwells already was managing food services for businesses, hospitals, sports arenas and more than 600 school districts across the country.

Greene County Schools was the third school system in the state to have outsourced its food services.

Austin said the decision was one of the most di cult the board has faced, adding that it was important to take care of the system’s current cafeteria workers.

Chairman Rick Tipton said at the time of the vote that the food services issue had been in the forefront on his mind for months.

“This was something that the employees and the board and (McLain) were handed by someone else, not by our own doing,” Tipton said.

Once contracted, Chartwells moved quickly to establish itself in the Greene County system, improving cafeterias and kitchens, making dining areas and serving lines brighter and more user friendly, and o ering a broader range of food options, the board reported.

The company also hosted a special

introductory informal luncheon for board members and other guests at Chuckey-Doak High School before the school year commenced to introduce their menu and show the physical upgrades made to the kitchen and serving lines.

The Chartwells representative assigned to the Greene County School System, Dustin Burnette, has maintained communication with the school board and system administration and throughout the current academic year has consistently reported in-the-black financials.

As early as the school board’s August 2016 meeting, the first in the current academic year and the first during which Chartwells was running food services, cause for optimism was already beginning to appear.

Board members were told that longer lines in the cafeterias was the only significant complaint being heard from students about the e ect of Chartwells running the food operations.

Burnette reported to the board at that time that the lunches being served across the county school system on the average were numbering about 100 more per system cafeteria per day.

Two South Greene High School students who were visiting the August board meeting as a school assignment were asked by Chairman Rick Tipton about their perceptions of Chartwells service at their own school. They gave positive reviews to the food and service, and reported increased personal patronage of the cafeteria.

Tipton thanked the students for their comments, and various board members expressed hope that matters were going to turn out as McLain had voiced almost a year earlier when the outsourcing idea was new.

“Hopefully, it’ll be good and maybe better than some situations we had,” McLain said at that time. “We’re excited. The confidence is in Chartwells, so hopefully it’ll work out.”

New Offering, Strong Enrollment Mark Landmark Year At Greene Tech Center

BY SARAH R. GREGORY STAFF WRITER

S

trong enrollment figures and new initiatives have made the last year a landmark one at the Greene Technology Center.

A long-desired Culinary Arts program launched at the school in fall 2016, while enrollment figures continued an upward trend.

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission also announced the facility will be among beneficiaries of a nearly $1 million Labor Education Alignment Program grant.

This year started with the announcement that GTC Principal Jerry Ayers will retire at the end of the 2016-17 school year.

CULINARY ARTS School administrators say the addition of a new Culinary Arts program in fall 2016 is the highlight of the last year.

In spring 2016, the Joint Board of Education authorized a request from Ayers to renovate an older commercial kitchen classroom to accommodate the new course o ering.

A food-service related program was last o ered at GTC in 1994. In recent years, multiple surveys have revealed that a culinary arts program was at the top of students’ wish list.

“Culinary Arts has outpaced all other program options by double the amount,” Ayers said at the time. “This should be a good number-generating program and a very popular program.”

Throughout the summer, crews worked to convert the classroom, repairing a large ventilation hood and adding stainless steel preparation tables and other equipment.

Walk-in cooler and freezer equipment was added later, using federal Carl Perkins Grant funds. A commercial dishwasher is expected to be added to the facility later.

In evaluating whether to implement the new program, Ayers visited other area school systems that o er culinary arts courses.

“All recommended initiating the program,” he said, explaining that all other culinary arts programs at school systems like Kingsport City, Sullivan County, Elizabethton and Johnson City are all full, and many have waiting lists.

The new GTC o ering aims to prepare students for college-level courses by aligning with the culinary arts program o ered by Walters State Community College at its Sevier County Campus, with the goal that students will work toward a post-secondary certification after graduating high school.

White the program did not start out as a dual-credit o ering, administrators say high school students could have opportunities in the future to earn college credit in culinary arts while studying at the center.

GROWING ENROLLMENT The 2016-17 school year has continued a trend of strong enrollment figures at the center.

At the start of the school year, 428 students enrolled at the Hal Henard Road facility. Overall, the headcount was up three over last year, which was up more than 100 from a 10-year low in 2014-15.

“We’re back up with a good enrollment here at the center,” Ayers reported, adding that the facility was at 89.2 percent capacity. “Our goal is always 90 percent, and we’re right there. That’s the closest we’ve been in a long time, and we are very proud of that.”

The new culinary arts program may have played a role in the strong enrollment figures. In the first semester, 61 students enrolled in the new o ering.

“We are o to a great start,” said GTC Assistant Principal Randy Wells in a report to the Joint Board of Education in fall 2016. “I don’t remember in my 25 years starting a program with that level of enrollment.”

LEAP GRANT FUNDING New LEAP grant funding from THEC will provide roughly $130,000 for equipment and services at GTC, primarily to expand its industrial electricity o ering.

The funds, announced in September 2016, are part of a $1 million grant awarded to the “Lakeway Partnership”

which includes the Tennessee College of Applied Technol- ous meetings with dozens of area industrial leaders in an ogy in Morristown, the Cocke, Grainger, e ort to create a pipeline of highly trained Hamblen, Hawkins, Sevier and Greene workers with the necessary technical skills county schools systems, Greeneville City and work ethic required to be a productive Schools and a number of area industries. employee in modern advanced manufacGTC is a satellite center of TCAT Morristuring facilities, THEC o cials said at the town. Grant funds will be used to make its time the grant was announced. industrial electricity program eligible as an AYERS TO RETIRE evening, post-secondary TCAT o ering at In the weeks ahead, a search for the next the local campus.

GTC principal is expected to get underway.

That will provide the final component At the January meeting of the Joint to a long-planned, three-part program, Board of Education, Ayers announced his wherein students who complete that, along intention to retire at the end of the school with welding and machine tool programs, year. are awarded a certification in industrial He has had a 32-year career in educamaintenance.

SUN FILE PHOTO BY SARAH R. GREGORY tion, 25 of which were spent serving as “This fills a great need in the communiprincipal at South Central Elementary ty’s workforce” as existing workers certified Greene Technology Center School, Greeneville Middle School, Greenin industrial maintenance near retirement Principal Jerry Ayers has announced his intention to eville High School and GTC. age, Ayers said. “This will help shore up retire at the end of the 2016Ayers has been GTC principal for the last that and prepare upcoming students and 17 school year. nine years. young people to take those positions.”

“It has been a joy and an honor to serve The grant will also address work ethics and the National Career Readiness Certification and allow the Greeneville and Greene County communities for these past many years,” he said. “GTC is a valuable jewel in the students to participate in summer internships at area crown of this community.” industries.

All of the grant activities are a direct result of numer-

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The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition Saturday, March 18, 2017

www.greenevillesun.com

School Systems Celebrated Faculty, Staff, Alumni Accomplishments

BY CAMERON JUDD STAFF WRITER

T

he school systems of Greeneville and Greene County both found cause to celebrate achievements of educators and system leaders in 2016.

A sense of community through shared successes of the Greeneville City School System was celebrated April 12 at the fourth annual CORE Champion Awards Banquet.

Each year, the banquet serves as the Greeneville City Schools Education Foundation’s signature event, recognizing distinguished alumni and those who work to improve the community by supporting the town’s school system. Amanda Waddell, GCSEF executive director, detected a theme in the 2016 awards.

“The resounding theme was community — specifically, the essential nature of a support system in a student’s life and the daily opportunities educators have to impact a young person,” she said.

The city school system, she added, is “fortunate to have educators at every level who care about students as individuals and mentor them inside and outside of the classroom.”

Numerous current and retired city school teachers were among those who filled the ballroom at the General Morgan Inn for the event, including Barbara Clanton, Patricia Donaldson and Marsha Ottem, who introduced some of the recipients.

CORE AWARDS PRESENTED CORE Awards recognize those who commit to a cause, optimize their resources, reinvest in their community and equip others for success, Waddell explained.

“These individuals excel in their vocations and are making a di erence in their communities,” she said. “They are advocates for education, forward-thinkers, servant-leaders, good stewards and devoted to the betterment of others.”

Recognized were: • Jeremy Myers, a 1995 Greeneville High School graduate, Outstanding Young Alumni award; • Terry Hull Crawford, a 1966 GHS graduate, Distinguished Alumni Award; • Dr. Hannah Britton, a 1988 GHS graduate, Distinguished Service Award; and • Dr. Mark Patterson, a 1977 GHS graduate, Outstanding Patron Award.

Dr. Katie Baker, a 2003 GHS graduate, 2015 Outstanding Young Alumni CORE Champion and Niswonger Scholar, was the event’s keynote speaker.

Baker is an assistant professor in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health at East Tennessee State University’s College of Public Health.

“This school system produces graduates committed to causes and families,” who “reinvest in the community” and equip

current students “to succeed in the world,” Baker said.

Each year, the GCSEF presents CORE Champions Awards in four categories to individuals who “commit to a cause, optimize their resources, reinvest in their community and equip others for success.”

A month later, further awards within the Greeneville City Schools System were presented when educators’ accomplishments throughout the school year were honored at Greeneville City Schools’ annual Personnel Breakfast. Each year, the top honor given during the event is the Kathryn W. Leonard Outstanding Service to Students Award, presented on behalf of the Greene County Partnership.

The 2016 recipient was Joy Landers, a retiring second-grade teacher at Highland Elementary School. The award is determined by a sta wide vote.

SPECIAL AWARDS In addition to the Outstanding Service to Students Award, a number of other special awards were presented during the event.

Recipients of special awards this year included: • the Robert E. “Eddie” Jordan Character Education Award, presented to Tallye Gass, seventh-grade math teacher at Greeneville Middle School, • the Excellence in Technology Award, to Nancy Philbeck, choral teacher at Hal Henard Elementary School, • the Excellence in Professional Learning Award, to Brad Gentry, engineering teacher at Greene Technology Center, • the Dr. Lyle Ailshie “Only the Best” Award, to Brian Sutton, custodial team leader at Greeneville High School, • the Dr. Ernest W. Martin “Champion for Children” Award, to Heather Fay, fourthgrade teacher at Highland Elementary School, • the Linda B. Stroud “Cultivate and Impact” Rising Star Award, to Annette Watts, math teacher at GHS, • the Paraprofessional of the Year Award to Connie Walsh, secretary at EastView Elementary School, and, • the Robert Keasling Friends of Education Award, to Bill Moncier, representative for the Greene County Scottish Rite.

TEACHER OF THE YEAR HONOREES Building-level and systemwide Teacher of the Year honorees were also given special recognition.

For the 2015-16 school year, they were: • Kimberly Russell, of EastView Elementary School, Andrew Barnett, of Highland Elementary School, and Sharon Norris, of Hal Henard Elementary School, in the pre-kindergarten through fourth-grade category; • Amanda Moorman, of Greeneville Middle School, and Carla Renner, of Tusculum View Elementary School, in the fifth-

through eighth-grade category; and, • Brad Gentry, of the Greene Technology Center, and Anthony Feathers, of GHS, in the high school category.

Systemwide teacher of the year honorees were Norris, Renner and Feathers.

GREENE COUNTY SCHOOLS Greene County Schools also celebrated and honored achievement during the past year.

Greene County’s West Greene High School and McDonald Elementary School received an indirect but pride-inducing honor when an alumnus of both schools was named Tennessee Teacher of the Year in 2016.

Greene County native Derek Voiles, a seventh-grade English language arts teacher at Lincoln Heights Middle School in Morristown, was named the 2016-17 Tennessee Teacher of the Year in September. It is the highest educator honor given at the state level.

According to the Tennessee Department of Education, which gives the honor, Voiles is “known for his leadership skills and high expectations for all students.”

Voiles, a native of Mohawk and 2006 graduate of West Greene High School, is a seventh-grade English language arts teacher at Lincoln Heights Middle School in Morristown.

His parents are Frankie and Angie Voiles, Mohawk.

At the time of his honor, he had been teaching for six years in Hamblen County and, in addition to serving in many leadership roles at his school, was pursuing his doctoral degree at East Tennessee State University.

As Tennessee Teacher of the Year, Voiles serves as a main ambassador for teachers across the state, serving as Tennessee’s representative as part of the National Teacher of the Year Program.

Voiles is serving on the Teacher Advisory Council throughout the 2016-17 school year.

That group works to provide feedback and inform the work of the state department of education throughout the year, the news release says.

STATE-LEVEL RECOGNITIONS Two active and experienced Greene County educators independently won state-level honors in their subject areas in 2016. Both are teachers at Baileyton Elementary School.

Virginia Cooter, a Greene County native and Texas A&M alumna, was the 2016 winner of Tennessee Science Teachers Association’s teacher of the year award for grades 5-8 in the state of Tennessee. She has taught 12 years at Baileyton, and also has taught at North Greene and West Greene high schools, Doak Elementary School, and in schools outside of Tennessee.

Melissa Laws was 2016’s winner of the statewide Innovative Library Media Award

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for the elementary division from the Tennessee Association of School Librarians. has been an educator for 20 years, teaching first grade and kindergarten classes at Nolachuckey Elementary School for six years before moving on to Baileyton, where she works in library and media resources.

Laws was a Greene County Teacher of the Year in 2012-2013 and also has won other educational honors.

COUNTY WINNERS A slate of awards were presented in May 2016 at the annual Greene County Schools Personnel Reception held at Chuckey-Doak High School. Mathew Williams, band director at West Greene High School, received the 2016 Outstanding Service to Students award, presented by Chris Marsh, then-chairman of the Greene County Partnership board of directors.

Winning the Judy Thompson Phillips Lifetime Contribution to Education Award was Mary Louise Hunt, Chuckey-Doak High School. Hunt is now retired.

Teachers of the Year awards were given within grade-level divisions at the individual school level and recognized at the reception.

They were: Amy McAmis, K-4, and Arnold Loftis, 5-8, Baileyton Elementary School; Karen Baxley, K-4, and Rachel Ricker, 5-8, Camp Creek Elementary School; Becky Bowers, K-4, Chuckey Elementary School; Alison Fox, 9-12, Chuckey-Doak High School; Sue King, 5-8, Chuckey-Doak Middle School; Cindy Walter, K-4, and Jennifer Roderick, 5-8, DeBusk Elementary School; Holly Marshall, K-4, Doak Elementary School; Brittaney Bible, K-4, and Katie Jo Knight, 5-8, Glenwood Elementary School; Tara Shoemaker, K-4, and Donna Grubb 5-8, McDonald Elementary School; Hannah Ridley, K-4, and Lindsay Hawk, 5-8, Mosheim Elementary School; Wendy Connor, K-4, and Karen Shelton, 5-8, Nolachuckey Elementary School; Kurt Glover, 9-12, North Greene High School; Teresa Adams, K-4, Jill Paris, Ottway Elementary School; Terry Hosea, 9-12, South Greene High School; Rebecca Thornburg, K-4, McNeese Educational Center; Mathew Williams, 9-12, West Greene High School; and Jennifer McAmis, K-4, and Donna Shannon, 5-8, West Pines Elementary School.

The “Way to Go Award” sta award was presented to Helen Tullock, a school bus driver for the Greene County district. Tullock’s quick thinking and correct reactions were credited with minimizing injuries that happened in an early-2016 bus accident caused by a driver who swerved into Tullock’s lane.

Certified retirees from 11 Greene County schools also were recognized, and classified retirees from 12 schools were similarly honored.

Memorial recognition was also given to system personnel who had passed away.

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