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Copyright © 2014 farragutpress

ISSUE 48 VOLUME 26

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FARRAGUT, TENNESSEE

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 2014

Relationships key to new FHS skipper ■

ALAN SLOAN asloan@farragutpress.com

Saying she is “absolutely” applying to become Farragut High School’s long-term principal beyond 2014-15, Stephanie Thompson emphasized she is taking a “relationships first” approach toward academic growth at her new school. “This year I’m really going to be focusing on building relationships with my staff. … Letting people get to know me. And then

we will, as we get to know each other better, we will look to see where can Farragut High School be even greater, more amazing than it is right now,” said Thompson, appointed as FHS interim principal for the coming school year Friday, July 25. “Build relationships before we try to create a vision to move forward.” Thompson, beginning her 16th school year as an educator, is tackling her first-ever principal job after almost three school

years as an assistant principal at Austin-East Magnet High School. “I really believe I’m a strong instructional leader,” she said. “I’m strong in the knowledge of what good instruction looks like and how do you support a teacher to improve their craft to get to that. “I believe I bring energy,” Thompson added. “I’m a people person, I love to be out in amongst my students and out in amongst my staff, and out in my

community getting to know people. That’s who I am.” “I’ve very excited. Farragut High School is an incredible learning institution. I’m honored to be chosen and appointed as the leader of such an amazing school.” A business teacher at FHS during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 school years, “During that time what I learned is this staff works together, they support See THOMPSON on Page 4A

Fun with Fleet day Annual Town event slated for Aug. 16 at Mayor Bob Leonard Park

Alan Sloan

Stephanie Thompson, right, speaks with FHS parent Pennie Sena during an Open House principal-parent get-together Friday morning, Aug. 1, in FHS Commons.

BOMA OKs Parkview Plaza additional signs ■

TAMMY CHEEK tcheek@farragutpress.com

TAMMY CHEEK tcheek@farragutpress.com

Farragut’s annual Fun with Farragut’s Fleet has a new location this year, Mayor Bob Leonard Park. Town of Farragut is sponsoring the display of Town and Knox County emergency and maintenance vehicles for children beginning at 9 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 16, at the park. “[The event] had been up at the Town Hall every year until this year,” Lauren Cox, Farragut Special Events and Program coordinator, said. “We had to move it to Mayor Bob Leonard Park because we have outgrown the [Town Hall] parking lot. “We’re anticipating 500 to 600 kids this year,” Cox said, adding those numbers are based on growth the event has experienced over the last few years. “It’s a popular event every year, and it’s in the

File photo

Town of Farragut is sponsoring its 13th annual Fun with Farragut’s Fleet, from 9 to 11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 16, at Mayor Bob Leonard Park, 301 Watt Road. Last year, Mat Hilton, 3, enjoyed checking out the Town’s John Deere Gator at the event.

morning before everyone’s day gets started,” she added. Cox said Fun with Farragut’s Fleet gives the community’s children an opportunity to see, touch and climb on

Temporary Closure of Turkey Creek Road Town of Farragut will be closing Turkey Creek Road to through traffic beginning the week of Aug. 18. The road will be closed between Lake Heather Road (Inverness Subdivision) and Lake Haven Road (Lake Haven Subdivision) for construction to stabilize and repair the slope on the north side of Turkey Creek Road. The closure will be for 28 days or less depending on weather conditions during the construction process. Signage indicating closure will be installed at each end of Turkey Creek Road. For more information, contact David Sparks at 865-966-7057 or david.sparks@townoffarragut.org/

a variety of trucks and equipment used by the town of Farragut, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Knoxville Volunteer Rescue Squad, Moneymakers Wrecker Service and Rural/Metro

Inc. Some of that equipment includes a backhoe, dump truck, fire engine and police car. “Every vehicle, kids can climb on them and See FLEET on Page 5A

Dura-Line received the green light for two additional signs on the fivestory Parkview Plaza building in which the company is located from Farragut’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen during its meeting Thursday, July 24.. A sign would be placed on each end of the fivestory building at Parkside Drive. After some discussion BOMA voted unanimously to amend its sign ordinance to allow the additional signs. “Initially, I was against the amendment but at the end of the day, I supported it wholeheartedly,” Alderman Ron Honken said, adding the signs’ square foot allowance would be distributed among the four signs. Alderman Jeff Elliott asked about the impact the change would have on other zones. “What’s being proposed

is just on that zoning ordinance, but it could make it more challenging if someone were to want to make a change,” Mark Shipley, Community Development director, said. Elliott asked the building’s owner what his rationale was for the two extra signs. “We have our national headquarters here,” Tim Grimsley with Dura-line said, adding potential employees and clients get lost trying to find the building because they are looking for a sign with the company’s name. Mayor Ralph McGill said he did not see how adding the signs would do any harm and added he supported the amendment. Shipley said the Visual Resources Review Board reviewed the applicant’s request in March and recommended the Farragut Municipal Planning Commission “pursue an amendment.” The Commission voted 6-2 in favor of See BOMA on Page 2A

Carson holds input session ■

COURTNEY SUCH csuch@farragutpress.com

Karen Carson, Knox County School Board District 5 representative, hosted a community input session Tuesday evening, July 29, at West Valley Middle School to further explain Knox County Schools’ five-year strategic plan — a plan that led several of the 24 attendees to

bring a teacher’s perspective into the mix. “It saddens me that we are watching good, effective teachers … leave. Have you talked to them on why they’ve left the system?” a parent asked. “I think the job has changed, and I think there’s no denying that the job has changed,” Carson said. KCS policy changes

throughout the past few years dealing with factors such as new technology and responsiveness leaves teachers questioning if their voices are really being heard. “We know to engage our community we have to engage our students, our parents, our staff, our faculty and our community, so when we are talking about customer relations, it’s

being responsive to concerns, whether it be maintenance concerns, and addressing those, technology concerns … employee concerns … we’ve got to be responsive to them,” Carson said. Gloria Johnson, a KCS teacher and District 13 state representative, said she appreciates recogniSee KCS on Page 2A

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