Oak Ridge Schools is proud to be a top public school system in Tennessee that successfully prepares students for colleges and careers. In addition to the Oak Ridge Schools’ emphasis on STEM education, Oak Ridge Schools also has a great tradition of fine arts instruction. Fine arts instruction occurs at all grade levels in the school district; students and teachers are often honored for their success. In the 2017-2018 school year, for example, the Oak Ridge High School orchestra won the top national orchestra for the second year in a row. Jim Dodson, art teacher at Jefferson Middle School, was recognized for his service and achievement as the Tennessee Arts Academy Visual Art Director, and Oak Ridge High School orchestra teacher Dr. JD Phillips won the 2018 Country Music Association Teacher of Excellence Award. Oak Ridge Schools also boasts multiple bands, from the football band, to the competitive band, symphonic band, concert band, JazzKats and ensembles. Students also have the opportunity to participate in choirs that add delight throughout the community, and there are opportunities to participate in journalism, including the Oak Ridge High School Oak Log Yearbook. Students at the high school can receive college credit for courses such as ceramics, and there is a yearly student art exhibit at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge.
In addition to these great programs, Oak Ridge Schools is pleased to remain a top academic school district in the state. Despite the tumultuous testing environment that took place during the 2017-2018 school year, students made more than expected growth in their tested subjects overall, generating an overall TVAAS score of 4 for the district. Oak Ridge High School in particular demonstrated great student growth scores in tested subjects with an overall TVAAS score of 5. Robertsville Middle School students made more than expected growth in literacy, and Woodland Elementary School students made more than expected growth in numeracy. Both Glenwood Elementary School and Willow Brook Elementary School students made expected growth in their composite scores as well as in both literacy and numeracy. Particular strengths in growth across the system were biology, chemistry, all high school English, grade 5 English, science and social studies, and grade 7 math and science. It is important to remember that, since Oak Ridge Schools start middle school at 5th grade, all elementary school growth scores were generated by fourth grade alone.
Thus, in addition to growth scores, it is important examine achievement scores. To highlight elementary literacy, Willow Brook Elementary School more than doubled the number of students who scored on track or mastered in 3rd grade reading from the 2016-2017 school year to the 2017-2018 school year. In addition, there were improvements in third grade reading proficiency at Glenwood Elementary School and fourth grade reading proficiency at Woodland Elementary School. Economically disadvantaged students at Linden Elementary School also demonstrated a great increase in third grade reading proficiency.
At the middle school level, Jefferson Middle School again had the highest rate of success on the Algebra 1 end of course exam, while 100% of both Jefferson Middle School and Robertsville Middle School students taking Geometry while in middle school succeeded on the geometry end of course exam. Middle school achievement scores across the State of Tennessee suffered after the difficult testing season, so we consider our middle school achievement results in that context.
During the 2018-2019 school year, Oak Ridge Schools will continue to address middle school mathematics, high school algebra 1, and overall our achievement gap between economically disadvantaged and non-economically disadvantaged students. As we have previously requested, we urge the entire community to support student attendance, including limiting non-urgent medical care to school breaks and after school hours, keeping family vacations during school breaks, and ensuring that student drivers come to school regularly and on time.
Oak Ridge Schools would like to acknowledge the great support that we receive from the Oak Ridge community. From volunteering in our classrooms, supporting the Oak Ridge Schools Education Foundation, attending our school events, providing resources for our economically disadvantaged students, and overall supporting our school system, we work and live in the best community in the State of Tennessee.
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Press release written by Tracey Beckendofr-Edou
