Oak Ridge School district is pleased to announce that two educational leaders from Woodland Elementary School, Melissa Blalock and Evan Parker, have been selected to serve in the Innovative Leaders Institute.
The Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, a public/private partnership between the Tennessee Department of Education and Battelle Education, announced today the 28 Tennessee educators accepted into the third annual Innovative Leaders Institute – a six day interactive series of workshops designed to grow highly effective principals, assistant principals, and school leaders to use STEM strategies and innovative instructional techniques to impact teacher practices and student achievement in Tennessee.
This free professional development workshop series was designed by Tennessee school leaders for Tennessee school leaders and aims to move school leader preparation into real school settings with an expectation of immediate impact on practices. The Institute takes advantage of site visits to schools with innovative instructional models that leads to the sharing of new ideas and strategies amongst districts participating in the institute.
“We are excited to have strong participation from all parts of the state in this year’s Institute that continues to strengthen our statewide network,” said Wes Hall, Director of the TSIN. “Tennessee is rich with outstanding leaders in education, and our selection team had a very difficult time choosing this year’s competitive cohort. With the selection of this year’s cohort, the Institute will have now impacted the leadership practices of over 80 principals, assistant principals, and lead teachers, furthering our goal to ensure effective leaders are in every school and classroom in the state,” said Hall.
The Institute is led by experienced principals from Tennessee, who were selected because they have demonstrated positive impact on their schools through student performance, teacher retention, and creating and supporting an academically challenging learning environment for students. The instructors include Becky Ashe, Principal of L&N STEM Academy in Knoxville, TN; Tony Donen, Principal of STEM School Chattanooga in Chattanooga, TN; George Ashe, Principal of STEM Academy at Hardin Valley Academy in Knoxville, TN; and Sandy Watkins, Founding Principal of Innovation Academy of Northeast Tennessee in Kingsport, TN.
“The Institute is designed to develop leaders’ concepts of innovative leadership practices and to prepare school leaders with the procedures and policies to promote success,” said Sandy Watkins, one of the Institute’s designers and instructors. “It is based on the highly successful program Battelle Education has been conducting in Ohio for the past five years, but we cater the Tennessee program to the specific needs of Tennessee school leaders,” said
Application for the Innovative Leaders Institute is restricted to two person teams, who must consist of a school’s principal or assistant principal and another building-level school leader. The Institute is free of charge and will visit innovative schools in Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Middle Tennessee. For more information, visit www.tsin.org/leaders.
The Tennessee STEM Innovation Network is a public-private collaborative between the Tennessee Department of Education and Battelle Education, emphasizing a “kindergarten through jobs” philosophy by promoting the teaching and learning of STEM education and integrating real-world and hands-on learning in K-12 public schools across Tennessee. Visit: www.TSIN.org
The 2016/2017 TSIN Innovative Leaders Institute Cohort:
Cody Duncan and Renee Farrell; Bon Lin Middle; Bartlett City Schools
Tonjua Woods and Susan Eaton; Rivercrest Elementary; Bartlett City Schools
Steve Sochalski and Deidre Pendley; Tennessee High School; Bristol City Schools
Heather Boegemann and Andrea Gunter; Greenville Middle School; Greenville City Schools
Megan Bray and Elisabeth Wilson; Red Bank Elementary; Hamilton County Schools
Gergory Bagby and Robin Bambrey; Barger Academy of Fine Arts; Hamilton County Schools
James David and Daniel Middlebrooks; STEM School Chattanooga; Hamilton County Schools
Cindy White and Rich McKinney; Vine Middle Magnet School; Knox County Schools
Nathan Langolis and Melissa Glover; Austin East Magnet High School; Knox County Schools
Dexter Murphy and Sandy Morris; Green Magnet Academy; Knox County Schools
Melissa Blalock and Evan Parker; Woodland Elementary; Oak Ridge Schools
Emily Pierce and Alicia Eldridge; Cane Creek Elementary; Putnam County Schools
Heather Tinch and Amy Baggett; Prescott South Middle School; Putnam County Schools
Ashley Aldridge and Erin Thurston; Jack Anderson Elementary STEM School; Sumner County Schools
