Topic: Schools

BusinessWeek singles out Clarksville TN as best city in Tennessee to raise kids

November 18, 2009 |

Tennessee’s Top Spot has taken another top honor in the state. Today, BusinessWeek Magazine named Clarksville the best city in Tennessee to raise your kids.

BusinessWeek’s fourth annual survey calculated information from several categories. Affordability, safety*, and school test scores were given the greatest weight.

“It makes sense. We have beautiful parks, Greenways and a Riverwalk. Families can afford to buy a home in safe neighborhoods. They have easy access to jobs, with more on the way through HSC. Clarksville really is Tennessee’s Top Spot” said Mayor Johnny Piper.

Parents pushing their children on the swings at one of Clarksville TN's may Parks

Sections: News | 1 Comment »

SEIU & ACORN: Guilt by Association

By Mark Naccarato | October 13, 2009 |

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has become a favorite target of the extreme right wing. As SEIU becomes a more significant force for change in this country, we are going to continue to be hit by the same extreme right-wing attack machine that is trying to block healthcare reform and regulatory reform – the change this country needs to help working families and to rebuild the middle class.

The radical right in this country wants nothing more than to make SEIU, grassroots community groups, and any individual who fights against the status quo their next casualty. They are seeking to silence the voices of those men and women who suffered the most under 8 years of extreme right-wing policies, and to smear anyone who stands up for those men and women. Right now, there are daily attacks from conservative radio and TV pundits on us for our work on healthcare, labor rights, immigration, and our working relationship with community and progressive organizations – most recently ACORN.

«Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Commentary | 3 Comments

Report examines Tennessee’s efforts to keep schools safe from violence

September 17, 2009 |

A report released Tuesday by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury’s Offices of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) examines Tennessee’s efforts to make sure that its schools are safe.  A legislative request to initiate the report was prompted after a tragic fatal shooting at a Tennessee high school in 2008.

The Keeping Tennessee Schools Safe report provides a comparison of state laws, policies and requirements with accepted best practices for keeping schools safe from violence. The report states that Tennessee has made significant progress since the mid-1990s toward ensuring the safety of its students and school personnel. The 2007 Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) Act established statewide comprehensive planning and accountability requirements for school districts to meet regarding school safety and violence prevention efforts.

Although safety and violence prevention efforts are addressing most of the identified best practices for safe and secure learning environments, staff and funding needed to implement the requirements are limited and decreasing, according to the report.

«Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Education | No Comments

Legislators discuss changing school start date; could save state money

August 25, 2009 |

Bi-Partisan group of lawmakers pledge to examine data and research

Nashville – Letting school officials set the first day of the school year in early-August may be costing Tennessee $189 million in consumer spending, $9.72 million in total new state tax revenue, $5.5 million in total local tax revenue, $72.92 million in new worker income and the potential to create 2,619 new jobs, according to a recent economic analysis.

“We are not asking to have scheduling control over the school year, just one day out of 180,” said Rep. Bill Dunn, Knoxville. “School officials will set all holidays, vacation days, work days, semester end dates and the last day of school.”

Lawmakers are discussing the possibility of moving the school start date, and hope during the next few months they can reach agreements with school officials.

“As lawmakers, we are entrusted with both the financial success as well as academic success of our educational system. In these difficult times, we must use current data and adequate analysis to determine if we are giving our taxpayers the best on their investment; therefore, we must carefully examine the feasibility of beginning the school year in the middle of the summer when all current analysis concludes that this is neither good for the student or taxpayer,” said Rep. John DeBerry, Memphis. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Education | No Comments

House GOP Review for 03/27/2008

By Tennessee Republicans | March 29, 2008 |

The House GOP Review is a weekly feature that gives Tennesseans an in-depth look at what our Republican state legislators have been working on this week, and a glimpse into what’s planned for the coming week at our state house

DUI package delayed by committee

The Criminal Practice and Procedure Subcommittee considered DUI bills this week, many of which were proposals rolled out by Republicans at the beginning of session as part of a comprehensive package to discourage drunk driving in Tennessee. Although they were pleased that some elements of the package received the committee’s approval, GOP leaders were disappointed as some of the proposals were delayed or effectively killed. Some of these elements may have hope with other sponsors, but the Republicans stressed that each portion of the comprehensive package is crucial to solving the problem and saving lives.

Among the proposals that were granted approval by the subcommittee were versions of the automatic license revocation and use of the ignition interlock devices. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics | No Comments

House Democrat Review for 03/20/2008

By Tennessee Democrats | March 21, 2008 |

The House Democrat Review is a weekly feature that gives Tennesseans an in-depth look at what our Democratic state legislators have been working on this week, and a glimpse into what’s planned for the coming week at our state house.

House Democrats Bring Home Schools First Funding, nearly $184 million in additional K-12 funds expected next year.

This week House Democrats were presented with the 2008 – 2009 projected BEP 2.0 funding numbers which show that, thanks to the Schools First Initiative passed last year, Tennessee’s local schools are estimated to receive $183.2 million in additional funding.

“When we first began the task of improving our K-12 schools in Tennessee, we wanted to do it in a way that wouldn’t put undo burdens on local governments,” said Speaker of the House Jimmy Naifeh (D-Covington). “Thanks to the Schools First Initiative, we were able to increase education funding by over $340 million last year and nearly $184 million this year, while at the same time reducing the pressure on counties to have to raise their property taxes.” «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics | No Comments

House GOP Review for 03/20/2008

By Tennessee Republicans | March 21, 2008 |

The House GOP Review is a weekly feature that gives Tennesseans an in-depth look at what our Republican state legislators have been working on this week, and a glimpse into what’s planned for the coming week at our state house. 

“Right to hunt” constitutional amendment passes 105th General Assembly

House Joint Resolution 108 passed on the House floor this week with overwhelming aproval. The constitutional amendment would add provisions to the state constitution establishing the right to hunt, fish, and harvest game subject to “reasonable rules and regulations.” An excerpt from the resolution reads:

Hunting and fishing are honored traditions in the state; citizens have enjoyed the bounty of Tennessee’s natural resources from the time prior to statehood, including hunting and fishing for subsistence and recreation; therefore, hunting and fishing is a vital part of the state’s heritage and economy and should be preserved and protected.

Having already passed the Senate this year, the amendment must now win the approval of the 106^th General Assembly next year by a two-thirds vote. The measure could be on the ballot for referendum as early as 2010. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics | No Comments

Tree-mendous Arbor Day celebration

By Beth Robinson | March 4, 2008 |

Bring the family to A Tree-mendous Arbor Day Celebration at the Customs House Museum this Saturday, March 8 from 10:30 am – 12:30 pm. This event is sponsored by the Clarksville Tree Board. There will be kids’ activities, a presentation for adults in the auditorium & free seedlings. The Customs House will also be waiving admission fees all day.

Help is needed to bag seedlings at the Museum on Thursday, March 6th, from 3 to 5 pm to prepare for the Seedling Give-a-Way.

Then on March 15, an Official Arbor Day Ceremony will be held at Barkers Mill Elementary School from 1-4 pm . Bring your shovels, rakes, gloves & wheel-barrows and volunteer for tree planting & mulching.

For more information or to volunteer contact Dottie Mann, the Tree Board Chair at

Sections: Arts and Leisure, Events | No Comments

Boarding the bright yellow school bus on the hottest day of summer

By Christine Anne Piesyk | August 8, 2007 |

School opens this week (Thursday in Clarksville) in most area schools. Please keep a watchful eye for children crossing streets, and remember to stop for school buses (it’s the law)!

Having lived in the area for three and a half years, I remain amazed by the early start to the school year. Having watched severe heat waves unfold in August for two of those three summers, I remain amazed that more school children, teachers, and bus drivers aren’t sickened by the excessive heat in the time it takes to line up, board, travel and debark from the yellow academic arks. Short for archaic?

What’s the deal?

Pools close just as the hottest month of the year kicks in, leaving parents with other young children unable access that form of cooling, and leaving no cooling options for the hot weekends still to come. Pools close because the school year starts, and many of the young lifeguards are heading back to class. And do they close this early out of antiquated habit? «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure | 1 Comment »

Schools and school zones

By Bill Larson | July 6, 2006 |

I was reading the Leaf Chronicle today and saw an announcement about a city council vote to place a school zone warning light at the intersection of Tiny Town Road and Little Bobcat Lane tonight.

Does the new school not have sufficient access to Little Bobcat Lane in order to remove the necessity of slowing down such a critical traffic artery during some of the busiest traffic flow times. If not, then the question which must be answered is why? «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion | No Comments

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