Tullahoma City Schools: Moving from GOOD to GREAT

Tullahoma City Schools: Moving from GOOD to GREAT

Tullahoma City Schools has a rich tradition of academic excellence and achievement.  The world has changed, and as such TCS realizes that to continue to prepare and empower our young people to THINK, LEAD and SERVE, it must evolve and change as well. 

The “why” TCS exists

20^th-century educational design features included the importance of learning to read so one could then read to learn. There was not the same emphasis on math and the target for students exiting K-12 was to be college and career ready. The three “Rs” (reading, writing, and arithmetic, of which only one began with an “R”) were the foundation to learning.

21^st-century educational design features must include: Science-knowing how things work in nature, ability to use Technology tools to create and learn, Engineering-thinking on how to design and create and Mathematics-the language of logic and explanations. STEM connected to the Arts, Transliteracy coupled with healthy life choices along with opportunities for community service address the whole child, body soul and mind.

21^st-century Generation Z kids need new opportunities and outcomes. Along with college and career ready, there is a need for creators and entrepreneurs.  TCS is seeking to create a K-12 system to teach students how to learn and create so they can create and learn.

Strategic Planning 
Since November 1, 2018 the Board of Education has been in constant conversation regarding what TCS needs to become.  With the Mission statement crafted and approved, the Board is now focused on the vision and core beliefs.  With a look to the future, the Board is discharging its responsibility to create policy and governances. 

Scouting parties

The transformation of teaching and learning is happening globally. There are emerging practices, pedagogy and protocols with promise, but nobody has it figured out yet or has been able to take it to scale.  TCS will figure it out.  

Research and investigation are ongoing into what elementary teaching and learning could look like. A second TCS TEAM will be visiting Harrisburg CSD in South Dakota to see their structure and how they are providing elementary instruction. Thinking about how this could be piloted here at TCS is ongoing.  Robert E. Lee Elementary does have a physical space similar to what Harrisburg CSD is using. This could accommodate one pilot group of four teachers (roughly 85 students).   Three R. E. Lee teachers and one teacher from Jack T. Farrar have volunteered to explore further and may possibly be the pilot teachers.  It is important to do our due diligence, and should this initiative go forward, it would begin in the 2020-21 school year.  If the pilot proves successful, based on parent choice, it could be expanded for the 2021-22 school year. More information will follow.

This spring more energy will be focused on Middle and High School research and investigation.  TCS secondary representatives and board members have already been to Arlington and Collierville School Districts (TN) to see how technology is being infused into instruction and what their 1:1 environment looks like.  Recently BoE member Gigi Robison and secondary representatives toured the Chattanooga (TN) STEM School.  Principal Tony Donen shared his inspirational thinking to “move the bottom up and take the top off students learning”.  More exploration and fact-finding is coming. Stay tuned.

Shout-Outs

The Bel-Aire Bees’ entry into the Future Ready Video contest was recognized as a Notable School Features and shared on the Future Ready website.  This is a GREAT example of kids creating content and sharing their story. OUTSTANDING.

AristoCATS: THANK YOU for being ambassadors for Tullahoma High School and also the city of Tullahoma. Wonderful kids doing wonderful things! Congratulations on your achievements and accomplishments! ROCK ON!

Tullahoma is lucky to be represented at the state capital by Senator Janice Bowling. Her voice and commitment to rural Tennessee is inspirational and is helping to move us forward! Her support of Tullahoma City Schools is greatly valued and appreciated!  THANK YOU!

Momentum is Building!

Be sure to follow the TCS story on Twitter at #TCSPublic

Reading ROCKS!  
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!