By Bill Grubb
News Editor

ROGERSVILLE - Although winter weather has slowed the pace of construction, Hawkins County's two newest schools should still be ready for students when the new school year begins Aug. 9.
    Assistant Director of Schools Jim Hageman gave members of the Hawkins County Board of Education an update on the Clinch School and Church Hill Intermediate School construction projects at the board's Jan. 14 meeting.
    "The Clinch project has just about come to a halt.  Weather has killed us there," he said.
    Hageman noted windows and doors had not yet been installed in the new school when the extremely cold weather hit and portable heaters would not have been effective.
    "With it so cold they can't paint.  They can't do dry wall. There really wasn't much they could do," he explained.
    A combination of warmer weather, space heaters and plastic over the openings was expected to be have workers back on the site by this week, he explained.
    He said the contractor now hopes to be completed by early summer, instead of the original spring completion date.
    "We are looking at the first of June.  We've still got all kinds of time," he noted.
    He said the Church Hill project should be completed by March, although the cold weather had brought a halt to all exterior work.
    Hageman also briefed the board on a proposal to increase the seating capacity at the football stadiums at Volunteer High School and Cherokee High School by approximately 300 seats and suggested the board solicit bids for the bleacher project and construction of new restroom facilities.
    "If we are going to get this done between now and next football season we don't have much time to decide.  We need to go ahead and get bids," he told board members.  "Once we get the bids you can accept or reject them, but this way we will know what kind of money we are talking about."
    The board also approved a memorandum of understanding indicating the school system wants to participate in the federal "Race to the Top" grant program.
    The Tennessee Department of Education is seeking a share of the $4 billion in federal grant funds, which will be allocated to states in amounts ranging from $20 million to $700 million.
    The goal of the program, according to federal officials is to have states "advance reforms around four specific areas:  adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace and to compete in the global economy;  building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction;  recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most; and turning around our lowest-achieving schools."
    Director of Schools Charlotte Britton said the school system must indicate a willingness to abide by the grant stipulations prior to the state filing the grant application later this month.
    "We can't jump on the train after is has left the station," she said.
    Vice chairman Perry Dykes expressed concern over proposed changes in state law that will allow the state to assume control of any school that is not meeting accountability and performance standards.
    "If a school fails then the state commissioner of education will take over the school and staff that school," Dykes said, noting local school officials would lose their authority over a school but would still be required to provide local funding.
    "Our goal is to never have that happen," Britton replied.
    The director also noted even if the local school system did not participate in the grant application or receive funds, the system will still be held accountable under the new state standards.
    In other business:
    •  The board recognized the staff of Keplar Elementary which has received the designation  2010 Title I Distinguished School.
    Title I is a classification given to schools that serve a large percentage of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.  Keplar, along with Bradford Elementary in Bradford, East Ridge Elementary in Hamilton County and Hobgood Elementary in Murfreesboro, were recognized for exceptional student performance overall or for significantly closing the achievement gap between student groups, the accomplishment that earned Keplar the recognition.
    •   Designated Feb. 10 as Principal/Assistant Principal Appreciation Day
    •  Voted to name the football field at Rogersville Middle School in honor of former Rogersville High School football coaches Burleigh and Joe Davis, with the field to be christened Davis Field.
      •  Approved the installation of rubber flooring in the weight rooms at Cherokee High Schools and Volunteer High Schools at a cost of approximately $6,000 each.
    •  Agreed to name the former Church Hill Senior Center building, located near the Church Hill Middle School campus, the "Hawkins County Annex." The school system purchased the building from the city last year for future use and Britton said naming of the building was necessary for accounting purposes.