Farragut Community Meeting Part II

Here is today's Farragut Press article by Farragut Press writer Jerry Dean covering the Farragut community meeting.

Here is the post/article generated from the Brian's Blog coverage of the meeting.

Many people have asked if Brian Hornback of Brian's Blog will be endorsing this plan. What editorializing Brian's Blog has submitted to date is to say the plan should be studied and considered on its merits. We believe that Pamela Treacy, Fiona Hill, Sue Edwards and all others have their hearts in the right place.

Brian's Blog was quick to criticize and pontificate during the former Superintendent's zoning proposal and the Farragut community's first response. The School Board did the right thing to delay and go into further study on possible zoning matters/scenario's and to replace the Superintendent. This group of citizens have done the right thing in engaging themselves in a solution finding process.

If Brian's Blog and/or Brian Hornback were to endorse or criticize the proposal it would cause either half to take the opposite position. Brian's Blog has reported from the meeting as a citizen journalist. Brian's Blog will continue to study the proposal and will report on it from an objective perspective.

By the way, Brian Hornback had to leave the meeting early due to a cold. A cold that he is still living with this evening, the doctor was visited today, help is on the way.

Interesting post about the Hardin Valley High School Principal

This morning, I discovered a Knoxville blog that I hadn't visited before. I discovered it off of WATE TV 6 Anchor Gene Patterson's blog. The blog author is Phyllis Patterson, the wife of Gene Patterson. I do not know if this post is accurate, it seems logical to me.

According to the post Tuesday's school board meeting could be interesting.

UPDATE: 4:45 pm Then there could be this at play.

Hardin Valley High School Principal Announced

Today Knox County Schools announced the appointment of West High School Principal Sallee Reynolds as the Principal of Hardin Valley High School. It is interesting to note that applications were taken for the position. The assumption is that interviews were conducted. We probably should not assume anything. However, Mrs. Reynolds did not apply, leaving one to conclude that she was satisfied with her position at West High School.

It is a disservice to interested applicants for them to apply for a position especially as public as the process turned out to be. The five applicants letters and resumes were posted on the Knoxville News-Sentinel website.

It is similar to the 70 plus persons applying for the 8 positions on County Commission and then individuals that became Appointed Commissioners were appointed without submitting themselves through a public process.

Farragut Community Meeting

Nearly 75 people attended the meeting at First Farragut United Methodist Church. I am still battling a winter cold and right before a major coughing episode broke out, I hit the door. In addition, I wanted to see the second half of the Tennessee basketball game.

I am unaware of all the brainstorm input that was ultimately shared with the Big group. I hope some of the organizers can forward those to me.

I am impressed with the proposal that was thrown out for discussion. I am going to report that proposal here, because WATE has tonight at 11:00 pm reported the numbers of persons attending and I will assume they will be reporting the discussion in the near future. The Farragut Press was also in attendance and I am sure they will be reporting the discussion as well.

The proposal is to make the proposed Hardin Valley High School the Farragut Middle School. Take the current Farragut Middle School and create a Ninth and Tenth grade Farragut High School. The current Farragut High School would become the Eleventh and Twelfth grade Farragut High School.

There was some discussion that breaking it by grades may not be as logical as breaking it by subject matters. Maybe English and Math in one building and the other subject matters in the other building. There would have to be some logistics worked out in that the commute would be similar to changing from the A concourse to the E concourse at Harts field International Airport in Atlanta. Some shuttling maybe required.

Before this proposal is laughed at, made fun of or tossed out some thought and study should be given to it.

Karns High School is being expanded and will accommodate nearly 2500. Bearden High School according to the MPC study is not expected to be overcrowded and the school board hasn't planned any new students at Bearden High.

When A.L. Lotts was built the Charter class of kindergartners were the 1999 Charter class of West Valley Middle School. Thus, making the case that a Middle school beside Hardin Valley Elementary School makes sense.

Thanks to Pamela Treacy, Fiona Hill, Sue Edwards and all others for spending the time in looking at other options. Examining some out of the box concepts and especially tonight in welcoming a blogger and former elected official that at times was not too complimentary of your proposals during the fall and for not taring and feathering him at the door.

Brian's Blog is still studying the community proposal and will be posting again on this soon.

Community Meeting on Citizen Proposed High School Zone Lines Tonight

UPDATE: 5:33 pm I will attend the meeting briefly. Why they are having this meeting at the same time as tip off of the Tennessee - Kentucky basketball game is bizarre. Some have speculated this afternoon it is an attempt to manipulate attendance numbers. I will give them the beenefit of the doubt.

A group of concerned citizens from the Greater Farragut Community are holding a community meeting tonight Tuesday, February 13, at First Farragut United Methodist Church (11915 Kingston Pike) at 7:00 p.m. to discuss ideas to offer the Knox County School Board and Knox County Commission regarding the creation of new high school zones.

The community forum is held for families, students and community members who reside in the current FHS zone. At the meeting, a proposal will be recommended and followed by smaller group discussion.