Center for Learning, Education, and Employment

April 2013

Archives for April 2013

CLEE Staff Honored by UT College of Education, Health and Human Services

Connie-DeanRidersqThe Center for Literacy, Education and Employment and its exemplary staff featured prominently in the recent 2013 CEHHS Annual Recognition Ceremony at the University of Tennessee, on Tuesday, April 23rd.

Prominent among Center staff recognized was Connie White, Associate Director, who was  honored by Dean Bob Rider with a prestigious Dean’s Service Award for her long-time service to the college and history of attracting over $18 million in awards and contracts to the college and CLEE  during her tenure to date.  This is the first time such an honor has been awarded to staff of any center at CEHHS.

Earlier in the ceremony, Connie was recognized as the CEHHS principle investigator with the highest total awarded in grants and contracts in the 2012 fiscal year – over $5.7 million. Also recognized for their work as principle investigators attracting significant investments to CEHHS were Associate Directors Beth Ponder  and Stephanie Cowherd, and Center Director Geri Mulligan.  The Dean also praised the Center for Literacy, Education and Employment as having attracted over half the total awards & contracts monies received by the college as a whole in 2012.

During the ceremony retiring CLEE staff Cathy Houser and Carol Martin were thanked and applauded for their years of service to the college. Also recognized with years-in-service awards were Center staff: Gail Cope, Peggy Roberts, Duren Thompson, Lisa Kinkade, Jonathan Kelly and Kristie Wright.

Congratulations to all those honored – you, and ALL our talented staff members, are the Center’s most valuable assets!

UT Grad student Michael Swift watches students build a marble roller coaster – to explore physics concepts (photo Tom Sherlin)

CLEE in the News: More on the Alcoa STEM Camp!

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UT Grad student Michael Swift watches students build a marble roller coaster – to explore physics concepts
(photo Tom Sherlin)

Another great article on the CLEE STEM camp held in March 2013 from the Blount County Times

Alcoa Elementary, UT Join together for STEM Camp, Matthew Stewart

Previous posts on CLEE’s UT STEM Camp include:

For more information on CLEE’s work in STEM education, and/or our work supporting standards in K-12 education, please contact the Center’s School and Family Team.

CLEE Awarded IMLS Grant for LAMBDA

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Beth Ponder
Associate Director
Center for Literacy, Education and Employment

The Center is pleased to announce a new partnership with the University of Tennessee’s School of Information Sciences  in support of LGBTQ homeless youth.  Beth Ponder, Associate Director at CLEE has been named co-PI along with Dr. Cortez, Director of the School of Information Sciences at UT  of this three year grant from The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Please see the Announcement excerpted from the UTK School of Information Sciences blog below for details:

Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 8:33 AM
Subject: [UTKSIS-L] UT SIS Awarded IMLS Grant for LAMBDA

KNOXVILLE – Library Anchor Models for Bridging Diversity Achievements (LAMBDA) brings together the University of Tennessee’s School of Information Sciences and the Center for Literacy, Education & Employment with the San Diego County Libraries and other public libraries in California and Tennessee to provide education, training, workshops, and support materials to support library staff members who serve LGBTQ homeless youth.

Activities and materials will focus on educating library personnel about the needs of LGBTQ homeless youth who come to the public library to access the Internet, read, find employment, contact family, or socialize with others. Activities will help libraries build partnerships with community organizations that work with homeless populations.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded the grant of $189,416. Dr. Cortez, Director of the School of Information Sciences at UT will lead the research team along with co-PI Beth Ponder. 

“We continue to give our students extraordinary learning experiences which also serve the greater good of the communities we serve,” said Cortez.  “This research speaks directly to the core of UT’s Vision for ideas that advance society through discovery, inquiry, innovation, research and scholarship.” 

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Through grant making, policy development, and research, IMLS helps communities and individuals thrive through broad public access to knowledge, cultural heritage, and lifelong learning.

[Post author:  Donna Silvey, Communication Specialist The University of Tennessee College of Communication & Information, School of Information Sciences]

CLEE supports TNCore Common Core Coaches and Statewide Initiative

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In April 2012, the School & Family team at the Center for Literacy, Education & Employment  began supporting a new statewide Common Core State Standards initiative of the Tennessee Department of Education.

To begin this initiative, 205 Math Common Core Coaches were hired and trained in April and May 2012 (see coaches pictured at right).  These Coaches then trained over 11,000 teachers across the state of Tennessee in the Summer of 2012.  Quite successful, this initiative continues with Regional Leadership trainings for all TN administrators held in all subject areas January – May of 2013, and more educator trainings this summer.

In fact, on March 8, the School & Family team had the privilege of attending a banquet welcoming the 2013 Common Core Coaches: over 700 educators hired to train and be trained in the areas of K-12 Math, K-12 English/Language Arts, 6-12 Science, 6-12 Social Studies and 9-12 CTE, as well as about 100 administrators hired to train other administrators in the state. Currently, there are over 20,000 educators registered to attend training sites this summer!

The School & Family team has provided ongoing, high quality Event Planning and Program Logistics support for this initiative such as:

  • processing coaches’ monthly stipends & reimbursements for travel expenses  (300 persons per month!)
  • arranging event venues and negotiating logistics f or each location
  • printing and shipping materials (tens of thousands of copies) as well as ordering and shipping similar numbers of supplies to dozens of locations and multiple simultaneous sessions
  • providing onsite support (registration, technology, materials, etc.) at 42 training sites over a 3 week period (Summer 2012), and 75 training sites over a 5 month period (Jan – May 2013).
  • assisting with other logistical tasks, such as processing registration data, web site support (www.TNCore.org and tncoresupport.org/ ), conversion and distribution of video files, etc.

For more information and to register for the summer trainings visit: http://tncore.org/register_for_a_tncore_training/common_core_summer_training.aspx

We are excited about this summer’s trainings and hope to see you there! 

For more information about how CLEE can support your K-12 professional development plans, contact the Center’s School and Family Team or contact cleeinfo@utk.edu.

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