DCHS Teacher Linda Parris Named Region Finalist for Teacher of the Year

March 24, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A teacher from DeKalb County has advanced to the next round in the selection process for Tennessee Teacher of the Year.

Linda Parris, a Family and Consumer Science/Culinary Arts teacher at DCHS, is a region-level finalist in the category for 9th to 12th grade teachers.

The 22 year veteran educator at DCHS was named DeKalb County Teacher of the Year and received the John Isabell Award during a banquet March 5.

Nine region-level finalists are selected from each of the following grade divisions pre-K—4, 5—8, and 9—12. These teachers will move on in the selection process for region-level Teacher of the Year. Nine region-level Teachers of the Year will be selected, one from each of the eight CORE regions plus one from the districts within Shelby County. The region-level Teachers of the Year will then be finalists for Tennessee Teacher of the Year.

The Tennessee Teacher of the Year program seeks to recognize and honor outstanding teachers who devote themselves to their students and show gains in exceptional academic achievement.

As the Family and Consumer Science/Culinary Arts teacher, Parris oversees a program at DCHS in which students engage in lab-based, hands-on training in the art of cooking and hospitality management. They create new recipes, cater events in the local area, and bridge the gap between high school and postsecondary education by completing industry certifications.

Parris, this year’s DCHS Teacher of the Year, started her journey there as an educator 22 years ago. “This is my 22nd year at DCHS. The first 15 years I was a Home Economics/Family and Consumer Science Teacher. When former Family and Consumer Science teacher Harriett Cantrell retired she said I needed to get busy and obtain my culinary endorsement for those classes at the high school. I added that endorsement within a year and we moved to her room and we have transformed her room from a home kitchen to a commercial kitchen. That was seven years ago,” said Parris.

Under Parris’ leadership, the culinary arts and hospitality program at DCHS earned the school a “2016 Elite 50 Award” from Sullivan University, one of only three Tennessee schools to receive the honor that year. The Elite 50 list each year includes high schools and tech centers that excel in the areas of culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, and/or hospitality management.

She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Tennessee Tech University and she has a Master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. Parris also added her culinary arts endorsement from MTSU.

In addition to her teaching duties at DCHS, she serves as advisor for the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) Club.

According to the Tennessee Department of Education website, the goals of the program include:
• Promoting effective teaching practices by recognizing and rewarding outstanding teachers
• Engaging regional teachers of the year in education policymaking through the Teacher Advisory Council
• Encouraging participation by every school in the state so that all Tennessee teachers may be recognized and rewarded
• Building a network of local and state corporate sponsors
• Providing a network for teachers to share effective practices
•Encouraging a sense of professionalism in teaching
•Encouraging greater participation in building a strong community-school partnership

The selection timeline for the Tennessee Teacher of the Year begins on the individual school level, with peers selecting a teacher from each of the following grade bands: PreK-fourth, fifth – eighth, and ninth – 12th. Local school district select teachers of the year from those bands. A total of 27 teachers were selected finalists at the regional level.

Nine teachers are chosen as Region-level winners and travel to Nashville, where all are recognized. Three grand division winners representing the east, middle, and west are announced, as well as the final winner of the Tennessee Teacher of the Year award. The final winner represents Tennessee in the national competition and serves as an ambassador for education throughout the year.

The Region-level winners are announced between May and June.

March 23, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A dump truck crashed into a pickup truck Saturday on Highway 56 at the intersection of Williams Road/R. Arnold Road on the DeKalb-Warren County line.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 56 year old Dennis Herrin of McMinville was traveling south on Highway 56 in a dump truck as 45 year old Jose Sepulveda of Smithville, west on Williams Road/R. Arnold Road in a pickup truck, was stopped at McMinnville Highway.

Herrin’s dump truck ran off the roadway on the right side and over corrected and begin to yaw. The dump truck then crossed the center line and ran off the road on the left side and collided with the ditch and stop sign. After impact with the stop sign the dump truck continued south across Williams Road/ R. Arnold Road and collided with the pickup truck in the right side. After impact with the pickup, the dump truck continued south and overturned in a field. It came to final rest on its side off the roadway on the south side of Williams Road/R. Arnold Road. The pickup spun around after impact and came to final rest in the field off the roadway on the south side of Williams Road/R Arnold Road.

While the crash occurred in DeKalb County, the vehicles came to a stop in Warren County.

Herrin, who was wearing a seatbelt, was charged with filing false reports to an officer, failure to maintain lane, due care, and removal of registration plate. Herrin was not injured.

Sepulveda​, who was also wearing a seatbelt, was charged with driving on a suspended license. He was injured and taken by DeKalb EMS to the hospital.

Members of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department and the DeKalb and Warren County Sheriff’s Departments also responded.

The crash was investigated by Trooper Tony Myers of the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

March 23, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Should the county bring back the ambulance service day truck crew on weekends?

Hoyte Hale, Director of the DeKalb EMS operation, met with the budget committee of the county commission recently to formally make the request.

In an effort to streamline costs, the county last summer decided to stop the day truck shifts on Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. while still providing the county coverage with the two other around the clock crews over the weekends.

Hale said there is a need to bring back the day truck. The additional costs to staff it with full time personnel would be $61,000 per year to the county. The expense would be less if Hale could use  part time staff.

The DeKalb EMS operation uses two around the clock crews every day during the week and a day truck crew from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

EMS staff work on a 24/72 (24 hours on duty/72 hours off duty) schedule.

Hale said bringing back the day truck crew on the weekends would provide better coverage to the county and offer relief to crews working the other two shifts.

According to Hale, much of the demand for extra weekend help is created by the volume of calls from the hospital for patient transports to medical facilities in other counties, most of which are convalescent runs.

“We did 452 transports out of the hospital and out of the county from July 1, 2018 to February 28, 2019 including sending patients to 95 doctor’s appointments. The average time on a run like this when an ambulance is not in the county can be from two to eight hours,” said Hale.

During times when there are more calls than available ambulances, the county has to count on EMS operations in adjoining counties to handle them through mutual aid agreements.

Hale said bringing back the day truck crew on weekends would potentially generate more revenue to the county and lessen fatigue on the staff as well as wear and tear of the ambulances. “There are times when only one truck is available to cover the county, a 329 square mile area,” said Hale.

EMS director Hale is also asking for a $3,000 pay raise. He currently earns $50,000 per.

The budget committee took no action on Hale’s request but will consider it when finalizing the 2019-20 spending plan to send to the county commission.

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