Ellis Named DWS Teacher of the Year and February Teacher of the Month

February 28, 2020
By: Bill Conger

Twenty-five year teaching veteran Tonya Ellis is this year’s DeKalb West School Teacher of the Year. She was also selected as the Teacher of the Month for February.

“I am both honored and humbled to be chosen as Teacher of the Year for DWS,” says Ellis, who started teaching in January 1995. “I feel like I work with some of the best teachers, and that they would vote me to represent our school as Teacher of the Year is an honor.”

“Mrs. Ellis is a wonderful asset to DeKalb West School,” says Principal Sabrina Farler. “She has wonderful classroom management and prepares her students for success in first grade. Many of her kindergarten students leave kindergarten reading. I am so glad she is the 2019-2020 DeKalb West School Teacher of the Year.”

“We have been blessed to experience Ms. Tonya as a teacher for two years!” says 1st grade teacher Ashlee Thomason. Her children Emma and Grady have been in Mrs. Ellis’s room. “She is so patient and loving to all of her students. With kindergarten being such a huge adjustment for most children, she is the perfect caring and understanding face for children every morning. I feel at such peace when my children are with Ms. Tonya because I know she will be a mother figure for them until I return in the afternoons.”

“Mrs. Tonya is such a wonderful lady,” says 2nd grade teacher Whitney Brelje. “She is a wonderful teacher, but more than that, she is a great example for us all. She is so kind and so Christ like. I love that I get to work with Mrs. Tonya. I was also blessed to get to be a student of hers when I was in second grade. I can very much remember being in her room and the activities that we did. I have wonderful memories of that year, but the best memory I have is that she was always kind. I look forward to my own kids maybe being in her class one day. She is simply the best.

“I feel it’s a privilege to be working with her as a fellow Kindergarten teacher,” says Jalene Vanatta. “Before I became a teacher I worked with Mrs. Tonya as a teacher’s assistant several years ago, and I always hoped to work with her as a kindergarten teacher. My wish became a reality, and I now have a classroom right across the hall from her. She is an amazing teacher, and I consider myself blessed to be able to have had her to mentor me during my beginning years of teaching kindergarten.”

“She has proven time and time again to be an outstanding educator who places a major emphasis on literacy,” says Librarian Amanda Mullinax. “I have not only seen this as a co-worker but also as a parent. She knows the strategies necessary to develop reading skills, and she knows how to foster the development of those skills within her students!”

Ellis started as a 7th grade teacher in English, Spelling, Health and Science before moving to second grade with Donna Davis and Regina Kent. In the fall of 1999, kindergarten had an opening and that’s where Mrs. Ellis has worked ever since.

“I knew I wanted to teach younger grades but not necessarily kindergarten,” Ellis said. “Now, that I have been here so long, I can’t imagine not being a kindergarten teacher.

I really can’t remember when I decided to be a teacher,” Ellis says of her career choice. “I think it was just something I always knew I would do. When I was in 3rd grade, our teacher was cleaning out her stuff because we were moving to a new school building. She gave her old things she was throwing out to us if we wanted it. I remember how excited I was to get her papers and books that she didn’t want anymore and imagined using them to teach my own class!”

For Mrs. Ellis, kindergarten has been the most challenging and rewarding grade to teach. She often is the first impression for many students who start to develop an attitude for learning.

“I want them to leave me with a love for learning that lasts a lifetime so as much as possible I try to include learning activities that are fun, hands on and relatable to the students.”

For example, after Christmas break she started having almost daily “snow ball fights.”

“They don’t realize it, but they are really practicing reading sight words. To play the game, students all get one snowball made from cloth, and each student takes a turn picking a word to read. If they can read the word with [the picture of a] snowball fight behind it, we get to have a snowball fight!”

Over her twenty years teaching kindergarten, Mrs. Ellis has witnessed many changes in the curriculum.

“When I first started in kindergarten, we focused on one letter a week,” she says. “We threw in some math, played a lot, and napped! Students could go home at 12:00 if they wanted to. Now we teach all 26 letters the first 9 weeks, and after fall break, we are blending sounds to read words and reading sight words. Students are adding and subtracting as well as reading and writing sentences when they leave me in May.”

“That is what makes it so rewarding to teach kindergarten. Students, who could barely write in August, can read when they leave me. I love to see the ‘aha’ moment on their faces when they realize that they can read! The rewards far outweigh any challenges that I might face in teaching.”

But for Mrs. Ellis, her teaching goes beyond teaching the three R’s.

“Each year before the new school year starts I always pray that not only do I do my best job possible helping them to grow academically but that I also teach them to be good citizens. I want them to be kind to each other and willing to help each other beyond just our class. Most of them will be together at DWS through 8th grade I want them to build relationships with each other that lasts during this time.”

“I want them to know that when they leave me, they can always come back if they need me. It is rewarding to watch them grow and change through the years here at DWS.”

A Wilson County native, Mrs. Ellis went to Watertown schools growing up. She is married to Donnie Ellis, and they have four children who all attended DWS– Kayla, 27, Taylor 22, Lynsey 17, and John, 14…

“When I am not working I like to spend time with my family. We spend a lot of time at the football field with John, and we like to hike in the woods behind our house. I read whenever possible and binge-watch some Netflix.”

Mrs. Ellis is the Site Coordinator at DWS for the 21st Century After School program and has produced the school’s yearbook for the past decade.

Congratulations to Tonya Ellis as she moves on to the school district’s Teacher of the Year competition.

February 28, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

The 2020 DCHS Tennis Schedule has been announced.

A pre-season scrimmage will be Tuesday, March 3 at home against Van Buren County starting at 3:30 p.m. with the season opener at Cookeville on March 9 at 4 p.m.

The schedule is as follows:
March 3: Van Buren County- Home: 3:30 p.m.
March 9: Cookeville-Away: 4:00 p.m.
March 12: Cookeville-Home: 3:30 p.m.
March 17: Cumberland-Away: 3:30 p.m.
March 19: Watertown-Away: 3:30 p.m.
March 30: Covenant Academy- Home: 3:30 p.m.
March 31: White County- Home: 3:30 p.m.

April 2: Warren County-Home: 3:30 p.m.
April 6: Cannon County-Away: 3:30 p.m.
April 9: Livingston-Home: 3:30 p.m.
April 13: Watertown-Home: 3:30 p.m.
April 14: Warren County-Home:3:30 p.m.
April 16: Van Buren County-Away: 3:30 p.m.
April 17: Cannon County-Home: 3:30 p.m.
April 23: Rhea County-Home: 3:30 p.m.
April 29-30: Individuals @ Cookeville- TBA

May 1: Individuals Finals @ Cookeville-TBA
May 4: Girls Team Semi-Finals- TBA
May 5: Boys Team Semi-Finals-TBA
May 6: Team Finals @ Cookeville-TBA

February 28, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Darrin Vincent of the popular award winning duo Dailey & Vincent will make an appearance today (Friday) on WJLE’s “Jammin’ at the 428”.

The program will air at 8:30 a.m. following the “Old Time Country Community Radio Show”.

Jim Hicks, the host of the show, will interview Darrin and play some of his music.

Darrin started singing at age three and playing music at age six as part of his family band, The Sally Mountain Show, along with sister Rhonda Vincent. As a member of Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for more than 10 years, Darrin has won five Grammy Awards and eight IBMA Awards for Instrumental Group of the Year. He has performance and recording credits with dozens of artists including Dolly Parton, Nora Jones, Emmylou Harris, Earl Scruggs, Bruce Hornsby, Vince Gill, John Hartford, and many more. As well as producer credits on Grammy nominated projects with Rhonda Vincent, Susie Luchsinger, Cherryholmes and Hunter Berry. He is an accomplished musician and vocalist with expert abilities to arrange and create captivating music.

In 2003, Darrin and his longtime friend and colleague Jamie Dailey were asked to perform on a Koch Records recording titled Christmas Grass Vol.2, 2004. Dailey & Vincent recorded a well-known Christmas song, “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem,” with just a guitar, a mandolin and their two voices. Their stirring version of the song rose to No. 1 on the Prime Cuts of Bluegrass. The song’s success prompted the duo’s decision to perform together more often and perhaps even record again. Bluegrass music’s newest duo, Dailey & Vincent, was born. Today, this award winning duo are stars of radio, TV, and the Grand Ole Opry

(To hear this show click the link below or click the dropdown box under the “Community” section of the WJLE homepage near the top and look for “Jammin’ at the 428”)

Jammin at the 428 Feb 28

Meanwhile, if you are a local artist, Hicks would like to possibly schedule you on the show.

“We are always looking for people who have recorded their own music to come and do a show with us. Please call at 615-215-9090 or stop by the studio on East Broad Street and talk with Rick Scruggs. We would love to have you on the show,” said Hicks.

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