DeKalb School District Names “Teachers of the Year”

January 14, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

Director of Schools Patrick Cripps has announced the 2020-21 Teachers of the Year at the building level of the five schools in the county.

This year’s honorees chosen by their peers are pre-kindergarten teacher Janet Trapp at Smithville Elementary School; ELA and social studies teacher Allison Collier at Northside Elementary School; Martha Damron, a seventh grade math and social studies teacher at DeKalb West School; Galen Brown, an eighth grade ELA teacher at DeKalb Middle School; and Britney Gulley, a chemistry teacher at DeKalb County High School.

Trapp is in her 29th year as a teacher, Damron 19th year, Brown 12th year, and Collier and Gulley are in their 6th year as an educator .

“Our district’s Teacher of the Year program recognizes and honors outstanding teachers in DeKalb County. We applaud teachers who care about our children, who devote their professional lives to enriching the lives of DeKalb students, and who demonstrate exceptional gains in student achievement. We are not just exceptionally proud of our Teachers of the Year, but we are also grateful for all of our educators in DeKalb County,” said Director Cripps.

According to Michelle Burklow, Supervisor of Instruction, “Competition for the district-wide John Isabell Teacher of the Year award continues through February, and will be announced this spring. Additionally, three DeKalb County teachers will be chosen by a committee to compete at the regional level in March, and if selected they will represent DeKalb County at the state level competition.”

Teachers of the Year are selected competitively through five cycles: Building, System, Field Service Core Center Region, Grand Division and State; and from three categories (levels of teaching); Grades Pre K-4, 5-8, 9-12.

Teachers selected at each cycle receive local recognition and awards underwritten by local sources. State recognition/awards include a banquet honoring the nine State Teacher of the Year finalists and certificates of appreciation from the governor. In addition, the State Finalists and the State Teacher of the Year receive cash awards.

Dr. Kathy Bryant, Supervisor of Instruction, concludes, “The Tennessee Teacher of the Year Program is designed to promote effective teaching practices by recognizing and rewarding outstanding teachers while encouraging others to join the teaching profession.”

January 13, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

Tennessee county health departments are now booking appointments for people in Phase 1 populations of the Tennessee COVID-19 Vaccination Plan and those aged 75 and up who wish to receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

DeKalb County’s present phases are 1A1, 1A2, 1B and 75 years old and greater; only those who are in these phases or age group may register for vaccination. 

By entering your information you will be placed on a Waiting List for a vaccine appointment.  As soon as vaccine becomes available you will receive appointment information.

Tennesseans can follow a simple, three-step process to learn when they’re eligible for vaccination and register for a vaccination appointment:

Find Your Phase
Tennesseans can find out what phase of the vaccination plan they’re in by visiting https://covid19.tn.gov/covid-19-vaccines/eligibility/.

Find the Phase Your County is Vaccinating
To learn what phase your county is vaccinating, visit https://covid19.tn.gov/covid-19-vaccines/vaccine-phases/.

Register for a Vaccination Appointment
People who are in a phase currently being vaccinated in their county can register online at https://covid19.tn.gov/covid-19-vaccines/vaccine-phases/ for an appointment time to receive a vaccination through their county health department. Click your county on the map and then click “Make an Appointment” to register. Those who register will be asked to enter their name and contact information to be notified of their appointment date, time and location as soon as vaccine becomes available.

“We’re excited to begin this process to help deliver this vital service in the most efficient way possible while managing the limited and somewhat unpredictable supply of vaccines,” said Tennessee Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP.

The COVID-19 vaccines currently in use require two doses for the best protection against the virus. People who receive their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at a county health department will be contacted to make an appointment to receive their second dose of vaccine.

The COVID-19 vaccine supply is still limited, and Tennessee counties may progress through COVID-19 vaccination phases at different times, depending on supplies of COVID-19 vaccines. Tennessee county health departments will announce additional opportunities for residents to receive vaccinations as vaccine supplies become available, and as the county moves to new phases of the vaccination plan.

Those with general questions about COVID-19 may call the COVID-19 Public Information Line at 877-857-2945 or 833-556-2476 between 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

TDH reminds all Tennesseans that in addition to vaccination, wearing a face mask, maintaining social distance and getting tested when exposed or sick are critical to controlling the pandemic.

The Tennessee Department of Health updated the Tennessee COVID-19 Vaccination Plan Dec. 30. COVID-19 vaccines remain limited at this time, and Tennessee’s allocation plan prioritizes those most at risk of illness and death from COVID-19. Tennessee’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan is available online at www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/documents/cedep/novel-coronavirus/COVID-19_Vaccination_Plan.pdf. Find answers to frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination at www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/documents/cedep/novel-coronavirus/COVID-19_Vaccine_FAQ.pdf.

January 13, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

Smoke from an overheated central heat and air unit at the DeKalb County Jail forced an evacuation of the building this morning (Wednesday).

Correctional officers and other jail staff sprung into action quickly escorting inmates from their cells to the fence enclosed exercise pen outside the jail. No one was injured and there was no damage to the building.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said a jail cook spotted smoke from a back hallway and alerted the officers.

“This morning (Wednesday) at around 7:47 a.m. the jail cook was walking in a back hallway near the kitchen area of the old part of the jail and noticed what she believed to be smoke in the hallway. She immediately went into the kitchen area and noticed smoke coming from the central heat and air ducts and the smoke was getting thicker and thicker. She immediately radioed other correctional officers who then called Central Dispatch for a possible fire,” said Sheriff Ray.

The Smithville Fire Department arrived on the scene a short time later.

“The inmates were outside long enough for the building to be cleared of smoke and then we moved them to the annex side of the jail. They are now back in their original cells. ” Sheriff Ray said.

“It is believed a central heat and air unit somehow got hot and produced smoke through the air ducts that run in the kitchen, the back hallway and administrative office in the old part of the jail. A central heat and air maintenance company came and inspected the air units today and as of now, they think they have fixed the problem,” he continued.

“The correctional officers in the jail are trained for emergencies like this and they conduct fire drills on each shift for the entire jail every three months. Our last fire drill was conducted on December the 11th and 14th on both day and night shifts”.

“I want to thank the correctional officers and other department personnel for their quick thinking and evacuation of the jail in a timely manner. I also want to thank the dispatchers at Central Dispatch, the Smithville Fire Department, Smithville City Police Department, DeKalb EMS and Constable Mark Milam for their assistance today,” added Sheriff Ray.

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