Virginia Babb had a head start when she joined the Knox County school board in September 2018. Her longtime volunteer work with PTA and the Great Schools Partnership provided invaluable background, allowing her to get up to speed quickly.
Her sense of humor didn’t hurt.
Babb
This year’s elected leaders are Susan Horn (Farragut), chair, and Babb (West High, Bearden area), vice chair. Babb arrived on a teacher-dominated school board as a non-teacher. But she says the old feuds faded as board members united against a common foe – school vouchers promoted by Gov. Bill Lee.
Babb sees trouble ahead for vouchers. “The only way to get anybody to vote for (the heavily amended bill that passed earlier this year) was to exclude their area.” The final version impacted only Shelby and Davidson counties.
School board members of all stripes agreed it’s best to keep public funding in public schools, rather than slice off a chunk for church-sponsored or secular private schools.
Babb says she will “probably vote yes” on Mayor Glenn Jacobs’ proposal to move the administrative offices of Knox County Schools to the now-empty TVA East Tower, freeing the Andrew Johnson office building for private development. “We need to invest our money in the schools. Not (repairs on) the AJ Building.”
Gov. Lee has consensus support for his proposals to expand Career Technical Education (CTE), she said. “We want every high school to have some kind of CTE training.”
Positive things are happening in Knox County Schools, she said. “Teachers are doing amazing things.”
Spotlight: Northshore Elementary School
The newest school in Babb’s district sits on the western end. Northshore Elementary, 1889 Thunderhead Road in Northshore Town Center, was opened in August 2013,
Veteran principal Susan Davis was chosen to select the staff and organize the school. The $15.5 million building has about 128,000 square feet for grades K-5. Built for a maximum capacity of about 1,200, it currently has 1,104 enrolled.
Cottrell
Dr. Keith Cottrell was named principal this year, replacing Brandon Pratt, who was transferred to New Hopewell School in South Knox County. Cottrell was principal at Cedar Bluff Elementary.
Cottrell holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Tennessee, a master’s in teaching from Carson-Newman University, an education specialist degree from Lincoln Memorial University and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from the University of Tennessee.
Northshore Elementary was named a Rewards School for the 2018-19 school year, based on student test scores and academic growth. An array of after-school programs is offered. Cross country is underway, led by coach Alyssa Hill.
Rehearsals have begun for the two-day April performances of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” led by music teachers Jessie Anne Compton and Leona Williford. The teachers chose 162 students to participate, with 54 students in each show. Shows will be 7 p.m. Friday, April 3, and 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, April 4.
Twenty businesses assist Northshore Elementary through Knox County Schools Partners in Education: Asthma, Allergy and Sinus Center, Blue Grotto, Cazzy’s, Children’s Hospital West Surgery Center, Chuy’s, Miller Eye Care Optical, Graphic Creations, Knierim Orthodontics, Kroger, Interior Innovations, Lane Music, McDonald’s, Mike Stevens Homes, Monogram Knox, Pope’s Nursery, Publix, Shoreline Church, Target, Walgreens and Wendy’s.