DeKalb West School eighth graders have been selected to represent schools across the nation by participating in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The assessment will be given on Tuesday, January 27.
“Fourth, eighth, and eleventh grades can be selected. It’s a national achievement test with which students are compared nationally. Our eighth grade at DeKalb West School was selected and we will be taking that test,” said DWS Principal Sabrina Farler in an interview with WJLE Sunday. ” They are either to be taking a math, reading, or a science test. They have a group that comes in called the “NAEP” crew and they actually assess our students and they will be compared nationally. I think this same group was selected as fourth graders. It’s a way of tracking our students to see the progress they are making and the great improvement we are making in Tennessee and across the nation in reading, science, and math,” said Principal Farler.
First administered in 1969, NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can do in various subject areas. It is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S. Department of Education. NAEP is different from state assessments because it provides a common measure of student achievement across the country. The results of NAEP are released as The Nation’s Report Card, which provides information about student achievement to educators, parents, policymakers, and the public.
DWS eighth graders have been selected to take a mathematics, reading, or science assessment. In addition to answering questions in one of these subjects, students will be asked questions about themselves and their educational experiences, such as the amount of reading they do and the types of classes they take. These questions provide contextual information for the assessment, as well as information that may be related to students’ learning.
About 90 minutes are required for most students to participate in the assessment. The results are completely confidential and the information provided will be used for statistical purposes only. The child’s grades will not be affected. While NAEP is voluntary, student participation is desired to provide an accurate measure of student achievement that will inform improvements in education.
Participating students are asked to get plenty of rest the night before the assessment.
“We know that DeKalb West School’s students will help us show what our nation’s students know and can do,” said DWS Principal Farler.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation has announced that repairs will begin soon on the State Route 264 bridge over Hickman Creek just three miles north of the DeKalb County Line in the Hickman Community of Smith County.
Bids were opened on the project October 17, 2014.
The contractor for the project is Jamison Construction, LLC of McEwen, TN with a bid of $415,740.30. The completion time for the project is on or before September 30, 2015.
The project will entail repairing the bridge deck and replacing parapet railing.
TDOT has posted signs on area state highways alerting truckers and other motorists to the construction

A 41 year old woman was ejected in a one auto crash Saturday night on Antioch Road (Highway 288).
Lisa Dillon was taken by DeKalb EMS to DeKalb Community Hospital.
Trooper Troy Withers of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, who investigated the accident, told WJLE that Dillon may have suffered a broken hip and other injuries.
Dillon was a passenger of a 2002 Chevy Tahoe, driven by 34 year old Mark D. Young of Smithville. According to Trooper Withers, Young went off the right side of the road as he topped a hill and then overcorrected. The Tahoe went out of control, hit a ditch, and became airborne, before crashing into a tree.
Young received minor injuries.
Charges are pending in the case.

The School Board began its annual performance evaluation of Director of Schools Mark Willoughby in a workshop Monday night.
Board members are using a four page evaluation form to rate Director Willoughby 1-5 in each of 60 areas on his relationship with the Board, the Community, Staff and Personnel, Educational Leadership, Business and Finance, Personal Qualities, Strategic Planning Skills, and Tennessee Specific questions. A rating of “1” means his performance is “Consistently Below Expectations”. A “5” rating signifies that Willoughby “Meets All Expectations”. A rating with an asterisk (*) symbol means he “Exceeds Expectations”.
Other ratings the board members may give are:
“2”-Meets Few Expectations
“3”-Meets Some Expectations
“4”-Meets Most Expectations
Monday night’s workshop was cordial between the parties and although board members posed a few questions to Director Willoughby, they decided to reserve most of the evaluation process for individual meetings with him on a one to one basis during the remainder of the week.
Once the evaluation is completed, each board member will score Willoughby in all of the 60 areas on the form. The process has to be completed this week.
Willoughby’s contract states that the evaluation of the Director shall occur annually and no later than January 31 each calendar year.
All board members were present during Monday night’s workshop except for Kate Miller, who was unable to attend.
For five of the seven school board members, who have been in office less than five months, this is their first evaluation of this Director of Schools.
Willoughby’s current contract with the board is scheduled to expire June 30th, 2017. He has served as Director of Schools since July 1st, 2006.

The DeKalb County School System has announced its “Teachers of the Year” at the building level of the five schools in the county.
This year’s honoree are Tanya Howard, a kindergarten teacher at Smithville Elementary School; Jennifer Griffith a third grade math, science, and social studies teacher at Northside Elementary School; Lori Pryor a third grade self-contained teacher at DeKalb West School; Tad Webb a seventh grade math teacher at DeKalb Middle School; Sonja House a ninth grade English/10th-12th grade Theatre Arts teacher at DeKalb County High School.
Lisa Cripps, Supervisor of Instruction for 7th through 12th grades said “Again this year, we’re going to participate in the Teacher of the Year program, which begins on the school level, moves to the system level, the regional level, and finally to the state level,” she said.
Competition for system-wide Teacher of the Year continued through February, and will be announced at the Teacher of the Year Banquet in the spring. There will be three teachers 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.
The Tennessee Teacher of the Year Program is designed to promote recognition, respect and appreciation for teachers; to stimulate interest in teaching as a career; and to encourage public involvement in education.
The Tennessee Teacher of the Year represents Tennessee at the National Teacher of the Year 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.

What are your greatest fears? For most Americans, public speaking is towards the top of that list. However, this is a skill that is important no matter what career field you are in. For DeKalb County 4-H members, this fear is quickly fading.
On January 22, the county public speaking contest was held at the Community Complex. In 4th grade, Katie Patterson was 1st place, Jake Christian 2nd, and Darrah Ramsey 3rd. Other 4th grade participants included Dixie Hill, Raven Savage, and Cooper Brown. In 5th grade, Maeloree Kirby placed 1st and Brandon Sobotka was 2nd. Placing 1st from 6th grade was Lily Martin, and Megan Price was 2nd. The top two in each grade will advance to the sub-regional contest which will be held on January 27th at the White County Middle School. Wyatt Martin, 10th grade, and Lydia Trail, 12th grade, won in the senior high division and will compete in February at the regional contest in Murfreesboro. All contestants received cash awards for their hard work at the county level.
Congratulations to all these contestants and all DeKalb County 4-H’ers who gave a speech this school year! To learn more about 4-H activities, please contact the DeKalb County Extension Office at 615-597-4549.
Photo Caption:
4th Grade 4-H Speech Participants: Cooper Brown, Raven Savage, Darrah Ramsey 3rd place, Jake Christian 2nd place, and Katie Patterson 1st place. Not Pictured: Dixie Hill
5th Grade 4-H Speech Participants: Brandon Sobotka 2nd and Maeloree King 1st. 6th Grade 4-H Speech Participants: Megan Price 2nd place and Lily Martin 1st place.
Sr. High: Wyatt Martin, 10th grade, and Lydia Trail, 12th grade won in the Sr. High level 4-H speech contest.

A 37 year old man indicted in a meth case in 2013 was sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Wednesday.
Jeremy Scruggs entered a “Best Interest” plea to promotion of methamphetamine and received a two year sentence suspended to probation. He was fined $2,000 and his name will be on the methamphetamine registry. He was given jail credit of 113 days. The first year of his probation will be supervised. Scruggs will be on unsupervised probation the last year of his sentence.
Meanwhile 23 year old Latasha Cantrell pled guilty to theft under $500 and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days to serve 75% of the term before release eligibility. The sentence is to run concurrently with a violation of probation against her. She was given jail credit of 139 days.