The Bradley County Board of Education has approved a Virtual School program that even home schoolers could use, said Director of Schools, Johnny McDaniel.

Board member Vicki Beaty asked how student achievement would be monitored and how school officials will use the data to improve the program. Mr. McDaniel said there will be certified teachers involved with a lot of written work and face to face time. He said he does not believe it will meet the needs of all students.

Zoe Renfro, Reach Adult High School principal, said, “We will pull staff to look at the data to determine where we are, where we fall short and what we need to add.”

Mr. McDaniel said he recommended approval of the program and establishment of a line item for funding for the 2012-2013 school year. It was unanimously approved.

Angie Lyon of the architectural firm Kaatz, Binkley, Jones and Morris gave an update on the construction at Michigan Avenue Elementary and the demolition bids for Waterville Elementary, both damaged in the April 2011 tornadoes. Ms. Lyon said bids for the bleachers and athletic equipment for Michigan Avenue were received and the job has been awarded to Southern Facility Sales and Service for $74,767.

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Many Bradley County Board of Education members attended the Tennessee School Board Association’s “Day on the Hill” gathering earlier this week.

Board chairman Charlie Rose and board members Vicki Beaty, Troy Weathers and Rodney Dillard, along with Director of Schools Johnny McDaniel, attended the annual event.

“Events such as ‘Day on the Hill’ are helpful to school boards across the state,” Rose said. “It not only gives us time to meet with our legislators and discuss the needs or our students, teachers and others, it also gives us time to talk to other board members across the state.”

The event gives local school board members a chance to express concerns about upcoming legislation in the House and Senate of the General Assembly.

This year some of the major topics were publicly funded vouchers for private schools, classroom size limits, the funding formula known as the Basic Education Program, Virtual Schools and allowing school board members to participate in a meeting via videoconferencing.

For the rest of the article, go to County educators go to ‘Hill’