The Claiborne Board of Education is raking in some hefty positive rewards for its initiative to put its best foot forward, under the guidance of Dr. Joseph Miller, director of schools.

The system was recently made aware of its upcoming receipt of $25,000 in Work-Based Learning Grant funds. The money, distributed by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TDE&CD), will be used to create and expand the tools needed to promote career awareness and student readiness in grades K-12.

The money will provide students with opportunities to learn and develop career and job skills within the school setting.

An initiative created by Governor Bill Haslam, the Rural Task Force awards these Work Based Learning grants to projects that promote earning potential, once students leave school for work within their local and regional ‘talent pipelines.’

Tennessee Rep. Jerry Sexton congratulated the county for its receipt of the $25,000 grant.

“The Claiborne County School District is no doubt striving in every way to provide students with inventive and creative ways to learn the skills that will help prepare them for their future in the workplace. I am very proud of the commitment and resourcefulness shown by our teachers and administrators every day on behalf of our students.

“Winning this grant will allow the establishment and fulfillment of programs that will enable our students to explore various career paths and get ready for whatever future they choose,” said Sexton.

The TDE&CD awarded a total $250,000 to ten school districts across the state, during its second program round.

In other action, the system is striving to build better communication via its recent approval of a project first proposed by school board member Justin Cosby.

After tabling the issue last month, the board decided, during its March meeting, to implement the program.

The plan calls for emailing the minutes from each board meeting to a representative at each campus. That designated person will then be the ‘go-to’ person for that individual school.

Any questions, comments or concerns will be funneled through that person, to the members of the board.

During its March meeting, the board approved the designation of Nov. 7 as ‘Billy Graham Day.’

Cosby, who presented the proposal, said each campus would be free to celebrate the life of the famous evangelist, in any way it so chooses.

It appears that the new social worker is ‘working.’ A spokesperson at Ellen Myers said that a home visit netted the return to school of a chronically tardy or absent student.

“After repeatedly knocking on the door (of the student’s home) with no results, we left. The student has been to school every day and on time, since,” said the spokesperson.

Fifteen sixth graders at Springdale Elementary earned for themselves a reward bowling trip for nailing down “A” averages for the second nine-week period.

It looks like the district just may have some budding writers at Tazewell-New Tazewell Elementary (TNT). Ms. Saylor’s third grade homeroom science class recently published its own book.

The students reflected on the standards learned in class this year. Each student then composed his or her own page of facts from the different topics taught in the class room. The book, which includes an illustration page, was sent to Student Treasures, for publishing.

The students plan to hold a book signing, and invite their parents to the event.