Teacher heard insulting students on recording, suspended
A Metro elementary school teacher was placed on administrative leave Monday after an audio tape of her insulting her students surfaced.
Noelle Smith teaches third grade at Sylvan Park Elementary School in Nashville.
Concerned parents told Nashville's News 2 they placed a tape recorder in their daughter's backpack after the student made a disturbing statement.
"She made the statement a couple of nights ago and it just killed me," said the parent who asked not to be identified. "[She said], 'Well, maybe I should just die.'"
Authentic Ireland Cultural Enrichment Offers Weekly Irish Culture Classes
Franklin, TENN. - O'More College of Design is partnering with TEAM IRELAND and Authentic Ireland Cultural Enrichment (A.I.C.E) to offer a series of weekly classes designed to promote Irish culture and its heritage. Each class, students will learn how to converse on various topics through the Gaelic language. People will also be able to participate in the through a live, online-viewing for each of the 10-week sessions.
TEAM IRELAND represents a partnership between nine distinct groups in Middle Tennessee that have an existing alliance with Ireland. These groups support an active relationship with the country in various ways, and TEAM IRELAND works to advance more robust relationships within the regional community.
"We want to bring together the people of Ireland and Middle Tennessee, and create a community that celebrates a common ancestry and shares a bond of Irishness," says Éilís Crean, fiddler and founder of TEAM IRELAND and A.I.C.E. "This sentiment is perpetuated by the logo and mantra, ‘TEAM IRELAND, Fostering Dignity and Beauty in Our Shared Irishness.'"
The classes will kick off Monday, Jan. 16, at 6 p.m. in The Ireland Room at O'More. In order to accommodate all schedules and locations, TEAM IRELAND and the design school will also offer a live viewing through Skype.
Each weekly class will center around Irish conversation, called "Cómhrá Ghaeilge." The series' mission is to pass along Irish culture in the form of language, music, song, dance and storytelling. Crean says that her inspiration for the Irish group, and this series, lies in one of the country's oldest traditions.
"Historically, people in Ireland gathered at houses to play music or even at a crossroads where dancers were included," Crean says. "The purpose of the gathering was camaraderie and friends-to inspired and vitalize one another. That's what I hope to do here."
More specifically, these classes will include lessons and conversations about the Gaelic language, traditions and folklore. Some lectures will be based around common themes, such as New Year's resolutions and St. Patrick's Day. However, Crean says that the series will focus mainly on Irish heritage, with in-depth topics such as: traditional Irish music, song, dance, storytelling, history and many more ideas prevalent to the Irish culture.
The classes will last one hour, and participants are encouraged to sign up for the full 10-week package. To view the weekly curriculum and sign up for classes, visitwww.eiliscreanAICE.com, or email " target="_blank" style="color: #1155cc;">.
Aspiring Actors-Labor Day Discounts on Classes-Register Now
MUST REGISTER BY
6:00 pm Tuesday, September 6th
For these special prices
$30 OFF
Director Ralph Portillo Workshop - This weekend
or
Top LA Casting Director Melissa Skoff- Sept. 17 &18
$20 Off
Acting in Commercials Workshop Sept. 17 &24
or
Kids Only Commercials Workshop Sept. 9 &16
All Class Details Below
THE ACTOR AND DIRECTOR: CREATING THE CHARACTER with Director Ralph E. Portillo
Weekend Workshop - Sept 10th and 11th -
Morning & Afternoon Sessions
Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine, Academy Award nominee Eileen Brennan, Dick Van Patten, Mario Lopez, John Savage, Richard Roundtree, John Schneider, Nick Cassavettes, Jeremy London, Bo Hopkins, Billy Burke, Maury Chaulkin, Corey Haim, Alan Dysert, and Jason Hervey are but a few of the many talented actors who have worked under Ralph's direction.
Ralph brings to the table extensive experience working with actors in all aspects of the profession from live theatre to television and film. His thorough knowledge and experience of the filmmaking process is a benefit to anyone who works with him. His love, enjoyment, and respect of the craft is contagious.
His films have won awards at the New York Film Festival, Worldfest Houston, The Flagstaff International Film Festival, The Charleston International Film Festival, and The Foursite Film Festival.
He has also been the recipient of the Cindy Award, Telly Awards, Aurora Award, Millenium Award, the Davey Awards and the Accolade Awards.
Ralph is a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
There will be two groups of fifteen students. One group will be in morning sessions Sat & Sun. The other group will be in afternoon sessions on Sat. & Sun.
The morning sessions will be from 9am to 1pm both days, and the afternoon sessions will be from 2:30pm to 6:30pm both days.
Payments for the workshop will need to be received four days prior to the workshop.
TOTAL COST: $175 for the 2-day workshop.
Date: Sept 10th and 11th
Time: AM Group: 9:30 - 1:00 | PM Group: 2:30 - 6:30
To make a reservation please call Alan Dysert at: (615) 500-7661 or email: .
------------------------------------------------------------
ACTING IN COMMERCIALS
Two Saturdays: Sept. 17th and 24th from 3pm to 6pm
This 2-session workshop will be very comprehensive.
We'll look at commercials and commercial acting styles with lots of on-camera commercial work.
>>> GET YOURSELF NOTICED! <<<
In the 2nd class we will make a DVD of all members of the class and it will be sent to 7 agents and 7 casting directors.
Actors in the United States make more money from commercials than in all movies and television combined. This is an area where you really need to know what you are doing. Being a good actor isn't enough. Commercials are a different game.
The competition is skilled. Winging it won't get you there.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED:
ˇCommercial Forms
ˇActing Styles in Commercials
ˇCharacter Spokesperson
ˇInterviews and Auditions
ˇGetting Booked
ˇOne-Liners
ˇVoice-Over
ˇRelationship to the Camera
ˇProduct Handling
Two Saturdays: Sept. 17th and 24th
3pm to 6pm
Registration Fee: $125
To sign up for the class please call (615) 500-7661 or send an email to:
---------------------------------------------------------------
VETERAN HOLLYWOOD CASTING DIRECTOR -
MELISSA SKOFF
"HOW TO BOOK THE JOB"
Saturday & Sunday September 17th & 18th
Melissa Skoff is a Veteran Casting Director with 100+ feature & TV credits to her name and is also an established Acting Coach who teaches one of the top ongoing Cold Reading and Audition Technique Classes in Hollywood.
Melissa's career began at Warner Bros. where she cast features and TV. She became an Executive at Warner Bros. Television casting such hit series as "The Dukes of Hazzard" along with many other TV pilots, series and movies.
She was also the Sr. Executive in Charge of Talent and Casting for Fox Broadcasting's "Fox Night at the Movies" division where she gave big opportunities early in their careers to some of today's biggest stars including Jim Carrey, Ben Stiller, Bryan Cranston, and Paul Reiser. She also discovered Catherine Bell and cast her in the hit series, JAG.
Melissa is currently casting 3 Film projects including a feature to be shot in So. Africa and an animated project, with more features and television projects in the works.
Additionally, she helped the early careers of such stars as George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston, Vince Vaughn, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Spade, to name a few.
She was also named one of Hollywood's Top 20 Television Casting Directors and has been featured in numerous books and publications including Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and even in overseas magazines.
Melissa has been a successful Acting Coach for almost as long as she's been casting. She holds a degree from UCLA's School of Theater, Film & Television and studied acting from top Hollywood coaches, allowing her to create a method on how to get the job that works! She will cast each student in a scene and will give you the answers to the quiz as to how to create the most effective auditions that can get you the job. Ultimately, no actor books a job who doesn't impress the producers, directors, studio & network execs whose projects depend on hiring the best cast available.
Having cast and directed thousands of actors, Melissa will show you how to set yourself apart from the others!
The Actor's School is very fortunate that she has agreed to do two days of casting workshops.
There will be two groups of sixteen students only. One group will be in morning sessions on Saturday and Sunday. The other group will be in afternoon sessions on Saturday and Sunday.
The morning sessions will be from 9am to 1pm both days and the afternoon sessions will be from 2:30 to 6:30 both days.
If you want this kind of exposure and training, don't wait too long to sign up. The spots will go very quickly.
Payment for the workshop will need to be received one week prior to the workshops.
TOTAL COST: $175 for the two-day workshop
To make a reservation call 615-500-7661 or email:
------------------------------------------------------------
FOR KIDS ONLY: ACTING IN COMMERCIALS with Alan Dysert
Two Fridays - Sept. 9th and 16th from 4:30 to 6:30
This 2-session workshop will be very comprehensive look at commercials and
commercial acting styles with lots of on-camera commercial work.
>> GET YOURSELF NOTICED <<
In the second class we will make a videotape of all members of the class and it will be sent tofive agents and five casting directors.
Actors in the United States make more money from commercials than in all movies and television combined.
This is an area where you really need to know what you are doing. Being a good actor isn't enough.
Commercials are a different game. The competition is skilled. Winging it won't get you there.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED:
Commercial Forms * Acting Styles in Commercials * Character Spokesperson * Interviews and Auditions *
Getting Booked * One-Liners * Voice-Over * Relationship to the Camera * Product Handling
THERE WILL BE NO MORE THAN TWELVE ACTORS IN THE CLASS
DATE: Two Fridays - Sept. 9th and 16th
Time: 4:30pm - 6:30pm
REGISTRATION FEE: $$125To make a reservation please call (615) 500-7661 or send an email to:
Traveling Library of Congress exhibit in Franklin next 2 days
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — A Library of Congress traveling exhibition with facsimiles of historic documents will visit Franklin, Tenn., Tuesday and Wednesday.
The exhibit in a customized 18-wheel truck will park at the main library.
Included in the exhibit are facsimiles of the Declaration of Independence; the 1455 Gutenberg Bible; Walt Whitman's poem "Leaves of Grass" and others. The free, museum-style exhibit is titled "Gateway to Knowledge."
Elsewhere on its journeys, it is parked at schools, community centers and other public venues.
A specially-designed 18-wheel truck is bringing treasures and information from the Library of Congress into cities and towns across America. Beginning in September 2010, the "Gateway to Knowledge" rolling exhibition is visiting up to 60 sites in states across the Midwest and South during the coming months.
The truck, staffed and driven by two docents well-versed in the Library and its collections, parks at various universities, libraries, community centers and other public venues.
Haslam Hails Passage of Charter Schools Bill
Eliminates caps and expands enrollment opportunities for students
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today lauded the passage of HB 1989/SB 1523 Friday night, which removes the cap on the number of charter schools allowed in the state and opens enrollment to more students.
“Creating an environment that promotes the growth of high quality charter schools provides parents with more education options for their children and school districts innovative tools to address their unique challenges,” Haslam said. “In our mission to improve education and provide every child in Tennessee the opportunity to receive a high quality education, public charter schools are critical assets.”
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville), Speaker Pro Tempore Jamie Woodson (R-Knoxville), House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick (R-Chattanooga) and Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis) sponsored the charter school legislation that passed the Senate 22-9 and the House 72-18 with bipartisan support.
Through an innovative partnership that has raised significant sums from the private sector as well as funding from Race to the Top and additional sources, the state has accumulated nearly $40 million in investments to support new charter schools in Tennessee.
“The national spotlight is now on Tennessee’s education reform efforts, and we’ve attracted significant resources to support the start up of new charter schools in our state,” Haslam said. “This law will create more flexibility to foster the right environment to attract the most successful charter management organizations to operate in Tennessee.”
Animal Education Series- The Farm at Natchez Trace
After a successful class on what 'Cats are Really Thinking', we will now learn proper grooming for cats and dogs.
The seminar is part of the ongoing free educational series offered at The Farm. On April 17, master groomer Amethyst Johnson will discuss the benefits of regular grooming for dogs and cats. Call 662-6628 for more info.
http://www.thefarmatnatcheztrace.com/
Franklin On Foot
Click here for information.
Brentwood Middle's Coles win national math teacher award
Brentwood Middle School math teacher Lois Coles got an unexpected surprise February 5 when she was presented with a national award.
Coles received the Texas Instruments Award of Excellence at the Middle Tennessee Mathematics Teachers Conference in Brentwood. She was chosen for this honor in recognition of her exceptional dedication and commitment to students and colleagues over her career in education.
"We are proud to know Lois and are encouraged in our work at Texas Instruments by the work she does,” said Texas Instruments Educational Technology Consultant Ron DeChristoforo. "She educates students, she works with her colleagues and she advances math education.”
As part of the honor, Texas Instruments has agreed to sponsor the Lois Coles Achievement Award which will be presented annually to deserving students. The winners of this award will receive a certificate of recognition along with the latest Texas Instruments technology.
Have a bit of Glee in you? Take your stage presence into the classroom
How to make the move home from college headache free
The experts at Penske Truck Rental, armed with more than 40 years of experience in helping people move, offer a few tips to help make your move home from college go a bit more smoothly:
* Don't put it off until the last moment. Springtime and graduation weeks are peak moving times for both students and families living near or around campus. Renting a moving truck will allow you to move all of your things in one easy go, so reserve one before they're all rented out - at least two weeks in advance of your move. Once you've reserved, it's guaranteed that a truck will be there for you. For most students, a 12- or 16-foot truck is a perfect fit for all they can store in a college residence or small off-campus apartment. If you can, try to move on a weekday - weekends are always the busiest moving days.
* Pack smart. Bring home only what you need. Consider donating any remaining items to charities. Load your heaviest items on the truck first. Boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap, moving blankets and hand trucks are also essential to keeping your belongings safer and making your move easier.
* Think safety. To avoid injury, always bend your knees and lift with your legs. Also, don't text or talk on your cell phone while driving. While stopped for breaks, park in highly visible, well-lit areas and always lock all doors. If you're using a moving truck, remember that it is taller, wider and heavier than cars or SUVs. So, drive a bit slower and take extra care when making turns, driving under overhangs or near low tree branches. Penske offers 24/7/365 emergency roadside assistance in case you have a problem.
* Make it fun. Keep a positive attitude during the move - play music, plan a fun dinner for after all the work is done and don't let frustration get to you. Some moving trucks, like those from Penske have CD players, radios, air conditioning and cell-phone outlet chargers - make sure you've got all the things necessary for a comfortable, enjoyable ride.
* Go green. You might be able to save on costs and be kinder to the environment by moving together with someone from your area. Check with your residence life office on campus to help find someone to share the ride. Some truck rental companies participate in the Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay program, which is devoted to saving fuel, money and the environment. Penske earned the program's highest possible rating.
* Keep the essentials with you. With most belongings packed tightly away, create a travel bag for moving day to keep important paperwork, credit cards, identification, change of clothes, drinks and snacks close at hand. More moving tips and even additional discounts through AAA can be found at www.PenskeTruckRental.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
