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Archives
08-14-2002 News
Overton County Fair brings thrill rides Overton County Fair brings thrill rides Thrill rides were taking place around Overton County Fairgrounds on Thursday, Aug. 8 when hundreds of Overton County grade school students made their way to the fairgrounds for the School Days at the Fair event. Those participating in the activities enjoyed numerous rides with their friends at a special ticket rate. Children also got another special ride time on Saturday, Aug. 10 during the Kids Extravaganza.
Ride operators arrested at Overton County fair
By ROBERT FORSMAN, court reporter Three carnival ride operators were arrested at the Overton County Fair last week. Jason Mark Tillman, of Davidson County, was arrested and charged with sexual assault of a female under the age of 18. According to the arrest report, Tillman sexually assaulted the teenager Òby hugging and kissing her at the Gravity-Wheel ride at the Overton County Fair.Ó Tillman, who is being held in the Overton County Jail on a $25,000 bond, appeared in general sessions court Thursday, Aug. 8. Judge John Officer appointed Tillman an attorney and scheduled a bond reduction hearing for Thursday, Aug. 15. Two other carnival ride operators, described as a male and a female, were arrested and charged with public intoxication. Spectators were reportedly waiting in line to board rides when the pair were arrested. Both were released on a $250 cash bond each and scheduled to appear in general sessions court this week.
TCAP results released for stateÕs schools Tennessee Department of Education has released 2002 achievement test results for grades 3 through 8. The results show noticeable improvement in reading, language arts, and math in early grades over last year. Middle grades scores and science and social studies scores across all grades remained basically the same. Education Commissioner Faye Taylor said, ÒWe are beginning to reap the benefits of investments the state has made in recent years. ÒIt appears that our efforts to strengthen the curriculum and to hold schools accountable are having a positive effect. Teachers across the state are responding to the challenge and getting results. ÒNow, we must stay the course and sustain these improvements.Ó The achievement tests, commonly called the TCAPs (Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program), are administered each spring to students in grades 3 through 8 in reading, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. This year approximately 425,000 students took the tests. Scores are reported in national percentiles that proved a comparison to children nationwide. A score of 50 means the students performed as well as or better than half of the students in the national comparison group. Across the board, the greatest improvements were achieved in third grade. In 2002, third grade students scored 59 in reading, compared to a score of 51 last year. The same class scored 65 in language arts and 67 in mathematics while last yearÕs group scored 56 and 56, respectively. School year 2001-2002 was the first year class size reductions mandated under the Education Improvement Act of 1992 went into place. The smallest classes are in the early grades. This was also the first year Tennessee schools had the opportunity to use the stateÕs new grade-specific, standards-based curriculum in reading, language arts and mathematics. Dr. Claudette Williams, assistant commissioner for curriculum and instruction, said, ÒWe have a foundation in place now and feel this is the beginning of a trend. ÒThe clearer we can be with expectations and the better we can align our tests with those expectations, the more positive the results should be. ÒThe purpose of the testing program is to identify ways to help students improve academically.Ó Helping students is also the purpose of new reports this year that break down the data by student subgroup population. School systems and schools will be able to target instruction to close the achievement gaps among groups of students. Overton County schools were above the 50 percent middle ground in all areas except third grade Science, at 48. Overton County third grade Math was exceptional at 75. A.H. Roberts Elementary School was exceptional in third grade Language and Math, at 76 and 75 respectively, and in fourth grade Math at 76. A.H. Roberts was weaker than the norm in third grade Science at 46. Allons Elementary School was exceptional in third grade Math at 78, but fell just below the norm in fifth grade Reading and Social Studies, at 49 for each, and in eighth grade Social Studies a 48. Hilham Elementary School excelled in third grade Language at 80, sixth grade Social Studies at 79, and eighth grade Reading, Language, and Math, at 76, 84, and 83 respectively. Hilham was less than average in fourth grade Reading at 49, seventh grade Science at 42, and particularly low in fifth grade Reading at 37. Livingston Middle School scored high in eighth grade Language at 72, and was above average in every category. Rickman Elementary School excelled in third grade Math at 78, and scored well in seventh grade Language and Math, at 73 and 74 respectively, and in eighth grade Language at 72. Rickman was below average in third grade Social Studies at 46. Wilson Elementary School scored high in third grade Language at 69, and in fifth grade Math at 73. Wilson was just below average in third grade Reading, Science, and Social Studies, at 48, 46, and 46 respectively, fourth grade Language, Science, and Social Studies, at 43, 40, and 40 respectively, sixth grade Reading, Science, and Social Studies, at 45, 49, and 44 respectively, seventh grade Language, Math, and Social Studies, at 41, 43, and 42 respectively, and in eighth grade Language, Math, and Science, at 40, 41, and 40 respectively. Wilson was particularly low in seventh grade Reading and Science, at 38 and 34 respectively, and in eighth grade Reading at 38. Wilson Elementary just escaped falling into the lower quarter of the country in eighth grade Social Studies at 26.
Overton County News
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