May 24, 2021
Ledford
Knox County Middle School principal Jeremy Ledford has been selected as the next leader of the Knox County Public Schools.
The decision was announced by the Knox County Board of Education on Monday night following several days of special called meetings to conduct interviews. Members voted 5-0 to employ Ledford as school superintendent. He will receive a four year contract.
Following news of his selection, Ledford shared that he is [.] humbled to be chosen to serve Knox County as the next superintendent. I want to first thank God for his presence in my life, the Board of Education for their trust in me to lead the district, all my friends and family that have supported me, Linda Fortney, Sheila Terrell, and my awesome staff at Knox Middle, and my wife and family who always support me in my dreams. Â
Looking ahead, Knox County students will not be required to wear masks in the fall. Author: Yvonne Thomas Updated: 6:11 AM EDT May 25, 2021
KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. It s the last day of school for Knox County students, from security changes to navigating life in a pandemic, it s been a school year with many unique challenges.
Looking ahead, Knox County students will not be required to wear masks in the fall.
The Knox County Board of Education voted to officially end the mask mandate on May 26.
This summer, all school districts in the state are required to offer in-person summer learning programs.
In Knox County, around 27,000 students were eligible to participate, but just under 6,000 signed up. That s about a quarter of students who qualify.
By Emily Adams-Bentley
Staff Writer May 20, 2021
3 hrs ago
KNOX COUNTYâThe Knox County Board of Education will be accommodating students wishing to have a âdo-overâ year for the 2021-22 school year.
In March, Gov. Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 128 into law, a bill that created the Supplemental School Year Program, an emergency legislation allows any K-12 student enrolled during the 2020-2021 school year to use the 2021-2022 school year as a supplemental year to retake or supplement courses the student already has taken. SB 128 specifically states that the supplemental year is for students to re-take or supplement courses previously taken during the 2020-2021 year, not to simply gain an additional year in the public school system to explore new coursework.
Kincannon had abruptly informed the board earlier this month she d be withdrawing some 14 city officers from KCS in mid June. The mayor also said the city still wanted to take part in talks about its involvement in security going forward.
Kristin Farley, Kincannon s communications director, confirmed she d spoken with Thomas on Wednesday morning. At that time, Mayor Kincannon indicated she would explore a provisional arrangement, if needed, Farley told WBIR.
Board members welcomed the news, although Patti Bounds said any new agreement should make it harder for a mayor to suddenly pull out of the system s standing security pact, something she called a hasty and rash decision.
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A coalition of education advocates has called on the Knox County Board of Education to remove all police and sheriff s officers from school buildings, effective immediately.
In a letter to the board, the Knox County Education Coalition members said swift action is needed after Anthony Thompson Jr., a 17-year-old student at Austin-East Magnet High School, was shot and killed by police in one of the school s bathrooms. Police officers should not be readmitted to our schools until KCS adopts policies and procedures that put the welfare of every child ahead of any other priority, and until KCS is able to certify that every officer who enters a school is properly trained to work with children, the group wrote.