A personal note from Sally Absher

  I have decided to take a sabbatical from writing/reporting for The Focus. As many of you know, I am a consulting geologist during the day, and cover education issues in my spare time – but the demands of my “day job” have increased measurably and consumed...

The Chalk Board for August 22, 2016

By Sally Absher     ACT Retake Offered The Tennessee Department of Education is offering a statewide ACT Senior Retake Opportunity that provides every eligible high school senior, meaning any public school student who took the ACT as a junior, the ability to...

Baby It’s Hot Outside

By Sally Absher Knox County experienced unusually warm weather during the first two weeks of school this year (or maybe KCS is just starting school in the middle of the summer now). Either way, a number of area students and parents are hot under the collar about Board...

The Chalk Board for August 15, 2016

By Sally Absher Inskip Elementary Students Receive School Supplies Enrichment Federal Credit Union’s North Knoxville Branch delivered school supplies to Inskip Elementary School to make sure all students have the proper supplies to have a productive and educational...

RTI2 Comes to KCS High Schools

By Sally Absher   Knox County high school students returned to school this fall to find their schedule has been revised to accommodate something called “RTI2.” This year marks the final phase of the implementation of RTI, the education framework used across the...