EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS ENJOY PROM NIGHT:  Eighth grade students celebrated the end of their days at DeBusk with a prom at Tusculum College.  Click here to see pictures of the evening.

NINE SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS INDUCTED INTO JUNIOR BETA CLUB: On May 17, seven sixth graders were inducted into the Jr. Beta Club as their parents, teachers, and classmates watched.  After the ceremony, refreshments were enjoyed by the members, parents, and teachers. Click here to see more pictures of the ceremony.

EIGHTH GRADERS VISIT WILLIAMSBURG: Students and chaperones, traveliing by a chartered bus, arrived in Williamsburg right on time.  After settling in at the hotel, they visited Presidents Park.  They enjoyed a sit-down meal complete with water goblets, linen napkins, and lemonade.  The 8th graders worked hard on their scavenger hunts and learned lots of neat facts.  The group also visited many other historical sites, took a ghost tour, did some shopping, and enjoyed a day at Busch Gardens.  Angela Stacy, their teacher, and many parent chaperons also enjoyed this three day trip.
 

MANY DEBUSK STUDENTS WIN AT EXCHANGE CLUB FIELD DAY: DeBusk had its share of winners Friday, May 11, at Field Day on the Tusculum College campus.  Each winner received a T-shirt; 1st place winners also received a medal.  Congratulations to our
winners in their respective grade divisions:
Football Throw/Catch - 2nd Noah C. and Kolby H.
Softball Throw - 2nd Heather B.and Ashton W.
Sack Race - 1st Gabrielle S., Alina S., and Logan T.
Dash -  2nd Austin B.,3rd Manny A., 5th Dakota M.
Shuttle Run - 4th Quinton C. and Brandon A., 5th Caleb L and Shane M.
Sit-Ups - 1st Jessica G., 3rd Daniel L., and 5th Dylan S.
Chin-Ups - 2nd Ethan K.,3rd Chelsea C. and Holden S., 5th Sydney S.
Standing Broad Jump -  3rd Sara F., 4th Emily D.
Baketball Throw - 1st Haley C.,3rd Robert O.
Wheelbarrow - 3rd Jordan C. and Summer G. and 5th Hunter P. and Dylan D.
Running Broad Jump  - 2nd Reece W.

LIBRARY AWARDED WE THE PEOPLE BOOKSHELF ON "THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS" GRANT:  Kristen Caton, our librarian, applied for and received this grant.  As part of its We the People initiative, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)  collaborated with the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office to present the We the People Bookshelf, a program to encourage young people to read and understand great literature while exploring themes in American history.  As a recipient, she received 15 great books for our library.  These books are displayed on the circulation desk.  Students and parents are encouraged to check out these fine books.

Chelsea Wins at Upper East Tennessee Science Fair - The Upper East Tennessee Science Fair was held on April 5 at the ETSU Culp Center in Johnson City.  Chelsea won Honorable Mention with her exhibit "What Watt Does What?"
 

Camp Creek/DeBusk/Nolachuckey Band Entertains Their Schools - On Friday, March 23, the six-month old band visited each school and presented a twenty-minute program.  Everyone was amazed as they listened to the performance directed by their director, Michael Douty.  Our band students have learned a lot in such a short time.  Click here to see pictures of Friday's performance at DeBusk.

DeBusk Sponsors Booth at Parenting Fair:  The 12th Annual Greeneville - Greene County Parenting Fair was held at Hal Henard on Saturday, March 17 - St. Patrick's Day.  Our booth provided parents with information on Internet safety.  Blarney Bubbles, balloons, and pencils with the reminder "Practice Online Safety" were given to the children.  Student volunteers, Amber and Maggie, helped teachers, Whitson and Collins, during the four-hour event.

"Identify Me" Wins Best of Show:  This school year marked our eleventh annual Science Fair; and we had 150 exhibits (the most we've ever had) from grades three, four, five, six, seven, and eight.  Walter State Community College students in Dr. Jeff Horner's class judged the projects. Quinton's project, "Identify Me" won best of show. All winners are entrants in the Greene County Fair on March 26-27.  Our first and second place winners will also compete at the district fair in Johnson City on April 5. Click here to see pictures of the fair.
 

DeBusk Students Celebrate 10th Anniversary of Read Across America - On Thursday, March 2, DeBusk students and faculty celebrated the Tenth Anniversary of Read Across America.  Our librarian, Kristen Caton, organized the day's activities.  Students enjoyed eating "green eggs and ham", listening to stories read by Greeneville citizens, voting for their favorite Dr. Seus book, and participating in a character parade.  Click here to read about the day and to see pictures of the activities.

Three Students Qualify for State Competition - Congratulations to Maggie S., Chelsea C., and Megan N.  These students have qualified to compete at the state level in the Reader's Digest National Word Power Challenge on Monday, March 19.  The top-scoring student in the state will advance to the National Championship.  The top five studens in each state will receive Certificates of Merit and a gift gab.
 

DeBusk students exemplify their charitable nature -  During the past few weeks, boys and girls have been raising money for the McDonald Hearts for the House "Kids Helping Kids" campaign.  The total of $1,164.25 students raised will go to help support the Southern Appalachian Ronald McDonald House.  The top fundraisers were  Brittany B - $223; Kasey B - $223, Daniel R- $100, Cade D - $50.  The top classrooms were Mrs. Stacy's 7th grade and Mrs. Keith's 6th grade.

Eighth Grade Health Fair - On Wednesday, February 7, Laughlin Memorial Hospital  staff members, led by Dr. Don Henard, provided a two-hour health fair for the eighth grade students of DeBusk Elementary School.  Several health personnel spoke about their occupations, the educational requirements, and employment opportunities.  Although all students took the Kuder Career Planning online test, the results of three students indicated they have a high interest an aptitude for health professons.  They are shown here with Dr. Henard.  Click this link to see pictures of the Health Fair.

Students Win 1st Place - Congratulations to Eric. R., Amber S., and Chelsea C. who won 1st place in the 8th grade documentary category at the Regional History Day Competition at Tusculum College.  They will advance to the East Tennessee History Day Competition at the University of Tennessee Knoxville.  We are very proud of these students.

4-H Winner -  Maggie S. won 1st place in the Greene County 4-H public speaking competition. Congratulations Maggie!

School Server Gets Upgrade - One of our county technicians worked diligently to clean our server before upgrading it with additional drives.  Click here to see Bob hard at work.

Ronald McDonald Visits - Students in grades pre-k through 3 enjoyed Ronald McDonald's visit.  He encouraged students to read, gave them a bookmark, and talked with individul students.  There was lots of excitement in the gym the morning of January 19.

Homecoming 2007 - Before our game with Camp Creek on Thursday, January 18, the homecoming court was presented and the homecoming queen and princesses were crowned; and runners-up received trophies.  Both boys and girls basketball teams won exciting games.  After the game, students had fun at the school dance.  Enjoy some photo memories of the evening by clicking here.

Middle-school students from DeBusk, Glenwood, Nolichuckey, and Camp Creek joined forces as the South Side Band and performed in concert on Tuesday, December 12.  Their instructor and band leader is Michael Douty.  The band practices at South Greene every Thursday afternoon.  Click here to see more pictures of the evening.

DEBUSK CHRISTMAS PROGRAM - On Tuesday, December 5, the DeBusk student body presented a Christmas program under the direction of music teacher, Karla Hearon.  Dick Clark, Vanna White, the Chipmunks, Johnny Cash, and June Carter joined the students performers to entertain the audience.  The students got to enjoy the program during the day, and a large crowd enjoyed the performance during the evening.  Click here to she pictures of the program.

VETERANS ARE HONORED - Twenty-one veterans were honored during the Veterans Day program on November 10.  The event was organized by Amy Luttrell and her fifth-grade class.  As the veterans entered the gym, they signed their names, military branches, and years of service.  After "veteran" Grandpa Russell led the group in the pledge of allegiance and everyone sang the national anthem, "veteran" Gerald Rudd led the invocation.  Tyler read an essay about the U.S. Constitution before his fifth grade class recited the Preamble and sang "This Land is Your Land."  Haley, Chelsea, Brook, and Courtney read original essays on "What Veterans Day Means to Me."  Col. John Cox was the guest speaker.   To read more about the event and to see pictures, click here.
 

STUDENTS COMMEMORATE CHARACTER EDUCATION WEEK: We culminated "Character Education Week" by celebrating Pillar Friday on October 20.  Each student and each teacher dressed in one of  the colors of the Six Pillars of Character.  Our guidance counselor, Mrs. Holtkamp, directed the activities. Click here to see pictures of the Six Pillars of Character as the students gathered in the gym on Friday. Blue for Trustworthiness- Think "true blue".   Yellow for Respect - Think the Golden Rule.  Green for Responsibility - Think being responsible for a "garden" of finances. Orange for Fairness - Think dividing an "orange" into equal sections.  Red for Caring - Think a "heart".  Purple for Citizenship - Think the "purple heart".  Click here to see pictures of the students.

STUDENTS RAISE MONEY FOR ST. JUDE'S CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: Forty-two hard working students each completed 200 grade level math problems to raise $3,152.72 for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.  The money raised goes to pay for St. Jude medical care not covered by insurance.  Those without insurance are never turned away.  To show their appreciation, St. Jude presented a t-shirt, free Six Flags ticket, and a certificate to each student who raised at least $35.  Any student raising $75 also received a backpack.  Brooklyn T. who raised $255 received a digital camera. Click here to see more photos.

COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION VISITS DEBUSK:  State Education Commissioner Dr. Lana Seivers, visited  students in the pre-kindergarten class at DeBusk Elementary School and other classrooms on Thursday as part of her four-hour tour of three Greene County schools with state Rep. Eddie Yokley, D-11th, of Greene County.  Dr. Joe Parkins and Kathryn Crum joined the tour. Click here to read the article that appeared in the GREENEVILLE SUN.

MRS. WHITSON'S THIRD GRADE REACHES FIRST READING GOAL: Thirdgradestudents in Mrs. Whitson's class participatedin National Literacy Campaign to Prove that ‘Reading is Giving’.   They are helping others while they help themselves this school year by participating in Scholastic Book Clubs ClassroomsCare, a philanthropy-based literacy campaign designed to teach children about the joys and importance of reading and giving.  From the beginning of school through December 31, 2006, students in Jennifer Whitson's classroom will read 100 books and in turn, Scholastic Book Clubs will donated 100 books (for a total donation of up to one million new books) to disadvantaged children nationwide.<>

DEBUSK FACULTY HAS BEAN SUPPER FUNDRAISER:  On Friday, October 6, before the SGHS football game, the DeBusk teachers cooked and served a meal consisting of soup beans, seasoned turnip greens, macaroni and cheese, cole slaw, tomatoes, tea/lemonade, and cornbread.  Dessert was provided by many parents who baked delicious cakes, pies, cookies, and puddings.  The fundraiser netted over $1000 to help meet expenses normally covered by fundraisers in which students sold candy and other items.  Click here to see pictures of the event.

SMOKY BEAR VISITS DEBUSK:   On Monday, October 2, Gary Carter of the Tennessee Forest Service presented an educational program to students in grades 1 and 2 explaining what young people can do to prevent forest.  fires.  After watching a short video, he quizzed the students on what they had learned.  "If you find matches or a lighter, you should give them to an adult.  If you spot a fire, tell an adult.  And, don't play with matches!"  Since they did so well on the quiz, students got to meet Smoky Bear and shake hands with him.  Smoky gave each student a ruler to remind them of what they should do.
 

STUDENTS ENJOY ASSEMBLY BY NED:  On Thursday afternoon, September 28, students in grades K through 6 listened to the wisdom of NED and enjoyed his professional YoYo skills.  After demonstrating several tricks, students learned what NED stands for: Never give up,Encourage others, and Do your best.  Students were also given the opportunity to buy yoyo's and to practice what they had just learned.
 
 

PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS BEAUTIFY AND IMPROVE SCHOOL GROUNDS:  The DeBusk School Safety Committee sponsored a volunteer work day on Saturday, September 16, to build two dugouts, improve the ball field, prune trees, pull up weeds, clean flower beds, mow, weed-eat, pick up trash, provide fill dirt for eroded areas, plant shrubs, clean the parking lot, and generally improve the appearance of our school grounds.  A big "THANK YOU" is extended to all of the volunteers who gave up their Saturday and worked to make our school better for everyone.  Click here to see pictures of those hard workers and the improvements they made..

VFWPRESENTS NEW FLAG TO SCHOOL:  On Tuesday, August 22, two representatives from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Mr. Fillers and Mr. Covington, presented a new American flag to our principal, Mr. Chris Malone.  The entire student body, including Mr. Fillers's children and Mr. Covington's granddaughter, came to the gym for the presentation.  They spoke of their love for our country and our flag.

EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS ENJOY PROM NIGHT:  Eighth grade students celebrated the end of their days at DeBusk with a prom at Tusculum College.  Click here to see pictures of the evening.

NINE SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS INDUCTED INTO JUNIOR BETA CLUB: On May 17, nine sixth graders were inducted into the Jr. Beta Club as their parents, teachers, and classmates watched.  After the ceremony, refreshments were enjoyed by the members, parents, and teachers. 

MANY DEBUSK STUDENTS WIN AT EXCHANGE CLUB FIELD DAY: DeBusk had its share of winners Friday, May 12, at Field Day on the Tusculum College campus.  Each winner received a T-shirt; 1st place winners also received a medal.  Congratulations to our winners in their respective grade divisions:
Football Throw - 2nd Daniel L. and Manny A., 4th Tray H. and Daniel R.
Softball Throw - 3rd Ashton W., 3rd Brittany W.
Sack Race - 1st Logan T., 2nd Faith M., 2nd Alina S., 2nd Kylie C., 4th Scott B., 5th Zach M.
Dash - 1st Austin B.,3rd Kaylee K., 5th Chris M.
Shuttle Run - 4th Devon D. and Ethan K., 5th Camelia T. and Rachel B.
Sit-Ups - 2nd Jessica G., 4th Chase B., 4th Breanna W.
Chin-Ups - 2nd Holden S., 2nd Makayla G., 3rd Chelsea C., 5th Austin C.
Standing Broad Jump - 3rd Alexus W., 4th Billy M., 5th Sara F.
Baketball Throw - 1st Ashley L., 2nd Cassidy S., 3rd Jonathan Z.
Wheelbarrow - 4th Dakota M. and Richie L., 4th Rechelle D. and Yoshira B.
Running Broad Jump  - 1st Walker B., 5th Brandon M., 5th Hope C.
Tug-of-War  - 3rd David D., Mason S. Taylor A., Colton A., and Dylan H.

THREE TEACHERS WIN A HANDHELD FOR THEIR BEST PRACTICES: Myra Waddle, second grade teacher; Carol Adams, 6th grade teacher; and Kristen Caton, 3rd grade teacher, each received a hand held computer for creating, teaching, and evaluating one of their best practices.  Congratulations!
 

DEBBIE WHITEHEAD IS THE APRIL 2006 "DO IT" TEACHER OF THE MONTH:  Debbie Whitehead, our school K-6 resource teacher, has earned the title of "DO IT Teacher of the Month" for her useof technology for administrative tasks as well as use of technology in her instruction and in student learning.  Ms. Whitehad will receive a Staples gift certificate and is featured on our website.  Click here to see why Ms. Whitehead is the DO IT Teacher of the Month.
 

LIBRARY AWARDED WE THE PEOPLE BOOKSHELF ON "BECOMING AMERICAN" GRANT:  MELANIE WILLIAMS, our librarian, applied for and received this grant.  As part of its We the People initiative, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)  collaborated with the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office to present the We the People Bookshelf, a program to encourage young people to read and understand great literature while exploring themes in American history.  As a recipient, she received 15 great books for our library.  These books are displayed on the circulation desk.  Students and parents are encouraged to check out these fine books.  Click here to see a list of the books and other libraries that received the grant.

STUDENTS WIN AT UPPER EAST TN SCIENCE FAIR APRIL 6: Chelsea C. and Laura G. won first place and $100 in the 6th grade physical division at the Upper East Tennessee Science Fair held at the Culp Center at ETSU on April 6.  Logan T. won third place and $25.  Hands on Museum has invited the winners to display their projects beginning now through May 12; they also invited the students and their parents to attend a reception in their honor.  Our school receives $50 for each winner at ETSU for a total of $100.  Congratulations Chelsea, Laura, and Logan. Click to see the individual exhibits and winners.

MELANIE WILLIAMS IS THE MARCH 2006 "DO IT" TEACHER OF THE MONTH:  Melanie Williams, an Intel Master Teacher and our school librarian, has earned the title of "DO IT Teacher of the Month" for her creative uses of technology.  Mrs. Williams will receive a Staples gift certificate and is featured on our website. Click here to see why Mrs. Williams is the DO IT Teacher of the Month.

FIFTEEN STUDENTS WIN AT GREENE COUNTY SCIENCE FAIR MARCH 21-22:  Fifteen students from DeBusk won awards at the Greene County Science Fair.  Makayla G. and Lexis C. - 1st place 3rd grade physical, Manny A - 2nd place 3rd grade physical, Bryanna and Brianna - 2nd place 3rd grade biological, Logan T. - 2nd place 4th grade physical, Courtney S. - 3rd place 5th grade biological, Kylea C. and Logan D. - 3rd place 6th grade biological, Chelsea C. and Laura G. - 2nd place 6th grade physical, Scott B. - honorable mention 6th grade physical, Amber S. - 3rd place 7th grade physical, and Taylor M. - 1st place 8th grade physical.  Congratulations!  Click to see the individual exhibits and winners.

TENTH ANNUAL SCIENCE FAIR HELD AT DEBUSK MARCH 7:  This school year marked our tenth annual fair; and we had 130 exhibits from grades three, four, five, six, seven, and eight.  The $50 Best of the Show went to Laura G. and Chelsea C. for their exhibit, "What's Going Down in the Bermuda Triangle?"  All winners will represent our school in the Greene County Fair on March 20.  Our first and second place winners will also compete at the district fair in Johnson City on April 6.  Follow the links to see the individual exhibits and winners at each grade level.

READ ACROSS AMERICA CELEBRATED ON MARCH 2:  DeBusk Elementary School celebrated Read Across America Day on Thursday, March 2.  Students in grades K-4 enjoyed hearing eighth graders from the school reading Dr. Seuss books aloud.  Community leaders read to K-4 students as well.  Our visitors from the community included Sheriff Steve Burns, County Mayor Roger Jones, a representative from the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Mr. Ken Bailey, current Juvenile Court Referee and candidate for General Sessions Juvenile Court Judge, and Clerk and Master, Kay Solomon-Armstrong.   Students also enjoyed dressing up as their favorite book characters and participating in and watching a Character Parade.  At lunchtime, the cafeteria provided cake for all in celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday

CAROL ADAMS IS THE FEBRUARY 2006 "DO IT" TEACHER OF THE MONTH: Carol Adams, an Intel Master Teacher, one of our school's Technology Mentor Teachers, and a mentor for a Tusculum College student teacher,  has earned the title of "DO IT Teacher of the Month" for the second time this school year. Click here to see why.

MRS. PIERCE SELECTED GREENE COUNTY 4-8 TEACHER OF THE YEAR:  Each January, the faculties of each school select a "Teacher of the Year."  Our faculty selected Ms. Dunn as K-3 Teacher of the Year and Mrs. Pierce as 4-8 Teacher of the Year.  A committee reviewed the selections from each school and picked three Greene County winners: K-3, 4-8, and 9-12.  DeBusk's fourth grade language arts teacher, Mrs. Pierce, was chosen as the 4-8 teacher to compete for District Teacher of the Year.  Congratulations and Good Luck to an outstanding teacher!  We are so proud of your accomplishments.
 

MAGGIE S. WINS SECOND PLACE IN GREENE COUNTY SPELLING BEE:  Congratulations to seventh grader, Maggie S. who placed second in the Greene County Spelling Bee held at Mosheim School on Tuesday, February 7.  She won a trophy and $75.  (Mrs. Wykle was the Spelling Bee Team Sponsor.)  According to the GREENEVILLE SUN, here is how the bee ended: "Competition’s Final Phase - When the final phase of competition began, Solomon was called to the microphone first. She correctly spelled “mentor.”  Smyth then was asked to spell “durable,” which he did correctly. Solomon then was asked to spell “tendency,” which she misspelled. Smyth then was asked to spell “tendency.” After first asking for it to be used in a sentence and then for the word to be repeated, Smyth correctly spelled “tendency.” ..... (Photo by Bill Jones of the Greeneville Sun)

BRAVES WIN TOURNAMENT TITLES: The DeBusk’s Lady Braves won their fourth straight Greene County Elementary Basketball Championship Friday night,  February 3, 2006, by beating the only team to beat them once during the season, Nolachuckey 40-33.  The DeBusk Boys received fourth place.  Both teams are coached by Marcey Compton.  Named to the girls’ All-Tournament team were: Rechelle D. (MVP), Brittany W. and Ashley L.  Named to the boys’ All-Tournament team was Tra H.

AMY LUTTRELL IS THE JANUARY 2006 "DO IT" TEACHER OF THE MONTH: Amy Luttrell, an Intel Master Teacher and one of our school's Technology Mentor Teachers, has earned the title of "DO IT Teacher of the Month" for the second time this school year. Click here to see why.

GREENEVILLE SUN FEATURES DEBUSK:  On Tuesday, January 31, THE GREENEVILLE SUN, a local newspaper featured DeBusk with a front page article about our use of technology.  This was the the last in a series of articles about technology and schools.  The first eight articles focused on the Greeneville City Schools.  The last three articles focused on the Greene County Schools.  To read a reprint of the last article, click here.

SPIRIT WEEK HELD JANUARY 23-27: Students got involved in the spirit week festivities by dressing up according to the theme of the day:  Monday - Inside-out/Backwards Day, Tuesday - Camouflage Day, Wednesday - Hillbilly/Nerd Day, Thursday - Jersey/Hat Day, and Friday - Orange/Black Day.  Thursday night saw DeBusk boys lose and DeBusk girls win against Glenwood.  Homecoming festivities took place before the games, and a homecoming dance followed the games.  Click here to see pictures of the week's activities.  Click here for homecoming festivities.

BARTER THEATER PRESENTS LIVE THEATER: Students in grades K-3 enjoyed "Ferdinand the Bull", a musical rendition of the book Ferdinand the Bull by Munro Leaf.  Students in grades 4-8 were enthralled by the Barter Players rendition of the "Odyssey", a mythical adventure with monsters, storms, shipwrecks- obstacles at every turn. The goddess Athena tells the story of brave Odysseus, who began his journey home to Athens and his wife Penelope after ten years of war in Troy.  Before and after the performances, students had the opportunity to talk with the actors.  Click here to see pictures.

MRS. GALLIHAR'S CLASS AND ESP MOVE.  ESP has a new home in Mrs. Gallihar's old classroom, and Mrs. Gallihar has a new room in the middle school pod.  Everyone helped to make moving day a success. The excitement began at 8:00 on Friday, January 13; and by 10:00 everything had been moved.  You can see that Mrs. Gallihar had a lot of work to do after the move was over.  She came to school over the weekend, and students were able to have class "as usual" on Monday.  Now ESP has a room of there own right next to the side entrance to the school.  Parents simply ring the new "wireless" bell, and someone is at the door to let them in.  Everyone seems to enjoy their new home.

DEBUSK IS ONE OF THREE SCHOOLS IN DISTRICT SELECTED TO MAKE ORNAMENTS FOR STATE CHRISTMAS TREE. Students in Mrs. Waddle's second grade class created original snowflakes made of wire and beads. State Senator, Eddie Yokely, came to the school to receive the lovely ornaments and thank the children.
 

CHRISTY HOEKE IS THE DECEMBER 2005 "DO IT" TEACHER OF THE MONTH:  Mrs. Hoeke's regular use of technology has earned her the title of DO IT Teacher of the Month. Click here to see what she's been doing with technology during the month of December.

THREE TEACHERS WIN A HANDHELD FOR THEIR BEST PRACTICES: Amy Luttrell, third grade teacher; Christy Hoeke, 7th-8th grade teacher; and Melanie Williams, Librarian, each received a hand held computer for creating, teaching, and evaluating one of their best practices.  Three teams of teachers rated best practices using a rubric to determine the winners.

DEBUSK CHRISTMAS PROGRAM - On Monday, December 5, the DeBusk student body presented a Christmas program under the direction of music teacher, Karla Hearon.  The students got to enjoy the program during the day, and a large crowd enjoyed the performance during the evening.  Click here to she pictures of the program.

AMY LUTTRELL IS THE NOVEMBER 2005 "DO IT" TEACHER OF THE MONTH:  Because Mrs. Luttrell is integrating technology into her teaching and into her students' learning, she has been selected the DO IT (Do Integrate Technology) Teacher of the Month. Click here to discover how she and her students have used technology during November.

STUDENTS RAISE $1,726 FOR ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL - Twenty-one hard working students each completed 200 grade level math problems to raise money for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.  The money raised goes to pay for St. Jude medical care not covered by insurance.  Those without insurance are never turned away.  To show their appreciation, St. Jude presented a t-shirt, free Six Flags ticket, and a certificate to those who raised at least $35.  Students raising $75 also received a sports bag.  Brooklyn T. earned the most money and received a Plug N Play.  Holly Goodrich, Title I teacher, coordianted the DeBusk Mathathon.Click here to see a picture.

HOLLY GOODRICH IS THE OCTOBER 2005 "DO IT" TEACHER OF THE MONTH:  Because Mrs. Goodrich is integrating technology into her teaching and into her students' learning, she has been selected the DO IT (Do Integrate Technology) Teacher of the Month. Click here to discover how she and her students have used technology during October.

STUDENTS COMMEMORATE CHARACTER EDUCATION WEEK: We culminated "Character Education Week" by celebrating Pillar Friday on October 21.  Each student and each teacher dressed in one of  the colors of the Six Pillars of Character.  Our guidance counselor, Mrs. Holtkamp, directed the week's activities. Click here to see pictures of the Six Pillars of Character as the students gathered in the gym on Friday.

MYRA WADDLE IS THE SEPTEMBER 2005 "DO IT" TEACHER OF THE MONTH:  Because Mrs. Waddle is integrating technology into her teaching and into her students' learning, she has been selected the DO IT (Do Integrate Technology) Teacher of the Month. Click here to discover how she and her students have used technology during September.

DEBUSK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RAISES $2,100.13 FOR HURRICANE RELIEF:  After Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, Principal Chris Malone encouraged the teachers to help in the relief effort. Everyone got involved.  Students could chew gum or wear hats in their classrooms if they gave a donation.  Teachers could wear blue jeans one Friday for a donation.  One second grade class had a bake sale, and the other second grade class had a sucker sale.  The PTO donated $75 from their snack shack sales.  The faculty/staff challenged the volleyball team to a game, and students could attend for a donation.  The culminating event, however, was "Taping Principal Malone" to the gym wall.  More than one-half of the student body donated $2.00 for a piece of tape.  Although we had fun raising the money, we never loss sight of the purpose - to help others.  Hopefully, our funds will be added to money collected by other Greene County schools to adopt a school in coastal Mississippi. (Click here to see more photos of the "Taping" and the volleyball game.)

OPEN HOUSE AND BOOK FAIR BRING COMMUNITY TOGETHER: A large crowd of parents, siblings, teachers, and students gathered in the gym at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, September 13, for the school's annual open house.  Our new principal, Mr. Chris Malone, welcomed everyone and shared his vision for our school and our students.  A representative from Hands on Museum presented a certificate to Christy Hoeke for being appointed to a five-teacher advisory council, and she discussed the many benefits to our school.  On behalf of our PTO, President Tanya Casteel gave our three new teachers a monetary gift to help them in their new classrooms.  She also invited parents to join the PTO and to get involved in the school community.  After enjoying refreshments, everyone visited the classrooms.  (Click here to see photos.)

CAROL ADAMS IS THE AUGUST  2005 "DO IT" TEACHER OF THE MONTH:  Because Mrs. Adams is integrating technology into her teaching and into her students' learning, she has been selected the DO IT (Do Integrate Technology) Teacher of the Month.  Click here to discover how she and her students have used technology during August.

DEBUSK CONSORTIUM AWARDED $538,000 ORBIT GRANT: Building on the success of the collaborative endeavor of TLCF Pilot, LAUNCH 1 and LAUNCH 2, competitive grants in the amount of $538,000 were awarded to fund nine ORBIT Centers in Tennessee. Click here to view the archived Orbit Grant pages. ORBIT Centers will provide regional access to teachers so that students may benefit from the affordances of technology in education.  The DeBusk ORBIT Center is a collaborative enterprise among five schools within proximity of each other within the boundaries of Field Service Center -Region 1, East Tennessee.  DeBusk Elementary will serve as the anchor school for four satellite schools:  Mosheim Elementary in Greene County, Cosby High School in Cocke County, Lincoln Middle School in Hamblen County, and Hawkins Elementary School in Hawkins County.  DeBusk will receive $118,000 of the total amount; and each satellite school will each receive $105,000.  This competitive grant funds are issued through Title II Part D of the federal “No Child Left Behind” Act by the Tennessee Department of Education. (Click here for more information.)
 
 

DEBUSK HAS TECHNOLOGY FAIR: The 2005 DeBusk Technology Fair was held on Tuesday, May 10, to showcase the use of technology by students during the 2004-2005 school year. Click here to see pictures of the event. The most exciting part of the evening was the presentation of student projects.  Click here to read about and see pictures of the event.

DEBUSK FACULTY AND STAFF HONOR PRINCIPAL:  The DeBusk Faculty and Staff honored our Principal Debra Jo Boles who is moving to Chuckey Doak Middle School.  Their gain is our loss. Click here to see a picture essay.

DEBUSK RECEIVES $1000 WALMART GRANT:  On April 21, DeBusk received a $1000 grant to purchase books for our library.  Our library continues to grow, and students are able to enjoy many good books.

FIFTEEN BECOME MASTER TEACHERS: Fifteen Greene County teachers have just completed the Intel Teach to the Future Essentials Course, and are now certified Master Teachers for Intel.  Frank Thornton, a Senior Trainer for Intel, was the instructor for the 40-hour course taught at DeBusk Elementary School on January 14-15 and February 17-19.  The free in-service program uses a train-the-trainer model.  Any Local Education Agency can apply to Intel and extend these opportunities to their teachers.  150 Greene County teachers will be selected to attend Intel’s worldwide professional development Teach to the Future Essentials Course being taught throughout this summer. (Click here to see pictures of the training.)

BRAVES WIN TOURNAMENT TITLES: The DeBusk’s Lady Braves, unbeaten for the season, won their third straight Greene County Elementary Basketball Championship Monday night,  February 7, 2005.  They beat their old rival Nolachuckey 62-33 before a packed crowd at West Greene High School.  The DeBusk Boys received second place after losing to Nolachuckey 48-40.  Both teams are coached by Marcey Compton. Click here to see photos taken by Earl Keith.

STUDENTS RAISE $3,325.63 FOR ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL -Hard working students each completed 200 grade level math problems to raise money for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.  The money raised goes to pay for St. Jude medical care not covered by insurance.  Those without insurance are never turned away.  To show their appreciation, St. Jude presented a t-shirt, free Six Flags ticket, and a certificate to those who raised at least $35.  Students raising $75 also received a sports bag.  The student who earned the most money received a cd player.

COMMUNITY SELECTS BEST TEACHER CREATED WEBPAGES: Community members had one week to vote on line for the web pages they thought were the best.  You can click here to see the winners' pages.

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS SAY GOODBYE - Mr. Proffitt and Ms. GeFellers have completed their student teaching assignment at DeBusk.  The sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students had a going away party for him on Tuesday, December 9.  Click to see more pictures of the event.

DEBUSK GIRLS WIN COUNTY VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP - October 2, 2004 - After a perfect winning season, our volleyball team coached by Marcey Compton was victorious in the three-day tournament held at Chuckey Doak Middle School.  Congratulations girls!

DEBUSK BEGINS NEW YEAR AS LAUNCH 2 SCHOOL:  August 1, 2004, marks the beginning of a three-year EdTech Launch 2 program to increase academic achievement and technology literacy by integrating technology into the curriculum.  Click here to see local press release.

Students, parents, and staff will notice a lot of new equipment that was purchased during the summer with about 50% of the Launch 2 funds.  We have 49 new workstations, a mobile wireless lab with 16 laptops, a motorized projection screen in the gym, 2 LCD projectors, 5 interactive student pads, a classroom performance system, 2 AV carts, a networked mono/color laser printer, a battery operated voice projection system, 2 laptops for presentation carts, 4 teacher laptops, 23 PC to TV converters, 23 digital cameras with docks, 30 graphing calculators, a document camera, and a scanner.  We have also purchased supplies such as student and teacher technology training materials, communication software,  Inspiration/Kidspiration license, a 4-year streaming video service, Office software on all networked computers, floppy disks, CD-R's, toner cartridges, inkjet cartridges, batteries, notebooks, paper, pens, dividers, and refreshments.  Weekly after school technology classes will be held for grades K-3, 4-8, and community members.  The remaining funding is required to be used for professional development, awards for best practice, and awards to on-site mentor teachers.  A technology coach will provide both job-embedded and after school training, teachers will attend conferences and workshops, and teachers will take online and other technology courses.  Click here to see the archived Launch 2 Grant pages.

DEBUSK GIRLS CLAIM COUNTY SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP; BOYS PLACE SECOND IN BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP:  May 7, 2004. After a successful undefeated season for both the girls and boys, our softball and baseball teams placed first and second in the Greene County tournament held at North Greene High School.  View some pictures from the final day.

RECEPTION FOR TRIXIE CLARK: May 5, 2004.  Trixie Clark, K-3 Supervisor, was honored at a reception in the school cafeteria.  She will be retiring at the end of this school year, and our staff wanted to show our appreciation for her hard work and dedication. Click here to see pictures of the reception.

AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT: May 4, 2004. The Tennessee Department of Education announces that DeBusk Elementary School is one of  fourteen schools that will each receive a $300,000 EdTech LAUNCH-2 competitive grant. EdTech LAUNCH-2 is funded by the competitive portion of Title II Part D federal funds from No Child Left Behind. Click here to see the archived Launch 2 Grant pages. A special Launch 2 webpage will be developed to keep everyone informed during the duration of the grant.  We will also participate in Tennessee's scientifically based research study funded by a cooperative agreement with the U. S. Department of Education. Read the article that appeared in the Greeneville Sun.  

SEUSSENTENIAL CELEBRATED: March 1, 2004. NEA started Read Across America in 1998 as a way to get kids excited about reading, and it has become the nation's largest reading event. The year-round program culminates each year on or near Dr. Seuss's birthday.  This year marked the Seussentenial - a century of imagination. Enjoy our celebration.

EIGHTH ANNUAL DEBUSK SCIENCE FAIR: February 24, 2004,  marked our eighth annual fair; and we had 160 exhibits from grades Two, three, four, five, six, seven, and eight.  Below is a picture of our fair and our  winners.  All winners are entrants in the Greene County Fair.  Our first and second place winners will also compete at the district fair in Johnson City on April 15.

DEBUSK GIRLS CLAIM COUNTY BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, BOYS FINISH FOURTH: The DeBusk’s Lady Braves won their second straight Greene County Elementary Basketball Championship Saturday night. February 7.  They beat their old rival Nolachuckey 44-34 before a packed crowd at South Greene High School.  The DeBusk Boys received fourth place after losing to Moshiem 47-38.  Both teams are coached by Marcey Compton.

3 DEBUSK STUDENTS ADVANCE TO STATE VOCABULARY CONTEST: Three students have advanced to the state-level championship of the Reader's Digest National Word Power Challenge to be held in Nashville on February 27.  Rachel L., Brittaney H., and Chelsea C. won the first round in the second annual competition then took a written qualifying test.  The top 100 scores were selected to compete at the state level.  The first-place national winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship. Second and third place winners will receive $15,000 and $10,000 scholarships, respectively.  Good luck in Nashville!

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, KATHY AUSTIN AND BOBBY WELLS, RECOGNIZED DURING SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION WEEK, JANUARY 25-31: Our school board members were invited to eat lunch with students from each classroom selected as those who best represented the Character Counts characteristic "RESPECTFUL".  Students enjoyed talking with Mrs. Austin during lunch.  After lunch, Chelsea and Natasha read their original writings about the School Board. Click here to see pictures.

EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS TAKE TOP AWARDS IN DAR HISTORY ESSAY CONTEST: The Nolachuckey Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, announced the winners of the DAR History Essay Contest, "The Louisiana Purchase, Thomas Jefferson's Presidential Legacy".  Ana took first place, while Alex and Cody N. tied for second.  Ana read her essay to the members at their January 17 meeting.  Winners were awarded a monetary gift, a medal, and a certificate

STUDENTS EARN FUN DAY FROM FUND RAISER: We were all thankful that it didn't snow on January 16, and Fun Day could go on as scheduled.  Students in grades K-8 who participated in this year's fund raiser enjoyed a day, or part of a day, of fun in the gym.  Many enjoyed jumping in the jumping house, sliding down the giant slide, and hanging upside down on a velcro wall.  Some of the stronger students were able to pull the bunji cord to be propelled backwards moments later. Click here for a taste of the fun.

40 STUDENTS RAISE $2,780.96 IN ST. JUDE MATH-A-THON - Forty hard working students each completed 200 grade level math problems to raise money for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.  The money raised goes to pay for St. Jude medical care not covered by insurance.  Those without insurance are never turned away.  To show their appreciation, St. Jude presented a t-shirt, free Six Flags ticket, and a certificate to those who raised at least $35.  Students raising $75 also received a sports bag.  The student who earned the most money received a cd player.  Click to see a picture of our good citizens.

INTERNET SAFETY PROGRAM STARTED IS FIRST IN TENNESSEE - About 50 seventh-graders at Greene County’s DeBusk Elementary School on Friday, October 17, became the first Tennessee public school students to begin receiving i-SAFE internet safety lessons that one day might save their lives. Click here to see the article that appeared in the GREENEVILLE SUN.

DEBUSK BRAVES WIN COUNTY FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP - On October 16, our football team defeated Camp Creek to remain undefeated for the season and to become the Greene County Elementary Football Champions.

DEBUSK GIRLS WIN COUNTY VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP - After a winning season, our volleyball team coached by Marcey Compton was victorious in the three-day tournament held at Camp Creek Elementary School.

i-SAFE TRAINING HELD AT DEBUSK - On October 4, DeBusk hosted an i-SAFE internet safety education professional development seminar for law enforcement officers, board members, and teachers from DeBusk, Camp Creek, Chuckey, Chuckey Doak, Glenwood, Nolichuckey, and South Greene.  These schools will now implement the i-SAFE curriculum.

CAROL ADAMS NOMINATED TO TECHNOLOGY HALL OF FAME - We would like to nominate Carol Adams, 7th grade language arts and geography teacher, to the Greene County Schools 2003-2004 Technology Hall of Fame. Carol sees the benefits of integrating technology into the curriculum and is willing to help others by sharing what she has learned and what she does... Click here to see the entire nomination.

DEBUSK OPEN HOUSE - DeBusk Elementary School held open house at 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 9, 2003.  There was a great turnout.  Parents, students, and teachers listened as Principal Boles welcomed the parents and introduced the faculty.  Milton Parham explained the "Character Counts" program and shared the six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. Janie Shelton, president of the A-TEAM, gave monetary awards to the new teachers and discussed the activities of the A-TEAM.  Curious George greeted one and all and visited with them at the Book Fair in the library.

DEBUSK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RECEIVES STATE INCENTIVE AWARD - The Incentive Awards Program is provided for superior performance by local schools on specified measures of accountability. The goals and standards are mandated by legislation and established by the State Board of Education. The General Assembly has funded $500,000 for this program. Statewide, DeBusk was one of the 97 schools that achieved the award this year; so each school is to receive $5,154.63.  Students and teachers are to be commended. Click here to see photos of the "Reward Celebration" held for students on August 15.

STUDENTS EARN HONORS - Rachel, one of our seventh grade students placed fourth in the Readers Digest State Vocabulary competition.  Tawnya, an eighth grade student, placed fourth in the Greene County Spelling Bee. We also had winners in the Modern Woodmen speech competition.

DEBUSK SWEEPS COUNTY TITLES -Although seeded second in both the boys and girls brackets of the Greene County Elementary Basketball Tournament, DeBusk girls and boys earned the first place championship banners.  The girls defeated Nolachuckey in a 34-32 heart-stopper.  The boys played an impressive tournament and beat McDonald 61-40. Our victories on February 7 at the North Greene High School gym will be an event, date, and place to remember.  Click here to see pictures of our winners.

TEACHERS ATTEND READING RENAISSANCE SEMINAR - Teachers from DeBusk, Glenwood, and Ottway attended the Reading Renaissance 501 Seminar at Central Office on Monday, January 20.  These three schools all use Accelerated Reader to motivate students to read.  At this workshop, teachers learned the top 10 things (research based) they need to do to improve reading; and they will be implementing these techniques right away.

PEER REVIEW TEAM RECOMMENDS DEBUSK FOR SACS - On November 12-13, the SACS Peer Review Team of Davidson, Gamble, and Gregg observed our school in operation.  They also interviewed students, teachers, parents, and community members and examined our School Improvement Plan and documentation.  Being a member of SACS means that we meet the rigorous criteria for membership, and we can all be proud of DeBusk. Click here to see a pictures essay.

DEBUSK WINS FALL KEEP GREENE CLEAN DECORATING CONTEST:
As you enter our building, you will see why we won the honor of having the best interior display. Click here to see pictures.

VALUE-ADDED SCORES OUTSTANDING:
We have recently learned that DeBusk Elementary School made significant gains in value-added assessment during the 2001-2002 school year. Click here to see a graphic representation of our success.

9-11 REMEMBERED:
Students, faculty, and local heroes gathered in the gym at 8:30 am on Wednesday, September 11,  to have a commemorative service to remember the victims of 9-11, to honor the heroes, and to dedicate a Foster Holly planted as a living symbol.  Click here to view a photo essay.

A-TEAM BALLOON DAY:
Our A-TEAM  made arrangements for the Land Air - Forward Air Hot  Air Balloon to be at DeBusk on Wednesday, October 11, 2000.  As a reward for reading books and passing Accelerated Reader quizzes, three students from each room were randomly selected to soar to greater heights.
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RECEPTION FOR OUTGOING SUPERINTENDENT:
On Tuesday, April 24, 2001, DeBusk Elementary School hosted a reception honoring our retiring superintendent, Richard Morrison.  Faculty and staff from DeBusk, Camp Creek, Nolichuckey,  South Greene, the Central Office, and our School Board shared fellowship and memories.

JUDITH HEUMANN, UNITED STATES ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, VISITS DEBUSK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL:  The U. S. Assistant Secretary of Education, Judith Heumann, visited our school in September 1997.  Many county officials joined us in our new gymnasium to hear Ms. Heumann speak to students, parents, and guests.  Afterwards, several students came to the microphone to ask questions about her life and career. Click here to see pictures.

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