From the Daily Times,

"Blount County had 104 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in children ages 5-18 in the two weeks ending Aug. 11, according to the Tennessee Department of Health."

"Alcoa City Schools has conducted 41 tests and detected 10 positive cases... five of those cases were staff members." Twenty-five percent of tests are positive for the coronavirus. "39 students or staff members have been quarantined based on the on-campus testing."

"Maryville City Schools has had one positive staff member and three student cases among 45 tests it administered,..."

"Blount County Schools has had 10 student and three staff cases in 105 tests it administered,..."

As a group of John Sevier Elementary students were sent home Monday because of COVID-19 exposure from one staff member, officials say another Maryville City Schools employee and several online-only students also have tested positive.
...
16 first grade students from a single classroom are now quarantining.
...
A student at Coulter Grove Intermediate School tested positive just a few days after the Maryville system opened July 30.

Be careful out there. Don't let up on social-distancing. Wear a mask.

On July 29, 2020, Blount County Schools started a regular schedule of in-person classes for those not opting for on-line learning.

Five days later the school system announced they are changing to a staggered in-person class schedule to reduce class sizes for better protection from COVID-19.

Blount County Schools will switch to a hybrid model for two weeks of learning that will see the number of days children attend school in-person reduced in response to rising COVID-19 cases in the area.

Blount County has had 1,120 cases of coronavirus, according to statistics released Monday by the Tennessee Department of Health. Some 870 of the cases were reported during July.

IMO, this was expected. Too many school systems trying to push in-person learning too soon. The President's advice should be ignored. Students, teachers, staff should not have to fear death by schools insisting on in-person classes.

On Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020, officials said that there were 3 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Alcoa High School. There was also one confirmed case of COVID-19 at Alcoa Elementary School, they said.
...
On July 24, a person also tested positive for COVID-19 in Alcoa City Schools Middle School.

5 cases in 7 days. Alcoa City Schools has just under 2,000 students.

Be careful out there.

Alcoa City Schools opened for classes yesterday, July 22nd.

Students attend classes one day a week and use virtual learning four days a week. On premises classes are on a staggered schedule. Students will attend the one day based on their last name, e.g. students with last names beginning with letters from A to C attended yesterday.

Hand sanitizer is abundant, all faculty, staff, as well as many students are wearing face coverings, and no more than 10 students are in a classroom.

Although Alcoa is not taking any action against students who don’t wear face coverings, they are encouraged for younger students and “expected” for older students when distancing is difficult. Staff members must wear masks when in close proximity to students and during class transitions..

Daily temperature checks on arrival are part of the new routine to check for possible symptoms of the coronavirus.

Let's hope all goes well. Be careful out there.

From the Maryville Daily Times:

A Maryville third grader tested positive for COVID-19 after a Monday, June 22, trip to Springbrook Pool with the Foothills Elementary School Adventure Club.

The student passed a Monday morning temperature check at the extended care program but was sent home when the midday check registered more than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Maryville City Schools Director Mike Winstead.
...
“We did what our management plan and the Health Department says we should do,” Winstead said. The Health Department will be responsible for other contact tracing.
...
“When school reopens and we have 5,000 kids and 900 employees and all the interactions going on, having a positive case is inevitable,” Winstead said. “The key is just controlling interactions and minimizing the impact of a positive case.”

About a dozen other Adventure Club attendees will have to submit to a 14 day quarantine.

Alcoa City Schools teachers would see no pay raise for the third consecutive year under a proposed 2019-20 budget that includes only the annual step increase. “We just can’t find it in our budget,” Director Brian Bell told the Alcoa Board of Commissioners during a budget workshop Friday.

Maryville City Schools is planning a 4% raise for employees in the coming year, which will raise the starting pay for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree to $43,160. In Alcoa the starting teacher salary is $37,800.

From what I can find on the Internets,
Blount County starting salary for a teacher with a bachelor's degree is $35,885.
Knox County starting salary for a teacher with a bachelor's degree is $38,295.
Oak Ridge starting salary for a teacher with a bachelor's degree is $40,380.

Alcoa School's base teacher salary = $37,800.

$5,360 (12.4%) less than Maryville City Schools
$2,580 (6.4%) less than Oak Ridge City Schools
$495 (1.3%) less than Knox County Schools
$1,915 (5.3%) greater than Blount County Schools

There can be other factors that change overall compensation, such as benefits (health insurance), bonuses, etc.

In my opinion, the City of Alcoa needs to be more careful. There could be too much encouragement for growth that cannot be sustained by the City and its citizens.

According to an article in the Feb. 14, 2018, Daily Times, the City of Alcoa will be considering a property tax increase.

Alcoa commissioners authorized the issuance of up to $10 million in bonds Tuesday [Feb. 13, 2018]. Almost half of that amount, some $4.8 million, already has been earmarked for a new fire truck, membranes at the water treatment plant and a new heating ventilation and air conditioning system at the city’s public safety building.

Alcoa City Manager Mark "Johnson said in October that the expansion of Alcoa Intermediate School “will take a property tax increase” as “there’s no other source of money.”

An August 2012 increase in the local sales tax was earmarked to build the new Alcoa High School, Johnson explained, and would not go toward any renovations to Alcoa Intermediate. If a 1-cent increase yields $50,000 in additional revenue, Johnson explained, Alcoa probably would be looking at a property tax increase of 10 [$500,000] to 20 cents [$1,000,000].

No decisions were made about a property tax increase Tuesday, although a resolution approved by commissioners authorizes the issuance of not more than $10 million in bonds and provides for the levy of tax for the payment of principal of, premium (if any) and interest on those bonds.

Hmmm... A "levy of tax for the payment of principal of, premium (if any) and interest on those bonds."

As of 2010, according to the US Census Bureau, there are approximately 4,175 housing units in Alcoa, TN. The proposed Springbrook Farm mixed-use development at the old ALCOA West Plant could add 1,183 new housing units (980 multi-family units, 110 townhouse units, and 93 single family homes). That's an approximate 28% increase in housing units.

In 2016, before there was a projection on new housing units for the ALCOA West Plant, Alcoa Director of Schools Brian Bell said it will be hard to predict the growth for Alcoa City Schools. Alcoa Schools have reached an all-time enrollment high. Alcoa schools had 1,978 students in 2016. This month, Dr. Bell said he will be requesting "a long-range study of the capacity and enrollment of the intermediate school." It is possible the intermediate school could be "bursting at the seams" in 3-4 years. "Tuition students comprise 20 percent of enrollment" at City of Alcoa schools.

More recently, "the Alcoa school board voted Tuesday to delay spending half-a-million dollars to fix structural problems at the intermediate school and instead spend $300,000 to prepare plans for expanding that school, adding a track and soccer complex, and building a new football field house." The school board had voted to make these repairs in July. "I have a problem with not fixing the intermediate school," School Board Member Clayton Bledsoe said, raising the possibility that the structural engineer could determine the building has become unsafe." He also proposed "to fund only the design work for the intermediate school expansion and repairs and not the athletic projects," These projects have been delayed a year already, according to Bledsoe. He did not get a second on this proposal

When municipalities desire to grow planning should be a high priority. Sure, you build more housing and business to bring in more property taxes and sales tax. But, is the infrastructure ready? Bigger is not always better.

City of Alcoa Schools, Alcoa Intermediate School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is holding a community dog parade to raise funds for school projects. One project in particular is completing a playground for the kids. When the schools were moved around, the newly assigned Intermediate School grounds did not include a playground. The PTO is rectifying the issue.

ALCOA-MINSTER COMMUNITY DOG PARADE
Saturday, November 5, 2016
9 AM - 12 PM
Springbrook Park/Duck Pond

$10 entry fee / Onsite registration
Largest Dog Parade/ PetSmart Trick Facilitator
Costume Contest / Inflatable and lots more!

On May 6, 2014, Blount County residents voted to increase the sales tax by 0.50%. To some, it was expected the increase in revenue would go towards schools.

"It means building and maintenance things that we've deferred, roofs, HVAC, the list goes on and on. It also means safety upgrades that need to be addressed in our school system, text books, technology," said Rob Britt Director of Schools [for Blount County].

Now Blount County residents find out the rest of the story.

On Tuesday, Blount County Budget committee members voted to recommend reallocation of property taxes to reduce the amount of property tax revenue given to the school system. This would reduce the funds for the school system by over $310 thousand.

Sure, it is possible the increase in sales tax income will be alloted to the school system. But, now that possible increase has to be reduced by the reduction in property tax income for the school system.

How will it all work out when the decisions are finally made? Who knows?

Nearly 13,000 people (68,591 registered voters of approx. 97,000 Blount County residents over the age of 18) voted on the wheel tax resolution. Almost 70% of the voters voted against the wheel tax.

What's going on with the property acquisition for the new Alcoa High School? The information being provided is weak, at best.

On Friday, September 28,2012, The Daily Times reported on site selection for the new Alcoa High School. "The district is working toward a possible groundbreaking in the first two weeks of December [2012]".

Alcoa City Schools has identified 25 acres southwest of the current high school’s location. The new school will be fronted by the eventual continuation of Associates Boulevard from Hall Road to Springbrook Road.

Also, what's the deal with street access from Hall Road at Associates Boulevard to Springbrook? Back in the spring the powers that be were excited about a new retail, Urbanist development at the old ALCOA, Inc. West Plant site. In planning for this new development, City of Alcoa officials and the developer insisted there be an access road to the Springbrook community (Mills Street at Frary, Mills Street between Frary and Hoopes, or Mills Street at Alcoa Road). No discussion was provided for access via Faraday or Associates Boulevard. A City of Alcoa official stated the secondary access to the proposed shopping developement was necessary for emergency exit if a plane crashed. Now, for whatever reason, it appears Associates Boulevard will extend from Hall Road to Lodge Street, near the Springbrook Road intersection. An extension of Associates Boulevard will be a secondary access. Will the access at Mills Street be taken off the plate?

On Thursday, January 17, 2013, The Daily Times is again reporting on site selection for the new Alcoa High School. "The school district is working toward a possible groundbreaking in May [2013]."

ALCOA Inc. submitted a proposal Monday to the city of Alcoa, Johnson said. The proposal concerns 25 acres southwest of the current high school’s location and 28 acres in the Lake Louise area, a former waste disposal site that was filled in several years ago.

Who currently owns the land proposed for the new Alcoa High School? It is being reported that Kinsey Probasco Hays owns the land. It is also being reported that ALCOA, Inc. is submitting proposals to the City of Alcoa regarding site selection.

What's the deal with these parts of the land acquisition proposal? The City of Alcoa will be required to "Secure an environmental insurance policy in which ALCOA Inc. would be named as one of the insured parties" and "Waive some of the city’s sovereign immunity in case of a lawsuit". Here is some information fromm the EPA on environmental insurance. Sovereign immunity provides that the city is immune from being sued without their consent. What about this project indicates the need to be able to sue the city?

Planning for a new high school is not easy. I'm sure we all want it to be done correctly. It might be a good idea if the City of Alcoa provides more information as to why the land acquisition process is taking much longer than expected. In addition, city officials should explain the need for this environmental insurance policy and waiving of sovereign immunity. What are the liabilities to the residents. More specifically, what are the dangers from the liabilities to the students?

The City of Alcoa's sales tax will increase by 0.50%, from 9.25% to 9.75%. A new Alcoa High School is on the way. The city projects $3.2-$3.4 million annually in additional sales tax revenue from the 0.50% sales tax increase. Unless Blount County elects to adopt a sales tax increase, then the city's share would be about half.

1,285 (25.5%) of the 5,034 registered voters in the City of Alcoa cast a ballot on this referendum. 1,018 (79.2%) people voted to increase the sales tax, 267 people voted against the increase.

According to a June, 2012, article, "officials hope to start construction [on the nearly $30 million high school] in March 2013. The project’s estimated completion date is Dec. 1, 2014."

Most important, the Alcoa High School football program is looking forward to having the >"nicest stadium in Tennessee."
They believe the new stadium will be ready for the 2015 season.

Do we know the full story? Can the City of Alcoa bring in enough new sales tax to pay for the new school? Will the sales tax burden be on lower income families?

It would be nice if there were more details.