Posted on by Mark Pody

Weekly Wrap
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Building the Framework: A Report on Elementary Grades Reading in Tennessee
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Town Meetings
  I always look forward to meeting with each of you. This would be a great time for more lengthy input from you the constituents.
1st Friday 
Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce from8:00a.m. until 9:00a.m.

3rd Friday 
Depot Junction Cafe in Watertown from 8:00a.m. until 9:00a.m.
Hardees in Smithville from10:00a.m. until 11:00a.m.
Woodbury Senior Center from  1:00p.m. until 2:00p.m
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Did you know that if you are searching for a job you can visit Jobs4TN and click on featured jobs.
Visit this site 
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Dr. Ming Wang shared  a presentation of his homeland of China at the Capitol recently.  In attendance were Deputy Governor Jim Henry, Sammie Arnold from ECD and others.
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Jane Hamlet and myself presented a proclamation to Mrs. Faye Drury who celebrated her 90th birthday. Mrs. Drury is still a very active citizen in the community.
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February 2017 is a Rare Month This will not occur again in our lifetime – 4 Sundays, 4 Mondays, 4 Tuesdays, 4 Wednesdays, 4 Thursdays, 4 Fridays, and 4 Saturdays.  Just a little Trivia
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Read To Be Ready
Since the launch of “Read to be Ready”, more than 200 teacher-coaches and two-thirds of Tennessee school districts have participated in a coaching network that is designed to provide intensive support and professional learning opportunities for educators focused on early grades reading, and the coaching network is expected to expand in the next year. These reading coaches work directly with more than 3,000 teachers to improve reading programs and practices in schools across the state.
A second initiative, the Read to be Ready summer grant program, started last year with 20 summer camps that targeted rising first, second and third graders who were not on grade level in reading. The state departments of Education and Human Services are partnering to expand the Read to Be Ready summer grant program through an investment of $30 million over the next three years. As many as 10,000 kids in up to 350 programs are expected to be served this summer alone.
For more information, visit the links  – Building the Framework on Elementary Grades Reading.  This provides recommendations to ensure Tennessee continues to move toward achieving its Read to be Ready goal for 75 percent of third graders to be reading on grade level by 2025. The most recent statewide assessment indicates that only 43 percent of students are proficient in reading when they leave third grade. The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) shows that only 33 percent of Tennessee’s fourth graders are proficient in reading. This year’s TNReady test results for grades 3–8 are predicted to also show a proficiency drop as the state sets a new baseline from which to grow.
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Celebrating FFA
Such a great group of FFA members from Wilson Central and Lebanon High School visiting my office for FFA Day on the Hill.  Pictured are Matthew Farris, Advisor; Michaela Hicks, Maranda Hicks, Sadie Pittman, Sarah England, Sabrina Roberts, Rachael Boudreau and Preston George from Wilson Central.  
From Lebanon High, Carolanne Fox, Caroline Taylor, Christina Greer, Rebekah Branolt, Hayden Hittle, Chris Rittenberry, Derek Parsley and Aniston Stewart.  Advisors were Summer Major, Elizabeth Turner and Autmn Butler.
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Ran into Bobby Ferrell, good friend and constituent from Woodbury.  Bobby was following a veteran’s bill that passed in my committee  – Consumer & Human Resources Sub.  Always good to see Bobby.
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On “the second Monday in January” 1870, the third Constitutional Convention of the State of Tennessee convened in Nashville.  On February 23, 1870, the Convention ordained and established the new Constitution of the State. …… MORE
PAID FOR BY CAMPAIGN FOR MARK PODY, KRISTINA HIBDON – TREASURER