Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898
Pictured, back from left, Brandi Feichtinger (Lewis County Schools Grow Your Own Coordinator) Charlene Russell (Grow Your Own TN Regional Manager) Dr. Janet Hanvy (UT Southern Grow Your On Manager) Cindy Young (UT Southern Grow Your Own Program Coordinator) Dr. Tracy McAbee (Lewis County Schools, Director); front, Jessica Stacy, Maci Dodson, Julie McDonald (Lewis Co. Grow Your Own Program fi rst cohort apprentices).
Tennessee is the first state nationwide to sponsor Teacher Occupation Apprenticeship Programs
between school districts
and the University of Tennessee
system, calling it The Grow
Your Own Program.
Just as all districts across
Tennessee are facing teacher
shortages, Lewis County
Schools is no exception. Beginning
this summer, Lewis County
Schools has their fi rst Grow
Your Own Program partnership
with UT Southern in Pulaski,
TN. Congratulations to Lewis
County Schools fi rst cohort of
Grow Your Own apprentices:
Benefi t for Burcham family
Jessica Stacy, Maci Dodson and
Julie McDonald. The apprentices
will begin the UT Southern
Grow Your Own Program in
the summer 2023
Lewis County Schools and
UT Southern will have a partnership
that will provide a
dedicated support team that
is directly involved with the
apprentices from the moment
they express interest in the
program. The apprentices have
been part of a district screening,
they received references
from their administrators,
participated in meetings and
discussions about what the
program entails, had their prior
transcripts evaluated and
been managed centrally and
will continue to be supported
throughout the program completion.
The GYO Program allows
the apprentices to continue
to work in the school while
completing an online teaching
degree with UT Southern. This
program is a wonderful opportunity
to fi ll vacancies with
people from our community
that have a vested interest and
are currently working at the
schools as paraprofessionals.
These apprentices have positive
connections and caring relationships
already established
with our students.
If you are interested in Lewis
County Schools Grow Your
Own Program please contact
Dr. Tracy McAbee or Mrs.
Brandi Feichtinger at Lewis
County Schools Central Offi ce
931-796-3264.
Reader Comments(0)