The View 38002 02-2020_Feb The View 38002 | Page 6

theview February 2020 .com A Crash and A Community By Shelby Sensat It’s not often that when one thinks of a car crash they think of it being something to bring a community closer together. Yet, Arlington has once again shown that noth- ing is more important than being “A-Strong” and sup- porting the Arlington com- munity. Mid-afternoon, almost a week before the Christmas Holiday, a car drove through the storefront of Crave Coffee Bar & Bistro. There were only a few minor injuries with a few of the workers and the driver of the car being sent to the hospital for pre- cautionary measures. However, there is much more to this story than a crash. Without even missing a day of business Crave ap- peared as it always had. Aside from the boarded up storefront, business was booming and you would have never been able to tell that anything major had ever hap- pened. Crave saw something quite spectacular happen in the days following the crash. Crave saw local businesses and locals alike rush to their aid. “It’s kind of crazy,” said manager Hannah Halfore, “less than five hours after it happened we had several business owners from the area as well as some of our guest come and rally and help put the wall up.” This was just the start of an incredible community backing. On any given day after the crash you were greeted by a giant plywood wall covered in people’s signatures and well wishes. Not to mention the crowd. Crave was as busy as ever, and if not for the giant makeshift wall, you could not have known what had happened just days be- fore. “Since then (the crash) we have had consistently, very busy days of people just wanting to show their support for us here,” said Hannah. If you were to drive by Crave today as someone out- side of the Arlington commu- nity, it might just read as an average coffee shop. Howev- er, to the people of Arlington crave is now not only a local favorite but a testament to the close-knit strength of the Arlington Community. While it doesn’t take a car driving through a storefront for the people of Arlington to show their big hearts, it’s a comfort to know that you are surrounded by a community who will be there for you in all situations. Page 6 Advertising in The View 38002 makes good business sense. To learn more about increasing your business by adding print media to your marketing plans, contact Amber Griffith, Advertising Director, at [email protected] or 901-402-1234 Crave’s new storefront ACS Superintendent Tammy Mason Announces Retirement www.theview38002.com theview38002 By Tyler Hill During Arlington Community Schools monthly board meeting, Superintendent Tammy Mason announced that she will retire on June 30, 2020 after a 34-year career in education. “This decision certainly does not come without mixed emotions,” Mason said. “What started as a three to four-year plan for me, turned into six and a half years because of the wonderful work our teach- ers, students and staff have been able to accomplish. Working with children and some of the most passionate educators has been ever-so rewarding, and I look back on my time as an educator with great fondness.” Ms. Mason was named the first super- intendent of ACS by a unanimous vote of the Board in December 2013. Under the leadership of Ms. Mason, ACS has been designated an Exemplary School District (2015), had nearly 10 Reward School designations since 2013, been voted a Top Workplace by employees for two consec- utive years (2018, 2019) and has been nationally recognized with Donelson Ele- mentary School being named a National Blue Ribbon School. During her tenure, Ms. Mason also guided the district in becoming a 1:1 iPad school system, implemented STEM in grades K-12, expanded College & Career courses to include 31 college-level courses and 11 career pathways, and oversaw more than $15 million in Capital Improve- ment Projects. (See attached bio for more) “We’re certainly celebrating Ms. Ma- son’s tenure and this next phase in her life, but we also know we have big shoes to fill,” said ACS Board Chairman Scott Benjamin. “Under Ms. Mason’s leader- ship, ACS was successful in its launch and has continued to thrive and compete with the best of the best statewide. Her legacy will not only speak to the strong founda- tion she leaves behind but also to the resil- ient student-focused, educational teams she has assembled.” The ACS Board of Education has scheduled a work session on Wednesday, February 12th to discuss its next steps in selecting a new superintendent. Superintendent Tammy Mason Bio A 34-year educator, Tammy Mason was named the first Superintendent of Arlington Community Schools by a unani- mous vote of the Arlington School Board on December 23, 2013. Under the leadership of Ms. Mason, ACS has been designated as an Exempla- ry School District (2015), had nearly 10 Reward School designations since 2013, been named the Best Public School Dis- trict in Tennessee by SchoolDigger.com (2017-2018), and voted a Top Workplace by employees for two consecutive years (2018, 2019). Additionally, Donelson Elementary received the coveted National Blue Ribbon School Award, the nation’s top acknowledgment for academic suc- cess. Additional accomplishments of Ms. Mason include: • Appointed by former Gov. Bill Has- lam to serve on the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (2015) • Received the Tennessee’s PTA Life- time Achievement Award (2012) • Received the Tennessee’s PTA Prin- cipal of the Year Award for leading Ar- lington High School • Received the Northeast Shelby Coun- ty Rotary Club’s He- roes & Hero- ines Award (2019) During her tenure as ACS superin- tendent, Ms. Mason has strongly ad- vocated for the advance- ment of tech- nology in the classroom. Among her many initia- tives, she guided the district in becoming a 1:1 iPad school sys- tem, in which every student in grades 5- 12 are equipped with their own device. She implemented STEM in grades K-12 by investing in teaching positions that promote Science, Technology, Engineer- ing & Math. She also pushed for the crea- tion of the Academy of Engineering & Innovation, which allows high school students to specialize in fields such as civil, manufacturing and computer engi- neering. Through skillful planning and budget- ing, Ms. Mason also prioritized College & Career courses that will ensure ACS stu- dents are prepared to enter college or the workforce directly after graduation. Ar- lington High School is now home to more than 31 college-level courses and 11 ca- reer pathways, including advanced manu- facturing, nursing services, cybersecurity, criminal justice and more. Since 2014, Ms. Mason also oversaw more than $15 million in Capital Improve- ment Projects, including the construction of the Arlington Middle School gymnasi- um, ACS District Office, bus lot, the be- ginning phase of the AHS indoor athletic @theview38002 Background Ms. Mason’s career as an educator in Tennessee began in 1986, as a teacher at Dogwood Elementary. She moved to Houston Middle School in Germantown, Tennessee in 1993. After teaching for nine years, she entered school administration as an Assistant Principal at Houston Middle and was later named Principal of Houston Middle School. In 2011, she was named as Shelby County Schools’ first Middle School Director. Her last role before becoming superintendent was leading Arlington High School as principal. Originally from West Lafayette, Indiana, she relocated to Shelby County in 1986 after receiving her bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana and in 1993 earned her master’s degree in Education and Administration Supervision from the University of Memphis.