| Nashville Schools' Telephone Information | | | | Schools' Martin Professional Development |
| Program | | | | Center is named for the work of Charlie |
| The Nashville Schools has started a new | | | | Martin and the Martin Foundation. |
| telephone information service that | | | | This new facility will be located at the |
| offers valuable information to parents. | | | | Eakin Elementary. The Eakin Elementary |
| The Nashville Schools new telephone | | | | will be converted into the new training |
| message service will offer information | | | | center. This Center will replace the |
| about such school related information | | | | existing Randall's Learning Center which |
| as: schools that are closed due | | | | is over 80 years old. The new center is |
| incidents of snow, tornadoes or any | | | | scheduled to open in October. The new |
| other issues; schools on lock-down | | | | center comes after months of work by the |
| during drop-off or pick-up times; any | | | | Nashville Alliance for Public Education |
| important parent meetings; an emergency | | | | to secure $3.5 million in renovation |
| situation at any of the Nashville | | | | funds. These renovations will create a |
| Schools; and attendance information. | | | | 10,000 square foot space that can be |
| Parents seem to want an easy system for | | | | used for a variety of purposes. |
| communication between themselves and the | | | | Nashville Schools' Martin Professional |
| schools. The telephone system will be an | | | | Development Center renovation will |
| automated call out system that will call | | | | include creation of a media facilities |
| parents. The calls will be no longer | | | | improved classrooms and the buildings' |
| than forty-five seconds to show the | | | | façade will be replaced. |
| value of the parents' time. For school | | | | Private donations came from the Martin |
| closings calls will be made about thirty | | | | Foundation which has pledged $1.5 |
| minutes before the child is scheduled to | | | | million to the project. Additional |
| be picked upped by their bus. Any calls | | | | contributions from the Orrin H. Ingram |
| that are about non-emergency information | | | | Fund and the Turner Family Foundation |
| will be made before 8:00PM. For | | | | provide another $1.5 million. Some |
| emergency situations calls will be made | | | | other funds will be secured after the |
| as soon as the information is available. | | | | sale of the Randall's Learning Center |
| Nashville Schools' new telephone system | | | | property. At the announcement for the |
| will be programmed with the best way to | | | | Nashville Schools' Martin Professional |
| reach the parents which include home | | | | Development Center, Director of |
| phones, business phones and/or cell | | | | Nashville Schools Pedro E. Garcia, |
| phones. The Nashville Schools aims to | | | | Ed.D., Mayor Bill Purcell and Nashville |
| provide information to the best possible | | | | Schools' Director of Professional |
| way. | | | | Development Lenna Allen all spoke about |
| Nashville Schools Creates New Training | | | | how pleased they were with the project |
| Center with the Nashville Alliance for | | | | and the new Center. They later thanked |
| Public Education | | | | the Nashville Alliance for Public |
| The faculty and staff of the Nashville | | | | Education, the Martin Foundation, the |
| Schools will have a new training center | | | | Ingram family and the Turner Family |
| for professional development. The new | | | | Foundation for their generous |
| Martin Professional Development Center | | | | contributions and dedication to |
| will be completed with a combination of | | | | education. |
| private and public funds. The Nashville | | | | |