It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Tower Life Building gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in St. Mary's, IN is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“Mr. and Mrs. Beach are the owners of this location, and they are some of”
“best people at there”
“Great staff!! Caring people!”
“I think it’s one of the best companies there’s always someone ready and willing to go help people with great attitudes! Anyone that wants to live at home but needs a little extra help should definitely get someone from this company at your home to help out!”
“Working for Always Best Care has been very rewarding for me to help others in need. Whatever my questions may be or any help I need as a health care provider for my client they have always came through with help.”
“Very compassionate caregivers!”
“Great staff. Well trained and kind people.”
“The Beache’s Family are great people and I would trust my mom’s well- bean in their hands”
“Natalia has experience taking care of people with Alzheimer and I would be very trust my dad’s safety if they taking care of him.”
“They offer a wide range of services with professional, organized individuals willing to help care for members of your family.”
“Exceptional staff and very caring. I know my loved ones are taken care of which gives me a peace of mind. Definitely recommend!”
“Mr. and Mrs. Beach are the owners of this location, and they are some of the most caring and dedicated people I have ever met. They truly want to help people get the best care for their loved ones. My grandmother would have loved to have care like this.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Brackenridge Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Domingo Restaurant or visit La Villita Historic Village, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in St. Mary's, IN, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in St. Mary's, IN understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in St. Mary's, IN 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Saint Mary's University has appointed Michael Khan to be its next president and vice-chancellor.Khan, who will officially become the 35th president of Saint Mary's on July 1, will be joining the Halifax school as it faces financial pressures related to inflation, funding and international students.Saint Mary's is dealing with a decline in enrolment. It had about 12 per cent fewer students in 2024 than it did 10 years earlier, according to statistics from the Association of Atlantic Universities."We are challenged by...
Saint Mary's University has appointed Michael Khan to be its next president and vice-chancellor.
Khan, who will officially become the 35th president of Saint Mary's on July 1, will be joining the Halifax school as it faces financial pressures related to inflation, funding and international students.
Saint Mary's is dealing with a decline in enrolment. It had about 12 per cent fewer students in 2024 than it did 10 years earlier, according to statistics from the Association of Atlantic Universities.
"We are challenged by declining enrolments and external pressures, including inflation, resulting in year-over-year deficits and the erosion of our General Fund," current president Robert Summerby-Murray wrote in the university's annual financial report dated March 31, 2024.
"We anticipate this to continue in the near term, as reduced student cohorts progress through our programs."
He wrote that the school's executive management group developed a "multi-year plan" to ensure its return to financial stability.
In April 2024, the union representing faculty members called on Summerby-Murray to resign.
The union also said there was a lack of transparency at Saint Mary's around financial issues and cutbacks, and concerns about capital project spending. Saint Mary's ran an operating deficit of $9.8 million in 2023, according to its financial statements.
In May 2024, Saint Mary's said it would be one of the hardest-hit universities after the federal government reduced the number of international student permits. Summerby-Murray told faculty in an email that the university should anticipate a potential decline in revenue from first-year international tuition alone of $5 million to $6 million.
In a news release about his appointment, Khan said he was "honoured and delighted" to join Saint Mary's.
"Saint Mary's is celebrated both nationally and internationally for its excellence in research, teaching and community engagement. The university's values align closely with my own. I am committed to supporting students in realizing their goals and aspirations," Khan said in the release.
Khan has served as provost and academic vice-president at Trent University since 2020. In June 2024, the school in Peterborough, Ont., announced he had recommitted for a second five-year term that was supposed to begin Aug. 1, 2025.
Prior to Trent, Khan was dean of human kinetics at the University of Windsor, where he oversaw the kinesiology department and athletics and recreational services. He was previously the head of the school of sport, health and exercise sciences at Bangor University in Wales.
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Ofsted has said “the groundwork for further improvement has been laid”, in a follow-up visit to a school judged to have ‘serious weaknesses’.St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School, in Bacup, was visited on December 18 and 19, aimed at identifying and reporting on the provider’s progress.At...
Ofsted has said “the groundwork for further improvement has been laid”, in a follow-up visit to a school judged to have ‘serious weaknesses’.
St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School, in Bacup, was visited on December 18 and 19, aimed at identifying and reporting on the provider’s progress.
At an inspection in April, the school was graded ‘inadequate’, with serious issues identified in the leadership and management as well as the behaviour and attitudes of the pupils.
Following the original inspection the headteacher left the school and an executive headteacher and interim head of school took up their posts.
Parents at the school said they were sad to hear that the headteacher, who was considered to have turned the school around, would be leaving in December.
They started a petition to keep John Howarth at the school, which was unsuccessful and he was replaced in January.
In a report published on January 5, inspectors said the school had taken the right action in the right order to tackle these weaknesses.
Inspectors said: “The school has taken the right actions, in the right order, to tackle the weaknesses identified at the previous inspection.
"As a result, the groundwork for further improvement has been laid.
“There is a secure foundation on which to build. The interim leadership arrangements have steadied the ship and won the confidence of a previously disheartened staff.
“The school has successfully focused on its most pressing shortcomings. In particular, it took immediate action to ensure that pupils are safe.
"This means that the arrangements for safeguarding are now effective.
“The systems and procedures to protect pupils have been refined and staff have been suitably trained.
"Consequently, the signs that pupils may be at risk of harm are spotted quickly, reported clearly and acted on swiftly by staff.”
Additionally, improvements to the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum meant that pupils now have a better understanding of how to keep themselves safe.
Pupils were said to trust staff and appreciated the extra help they receive from teachers when facing challenging times at home.
A poor culture of behaviour, which was identified at the previous inspection, has been reversed with a new behaviour policy which is understood by staff and pupils meaning everyone understands what acceptable behaviour is and what isn’t.
Staff and pupils were both said to recognise the positive difference during lessons and at social times.
Inspectors added: “Lessons usually proceed without interruptions. Even so, some pupils quietly choose to opt out of their learning, especially when it requires them to think hard.
“Often, teachers do not pick up on this lack of engagement. While these pupils do not cause any disruption, they are not developing the positive attitudes to learning that they need to be successful.”
The school has addressed students who struggle to manage their behaviour and has much-improved oversight of those pupils who need extra help, which leads to a better match of sensitive and effective support.
This preventative work meant that there were far fewer incidents where pupil’s behaviour escalated to a point of no return.
There have been major changes to the curriculum at the school, and a new mathematics programme is already bearing fruit as pupils have developed greater mathematical fluency and a better recall of numbers.
However, despite a new renewed reading curriculum for older pupils, the school has given too little thought to what pupils will learn.
Read more:Secondary school head says "there is a lot to be proud of" despite Ofsted ruling
Read more: Parents start petition to keep headteacher who has 'turned school around'
New schemes of work have been introduced in most other curriculum subjects, with teachers provided with greater clarity on what should be taught and when.
Inspectors said: “Currently, the implementation of the new curriculums is very mixed. The impact of this new approach varies widely from year group to year group and across different subjects.
“Too little has been done to check the gaps in pupils’ learning to make sure that they have the knowledge that they need to learn new curriculum content. Some teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils should produce.
“Poor-quality work, which shows a lack of stamina or depth of understanding, is accepted as standard in some subjects and classes.
“This is especially true for the oldest pupils, who have the biggest gaps in their learning and the greatest distance to travel in order to catch up.”
Whilst children in early years benefit from activities that capture their interest, activities were said to not have maximum impact.
Ofsted said that this was because children’s language development does not have a high enough priority when adults are working and playing with children.
The trust was said to have increased its oversight over the school and a comprehensive improvement plan was in place to maintain the pace of change and enable those responsible for governance to keep an eye on the school’s progress.
Good use has been made of external support, the school has worked closely with the local authority to hone it’s safeguarding practices.
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SAN ANTONIO – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's tennis team was defeated, 4-3, by the St. Mary's (StMU) Rattlers in a non-conference match Thursday at the Rohrbach Stadium Tennis Complex in San Antonio.The Rattlers picked up a 6-1 doubles win in the third flight to start the match, but the Vaqueros quickly evened up the session with a 6-1 win on Court One from sophomore ...
SAN ANTONIO – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's tennis team was defeated, 4-3, by the St. Mary's (StMU) Rattlers in a non-conference match Thursday at the Rohrbach Stadium Tennis Complex in San Antonio.
The Rattlers picked up a 6-1 doubles win in the third flight to start the match, but the Vaqueros quickly evened up the session with a 6-1 win on Court One from sophomore Rhea Makesar and freshman Mariia Bakhtina. The doubles point came down to the second flight, where UTRGV's sophomore duo of Madeleine Joffe and Hitakamya Narwal held a 5-1 lead before the St. Mary's duo fought back to 5-3. The Vaqueros (1-1) locked in to secure the 1-0 match advantage with a 6-3 win in the bout.
The singles session was tight as UTRGV picked up three first-set wins on the second, third and sixth courts and St. Mary's stayed close with wins on the others. Makesar extended UTRGV's lead to 2-0 with a brisk 6-0, 6-2 win in the second flight.
St. Mary's came storming back to claim a 3-2 lead. Selina Wu, the 49th ranked NCAA Div. II singles player, got the Rattlers on the board with a 6-3, 6-2 win in the top flight. Wins followed on the fourth and fifth courts to give the edge to St. Mary's, but the Vaqueros kept fighting.
Joffe was locked in a three-set battle on the third court and jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the deciding frame to keep UTRGV alive. On the sixth court, Bakhtina delayed the clinch despite falling behind, 5-1, in the third set, but StMU's Stela Sifuentes finished it off to claim the win for the home team.
StMU's Janel Ospanova fought back to take a 5-4 lead in the third set of the No. 3 match, but Joffe responded. She dominated with her serve to tie, then held strong against the serve to get back in control. The competitive match went to a tiebreaker to be decided, and the netters continued to go back-and-forth. Joffe closed strong to take the tiebreaker, 7:5, and win the match.
The Vaqueros return to the Orville Cox Tennis Center to host Prairie View A&M on Sunday at 10 a.m. as part of a doubleheader with the men's teams from both schools which is scheduled for 1 p.m. Admission is free and the community is encouraged to attend.
Results Doubles (3, 1, 2) 1. Rhea Makesar/Mariia Bakhtina (UTRGV) def. Janel Ospanova/Stela Sifuentes (StMU) 6-1 2. Madeleine Joffe/Hitakamya Narwal (UTRGV) def. Selina Wu/Gia Posito (StMU) 6-3 3. Alessia Terlizzi/Paula Garrote (StMU) def. Valentina Urraco/Kristal Dule (UTRGV) 6-1
Singles (2, 1, 4, 5, 6, 3) 1. Selina Wu (StMU) def. Kristal Dule (UTRGV) 6-3, 6-2 2. Rhea Makesar (UTRGV) def. Alessia Terlizzi (StMU) 6-0, 6-2 3. Madeleine Joffe (UTRGV) def. Janel Ospanova (StMU) 6-1, 1-6, 7-6 (7:5) 4. Paula Garrote (StMU) def. Hitakamya Narwal (UTRGV) 7-6 (7:3), 6-0 5. Gia Posito (StMU) def. Valentina Urraco (UTRGV) 6-2, 6-4 6. Stela Sifuentes (StMU) def. Mariia Bakhtina (UTRGV) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
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Updated to add new information.The occurrence of flu in Tennessee is "very high" and at least one local school has closed because of illness.Sister Mary John, principal of St. Mary's Catholic School in Oak Ri...
Updated to add new information.
The occurrence of flu in Tennessee is "very high" and at least one local school has closed because of illness.
Sister Mary John, principal of St. Mary's Catholic School in Oak Ridge, said the decision and announcement to close the school for the remainder of the week was made on Tuesday afternoon because of the large number of illnesses and difficulty in getting substitute teachers. She said the predominant illness is the flu.
"Due to the high percentage of teacher and student illnesses at the school, St. Mary's will be closed for the remainder of the week for a deep clean," reads the post to the school's Facebook page. "We pray that all the crusaders who are sick will get better and all those who are well will stay that way. God bless you!"
Likewise, the parish of the church announced in an email that there would be no 6:30 a.m. Thursday or Friday Masses because of illness and the school being closed.
Sister Mary John said the school will reopen on Monday, Feb. 10.
Officials in Anderson County and Oak Ridge Schools are not seeing a high-rate of illnesses in their schools.
"We are monitoring our absences for students and staff on a daily basis. Currently, the data does not show a need for us to close or adjust our schedules, but we will continue to monitor it given the rates of illness we are seeing in the region," Molly Gallagher Smith, Oak Ridge Schools' chief communications officer, replied in an emailed response to The Oak Ridger.
Likewise, her counterpart in the Anderson County Schools, Ryan Sutton, said in a Facebook message: "At this point, our numbers do not reflect anything unusual for this time of year."
Knox County Schools announced Friday that schools and central office will be closed Monday, Feb. 10, and Tuesday, Feb. 11, due to student and staff illness.
But multiple school districts in East Tennessee are closed due to the high prevalence of illness. Claiborne County Schools, Blount County Schools, Union County Schools and more have canceled classes, according to a story by Knox News.
The trend of closures continues across the state. Five school districts are closed in Middle Tennessee due to illness and two more school districts are closed or have a remote learning day in Chattanooga.
Currently, Tennessee has one of the highest rates of flu activity in the nation, according to the most recent data. from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Allison Kiehl of Knox News contributed to this story.
The Oak Ridger's News Editor Donna Smith covers Oak Ridge area news. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, @ridgernewsed.
LEONARDTOWN, Md. – Congratulations to Archdiocese of Washington (ADW) teachers of the year for St. Mary’s Ryken, Ms. Leanne Carr and Mr. Will Bolin.Veteran Teacher of the YearMs. Leeanne CarrMs. Leeanne Carr has been selected as the St. Mary’s Ryken High School 2024 Veteran Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Carr is in her 44th year as an American Government teacher with the SMR community. Mrs. Carr began her teaching at St. Mary’s Academy and joined the f...
LEONARDTOWN, Md. – Congratulations to Archdiocese of Washington (ADW) teachers of the year for St. Mary’s Ryken, Ms. Leanne Carr and Mr. Will Bolin.
Veteran Teacher of the Year
Ms. Leeanne Carr
Ms. Leeanne Carr has been selected as the St. Mary’s Ryken High School 2024 Veteran Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Carr is in her 44th year as an American Government teacher with the SMR community. Mrs. Carr began her teaching at St. Mary’s Academy and joined the faculty of St. Mary’s Ryken when St. Mary’s Academy merged with Ryken High School in 1981 to become St. Mary’s Ryken.
Mrs. Carr has taught SMR students for almost 50 years, including the current principal, Catherine Bowes, and the dean of academics, Mr. Jason DeLucco. Mrs. Carr holds a bachelor’s degree in History from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and a master’s in Leadership in Teaching from Notre Dame of Maryland University. Governor Wes Moore recently awarded Mrs. Carr a Citation for her dedication and impact. In addition to teaching SMR’s American Government and AP Government courses rigorously and engagingly, Mrs. Carr has been the moderator for SMR’s Mock Trial, most recently guiding the SMR team to be champions of the 7th Judicial Circuit Court.
Novice Teacher of the Year
Mr. Will Bolin | Theology Teacher
Mr. Will Bolin has been selected as the St. Mary’s Ryken High School 2024 Novice Teacher of the Year.
Mr. Bolin, in his third year as a Theology teacher at SMR, came to us after serving as a Campus Minister for the Archdiocese of Washington at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
Mr. Bolin’s teaching is marked by activities that allow students to wrestle with ideas that affect them personally. Mr. Bolin provides opportunities for each child to build strong working relationships with their classmates. Students check their learning with partners, resulting in students taking charge of their learning. Mr. Bolin holds a master’s degree in Pastoral Theology from St. Joseph’s College of Maine and a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from The Catholic University of America.
Congratulations to both outstanding teachers!
574-232-8487
