​Nearly one in three students between the ages 14 and 17 report that they have consumed alcohol in the last 30 days.

Whether the alcohol is consumed in a park, at a party and even at home with parental supervision, there is still potential harm.

The Cheatham County Community Enhancement Coalition will partner with the Cheatham County School District’s Title I Schools to sponsor a “Cheatham Cares” town hall meeting about the consequences of underage alcohol consumption on Thursday, March 9.

The free program will be held from 6-8 p.m. in the Cheatham County Central High School theatre in Ashland City. The community is invited to attend.

Doors will open at 5 p.m. A light dinner will be served from 5:15-6 p.m.

During the program, students from CCCHS, Sycamore High School and Pleasant View Christian School will perform skits revolving around the theme.

The speaker will be Phaedra Olsen of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Tennessee.
 
Olson was injured in May 1996 at age 22 after leaving a concert in Missouri. A drunk driver hit Olson’s vehicle nearly head-on.
 
Olson’s injuries were numerous and life-threatening. She spent three weeks in a coma and 5 1/2 weeks on life support before waking to learn that the decision to save her life had cost her the ability to walk.  
 
In 2010, she was crowned Ms. Wheelchair USA, bringing awareness to the dangers of drunk driving by choosing it as her official platform. In 2012, she moved to Tennessee as the underage drinking specialist for MADD in Tennessee.

The event will include a panel discussion, featuring Ray Crouch, District Attorney for the 23rd Judicial District; Phillip Maxey, Cheatham County Juvenile Court Judge; and Dr. Constance Johnson, a neurologist.

There will also be a question-and-answer session following the panel discussion.

The program will feature information about the consequences of underage alcohol use from the perspective of a crash survivor; legal consequences for adults who purchase alcohol or host parties for youth (Tennessee’s Social Host Law); legal consequences for youth that consume alcohol; consequences of alcohol use on the adolescent brain; and the roles that parents, educators and communities play in creating youth that are healthy and thriving without the influence of alcohol.
 
The program is part of the Communities Talk campaign headed by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
 
The mission of the Cheatham County Community Enhancement Coalition is to educate and promote community involvement in reducing alcohol, tobacco, drug abuse and other health issues in the community.
 
For more information about the town hall meeting, call the coalition at 615-569-4400, email cheathamcoalition@gmail.com or visit the “Cheatham County Community Enhancement Coalition” Facebook page.

​The Congressional Medal of Honor Society has named Sycamore Middle School counselor Molly Hudgens as one of the 2017 Citizen Honors Award winners.
 
Hudgens is one of six heroes chosen by the recipients of the Medal of Honor from a field of 20 finalists in the nationwide program.
 
Hudgens was selected for her courageous act on Sept. 28, 2016, when she persuaded a 14-year-old student to give up a loaded gun at the school. She spoke with the student for 45 minutes until he agreed to surrender.
 
She will be recognized at a ceremony on Saturday, March 25 at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on National Medal of Honor Day.
 
“To say that I am honored to receive this award is an understatement. There are no words to express how humbled I am at the thought of visiting Arlington National Cemetery and receiving this award from the men and women of the United States military who have received the Congressional Medal of Honor. They represent the bravest of the American people, and I will be forever grateful to have the opportunity to meet them and hear their stories,” Hudgens said.
 
Hudgens said she continues to appreciate the love and support of the people of Cheatham County not only for herself, but also for SMS.
 
“It is my hope that this story will inspire others who are struggling to seek help when they are in need. True bravery is best displayed not only when you stand in the gap for others but when you are willing to stand in the gap for yourself,” she said.
 
Each year, a nationwide search is organized by The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, which selects U.S. citizens to receive the Citizen Honors Award.
 
Since 2008, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society has selected U.S. citizens for their acts of courage and selfless service which epitomize the American spirit.
 
The honorees receive this award from a group of Americans whose actions have defined the words courage and selfless service — the recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. These brave Americans have received the Medal of Honor for their acts of valor performed during wartime.
 
Those selected to receive the Citizen Honors Award demonstrate a willingness to place his or her own life at risk for others or has dedicated themselves to the service of others.
 
In all cases, the actions being honored must epitomize the concept of “service above self” and must be performed “above and beyond” one’s professional or vocational area of responsibility or conduct.
 
Hudgens has been with the Cheatham County School District for 18 years – all at SMS. She taught for 11 years before becoming a counselor nine years ago.
 
She regularly conducts school violence workshops, and she has served as a trainer for the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office and Juvenile Court for her “Recognizing Red Flags: Understanding Your Role in Preventing Teen Violence” program.
 
In January, Hudgens was named the district’s Middle School Teacher of the Year – her second time to receive that honor.

​Harpeth Middle School students presented some creative and unique “Power of One” projects on Wednesday.
 
The “Power of One” project was designed to allow students in several of the seventh- and eighth-grade Tier 1 RTI classes to explore the power and impact of one great individual on the history of humanity. 
 
The idea was to choose an individual (or individuals as some groups did) that dramatically altered the course of history for the better and that made an impact on a world that has or will last for many generations. 
 
Students were charged with a 6-8 week research project that included initial research and evaluation of the chosen subject, a rigorous writing assignment related to the research, an intricately designed door display and presentation around the classroom door of their teacher, and a culminating major presentation for the community in the Harpeth High School theater.
 
The culminating project took place on Feb. 22 in the HHS theater and along with the help of HHS theater teacher, Anita DeFrancesca, the students presented five to seven live performances that highlighted their chosen individual(s) through music, dance and spoken word. 
 
Students designed intricate costumes and stage props, recorded and edited speeches and audio samples, and even wrote their own songs that were included in the intricate performances. 
 
Several HMS and HHS students, along with parents and community members, attended the event and were wowed by the incredible performances of our kids. 
 
From exciting choreographed dances, to riveting speeches and sound effects, the approximately 60 students that participated in this project created some outstanding presentations that honored their chosen subjects in truly admirable fashion. 
 
HMS will soon highlight a video on its social media pages that show off much of this great work.
 
Participating RTI classes were:
 
Melanie Buchanan: Women of History
Taylor Hummell: Jackie Robinson
Amanda Casteel: Malala Yousafzai
Karen Carlton: Dr. Seuss

The Cheatham County School District seeks a Director of Schools.

Qualified candidates who would like to be considered for this position must submit the following items to Cheatham County School District no later than March 7, 2017 at 4 p.m.:

A letter of interest
A current resume
​A copy of the candidate’s Tennessee or other state’s license and certifications
University transcripts
Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of four (4) professional references.
​
A candidate who will be considered must have at least a master’s degree, with preference for a doctorate, with a minimum of three (3) years’ successful experience in school administration. 

The candidate selected will begin job duties on June 1, 2017. The candidate must be willing to relocate to Cheatham County no later than December 31, 2017. 

Proposed salary and benefits package, conditional on experience and education, will be from $120,000 to $150,000.
 
The Cheatham County School District is an equal-opportunity employer as defined by Title VI of The Civil Rights Act of 1964.
​
Send completed application to:
Cheatham County Board of Education
Attn: Director’s Search
102 Elizabeth Street
Ashland City, TN  37015

Dr. Beth Batson, the Cheatham County School District’s Supervisor of Human Resources, Student Services, and Policy, has been selected for this year’s Prospective Superintendents Academy.

The Academy is sponsored by the Tennessee School Boards Association and Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents.
​
The Prospective Superintendents Academy is a year-long program designed to prepare potential candidates for superintendent’s positions in Tennessee’s public schools. The program provides intensive in-depth preparation for the job of being a school superintendent.

Cheatham County was well represented at this weekend's TSSAA State Wrestling Championships in Franklin.
 
One female wrestler from Sycamore High School came home with a state title, and 11 others were medalists.
 
Twelve male wrestlers from Cheatham County, Harpeth and Sycamore high schools qualified for the state tournament. Five female wrestlers from SHS also advanced to the tournament.
 
Here's how they finished at the tournament:
 
GIRLS
 
112-pound weight class
Sixth place - Nena Chrestman of Sycamore
 
148-pound weight class
Fourth place - Amber Maynard of Sycamore
 
155-pound weight class
First place - Caitlyn Gilmore of Sycamore 
 
BOYS
 
106-pound weight class
Sixth place - Alex Beasley of Harpeth
 
113-pound weight class
Fourth place - Dylan Becker of Harpeth
 
126-pound weight class
Second place - Thomas Hatcher of Harpeth
 
145-pound weight class
Fifth place - Dallas Prater of Cheatham County
Sixth place - Mitchell Camper of Sycamore
 
160-pound weight class
Second place - Daelyn Rose of Harpeth
Sixth place - Will Pendelton of Sycamore
 
195-pound weight class
Second place - Zach Diviney of Sycamore
 
285-pound weight class
Fourth place - Devin Spence of Harpeth