Chris Cooper’s RTI class at Harpeth Middle School has started a weekly “Celebrate Cheatham” podcast.

The podcast will highlight the many successes of the Cheatham County School District.

The recording of the first podcast took place on Monday, March 11 and featured Director of Schools Dr. Cathy Beck, Coordinated School Health Supervisor Shelley Duke and Schools Resource Officer Supervisor Sgt. Chris Gilmore.

The episode focused on school safety - an important topic facing schools across the nation.

The podcast is being produced, edited and managed by students in Cooper’s RTI class. Cooper is the school’s band director.

Cooper and HMS eighth-grader Austin Thompson facilitated the first podcast.

The students have spent the past several weeks getting familiar with the equipment and what goes into preparing and recording the podcast.

​Cooper hopes to have the inaugural podcast ready this week. Once available, we’ll let you know how you can listen to it.

Great things can be accomplished when people seek to serve each other.

Nothing is more powerful or more meaningful than an act of service for a fellow human. Acts of service can take place everywhere in public settings or in private. Random acts of kindness don’t need to be planned, they can be spontaneous. Service, best of all, is contagious.
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At Harpeth Middle School, teacher Liz Austin and her students are recognizing random acts of kindness (RAK).
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The project started with a paper hand. A paper hand is given to a student or adult to document a RAK. The RAK can be those that are received or witnessed. 
 
“By refocusing our attention to find ways to help spread kindness we not only spread positivity to another but we magnify ourselves and we come away better for the experience. It feels good to be kind. It feels good to see someone else being kind. It truly is contagious,” Austin said.
 
Austin’s students used the hands to create wings on a wall to further symbolize hope and create a photo opportunity. 
 
“Every class period, students are asked if they have a RAK to document. My RTI students have taken the lead in posting the hands on the wall. The metamorphosis has been ongoing. The students have moved the hands many times because it is growing every day. It is awe-inspiring to see what these students have achieved,” she said.
 
Austin added: “My hope is that by all of us spreading kindness into the world little by little we can change the world.”

The Cheatham County School District will continue to offer its successful Cheatham Achievers after-school program during the 2017-2018 school year.
 
The district offers the program in the three middle schools through a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant. 
 
In 2014, the district was awarded the three-year, $600,000 grant to implement the program at Cheatham, Harpeth and Sycamore middle schools.
 
The district was recently notified that it has received a grant extension of $202,000 to continue the program in the new school year.
 
Emily Staggs, who supervises the program, said, “We are looking forward to another productive and exciting year with this great program. The district has enjoyed much success since we started the program, and many students have benefitted from the academic, artistic and cultural enrichment activities that are provided.”
 
The program offers opportunities for students to explore, develop and strengthen their academic skills.
 
In addition, students participate in art, music and recreation programs, character education programs and field trips to reinforce and complement the regular academic program. Guest speakers are also invited to speak to the students on a wide range of subjects.
 
Students receive a daily snack and are provided with transportation home each day. 
 
The district is working on the details for the new year and plans to start the program in September.
 
Families who are interested in participating in the program can contact your zoned middle school (CMS at 792-2334; HMS at 952-2293 and SMS at 746-8852). Applications will also be available at each school’s open house.