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.

The Cheatham County School District has named Joy Bauman as the new assistant principal at Sycamore Middle School.
 
Bauman, who is currently the principal of Kingston Springs Elementary School, will replace Robyn Miller, who is taking over as SMS principal following the retirement of Lisa Young.
 
She will begin her new duties July 1.
 
Bauman, a 2000 graduate of Hendersonville High School, received her bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University in 2005 and her master's degree in school counseling from Tennessee State University in 2010. 
 
She earned her Education Specialist in Administration and Supervision from Middle Tennessee State University in 2013.
 
Bauman served as the school counselor at KSES from 2009 to 2013. During that time, she was the Harpeth Middle School assistant girls basketball coach in 2011 and the Harpeth High School assistant girls basketball coach in 2012.
 
She led KSES as principal for four years from 2013 to 2017.
 
She has served on the Ark Community Resource Center's Board of Directors since 2010 and was a co-facilitator of the district's Aspiring Administration Academy for the 2016-2017 school year.
 
“Leaving the Kingston Springs Elementary family and community will be incredibly difficult. Over the last eight years, I have grown so much personally and professionally in my time at Kingston Springs and it is due to the fantastic team of people with whom I have been fortunate to work," Bauman said.
 
She added: "In the spirit of lifelong learning, I am looking forward to continuing my professional career on an administrative team with Robyn Miller and Sycamore Middle School. Both KSES and SMS have great traditions of academic success and wonderful school climates. I am honored and humbled to continue serving the Cheatham County School District.”
 
A new principal at KSES has not yet been named.

Sycamore Middle School has had a long history of having a high-quality band.

While many educators have helped maintain the band through the years, the person who built the program was Morris Stevens.

The Cheatham County School Board voted Monday, June 5 to name the SMS Band Room as the “Morris and Diane Stevens Band Room” in honor of Mr. Stevens and his late wife.

Mr. Stevens has committed his life to music education in Middle Tennessee, teaching in Columbia, Clarksville, Trevecca University, Vanderbilt University and ending his career at SMS.

He served on the Executive Committee of the Middle Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association, where he provided opportunities for students across the state to participate in a festival environment and to get feedback from some of the nation’s most renowned music educators.

With his help, the events continue today, including the MTSBOA Concert Performance Assessment, where there are more than 10 full days of performances by the bands of Middle Tennessee.
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He was also essential in the creation of the Austin Peay State University Concert Festival, where students have the opportunity to meet and work with prominent conductors.