​Thursday afternoons have become a special time for a group of Kingston Springs Elementary School students.
 
The school day ends as dozens of students gather to participate in the Knitting Club, which started this semester.
 
“We have 30 students, almost one-third of which are boys. They love it just as much as the girls, if not more. It is so popular we have a waiting list,” said club sponsor and school counselor Laura Deer.
 
The students are focusing on makings hats by using round looms from craft stores.
 
“Also, three guest speakers have been kind enough to come teach us a variety of different skills,” Deer said.
 
Glenna Butts from Ewe & Company in Kingston Springs taught the students finger knitting and donated a beautiful skein of yarn to each student.  
 
Janet Walker, the director of the South Cheatham Public Library, showed the students her advanced loom skills and some of the items she has crafted.
 
Deborah Stillwell, the director of Knit and Crochet Tennessee, taught the students beginning knitting skills and donated over 30 sets of knitting needles.
 
“We appreciate these women generously donating their time and supplies,” Deer said. 
 
The students are creating the items they make to charity.
 
“The students enjoy the fun environment of learning combined with fellowship. Plus, there’s the satisfaction of doing something for others,” she said.
 
The club is in need of very thick/chunky yarn for warm winter hats. The students also welcome gift cards to Michaels or Ewe & Company, where they can purchase yarn.
 
To make a donation, e-mail [email protected] or call the school at 615-952-9060.

The Harpeth High School FFA Chapter and agriculture classes are hosting a spring plant sale.

​A variety of plants are available for purchase.

The greenhouse, located in the back of the school, is open to the public Monday-Friday from 3-4:30 p.m. until the plants are sold. There is a limited quantity of plants.

• Porch and house plants available:

Boston ferns, $15
Asparagus ferns, $15
Geranium, $10
Baby Jade, $5
Purple Heart Wandering Jew, $5
Aloe Vera, Small $5; Large $10
Mother-in-law’s tongue/snake plant, $5 for small, $10 for medium and $15 for large

• Late crops available:
Butternut squash, $5 for a 6-pack
Arugula, $2 for a 6-pack
Spaghetti squash, $5 for a 6-pack
Pepper, $5 for a 6-pack

For more information, call HHS at 615-952-2811 and leave a message for agriculture teacher Kimberly Wilkins. She can also be reached via e-mail at [email protected].
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All funds raised from the plant sale will help support the HHS agriculture program and the FFA Chapter.

Sycamore High School students Bracey Hughes and Sydney Denney were recipients of the “first ever” prestigious Top Blue 100 Award.
 
The Top Blue 100 recognizes 100 outstanding high school freshmen who share Middle Tennessee University’s core values, commitments, and live up to them each day - all while excelling academically.
 
Bracey and Sydney exemplify the core values of honesty and integrity, respect for diversity, engagement in the community, commitment to nonviolence, and academic achievement on a daily basis at Sycamore High School.
 
In addition, the recipients were nominated by Mr. Tim Knipp, and they are in his Principles of Law class.
 
He has been quite impressed with their scholastic achievement in the classroom, positive attitude, commitment to excellence, and pride that they take in their work. 
 
“I am very proud of these students and of their accomplishments. Both are the cornerstone of the Criminal Justice program at Sycamore High School,” he said.
 
Sydney attended the True Blue 100 Award ceremony at MTSU, and she received her certificate from the MTSU President Sydney McPhee.
 
It was a special occasion, and it was great to witness Sydney receiving her award and to see enormous support from her family at the ceremony.  
 
Bracey was unable to attend the ceremony.

​Students from the Sycamore High School FFA Chapter and agriculture classes have been busy preparing their greenhouse with great plants.
 
Students have a variety of vegetables and herbs in four and six packs available as well as popular bedding plants such as geraniums, petunias, salvia and impatiens.
 
The students have about a dozen tomato plants that are already 4’ tall. Hanging baskets and large ferns are also available. Pre-orders are being taken for mixed baskets and large ferns.
 
You can pre-order ferns and baskets online at the chapter website or send an e-mail to one of
the agriculture teachers: [email protected] or [email protected]. The website for Sycamore FFA is http://wareagleffa.ffanow.org.
 
Pre-orders will be taken up until April 19 and delivered on April 24.
 
You can also call the school at 615-746-5013 and leave a message for either agriculture teacher prior to April 19.
 
All funds raised from this help support the Sycamore agriculture program and the FFA Chapter.
 
The greenhouse opens April 14 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
 
The plant sale will remain open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. until all plants are sold for the year.  
 
Sycamore’s greenhouse is located in the back-right side of the school. Signs will be out to guide you to the sale.  
 
Sycamore students greatly appreciate the community’s support.  
 
The FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success.    

Sycamore Middle School teacher Billie McBride has been selected to attend the George Washington Teacher Institute Summer Residential Program in July.

The five-day program will be held July 18-22 at Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home in Mount Vernon, Va.

McBride received a full scholarship, which covers a travel stipend, meals, room, board and all program fees.

The program is designed to support K-12 educators who teach about the life, leadership and legacy of George Washington and the 18th-century world in which he lived.

McBride teaches eighth-grade Social Studies at SMS, where she has been since 2000.

She leads the eighth-grade trip each year to Washington D.C., and she is the sponsor of the National History Day Club at SMS. 

“I am extremely excited about having the opportunity to get to participate in the Mount Vernon Teaching Seminar. When I applied, I was unsure of my chances of getting selected since they only choose 15 teachers for each week-long seminar from across the country,” she said.

McBride participated in a Gilder Lehrman Seminar at the University of Colorado last summer on Westward Expansion.
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“It was phenomenal, and I believe that this one will be as well,” she said.

​The Cheatham County School Board recognized the district’s Employees of the Month at its Monday, April 3 meeting. 

Those honored were:
 
• Jared Greece, Ashland City Elementary teacher
• Deona Ray, East Cheatham Elementary teacher assistant
• Jill Hutchison, Kingston Springs Elementary teacher
• Dawn Wenning, Pegram Elementary academic specialist
• Patsy Shearon, Pleasant View Elementary nutrition cook
• Kaye Hunter, West Cheatham Elementary teacher
• Penny Casteel, Cheatham Middle receptionist
• Cindy Wells, Harpeth Middle bookkeeper
• Adam Farley, Syamore Middle special education assistant
• Shawn Moubray, Cheatham County Central High special education teacher
• Jennifer Copeland, Harpeth High teacher
• Rita Earle, Sycamore High teacher
• Jeff Hobbs, Riverside Academy teacher assistant