​New Cheatham County Central High School band director Destiny Holt has big plans for the school’s band program.
 
“This is year one of a five-year plan for growth and development. We would love as much support as we can get and having the community by our side is important to the students and staff,” Holt said.
 
This is the first teaching position for Holt, a 2011 graduate of Milan High School and 2016 graduate of Bethel University. However, she’s served as an assistant band director at West Carroll Junior Senior High School in West Tennessee for six years.
 
The theme of this year’s show is “The Fire Within” and the story revolves around each person’s individual fire or passion. 
 
Holt said the goal for the season is to implement structure, discipline and a newfound confidence in the students and program. 
 
“I use a lot of teaching techniques that I’ve observed throughout the country that the most successful programs use. By taking the students back to the basics and focusing on individual abilities we will see immediate exponential growth that will continue throughout the duration of my time as the director,” she said.
 
Holt is being assisted by Nathaniel Hudson (assistant band director), Ryan Ramsey (assistant band director and Cheatham Middle School band director), Rachel Collins (guard director and inclusion teacher), Anthony Hall (technician), Kris Justice (drumline instructor) and Lindsey Vincent (percussion instructor).

​Harpeth High School juniors and seniors let their imaginations take over on Aug. 27 when they got to paint their parking spots.
 
The new tradition allows students to claim their reserved parking spot and paint it.
 
“Painting the parking lot spaces was a way for our students to express themselves at school,” said Principal Dr. Lee Rector. “They could paint anything they wanted as long as it was approved. We have some very creative students and this allows them to leave their mark on the school all year long.”
 
The school hopes to have another painting party later in the year if more students are interested in painting their parking spots. 

​Three Cheatham County School District educators have been selected as members of the first Tennessee Rural STEM Collaborative.
 
Kristin McQueen of Ashland City Elementary School and Brittany Crouch and Emily Wong of East Cheatham Elementary School will participate in the yearlong cohort, which is designed for rural educators to share promising practices in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education, seek solutions to local education challenges and develop capacity to promote lasting change within their own communities.
 
Forty-five educators representing 24 counties across Tennessee were competitively selected for the Collaborative.
 
The Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, a public/private partnership between the Tennessee Department of Education and Battelle Education, recently announced the launch of the first Collaborative.
 
Within the Collaborative, there are three regional cohorts that will map the STEM resources and potential partners unique to the educational landscapes in West, Middle and East Tennessee.
 
The Collaborative provides a stipend for teachers to engage with the program and implement their proposed solution within their own communities.
 
“The Rural STEM Collaborative brings together a geographically diverse group of educators passionate about providing the highest quality STEM instruction for their students and exposing them to career opportunities,” said Wes Hall, director of the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network.

The students of Pleasant View Elementary School will host the inaugural community wide My School Color Run on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 9 a.m. to raise money for their school. 

The My School Color Run is an untimed 3K fun run for all ages and fitness abilities. 
 
Along the route, participants pass through vibrant color zones, making it a “colorful experience.” 
 
Additionally, each pre-registered participant is provided with a single powder color packet that will be thrown in the air at the final color celebration at the finish line. 
 
“Rather than sell goods, we want to engage the entire student body in a fitness initiative that aims to encourage a lifelong healthy way of living,” said organizers Jenny Alverson and Amy Whitworth.
 
Participants that register by Friday, Oct. 20 will receive a T-shirt, race bib and individual color packet. 
 
You can sign up for the run by visiting PVESmscr.eventbrite.com or by completing a paper registration form. 
 
Business sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information about sponsorships, contact Alverson or Whitworth at 615-746-5031.
 

​The award-winning Harpeth High School Band of Blue welcomes Noah Taggart as its new director.
 
Taggart is a 2011 graduate of Page High School and 2016 graduate of Austin Peay State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in music education.
 
Before joining HHS, he taught K-4 general music, fifth grade choir and sixth grade beginning band at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Hopkinsville, Ky.
 
The title of this year’s show at HHS is “Mysteries of the Nile.”
 
“My main goal for the season is to begin to instill a sense of pride in the students, both in the band and in the stands,” Taggart said. “I hope to bring new energy and excitement to the band, and have that excitement transfer to the sound of the band.”
 
Taggart wants the school and community to know that this year the band will be working to help bring a new energy, excitement and pride to HHS.