​Members of the 2017-2018 Aspiring Administrators Academy have been announced.

One of the main goals of the academy, which started in 2014, is to provide a pool of qualified potential candidates as future administrative vacancies occur in the Cheatham County School District.

Participants meet once a month during the school year.

Through guest speakers and discussions, class members are exposed to a school administrator’s scope of work.

Members also have a variety of requirements to meet throughout the program, including an action research project designed to address a need at their school.

Sycamore Middle School Assistant Principal Joy Bauman is the facilitator for this year’s academy.

“The academy develops highly-qualified and motivated educational leaders to become effective future administrators by assisting to broaden and refine the art of leadership,” Bauman said. “The Cheatham County School District is dedicated to establishing the next phase of county leadership through the ranks of educators already in our buildings and this is their first step. I am very excited about this year’s class and wide range of experiences they bring to the table.”

Members of the 2017-2018 class are:

East Cheatham Elementary School: Brittany Hackney

West Cheatham Elementary School: Michele Dozier

Cheatham Middle School: Kristyn King

Harpeth Middle School: Taylor Hummell

Sycamore High School: Zachary Holden, Shea Phillips and Daniel Smiley

North Cluster: LeNaye Pearson and April Ebbinger

The Cheatham County School District has much to celebrate with the release of the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) scores for the 2016-2017 academic year.

Five schools rank in the top 25 percent in the state – or even higher – in index value in core subject areas.

The schools are Pleasant View Elementary, Cheatham Middle, Harpeth Middle, Sycamore Middle and Harpeth High.

“The Cheatham County School District is proud of these results as gains are being made by our students,” said Director of Schools Dr. Cathy Beck. “Our students and educators should be commended for their hard work and dedication to excellence.”

One bright spot was at SMS, which ranked No. 1 in the state in sixth-grade math in index value.

The school also ranked in the top 10 percent in eighth-grade math and eighth-grade integrated math, fifth-grade language arts and sixth- and seventh-grade science and the top 25 percent in sixth- and eighth-grade language arts and fifth-grade science.

Another considerable gain was made at CMS as the school saw unprecedented growth in its math scores.

CMS ranked in the top 10 percent in fifth-grade and sixth-grade math and the top 25 percent in seventh-grade and eighth-grade math.

PVES ranked in the top 25 percent in third-grade math, third-grade language arts and third-grade science.

WCES ranked in the top 25 percent in third-grade science.

HMS ranked in the top 25 percent in fifth-grade math and fifth-grade integrated math.

HHS ranked in the top 25 percent in Biology and U.S. History.

In addition, four schools - CMS, PVES, SMS and WCES – achieved a Level 5 composite score, the highest level on the TVAAS. Other outstanding scores came from Ashland City Elementary School (Level 4) and East Cheatham Elementary School (Level 3).

Overall, the district earned a Level 4 composite score.
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TVAAS uses statistical models to measure student growth by comparing one student’s performance with many other similar students on the same assessment.

Student representatives from the Cheatham County School District met on Sept. 15 as part of the Director of Schools’ Student Advisory Council.
 
Appointment to the council provides opportunities for students to collaborate with one another and provide input to the school district.
 
“Many decisions affecting students are made every day and it is only appropriate that students have a voice in the decision-making process. The Student Advisory Council provides a venue for encouraging resourceful and well-informed dialogue among Cheatham County students,” said Director of Schools Dr. Cathy Beck.
 
The Advisory Council meets several times throughout the school year and is made up of 12 students — four representatives from each of the county’s three high schools.
 
Council members receive this appointment as a freshman and continue on the council until graduation.
 
Transportation and lunch are provided for the students when they meet with Dr. Beck.
 
Members of the 2017-2018 Student Advisory Council:
 
Cheatham County Central High School: Karina Kane, Sean Pate, Kennedy Nichols, Paiton Clinard
 
Harpeth High School: Shelby Scott, Sydney Allison, Brandon Peters, Eli Martin
 
Sycamore High School: Gavin Mitchell, Jackson Shambaugh, Tyr’ee Bass, Abigail Haggard

The Cheatham County School Board recognized the district’s Employees of the Month at its Monday, Sept. 11 meeting.

Ashland City Elementary School: Angela Salamy
East Cheatham Elementary School: Marcia Darrow
Kingston Springs Elementary School: Merida Zauner
Pegram Elementary School: Jessica Ledbetter
Pleasant View Elementary School: April Woods
West Cheatham Elementary School: Janelle Mahaney
Cheatham Middle School: Kristyn King
Harpeth Middle School: Deb Ellison
Sycamore Middle School: Angelia Bailey
Cheatham County Central High School: Scott Padgett
Harpeth High School: Nicole Wycoff
Sycamore High School: Taylor McCullough
Riverside Academy: Katie Vogel
 
The employees receive a $25 WalMart gift card that is sponsored by A.O. Smith through the Cheatham County Chamber of Commerce. We thank them for their continued support of the Cheatham County School District.

The Cheatham County School District is pleased to be the recipient of more than $16,000 in education grants, which were provided through a cooperative effort between the Cheatham County Chamber of Commerce and A. O. Smith. 
 
The district was awarded 11 grants, totaling $16,122.47, through the Chamber of Commerce’s Foundation with funding provided by A.O. Smith.
 
Through a competitive application process, schools across the district submitted grant proposals in the summer to fund unique projects not already funded through the regular school budget.
 
Misty Keenan, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce said, “The Chamber is once again honored to partner with A. O. Smith on the grant program this year. One of the Chamber’s goals is to help develop the workforce in the county and this is one way we can achieve that. With this partnership, we can support the creative training of our students.”
 
Keenan said it is the goal of the Chamber that the selected projects will be sustainable over time and benefit the schools for years to come.
 
Dr. Tara Watson, the school district’s chief academic officer, said, “The generous support from the Chamber and A.O. Smith bring a new dynamic to our schools. We are thankful that the grants will enhance the educational opportunities for our students.”
 
The following schools received grants for the 2017-2018 school year:
 
Ashland City Elementary School
 
Carlee Darnell, Boogie Our Way to Excel in Third Grade, $1,488.46
Kristin McQueen, Vex Robotics Club, $1,459.93
 
Cheatham County Central High School
 
Linda McDaniel, Bringing Techies Back: CCCHS 21st Century Library, $1,200
Tray Davis, Bluebird Trail, $609.68
Dana Bates, For The Health of Our Children and Supporting a Greener Future, $1,457.24
 
Cheatham Middle School
 
Tara Canterbury, Rachel’s Challenge, $3,600
Mary Ellen do Valle, Project Guff: Gearing Up for the Future, $1,293.12
 
East Cheatham Elementary School
 
Lacritia Sanson, Opening Doors Although You Are Outside, $1,499.15
Melissa Jones, Can You Escape Fourth Grade?, $477.39
 
Sycamore Middle School
 
Mandi Batson and Robyn Miller, Wizards of OZbots-Following the Technology Road, $1,500
Mandi Batson and Robyn Miller, The Emmy Award Winning Grant, $1,537.50

The Cheatham County School District is proud to honor and remember the late Pat Head Summitt.

​As the all-time winningest coach in NCAA history, Summitt, a 1970 graduate of Cheatham County Central High School, inspired countless students, players and fans as she led the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team to 1,098 wins.

After a five-year battle with Alzheimer’s, Summitt passed away in 2016.

The Cheatham County School District is proud to support “Pedal for Pat,” a cross-country ride cycling fundraiser in which a team of 12 individuals will ride for 12 days (Oct. 17-28) from Knoxville to Key West, Fla.

The team will ride a total of 1,098 miles in honor of Summitt’s 1,098 wins and raise money for The Pat Summitt Foundation.

With the community’s help, the district hopes to raise $1,098 to be designated as a Purple Bike Community.

​Purple collection buckets are set up at the following locations:
 
• Ashland City Hall
 
• Pinnacle Bank, Ashland City
 
• Environmentalist Office at the Tucker Empson County Office Building, Ashland City
 
• Cheatham County Courthouse, Chancery Court Clerk’s Office, Ashland City
 
• West Cheatham Elementary School
 
• East Cheatham Elementary School
 
• Pleasant View Elementary School
 
• Sycamore Middle School

• Kingston Springs Elementary School
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• Harpeth Middle School

Members of the Cheatham County Central High School band will be going door-to-door in the Ashland City area on Saturday, Sept. 9 to sell subscriptions for front yard flags.

​With the subscription, band members will come by on five separate dates to put a flag in your yard for $50.

They will put the flags up and take them down for Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July and Sept. 11 (in 2018). Band members will be coming by in groups between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.