Education

Bedford County School System recently honored retired school superintendent Don Embry with a photo montage on its official website. We are sharing a few of those past memories here from his coaching days to the most recent days when he read Dr. Seuss stories to elementary students...

Three local educators are in the running to be Bedford County’s next superintendent. The Bedford County Board of Education met Tuesday and selected finalists for the open position. The Tennessee School Boards Association presented three finalists from 16 applicants: Assistant Superintendent Karen Scoggins, Dr. Tammy Garrett, principal of Mitchell-Neilson School in Murfreesboro, and Dr. John Tucker of Georgia. Scoggins is acting as interim superintendent...

Motlow State Community College leadership plans a return to on-campus instruction and activities by Fall 2021. The plan is contingent upon the status and spread of the Covid-19 virus. Leadership will make the final determination of the College’s on-ground Fall 2021 plan later this summer. Current planning is based on Tennessee’s vaccination plan and Motlow’s pattern of success in its pandemic response...

Bedford County Board of Education members, with a full slate of agenda items coming into the new year, said recently that they’re hopeful of making greater strides into the remainder of the school year. Board chair Diane Neeley said Tuesday of course COVID-19 continues to dominate discussions at school board meetings. “It seems Covid-19 and school is the biggest challenge continuing into 2021. As we move forward CDC guidelines will continue to be followed.”...

When Community Elementary students and staff return to class Tuesday, following Christmas break, the hours will likely be marked with sadness, due to the loss of the school’s beloved music teacher, Andrew Dale Briggs, over the holiday break. The local educator passed away Saturday at Stonecrest Medical Center in Smyrna. He was 57...

Three Bedford County students achieved the dean's list at Belmont University in Nashville for the fall 2020 semester. They are: India Bailey, Nina Cobb and Sydnee Edwards, all of Shelbyville. Chance Swanson of Rockvale was also included. Eligibility is based on a minimum course load of 12 hours and a GPA of 3.5, with no grade below a ‘C.’ Approximately 55 percent of Belmont's students this semester qualified...

Interim Superintendent Karen Scoggins will earn the equivalent of outgoing Superintendent Don Embry’s salary while she is leading the school district during the search for his replacement. The Bedford County School Board unanimously voted on Tuesday to supplement Scoggins’ salary of $99,382...

It’s no secret that Tennessee, like much of the nation, has experienced a shortage of skilled workers in recent years, with high demands for more nurses, computer technicians, welders and other technical fields. In an effort to encourage more children to consider one of these many careers, TBR – The College System of Tennessee has premiered an original children’s book, “Let’s Explore Technical Careers.”...

Despite the snares of COVID-19, Cascade Band has continued to perform in, and win, competitions across the state this fall-even in those events held virtually. The Champion Band will culminate its success with a winter concert on January 8th in the Cascade High School theater...

All Bedford County schools will be going virtual beginning Thursday through Friday, Dec. 18, the school system announced Tuesday afternoon. Students will report to school Wednesday to pick up their laptops, materials, and receive directions from their teachers...

Assistant Superintendent Karen Scoggins has been appointed interim superintendent over candidate Sharon Edwards, a former principal. The Bedford County Board of Education made the appointment in a 5-4 vote during a special called meeting Monday evening...

Beginning Thursday, Community High School went to all virtual due to rising COVID cases with students and faculty. The school plans to return to in-person on Monday, Dec. 14, school superintendent Don Embry said Wednesday. Harris Middle will remain all virtual until Monday. This is due to the high number of COVID-related issues with faculty and staff that are still under quarantine...

Bedford County Board of Education will meet in a special called session at 5 p.m. today (Monday, Nov. 30) in the board room of the central office at 500 Madison St. in Shelbyville. Two items are on the agenda: the position of interim superintendent and Budget Amendment No. 2...

Bedford County Board of Education recently approved a proposal to dedicate Cascade Middle School’s gym floor in memory of the late James Franklin “Coach” Cotham — a long-time educator and school athletic director. The official dedication will be held Tuesday, Feb. 9, at the school...

Community Middle School Basketball Homecoming Court Queen, Bailey Helton, was recently crowed during school festivities. She is shown with her proud dad, Bobby. Wesley Haley Kenzie Sexton Braxton Griffy  Caylee Wilson Rylee Brown Kingston Kibble Kathryn Sego...

Special meetings continue to be held by Bedford County Board of Education and community business leaders to garner input for the school superintendent search criteria. Tammy Grissom, executive director of Tennessee School Board Association, led the most recent gathering and discussion at Blue Ribbon Circle...

Bedford County Schools Superintendent Don Embry said Tuesday that Harris Middle School will remain all virtual until Monday, Dec. 7, due to the high number of COVID related issues with faculty and staff that will still be under quarantine.  All others schools in Bedford County will return to in-person learning on Monday, Nov. 30...

Bedford County Board of Education member Andrea Anderson was recently honored by her peers at the state level by being selected as one of five outstanding school board members. She’s a very busy board member, representing District 6, as well, a wife, parent and local veterinarian-all wrapped into one. ...

Shelbyville Central High School Criminal Justice Student Organization (C.J.S.O.) recently opened its 4th annual toy drive-one designed to allow students to be a part of making Christmas a little happier for children in need. “The awesome concept of this toy drive is that its supports the needy children of Bedford County,” said Chris Hobbs, SCHS criminal justice instructor. ...

Tennessee Behavior Supports Project (TBSP) at Vanderbilt University, which is funded by Tennessee Department of Education, recently announced that three local schools were selected as a 2020-2021 School of Recognition. Those schools include Community Middle, Harris Middle and Southside Elementary, which will now serve as mentors to other Middle Tennessee school systems...

While adults are still haggling over the 2020 U.S. Election results, a few local teens say they simply feel honored to have been able to have worked at a local precinct on Nov 3. Teen Ariel Compton worked as a registrar at the precinct in Fair Haven Baptist Church, where she greeted and checked in voters. Growing up, she accompanied her mother, Annette, to the polls, where she began to learn the election process...

Shelbyville Central High School students were dismissed early Thursday, due to the number of quarantined and positive cases of COVID-19. As of Wednesday, 165 students were in quarantine, with 7 students testing positive and 5 new cases this week, School Superintendent Don Embry said...

The Bedford County School Board hopes to have a new superintendent start by March 1, and a list of criteria has been adopted. The board approved the potential start date during a special called meeting Monday, Nov. 9. They had considered a Jan. 1 start date, but after some debate, moved the schedule ahead to provide adequate time for the search...

Agatha Christie's masterpiece of suspense, “Murder on the Orient,” comes to the Community High stage on Friday and Saturday, November 13 and 14 at 7:00 p.m. Don’t get scared now. The story revolves around Hercule Poirot, world's most famous detective, who winds up on a snow bound train with a dead body. This murder mystery is quite interesting, to say the least...

The Cascade FFA is applying the FFA Motto: “Learning To Do, Doing To Learn, Earning To Live, Living To Serve.” Even in these trying times, the FFA members understand that the animal shelters must continue to serve and protect the animals in their care. The leadership team planned, coordinated, and conducted the annual feed drive that was held on Oct. 17...

Due to increasing COVID-19 cases, Eakin Elementary, Harris Middle, Cascade and Community High Schools will transition to all virtual learning, beginning Monday morning, superintendent Don Embry informed his staff Friday.  Based on an updated report from the superintendent on Friday afternoon, 406 Bedford County students are currently quarantined and 26 have tested positive for coronavirus. ...

Motlow State selected Automation & Robotics Training Center (ARTC) Executive Director Larry Flatt as its nominee for the annual Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Statewide Outstanding Achievement & Recognition (SOAR) Staff Excellence Award. Flatt joined Motlow in 2012 and was a leader in creating the ARTC, overseeing the construction of the facility, and partnering with the world’s leading automation and robotics manufacturers to develop advanced training opportunities. ...

PULASKI, Tenn.–Martin Methodist College (MMC) recently announced it has been awarded a 5-year Title III Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) grant, totaling over $2 million. Mark Green, the 7th District congressman, visited the MMC campus to present the award to MMC President Dr. Mark La Branche and community leaders...

Christopher Candy, a history department faculty member at The Webb School in Bell Buckle, was recently selected as a News 2/WKRN-TV “Educator of the Week.” Candy was nominated by two of his students and will appear in a News 2 Spotlight on Thursday during the 10 p.m. newscast and Friday between 5:55 a.m.-7 a.m. on the “Good Morning Nashville” newscast...

Three East Side fifth graders have been in the spotlight recently, due to their invention — the One-Handed Seatbelt — inspired by a school employee they admire. The recent news at the elementary school was how inventors Juan Martinez, Jerson Godinez, and Eric Maker were interviewed by Aaron Wartner of “Invention Convention Worldwide,” a part of the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich. ...