Education

While students have been absent from East Side Elementary since early March, due to COVID-19, the grass is still growing. So Bedford County Schools maintenance employees, who work year-round, have been busy making sure properties are groomed for summer.

When it comes to budget drafts, Bedford County Board of Education isn’t currently having to fight one huge elephant in the room — a 15 percent budget cut as recently proposed by a Bedford County commissioner. Board members are putting the final touches on a $73 million package in expected 2020-2021 expenditures, which includes at least $2.6 million in electricity costs...

“Commissioner Smith, are you online?” County Mayor Chad Graham said during Tuesday afternoon’s meeting of Bedford County Commission’s Financial Management Committee. Silence. “Commissioner Brent Smith, are you on the line?” Silence. Smith didn’t speak, virtually or in person. He did not attend the meeting. But a comment Smith made in a May 15 interview spoke loudly to some fellow commissioners and Bedford County teachers in attendance...

The Bedford County Board of Education hasn’t agreed with Mayor Chad Graham’s decision to hire one county architect for all local projects, including schools, but the board welcomed its newest design and construction architects, Mark Kline and partner, Robert Swinney, of Kline-Swinney Associates, and their project managers, to its monthly meeting...

Some people may believe students don’t learn a thing anymore in school regarding Memorial Day. That’s at least not the case in the adventuresome class of Harris Middle School ancient history teacher Phillip McConnell. We asked the educator this question: What would you like to impress most upon your students about Memorial Day? Here’s what the sixth grade educator had to say:...

When “site selectors” for potential industries visit Shelbyville and Bedford County, they generally have at their fingertips community “score cards” which include many facets of community life, particularly how the local school system’s successes compare on a state level...

It's graduation weekend for Bedford County high school seniors and despite COVID-19 wrecking traditional ceremonies, Community High School graduates were honored Friday by faculty, staff and family during a drive-through processional. As seniors entered the school, horns honked and “Pomp and Circumstance” played. An actual ceremony is tentatively planned for June.

Dylan Copeland has been named the 2019-20 Shelbyville Central High School Career-Technical Education Student of the Year. Dylan was nominated for the award by his Information Technology Instructor, Larry Shelton.  Within the Information Technology program of study, Dylan has completed courses in Computer Science Foundations, Web Design Foundations, Web Site Development, Computer Systems, Networking, and AP Computer Science Principles; he maintained an “A” average in all of these classes.  Dylan has been a three-year member of FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) where he served as Treasurer.  Dylan competed at the FBLA National Conference the past two years as well as FBLA’s District and State Level Conferences. . ...

Dedicated is one of many words that could be used to describe Shelbyville Central High School senior Allison McCarty. Throughout her four years at Central, McCarty has not only excelled in her coursework, she has also been very involved in the Bedford County FFA Chapter. ...

School Superintendent Don Embry’s monthly report shared during Bedford County Board of Education’s business meeting Tuesday placed a great deal of emphasis on how the school system’s biggest “elephant in the room” at this time is trying to finish final grades and conduct graduations...

A new wing at Community High School is a high priority on Bedford County Board of Education’s agenda. An unanimous motion was made Tuesday night for architect John Davis and Robert Daniel, director of county finance, to begin accepting bids as soon as possible on the $5.8 million project...

The Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Shelbyville was once again recognized for excellence during the Tennessee Board of Regents Statewide Outstanding Achievement Recognition (SOAR) Awards. The SOAR awards were established to recognize and honor the outstanding students, faculty and staff members at its colleges, as well as the major accomplishments of the colleges...

Job seekers who are exploring new career opportunities may find the Motlow “Career in a Year” program the quickest and most feasible route to high-wage, high-demand employment. Not all careers require a two or four-year degree. Motlow’s “Career in a Year” initiative promotes several career and technical education programs that train students in a year or less...

Christiane Gardner-Ducett of Bell Buckle, a student at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville and Nathan Smith of Unionville, a student at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, were recently initiated into the collegiate honor society Phi Kappa Phi...

While this is traditionally the season in the life of Bedford County students when they would celebrate proms, graduations and award ceremonies for academic excellence, the coronavirus pandemic has forced the closure of schools for the remainder of the academic year...

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bedford County Schools has rescheduled the Class of 2020 graduation ceremonies, Bedford County Schools Superintendent Don Embry announced Thursday afternoon. The tentative dates and times for the three high schools are:...

\

Two members of the MTSU community have survived COVID-19 to return to a somewhat normal life in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.   Jeremy Aber, an associate professor of geosciences, first felt the symptoms Thursday, March 12. By the next day, Friday the 13th, he was very ill...

The Tennessee Department of Education and the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN) today released a STE(A)M Resource Hub for educators and families to use with students during COVID-19 related school closures.    The STE(A)M Resource Hub includes three weekly challenges around design activities, critical thinking, and career exploration that can all be done in the home. ...

Since K-12 students can’t go to their classrooms, MTSU will help provide parents with the tools to conduct a “Classroom in Your Living Room.”   The College of Education, with technical assistance from the Center for Educational Media, is producing a podcast series designed to assist parents trying to keep their children’s minds on learning during the COVID-19 pandemic...

Sharon Kay Edwards, Motlow McMinnville campus branch librarian, was selected as the 2020 Community College Staff Member of the Year in the second annual Statewide Outstanding Achievement Recognition (SOAR) Awards during the Tennessee Board of Regents quarterly meeting Tuesday...

Learning Way teachers found a way to stay in touch with their students — drive by greetings.

Bedford County School System is continuing its free breakfast and lunch program at six school sites. This is spring break, but many school officials are continuing to dedicate their time to make sure children do not go hungry during the time schools are closed...

Bedford County Board of Education received Tennessee School Board Association’s “Board of Distinction” award Tuesday night from TSBA’s South Central Director Pat Welsh of Tullahoma during its business meeting at the Central Office. The honor, which Bedford County will maintain for two years, recognizes boards for meeting specified requirements in planning, policy, promotion and board development. Currently, only 32 school boards in Tennessee are designated out of the 141 state school districts. From left, front, board members Michael Cook, Welsh, and BCBE chair Glenn Forsee. Back, left to right, board members John Boutwell, Nicole Cashion, Diane Neeley, Brian Crews, Andrea Anderson, Dan Reed, Bedford County Schools Superintendent Don Embry and board member David Brown.

More than 700 sophomores from the Bedford County school system participate in the 45th annual Rotary Career Day on March 11 at Motlow State Community College. Students from Shelbyville Central, Cascade and Community high schools spent the morning listening to four career speakers of their choice, who gave them insight on both high school preparation and any college preparation to enter into an occupational field...

Bedford County School System continues to feed students breakfast and lunch during spring break. School is officially closed until April 24 and many students depend on school meals. Sharon Butler, bus driver, and Sarah Mason, part of the nutrition staff, prepare for the day’s event earlier this week. This week had been the previously-scheduled official spring break.

The Student Congress on Policies in Education (SCOPE) conference-one which brings together high schoolers from across the state to discuss current topics in education-was held recently at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. Participants explored during the day-long event several education issues through mock school board meetings and group education. ...

For those of you around town who may know Shelbyville Central High School alumnus Brian Young, don’t get alarmed if you see him shopping this week; he hasn’t dropped out of Harvard. If it was up to him, he’d still be in Cambridge, Massachusetts studying medicine. However, most colleges around the country have locked their doors this week for an indefinite period...

The sight of students walking to East Side Elementary in the rain to get breakfast brought tears to the eyes of Janet Clarkson, Bedford County Schools nutrition supervisor, she said during Tuesday night’s abbreviated Bedford County Board of Education meeting...

As a health precaution aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus, Bedford County Schools are closed through March 31, according to a statement released Monday from Superintendent Don Embry. There were no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Bedford County as of Monday...

Last week at Cascade, students and faculty were dropping like flies due to illness. The flu began its sweep across Cascade as dozens of people caled out sick. Teachers have started warning students about how to avoid getting sick, such as washing hands, cover coughing/sneezing, and avoiding close contact with others...

Keeping with tradition, 63 members of the Harris Middle School chapter of National Junior Honor Society stepped up recently to help those less fortunate at Nashville Rescue Mission campuses. For two weeks in February, the students rolled up their sleeves for what most consider the trip of a lifetime of experience. They plan to return if the opportunity arises...

It was a “Seussville” kind of day at Learning Way Elementary when staff and students observed what would have been the late children’s author Dr. Seuss’s 116th birthday during Read Across America Week. Dressed as the “Cat in the Hat” duo were kindergarten teacher and literacy leader Rebecca Bradshaw and student Rebecca Espejo Cruces.

Southside Elementary kindergarten teacher Macy Ray holds a sign to advertise the school’s April 3 spaghetti supper coming up during a kick-off rally. Students get the opportunity to take up donations to become king, queen, prince or princess of the school. The third through fifth grade boy and girl who bring in the most donations will be crowned King and Queen. The K-second grade boy and girl who bring in the most donations will be crowned Prince and Princess.

The SAT administration scheduled for Saturday at The Webb School is cancelled. Students registered at Webb may be asked by the College Board to report to a different testing center. Any students reassigned to other testing centers must reprint an updated version of their admission ticket with the new testing center’s information attached...

In honor of National School Breakfast Week and Read Across America observance, Thomas Magnet School received a special visit from Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn last Friday. Accompanying the education commissioner from Nashville were Assistant Commissioner Brian Stockton, No Kid Hungry - Breakfast Expansion Specialist Marissa Spady and Tennessee Director of School Nutrition Sandy Dawes...

The Webb School’s team recently won the 2020 State High School Mock Trial District II Competition, with Tiger Wang of Bell Buckle named Best Attorney and Louisa Greenberg of Murfreesboro named Best Witness. State competition will be in Nashville on March 20-21. ...