SRO Newsletter
Employed by the Sumner County Sheriff's Office, our School Resource Officers (SRO) work hard every day to ensure the safety of our schools. Check out…
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Science Textbook Community Review
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Gallatin High School Unveils New Sensory Garden
Gallatin High School students have a new way to stimulate their emotions and help them manage stress with the creation of an outdoor sensory garden. The garden came as an idea presented by Mariah Beddingfield, a student member of the GHS Student Council. It came to fruition when Comprehensive Development Class (CDC) Teacher, Tabithia Graves, won two different grants - one from the Gallatin Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and another from the Tennessee Valley Authority. Graves credits the community support for the development of the West Jamel Sensory Garden. The garden is named after two former Gallatin High School Students - Tabitha West and Josh Jamel, who recently passed away.
During the dedication of the garden, Graves fought back tears as she recalled the memory of her former students.
"Tabitha West was a strong young lady that needed no words to get her points, her wants and her needs met. She put a smile on everyone's face. When her smile came across her face that was her power. She would light up this world," Gallatin High School Teacher, Tabithia Graves said. "Josh was a student that could turn your worst day into the brightest. There were many times I would walk into the classroom to hear him say WOOO Tabithia. He knew what he wanted, and he didn't let his disability hold him back from making friends, or from what he wanted to be. Thanks to the great teachers at this school, he was even able to perform in the school play."
Tabitha West's parents Micheal and Karen West were on hand for the unveiling of the garden. Karen West spoke to the crowd of students, teachers, community supporters and Gallatin Mayor, Paige Brown about her daughter's time at GHS.
"If you know me, you know that when I talk about Tabitha her time spent at this school was the happiest, I've seen her. I think that's a testament to the staff here and the resources they provided and how they care for these kids. I know for a fact that you take them home with you every night and your job doesn't end at 2:45 and I want to say thank you. I hope you all enjoy this as much as Josh and Tabitha would."
The sensory garden includes a wishing well, wind chimes, water fountains, and a garden for students to water and maintain plants.
"Though they are not here with us physically they are here with us through projects just like these," Graves said. "Every time the wind blows and the windmills go, I know that's Tabitha smiling."
Sumner County Schools would like to thank all of the community members who helped the garden come to fruition. Mrs. Graves said it best, "Without you, the dreams stay dreams and never become the reality that we see."
For more pictures, click HERE.
Teacher of the Year and Support Staff Banquet
Sumner County Schools held its annual Teacher of the Year and Support Staff Banquet on May 2nd at Liberty Creek High School. The banquet was a celebration of the district's dedicated and hardworking teachers and support staff who go above and beyond for their students and colleagues. In addition to the Teacher of the Year award, the district also honored its exceptional support staff members. These individuals play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of the district and the success of its students.
The evening was a celebration of the tireless efforts of the district's teachers and support staff, and a reminder of the invaluable contributions they make to the education of the community's children.
"The Teacher of the Year and Support Staff banquet is always a special event for us," Director of Schools, Dr. Del Phillips said. "It's an opportunity to recognize the incredible work that our teachers and support staff do every day, and to show our appreciation for their hard work and dedication to our students."
State and local representatives handed out the awards including Senator Ferrell Haile, former Representative Van Hilary from Congressman John Rose's office; William Slater - State Representative; State Representative Johnny C. Garrett and State Representative William Lamberth.
Liberty Creek High School's culinary students prepared the food for the banquet.
For more photos of the event, click HERE.
Not pictured:
- Bobby Bell and Jan Cornwell (Westmoreland Elem)
- Windy Robinson and Michele Summers (Merrol Hyde Magnet)
- Donna Dyer and Emily Edmison (Beech High School)
Sumner County Schools Special Olympics
SCS would like to celebrate the incredible athletes of Special Olympics and thank all the amazing individuals who make this event possible. A huge shoutout to Dave McAndrew and the Gap Distribution Center team for their tireless dedication to making the Special Olympics such a huge success year after year.
And of course, we want to give a big thank you to all of our first responders who have been keeping everyone safe and secure during the event. We truly appreciate your hard work and sacrifice!
To all the athletes competing in the Special Olympics, we are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished. Keep shining bright and inspiring us all with your strength and determination!
For more picutres, click HERE.
Mike Brown Named Tennessee Athletic Director of the Year
Sumner County Schools is pleased to announce that Athletic Director, Mike Brown, has been named Athletic Director of the Year by the TIAAA - Tennessee Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.
Mike Brown is an accomplished education professional with a passion for athletics, teaching, and leadership. With more than 40 years of experience in the field of education, Brown has made a significant impact in various roles, including as an athletic director, teacher, and principal.
Brown's journey in the field of education began with his love for sports. His passion for athletics led him to pursue a bachelor's degree in physical education, followed by a master's degree in administration. After graduating from UT Knoxville, Brown was hired at Hawkins Middle School in 1981 teaching five prep classes and coaching multiple sports including football, girls and boys basketball and track. He later moved to Hendersonville High School where he taught for 12 years and coached a variety of sports including volleyball, girls and boys track and basketball. After 20 years of teaching, Brown moved into administration as the assistant principal at Hendersonville High School before taking the principal position at Knox Doss Middle and then Station Camp Middle.
Brown's teaching and administration success earned him the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities as an Athletic Director, overseeing the school's sports programs and managing the budget, scheduling, and staff supervision. As an Athletic Director, he demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and was named School System Administrator of the Year by the TSSAA - Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association in the fall and was recently named Tennessee Athletic Director of the Year by the TIAAA - Tennessee Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.
In total, he has been serving Sumner County Schools for 43 years. Throughout his career, he has been a role model and mentor to countless students, athletes, and colleagues. Off the field, Coach Brown enjoys spending time with his family including his wife, Christy, a Hendersonville High School teacher. They have two sons and one granddaughter.
Mike was recognized at Tuesday's board meeting by Sumner County School Board Member, Tammy Hayes.
DUI Reenactment Presents Somber Consequences Ahead of Prom and Graduation
Beech High School students got a sobering look at the impact drinking and driving could have on their future. BHS in collaboration with several emergency gencies delivered a strong message about the effects of driving under the influence and driving while distracted. Students witnessed a chaotic scene as they listened to a distressed 911 call. From there, the event unfolded with the blaring sirens of emergency vehicles as they rushed to the crash site, while students watched as first responders worked to remove victims from two different vehicles using the Jaws of Life. Once the victims were removed from the vehicle, Vanderbilt LifeFlight landed a helicopter on the occer field to help the injured.
The realistic simulation aimed to drive home the devastating consequences of impaired driving, highlighting the potential loss of life and the serious legal ramifications that can result from such actions.
In addition to the simulation, students had the opportunity to hear from a guest speaker - Beech Elementary retired teacher Debbie McCrary who lost her daughter, Megan, after a 19-year old drunk driver ran a stop sign crashing into her daughter. Megan graduated from BHS in 2000 and was an all-star athlete who excelled on and off the field. She was a senior at Middle Tennessee State University and was home for winter break when she was killed days before Christmas in 2004. McCrary delivered a powerful speech to students about the loss of her daughter and the legal ramifications the drunk driver faced.
The mock crash at Beech High School serves as a poignant reminder to students about the severe consequences of drinking and driving. It is a powerful educational tool that helps students understand the potential devastation that can result from impaired driving, and underscores the importance of making responsible choices behind the wheel.
Beech DECA partnered with BITZ, Be in the Zone, a program at Vanderbilt to bring more awareness to Beech High School students about the effects of distracted driving and driving under the influence. Multiple agencies that helped with today's reenactment include Shackle Island Fire Department, Hendersonville Fire Department (TN) - Official Site, Sumner County EMS, Vanderbilt LifeFlight, Tennessee Highway Patrol and Sumner County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you to all of our first responders who answer the call every day. We appreciate you!
Click HERE to view pictures of the event.