Superintendent Lisa Ventura said, “Maury County Public Schools is extremely proud of the work accomplished at JE Woodard to be recognized as a Reward School. This illustrates the dedication and tireless efforts of all JE Woodard faculty and staff. Ms. Jent & Ms. Wolaver are incredible leaders and should be recognized for their hard work.”
Principal Carol Ann Jent shared, “Most educators agree last year was the hardest year in education. Woodard was not spared. We dealt with staffing shortages, Covid, two cancer diagnoses, and the untimely death of our beloved staff member, Mrs. Kay Baxter.
Fortunately, Assistant Principal Julie Wolaver and I are surrounded by dedicated teachers and staff who are committed to creating a positive learning environment for all students. Watching these professionals in their craft was inspiring. Our Reward School status reflects the relentless hard work of our faculty & staff and amazing students.
We want to thank our Woodard PTA and community members for their continued support. They are an integral part of our success. We know test scores are not everything, but to be able to tell our Woodard crew that we had earned Reward School status is a moment I will never forget.”
One of the Best Student Trap Shooters in the Nation is right here in Maury County!
Ms. Cashion is currently second place in the Nation for Skeet Shooting, making her eligible for her third consecutive All-American Team. This is out of the top 250 female skeet shooters in the country. Ms. Cashion has an average of 93.8%, meaning she breaks 93.8% of all her targets. Ms. Cashion normally shoots around 11,000 to 12,000 targets a year. Ms. Cashion is a six-time National Champion since 2015.
Caroline Cashion is well known in the national trap, skeet, and sporting clays circuit. She is currently one of the top athletes in the State and is a seven-time Scholastic All-American, which is a tough position to hold out of 10,000+ athletes nationwide. She was a member of the Zion Christian and Maury County 4H team since 5th grade and transferred to Columbia Central her Freshman year.
When asked what inspired her, Ms. Cashion stated, "I loved hunting when I was younger. The coach came to school and shared about trap shooting, and I decided I wanna do this as it sounds like fun. I wasn't really into a sport, decided to try trap shooting and fell in love with it." Ms. Cashion started shooting in fifth grade with her dad. When asked what is so cool about it, she said "It's a sport where you really get to do it for yourself. It's very individualized for the most part. I also like that there are a lot of leadership opportunities. It is a small sport that is up and coming so you make connections with your coaches, teammates, other schools and states, and even other countries."
Mr. Mark Cashion, Caroline's dad, also the coach for Columbia Central and Whitthorne shared, "The main goals of the shooting sport is for the students to build respect for themselves, respect for each other and character. This is a sport that can be done by those with any abilities, male or female and at any age."
Coach Marc Higdon also shared, "Schoolwide, a lot of kids don't fit into basketball, football or baseball and this allows students who don't feel comfortable in team sports to be able to go out and do this as an individual regardless of age or athletic ability. It teaches leadership and character development and mirrors what we do here at the school."
Mr. Cashion also shared that Columbia Central has one athlete, Garrison Farmer, that is on a shooting scholarship at UT Southern. This is a great opportunity to earn scholarship money for college.
If you are interested in joining a trap shooting team, Columbia Central, Santa Fe, and Spring Hill all have teams. Watch each school's social media for upcoming interest meetings. Jan Crutcher is the coach for Santa Fe, John DeCuir is the coach for Spring Hill, and Mark Cashion is the coach for Columbia Central and Witthorne.
Congratulations on Level 5 School deignation
(Center picture above)
Administration/Faculty/Staff
2022-23
- Allison Ayers - Horticultural Science
- Anna Arnold - Geometry/Statistics
- Bobby Boyd - In-School Suspension Teacher Assistant
- Barbara Brewer - School Counselor
- Shirley Brown - Teacher Assistant
- Seth Campbell - Special Education
- Bethany Chaney - Special Ed. Teacher Assistant
- Amber Clardy - Special Education Assistant
- Zach Dunnavant - Business
- Tamika Frierson Mitchell. - Special Ed. Assistant
- Misti Grooms - Biology
- Grace Hatmaker - Arts
- Angela Hoath - Algebra I and RTI
- Andrew Holcomb - History
- Rob Johnson - Spanish Teacher
- Claudia Kinzer - Family/Consumer Science Teacher
- Jasmine Nketiah - French
- Jessica Stockdale - Theater/Speech
- Sam Stough - Music/Band
- Matt Yuhas - English
- Alice Stofel - Librarian
- Jackie Van Wormer - Health Sciences
- Jessica Weaver - English
- Kit Hartsfield - Credit Recovery
- Philip Pelkey - Assistant Principal
- Eric Hughes - Principal
Family Resource Centers "Wash for a Cause"
The MCPS Family Resource Centers (FRC) recently held a "Wash for a Cause" fundraiser with Washtopia in Spring Hill, TN...and for what a great cause. Family Resource Centers provide school supplies, clothing, food and many other resources for our students and their families. Over $3000 was raised! Thank you so much Washtopia for this opportunity to help our Maury County Public Schools!
Mayor Chaz Molder stated, "When I was elected, I felt a special obligation to the youth of our community, considering I am the youngest mayor to serve in this office. The Columbia Mayor's Youth Council will help bridge the gap between generations and cultivate a generation of future leaders. Our first Mayor's Youth Council last year exceeded every expectation. I am so pleased with the interest we received for this 2nd year of Mayor's Youth Council, a diverse group from all over Maury County. These council members will be empowered and inspired to improve their community and, in turn, our community will be better for it."
The students selected to serve on the 2022-2023 CMYC are as followed:
12th
Mickey Boshers – Mt. Pleasant High School
Dennis Campos – Columbia Central High School
Journey Davis – Columbia Central High School
Helayna Garlett – Spring Hill High School
Maggie Graham – Columbia Central High School
Aiyana Hamlin – Spring Hill High School
Savannah Honea – Columbia Central High School
Alice Kinzer – Mt. Pleasant High School
Warner Ussery – Spring Hill High School
11th
Lexi Augustin -Zion Christian Academy
Caroline Cashion – Columbia Central High School
Sarah Cooper – Liberty University Online Academy
Patton Duvall – Columbia Central High School
Owen Hollis – Columbia Central High School
Ayanna Jones – Mt Pleasant High School
Myla Lindsey – Mt Pleasant High School
Chloe Moore – Culleoka Unit School
Madison Smith – Columbia Central High School
Lily Tweedy – Spring Hill High School
10th
Anna Brewer- Columbia Academy
Ryan Bytwerk – Culleoka Unit School
Brooke Gibbs – Culleoka Unit School
Carter Lawrence – Columbia Central High School
Ke' Veontae Martin – Columbia Central High School
Tre'Veontae Martin – Columbia Central High School
Haylie Thurman – Hampshire Unit School
To learn more about the CMYC or to stay up-to-date with CMYC community projects, visit www.columbiatn.com/cmyc. Follow the Columbia Mayor's Youth Council on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cmyctn or Instagram at www.instagram.com/cmyctn. For questions, please contact CMYC Liaison Jacey Bomar at jbomar@columbiatn.com or (931) 560-1512.
Shout Out from Principal Dr. Michael Steele
Shout Out to the class of 1955 who recently donated $2960 to Central High School. We decided it would be broken up into 5/$500 scholarships, and the remaining would go toward our family resource office. Thank you for all of the partnerships we have in our community! You make a significant impact on our students and staff.
Shout Out from Coach Jon McDonald
I want to shout out and give recognition to one of our hard-working softball players Saviya Morgan, who was recently ranked the #6 softball player in the NATION for the Class of 2024. Yes, I said NATION! Please make sure to give her shout-out when you see her!!! She also has a 4.0 GPA!!!
Look at these stats from last year!!
Saviya Morgan, 2024 Outfielder
2022 Statistics
Batting Avg. (.735) #1 in State- 9th in the Country- Owns the School Record
Stolen Bases (60) 12th in the Country-Owns the School Record
On Base % (.783) #1 in State- 12th in the Country-Owns the School Record
Home Runs (3)
Runs (66) Owns the School Record
Led her teammates to the best record in over 12 years.
Currently Ranked the #6 Overall Prospect in the 2024 Class.
2022 Gatorade Tennessee Player of the Year Nominee.
2022 District 12-AAAA Defensive Player of the Year.
2022 District 12-AAAA All District Team.
2022 District 12-AAAA All Tournament Team.
Kindness Rocks the Fe!
Thanks to Dawn Scott for sharing this great program.
The rock project started because I care for the Santa Fe School gardens and the Santa Fe Unit School kindergarten teachers. I wanted some rocks in the gardens for color and asked the lower grade teachers if they would be interested in painting rocks if I furnished everything they needed. One evening, my granddaughters and I gathered the smooth, small rocks from a creek bank. I purchased small paintbrushes and paint for the teachers. Mrs. Massey's kindergarten and Mrs. Kennedy's first grade painted garden rocks. Soon after, the second-grade teachers, Mrs. Adkison and Mrs. Crutcher wanted to participate. That meant I had a lot of rocks, so I had the idea to make them into a "kindness rocks project." The sticker on the back of the rock explains the project. Each student in the second grade painted a rock, and a kindness word or phrase was written on the rock. Afterward, I glued the sticker on the back and sealed the rocks to make them weatherproof. Then, the rocks were hidden in prominent places in the Santa Fe School Zone. The spread of kindness started with social media posts showing up in multiple local community groups and with the hashtag "#KindnessRocksTheFe."
The third-grade classes are painting kindness rocks, which will be hidden in Santa Fe soon. The art club will be painting rocks too. I have enjoyed spearheading this project so much. It has been fun, uplifting, and a bonding experience for students and community members. Students have seen their rock spread kindness as social media posts are made. One person said, "Look what I found this morning. It made my day!" Historical places in Santa Fe have been highlighted, and the kindness of Santa Fe has truly Rocked.
Principal of the Year Finalist
Maury County Public Schools would like to Congratulate Dr. Ryan Jackson on being a finalist representing the Middle Tennessee South Central Region. We thank him for his efforts while at Mt. Pleasant High School and wish him luck moving into the final choices for Principal of the Year at the state level.
Upcoming Community Events and Services
- It’s time for the ANNUAL WALK ACROSS TENNESSEE!!! See below for more information on this fun challenge – and prizes for the top participating school teams!
- September 24, 2022, Duck River Clean Up 8:30 am Riverwalk Pavilion, contact Melissa at (931) 388-8511 or mlaforest@keepamericabeautiful.com
- September 24, 2022, The Family Center Food Pantry will be open at 921 Beckett Street in Columbia, TN 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. Must be a Maury County Resident – Bring ID
- Maury County Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Day Saturday, September 24, 2022 - 8:00 am to 1:00 pm Lawson White Drive Columbia, TN
- Santa Fe, TN D.A.S.H. 5K or 1 mile run Sunday, September 25, 2022 - https://santafeumc.org/santa-fe-5k/
- October 29, 2022, The Family Center Food Pantry will be open at 921 Beckett Street in Columbia, TN 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. Must be a Maury County Resident – Bring ID
This week we are highlighting…..Walk Across Tennessee
Ready, Set, Walk! According to Harvard Health, walking improves cardiac risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, vascular stiffness and inflammation, and mental stress. Walking and other moderate exercise programs also help protect against dementia, depression, and colon cancer and can lower death rates. Walking has other benefits that one may not think of as readily; it counteracts the effects of weight-promoting genes, it helps lessen a sweet tooth, and it boosts immune function.
Healthier Maury County with the Maury County Extension Office is offering Walk Across Tennessee again for 2022. Walk Across Tennessee is a program that persuades and motivates people of all ages to get started exercising or get back into the routine of exercising. It is a program that is simple and safe.
You may choose to participate as an individual, pair, or a team of six people. The person/persons walking the most miles in each category will be recognized.
The challenge will run from September 23 through November 4. There will be a kick off event on September 23 at Maury County Park’s Bridle and Saddle Shelter beginning at 5:30 p.m. T-shirts will be given out on a first come basis at this event thanks to Maury Regional Medical Foundation. A finale will be planned at the conclusion of the challenge with awards and door prizes.
Form your teams and register online at https://tiny.utk.edu/Rt3H5 no later than September 30.
Registration forms, captain’s logs, individual logs, and other materials will be available at the kickoff and via email to registered participants.
This is a FREE program for ANYONE in the community, and there are ADDITIONAL rewards for school teams from Coordinated School Health, for the top THREE SCHOOL TEAMS! The top 3 school teams will receive funding for physical activity and physical education for their school - $300 for the first place school, $200 for the second place school, and $100 for the third place school.
Get those walking shoes out and get registered!
TDOE Launches TN ALL Corps District Support Network
Regional Convenings &
Modules to Support High-Dosage, Low-Ratio Tutoring
NASHVILLE, TN – Today, the Tennessee Department of Education continues to celebrate TN ALL Corps throughout the month of September with the launch of the TN ALL Corps District Support Network to provide opportunities for school districts to engage in collaborative learning experiences, share best practices and enhance local tutoring programs.
“The TN ALL Corps District Support Network is a tremendous opportunity for participating districts to learn from each other and continue enhancing their local programs,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “The network will provide evidence-based strategies and tools to support sustainable programs and ensure our teachers and tutors have what they need to help all our students accelerate their learning.”
In January 2021, Governor Bill Lee convened the Tennessee General Assembly for a special legislative session to pass policies to help mitigate COVID-19 disruptions and support Tennessee students, including the Tennessee Accelerating Literacy and Learning Corps which codified TN ALL Corps into state law.
Throughout the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years, the network will provide instructional leaders of all the 87 districts participating in TN ALL Corps with supports through regular convenings in each Grand Division of the state, and virtual communities of practice to promote sharing of best practices and regional collaboration through panel discussions, case studies, and joint workshopping. Additionally, the network will provide a series of asynchronous modules that will explore how TN ALL Corps aligns with research-based tutoring and share how to apply learnings within local programming. Module topics will include student selection and placement, content and curriculum usage in tutoring, and data and progress monitoring.
“As we continue in the critical phase of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear we must implement new and targeted approaches to address student needs and accelerate learning. The TN ALL Corps program provides us the opportunity to increase instructional time for our students who need it the most with high-quality resources and low student-teacher ratios,” said Dr. Annette Tudor, Director of Schools, Bristol City Schools. “I am grateful for the support of the state, our program coordinator, tutors, and all who are committed to making TN ALL Corps effective for students.”
“The Dyer County School System is grateful for the opportunity to provide high quality, low ratio tutoring in our schools," said Cheryl Mathis, Director of Schools, Dyer County Schools. The support we receive from the State Department of Education as well as all school-based stakeholders allows us to provide students with the necessary support to assist with overcoming the opportunity learning loss that resulted from the pandemic.”
“TN ALL Corps funding has been vital to our ability to fund teachers for before and after-school tutoring programs for Hamilton County students,” said Dr. Justin Robertson, Director of Schools, Hamilton County Schools. “The funds have also been utilized to provide more materials and training for teachers in grades K-8 so they can better implement small-group instruction and high-dosage tutoring in literacy and math. We look forward to having these funds over the next two school years to expand our tutoring options into the school day and alongside our community partners.”
“We are very excited to be implementing TN ALL Corps as one of our key strategies for accelerating student learning in literacy and math,” said Dr. Liz Norton, Deputy Superintendent, Knox County Schools. “The tutors we have hired are bringing dynamic energy and focus on student success. We appreciate the support from the Tennessee Department of Education for this valuable work.”
For more information on the department's TN ALL Corps program, click here.
About MCPS
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Email: jcobb@mauryk12.org
Website: https://www.mauryk12.org
Location: 501 West 8th Street, Columbia, TN 38401, USA
Phone: 931-388-8403
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