The DeKalb County Board of Education has been recognized by the Tennessee School Boards Association for earning the “Board of Distinction” honor.
The award was presented to the Board of Education during Thursday night’s school board meeting.
James Mann, a director of the TSBA and a member of the Montgomery County School System, made the presentation.
In his remarks, Mann explained how local school boards become TSBA “Boards of Distinction.” “Wishing to spotlight outstanding board performance, the Tennessee School Boards Association created it’s Board of Distinction program to recognize the highest standards of performance by a board as a whole.”
“This award is one of TSBA’s most prestigious. It celebrates the achievements of those boards that have met the challenge of leadership in every area of their board responsibility.”
“To be designated as a Board of Distinction, a school board must meet specific requirements in four key areas. Those areas are “planning”, “policy”, “promotion”, and “board development”. These areas include such elements as creating five year plans, reviewing and maintaining their policy manual, participating in TSBA district and state meetings, conducting a self evaluation, and participating in achieving and maintaining necessary boardsmanship levels for each member.”
Mann added that this is a very prestigious award and not every school board qualifies to receive it. “Your board is among a selected few. On behalf of the Tennessee School Boards Association, I am very proud to present the Board of Distinction Award to the DeKalb County Board of Education.”
The award is good for two years and the school board will have to continue to meet the guidelines in order to maintain Board of Disctinction status.
(Pictured left to right: Director Mark Willoughby, John David Foutch, TSBA Director James Mann, Johnny Lattimore, Kenny Rhody, Charles Robinson, W.J. (Dub) Evins III, and Bruce Parsley. Not pictured- Joan Draper who was absent)

Second District School Board member Charles Robinson was elected Chairman of the Board of Education Thursday night.
The board re-organizes each September, naming a chairman, vice-chairman, and an assistant secretary.
Robinson succeeds Fifth District Member W.J. (Dub) Evins III who has served as chairman for the past year.
Evins was named Vice-Chairman and Third District member Kenny Rhody was elected Assistant Secretary for the year.
Chairman Robinson welcomed Bruce Parsley to the board. Thursday night was Parsley’s first meeting with the board as a member from the sixth district. “He brings some experience as a parent and a former student of this school system and I think he will be an asset to the board.”
Robinson also congratulated Kenny Rhody for reaching level 4 in the TSBA boardsmanship program. Under the program, board members may work on achievement in meeting certain goals and criteria in moving up to level 5.
In other business, Director of Schools Mark Willoughby presented his monthly report on personnel to the school board.
Those employed for the 2008-09 school year since last month are as follows:
Penelope Mason, 21st century site coordinator
Joannie Williams, school nurse
Mary Beth Ramsey, teacher, SES
Darnette Hibdon, bus driver
Sherry Williams, substitute custodian
Wanda Bradford, substitute cook
Angela Patrick, substitute cook
Sharon Washer, substitute cook
Elizabeth White, substitute cook
Substitute Teachers:
Ellen Ammons, Guylene Atnip, Suzette Barnes, Rebekah Beck, Jennifer Braswell, Carolyn Caldwell, Nancy Cantrell, Jenny Cantrell, Todd Cantrell, Pat Cook, Donna Davis, Tina Evans
Debbie France, Holly Frazier, Leanne Frazier, Robbie Frazier, Johnna Goff, Doris Graham
Natalie Green, Vicki Haggard, Amber Hawkins, Connie Henry, Darnette Hibdon, Shirley Ingram
Angela Johnson, Kelley Johnson, Jennifer Judkins, Martha Knowles, Milinda League, Mironica Luna, Joel Moore, Eden Nokes, Elizabeth Nolt, Angela Osment, Gayle Pack, Susan Palmer
Krystal Patterson, Iva Dell Randolph, Phyliss Reed, Kimberly Rhea, Tammy Rhea, Beth Rhody, Jessica Sims, Teresa Spencer, Tammy Turner, Wanda Sue Vickers, Tom Werling, Susan West, Helen Wilson, Jean Young, Kim Young, Nancy Young
Anna Johnson was granted a leave of absence as requested
Those who have resigned include Penny Bileyu, Angela Johnson, and Jalene Vanatta
Those who have transferred are:
Diana Moon, sub teacher to educational assistant at SES
Tonya Roberts, SES educational assistant to DWS
Jill Herron, teacher, DMS, replaces Penny Bileyu
Lisa Hale, educational assistant, replaces Jalene Vanatta as secretary at DeKalb West School.
In other business, the board approved one time supplement pay in the amount of $1,000 for full time educators who obtain National Board Certification. That’s for the 2008-09 school year.
Director Willoughby says a “differentiated pay” plan is required by the State Department of Education and must be approved by October.

The 2008 Homecoming Queen at DeKalb County High School is Kara Elizabeth Young.
She is the 17 year old daughter of Ronny and Nancy Young of Smithville.
The Homecoming Attendants are:
Senior Attendant -Rosemary Neal Apple, the 17 year old daughter of Nick and Claire Apple of Smithville;
Senior Attendant- Macy Celeste Felts, the 18 year old daughter of Kendra and Rick Guinn of Smithville and the late Chuck Felts.
Junior Attendant- April Michelle Hale, the 16 year old daughter of Kevin and Judith Hale of Smithville.
Sophomore Attendant- Lauren Brooke Adcock, the 15 year old daughter of Wayne and Brenda Adcock of Smithville.
Freshman Attendant- Heather Marie Hughes, the 14 year old daughter of Mike Hughes and Shawnn Meadows of Smithville.
DCHS Spirit Week Activities have been announced for the week, Monday through Friday, September 15th-19th, as follows:
Monday- Camouflage or Cowboy Day
Tuesday- Concert T-shirt or Hawaiian Day
Wednesday- Wacky Tacky or Flashback (dress very tacky or dress from the past)
Thursday- College or NFL T-shirt Day and Hat Day- Bonfire and Powder Puff Game at 7:00 p.m.
Friday- Black & Gold Day
Field Competitions, Parade and Downtown Pep Rally, Homecoming Game vs Station Camp, (Presentation of Queen and Attendants at 7:00 p.m. followed by the game at 7:30 p.m.) and a Homecoming Dance after the game.
Dress code still applies and teachers are encouraged to participate.
Cheerleaders will be selling spirit items during lunch.
Penny Wars- classes compete against each other all week to see who can collect the most pennies. Silver coins or dollars will cancel out pennies. The class with the most pennies at the end of the week will get to keep the money they raised.
Spirit Chains will be sold for 10 cents each or three for 25 cents. The class with the longest chain wins. Spirit chains will be used to decorate the student section at the game.
Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate in each event. Support your class, your team, and your school.
Homecoming Day events are as follows:
7:00 a.m.- 7:40 a.m.- All vehicles in the parade are checked in and parked in the parking area
7:45 a.m.- All students should be in the first block at this time. Scavenger hunt videos will be shown.
8:30 a.m.- Band performs at DeKalb Middle School
8:45 a.m.- All drivers in the parade meet in the auditorium for parade instructions.
9:00 a.m.- All students assemble at the football field. Cheerleaders will conduct homecoming activities. Band will perform. All teachers will go to the field to supervise.
10:00 a.m.- Students may decorate vehicles at this time. Band performs at Smithville Elementary School
11:00 a.m.- All students will report to third block
11:00 a.m.- 11:45 a.m.- Lunch periods will be announced
12:20 p.m.- Parade lines up
12:40 p.m.- Parade leaves DCHS
12:50 p.m.- Band performs at Northside Elementary School
1:00 p.m.- Parade arrives at Smithville Elementary School
1:20 p.m.- Parade arrives at Northside Elementary School. Band leads parade to the city square
1:50 p.m.- Parade arrives at the square. Pep rally and band performance on the square.
1:05 P.M. WJLE “LIVE” coverage of the parade.
7:00 p.m. WJLE “LIVE” coverage of football game
(Group Picture- pictured left to right: Lauren Brooke Adcock, Rosemary Neal Apple, Macy Celeste Felts, April Michelle Hale, Heather Marie Hughes. Seated- Queen Kara Elizabeth Young)

John Pryor, WJLE’s high school football play by play announcer, currently leads in the “Fearless Forecaster” standings after the first two weeks of the season.
Pryor’s record is 15-5.
Dewain Hendrixson, Roger Underhill, and Chad Kirby are all tied for second place with a record of 13-7 each followed by Jeff James and Ricky Atnip at 12-8 each, Tom Duggin 11-9, and Joe Goodwin at 10-10.
The “Fearless Forecasters” pick who they believe will win in ten of the biggest or most interesting college football games of the week.
They also make an underdog selection each week, picking a team they think will win, even though that team is not favored to win.
Joe Goodwin currently leads in the points standings in the underdog selections, after two weeks, with 11 ½ points, followed by Chad Kirby with 10 points, Ricky Atnip and John Pryor each with 7 points, Roger Underhill 6, Dewain Hendrixson 4 ½, Tom Duggin with 3 ½. and Jeff James 0.
The “Fearless Forecasters” can be heard LIVE on WJLE Thursday’s at 4:30 p.m.
The program is sponsored by Liberty State Bank, Bradley Printing, DeKalb County Ace Hardware, Middle Tennessee Natural Gas, Love-Cantrell Funeral Home, Cumberland Insurance, Pizza Hut, and the Charles D. Atnip Realty & Auction Company and City Bonding.
The program is hosted by WJLE’s Tom Duggin.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department arrested two people Tuesday on drug charges after discovering narcotics and components of a meth lab at their home while serving a state warrant.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 28 year old Amanda Riley and 38 year old Mark Anthony Graham were taken into custody.
According to Sheriff Ray, deputies went to a residence on Bright Hill Road Tuesday to serve a state warrant on Riley. During the arrest, the officers witnessed Riley pull a bag from her pants pocket. The bag contained pills believed to be morphine. Upon a pat down search, deputies found three small baggies of a white powder believed to be methamphetamine and twelve more pills believed to be hydrocodone.
The officers transported Riley to the DeKalb County Jail and contacted the Sheriff’s Department’s Drug Investigator. A search warrant for the residence was obtained and deputies and investigators returned to the home and executed the search warrant.
Graham who also lives at the residence, was at the home during the search. Officers found two small bags of white powder believed to be methamphetamine, marijuana, a metal container containing 20 ml of liquid known as Ketalar (Ketamine) or better known as the “date rape drug”, hypodermic needles, electronic scales, and several spoons with a residue in them.
Officers also found several components of a methamphetamine lab, including Red Devil Lye, alcohol, peroxide, tubing, muratic acid funnels, distilled water, iodine, propane canisters, paper masks, razors, camping fuel, several glass jars, matches, among others..
The Eagle Construction Haz-Mat crew was summoned to the scene to take possession of the toxic chemicals.
Riley was charged with possession of a schedule II drug (Methamphetamine) for resale, possession of a schedule II drug (morphine) for resale, possession of a schedule III drug (Hydocodone) for resale, manufacture of a controlled substance (Methamphetamine), and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond totals $82,500
.
Graham was charged with manufacture of a controlled substance (Methamphetamine), unlawful possession of a schedule II drug (Methamphetamine), unlawful possession of a schedule II drug (Ketamine), simple possession of a schedule VI drug (Marijuana), and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond is $66,000
.
Both will appear in General Sessions Court on September 25th.

FBLA members Luke Willoughby and Cynthia Woodward recently attended an annual leadership conference at Camp Clements in Doyle, TN. At this conference, officers from FBLA chapters across the state attended workshops geared to their specific office and teambuilding. Officers leave camp with a renewed enthusiasm and more knowledge about the duties and responsibilities of their office. Luke Willoughby is the State Vice- President and Cynthia Woodward is the Region 5 Secretary.
Along with workshops on leadership and official duties, campers were enrolled in “teams” for some physical challenges as well. Each camper was assigned a color team and competed with students from other schools in team competitions. Luke was on the Orange Tigers, Cynthia was on the Purple Giraffes and Mrs. Brown, advisor, was a co-coach of the Pink Gorillas. At the end of the weekend, awards were given to some individual campers. Cynthia won the “Overall Female Camper” award, Luke won the “Overall Camper” award, and Mrs. Brown’s Pink Gorillas won the overall team event award!

The DeKalb County Tiger football team has moved up from 12th to 7th in this week’s Associated Press poll.
The Tigers received 57 votes for the top ten in Class 3A, which was good enough to place them at number 7 in the weekly poll. The poll was released by the Tennessean newspaper on Tuesday morning.
David Lipscomb is still the top-ranked team in Class 3A. Lipscomb pulled in 12 first place votes and 181 total points to earn the top spot just ahead of Knoxville Catholic, who had five first place votes and 170 total points.. McMinn Central, Giles County and Anderson County round out the top five.
Teams ranked six through ten include Jackson South Side, DeKalb County, Marshall County, White House, and Polk County.

A 44 year old Dowelltown woman, accused of assaulting her young daughter, was arrested last week by the Sheriff’s Department.
Treva June Hartman of Man Hill Road, Dowelltown has been charged with domestic assault and resisting arrest.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says deputies charged Hartman after she slapped her 11 year old daughter on the face causing scratches on her left eye, nose, and cheek. Hartman also allegedly pulled the little girl’s hair. After deputies cuffed Hartman, she resisted arrest and officers had to forcefully put her in the back of the patrol car. Hartman also kicked on the cage of the patrol car during the ride all the way to the jail. Bond for Hartman was set at $15,000 and she will appear in court October 2nd.
Meanwhile, 23 year old Clent Lee Shehane of Page Drive, Smithville was arrested Saturday for driving on a suspended driver’s license. Sheriff Ray says deputies spotted Shehane on Midway Road in Smithville and had prior knowledge that his license was suspended. Shehane was stopped and arrested. Shehane’s bond was set at $2,000 and he will appear in court on September 24th.
62 year old Jon Baker of Sparta Pike, Watertown was arrested Sunday for a first offense of driving under the influence. Sheriff Ray says deputies received a call to come to the Holmes Creek Boat Ramp where Baker was trying to load a boat from the lake. Baker was unsteady on his feet and had a strong odor of alcohol on his person. Baker was given field sobriety tasks which he failed. Baker did admit to “having a lot to drink.” Baker was also charged with boating under the influence by T.W.R.A. Baker’s total bond was set at $3,000 and he will appear in court on October 23rd.

One person died in a fiery crash Sunday afternoon at Dowelltown.
Dead is 62 year old Wilbern Estes of 1662 Chapman Hollow Road Dowelltown.
Trooper Jimmy Tisdale of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says Estes, the lone occupant of a 1988 Toyota pickup, was traveling south on Chapman Hollow Road, when the truck went off an embankment and into the creek bed, traveling about 100 feet before coming to a stop and bursting into flames.
Estes died at the scene.
Trooper Tisdale says neighbors and motorists passing by saw the smoke from the crash and called 911. The first call came in at 2:38 p.m.
Members of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department and Extrication Team, including the Liberty Station and the Main Station were called to extinguish the blaze. They also had to pop open one of the truck doors so that the body could be removed.
DeKalb County Medical Examiner Terry Martin, DeKalb EMS, and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department were also on the scene.