Director Announces New Principal and Assistant at DeKalb Middle School

July 8, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

A changing of the guard!

Director of Schools Patrick Cripps announced Friday that DeKalb Middle School has a new principal and assistant principal.

Caleb Shehane will be taking over from former DMS Principal Lacey Foutch, who served in that role for three years, while Angela Johnson will success Anita Puckett as Assistant Principal. Both Foutch and Puckett have been reassigned.

Shehane, a Warren County native with ties to DeKalb County, lives in the Short Mountain area with his wife Heather Cantrell Shehane and they have two children, ages 6 and 4 years old. For the last 12 years, Shehane has been a 6th grade math teacher at Centertown Elementary School in Warren County. This is his first job in administration.

“I am excited to have this opportunity,” said Shehane. “We will focus on teaching high academic standards while building meaningful connections with students. We will also support the teachers and encourage all stakeholders to get involved and help us move forward in a positive way to make sure our students are ready for high school. Our motto here is that we are going to be a student-centered learning community in a safe, positive and respectful environment,” he added.

Shehane earned a Bachelors Degree from Tennessee Tech and a Masters Degree in Curriculum Administration and an Educational Specialist Degree in Administration from MTSU.

Johnson, the new Assistant Principal, is well known to the staff and most students at DeKalb Middle School. She has been an educator there for 6 years including the first 3 as a Science teacher and the last 3 years as a Response to Intervention (RTI) instructor supporting students in their reading abilities and as an English Language Arts (ELA) coordinator. Before joining the staff at DMS Johnson served six years as a second-grade teacher at Smithville Elementary School and before that she was an educational assistant in the school district for 4 ½ years.

Angela and her husband Bobby Johnson have three children, Ian and twins Garrett and Isabella along with a grandchild, Waylon who will turn 3 years old in August.

Johnson earned her Associates Degree from Motlow State Community College, a Bachelors Degree at Tennessee Tech, and a Masters Degree at TSU.

With less than a month before the start of a new school year, Johnson said she is excited about her new role and looks forward to working with Principal Shehane.

“We are already working well together and feeding off each other. We want to build a family here. A family not just with the staff and employees but also with the students so that they feel when they come here they are supported and that we care,” said Johnson.

“We are excited about the vision Caleb and Angela have and where they want to take the school,” said Director Cripps.

“Caleb may be the most excited person I have ever hired going into a position. Even from the first interview you could tell he was a go getter. People who know him from Centertown Elementary including parents have come up to me and said you are getting somebody special. You are getting somebody that is a worker who loves kids and loves people. That is what I am excited about,” Director Cripps continued.

Cripps also took notice of Johnson’s dedication when it came time to select a new assistant principal.

“Angela has worked afterschool programs and summer school programs. She is a worker and is here before school starts and way after it ends. I am excited about the work ethic she has for students. Administration is a tough job, and it has changed in the 17 years I have been doing it,” said Director Cripps. “Things I always have with me in my backpack are my Bible, board policies, and Tennessee Code Annotated (state law book). I will always remember that after Mr. (Mark) Willoughby (former Director of Schools) hired me as principal at DCHS. Mr. (Ernest) Ray (former principal and Director of Schools) called me with some advice which I will pass along to Caleb and Angela and that is you can say “no” and change it to a “yes” but it’s harder to say “yes” and change it to a “no”. I have lived by that acknowledgment from that day because it will serve you well,” Director Cripps concluded.

July 8, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department is seeking your help in locating 31-year-old Brittany Ann Miller who has been missing since Monday.

According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, Miller was last seen on July 4th around 4:00 p.m. at her home on Hurricane Ridge Road, Smithville. At the time she was reportedly wearing a black tee shirt possibly saying “DCHS Tigers”, black shorts knee length, and black tennis shoes with black “no show” socks. A white woman, Miller is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds. Her eyes are blue and she has dark brown shoulder length hair. She also wears black frame glasses and has a tattoo of “Adam” across her forearm and “Tyler” on her right ankle.

If you have seen Miller since July 4th or have any information of her whereabouts, please notify DeKalb Central Dispatch at 615-215-3000 or the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department Crime Tip Line at 615-464-6400. Miller has been listed with the National Crime Information Center as a missing person

July 8, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

The Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency (UCHRA) has announced the rollout of a new temporary emergency program aimed at helping low-income families pay overdue water and wastewater bills.

The Low-Income Home Water Assistance Program, or LIHWAP, is a grant that families do not have to repay. Families do not need to have a past due water bill, do not have to be on public assistance, and can rent or own their own home in order to qualify for assistance.

LIHWAP helps families pay the cost of water and sewer services including water, wastewater, sewer, and septic waste. The one-time payment is sent directly to the water and wastewater utility company and will be credited to the applicant’s bill.

Assistance is based on household size and income. Priority assistance will be made available to households who have had their water services disconnected or are in jeopardy of water services being disconnected.

To apply, the applicant must provide a copy of their government issued ID, Social Security number and verification for all eligible household members or birth certificate for children under 12 months of age, proof of gross income for the past 30 days for all household members 18 years or older or completion of the Zero Income Form if no income, one month history of home water/wastewater bill, and a copy of the most recent water utility bill or termination notice if applicable.

Households that are within 60 percent of the state median income guidelines can receive assistance.

To inquire about assistance through LIHWAP, Upper Cumberland residents should contact their local UCHRA office. Contact information for each county office can be found at www.uchra.org or by calling (931) 528-1127.

Applications will be accepted through Sept. 30, 2023, pending available funding, and families can
be served one time during the application period.

Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency: Established by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1973, the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency (UCHRA) uses a combination of funds from federal, state, and local organizations to provide a wide variety of services and supports to the most vulnerable individuals within our 14-county service region. UCHRA aims to help the Upper Cumberland region cultivate self-sufficiency and build true wealth through innovation, collaboration, and leadership; envisioning a region abundant in resources, fostering a productive and vibrant life for the people of the Upper Cumberland.

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