Mission Statement
The mission of Cookeville High School is to create life-long learners
and worthy citizens through quality instruction in a safe learning
environment.
Beliefs:
… the school should produce literate,
cultured, self-confident, and responsible citizens.
… all students deserve the opportunity to gain knowledge
needed to become employable and productive members of society.
… students should have opportunities for exposure to a diverse education.
… students thrive in a positive teaching environment.
… all students should possess the ability to think critically and solve problems.
… an education should instill in children a positive attitude toward learning.
A Description of the School, Community and the Municipality in Which it is Located
Incorporated in 1854, Cookeville is located 79 miles east of
Nashville and 101 miles west of Knoxville. Known locally as the “Hub of
the Upper Cumberlands,” Putnam County encompasses some 408 square miles
while Cookeville’s land area is 20.4 square miles. Cookeville
(population 30,435) is the county seat of Putnam County and is one of
four cities located within the county. The other municipalities are
Algood (population 3,495), Baxter (population 1,365), and Monterey
(population 2,850). Total population for Putnam County is about 72,321.
Cookeville itself is a regional center for employment, education,
retail, heath care, recreational, and cultural activities. The
Cookeville Putnam Chamber of Commerce recruits industries, which
complement existing business and industry. Some of the major
businesses/employers include Tennessee Technological University, Averitt
Express and Cummings Filtration, and more recently, the addition of
Oreck manufacturing.
Cookeville and Putnam County have a consolidated school system. The
Putnam County Board of Education operates eighteen schools with an
approximate enrollment of 10,137 average daily membership as of the most
recent report card information. The Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools accredits all three high schools with Cookeville High
serving as a vocational education center for all Putnam County Schools.
Only one private school is in operation in Cookeville – Heavenly Host
Lutheran School which schools approximately 104 children in kindergarten
through grade 8.
Cookeville High School, a comprehensive educational facility serving
nearly 2,200 students in grades 9-12, opened its doors at its current
facility in the fall of 1996. The overall academic program at Cookeville
High School is based on a traditional six-period school day and
includes courses in college preparatory, International Baccalaureate,
Advanced Placement, technical education, elective areas, and dual
credit.
Having a wide variety of educational course offerings allows all
students to complete state-mandated core graduation requirements for the
university, technical, or dual path high school diploma. Additionally
since 2005-2006, junior and senior students who elect to do so may
participate in the IB diploma program and possibly earn an
internationally recognized International Baccalaureate diploma. Since
the 2000-2001school year, senior students may choose to enroll in a Dual
Credit English course taught in cooperation with Tennessee
Technological University for which students may earn English 12 and
English 1010 credit in the first school semester. Those students who
continue with the class second semester may receive elective English
credit and credit for English 1020 at the university level. Besides
offerings in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes,
honors courses offered at Cookeville High School include English 9, 10,
11, and 12; World Literature, Spanish III, and IV, French III and IV,
Algebra II, Geometry, Statistics, Pre-Calculus, Biology, Chemistry,
Physics, World History, Humanities, U.S. History, and U.S.
Government/Economics.
Cookeville High’s student population has numerous opportunities to
participate in sporting activities if they so desire. CHS offers the
following sports to its students: football, basketball, baseball,
softball, swimming, cross country, track, lacrosse, golf, soccer,
tennis, and volleyball. Several of these teams have earned state or
regional honors over the past years. Many students have been singled out
for district, regional, and state honors.
Computer technology is used in all facets of administrative and
classroom programming at Cookeville High School. The Power School
web-based management program is used to schedule classes for all grade
levels. It additionally allows classroom teachers to record daily
attendance and student grades in their own classrooms. This program is
also used to generate student progress reports at the 4 ½ week and 13 ½
week mark of each semester and report cards at the end of each 9 week
period.
Cookeville High School is equipped with computer labs on all floors
in the school, allowing for student hands-on access in writing, science,
math, drafting, business, journalism, foreign language, music, and
other courses as well. The foreign language department utilizes a
listening lab to assist students in becoming proficient in speaking a
foreign language.
Cookeville High School has safe school status and has one full-time
safety resource officers on campus. Additionally, all school doors
(except the front entrance) are closed and locked after the morning bell
as a safety measure for students and staff. CHS operates approximately
twelve cameras which run 24/7 and it practices monthly fire, severe
weather, and/or lock down drills to prepare in the event of an
emergency. Recently, several administrators, teachers, and even a
student participated in a Safety and Security Conference as a method to
improve safety measures taken at CHS.
Students who attend Cookeville High School and other Putnam County
Schools attend school for 180 days per year. The schedule follows a
balanced calendar of nine weeks of school followed by two weeks of break
with a longer summer break of approximately six weeks. During the
school day, students attend school seven hours per day.
The Cookeville High School student population consists of 89.8%
White, 2.8% African-American , 5.5% Hispanic, .4% Native
American/Alaskan and 1.6% Asian (2009). The current graduation rate is
about 93% and the attendance rate is currently 94.9%. 85% of Graduating
seniors go on to post-secondary programs.
The current administrative team and faculty consist of about 125.
None of the faculty teaches without appropriate credentials; no student
is enrolled in a class that does not have a teacher certified to teach
that particular course. Many of our teachers either hold master’s
degrees, specialist degrees or doctoral degrees. Many others on staff
plan to continue their educations.
Cookeville High School is fortunate to have a wonderfully active
Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO). Parents volunteer hundreds
of hours monthly facilitating tasks during the school day. Parents find
opportunities to volunteer in the front office, the attendance office,
the counseling center, as well as in many other areas. Not only do PTSO
volunteers assist in daily school tasks, they also provide monetary
assistance in numerous ways to improve Cookeville High School. The PTSO
also participates in providing deserving recognition for students and
faculty for jobs well done.
Cookeville High School offers students a wide variety of club
organization and community service. For example, Interact, a service
club affiliated with Rotary, tirelessly works to bring food to the needy
during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday months. The Leo Club,
associated with the local Lions club collects gently used glasses from
students and faculty to give to those less fortunate. These clubs that
focus on service create a valuable link to the community in which we
live. Some other clubs at Cookeville High School include Speak,
Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Tennessee Tomorrow, Beta, Chess,
Environmental/Hiking, Forensics, Future Teachers of America, Habitat for
Humanity, JROTC, Science Fiction, and many more. Additionally,
Skills-USA-VICA offers students opportunities to participate in the
following areas: automotive, cosmetology, carpentry, electronics, FCCLA,
FFA, HOSA, culinary arts and drafting.
Parent demographics for Cookeville High School include the following
based upon responses supplied from a recent parent survey distributed:
Grade level of students whose parents completed and returned surveys –
4% ninth grade, 48% tenth grade, 27% eleventh grade, and 21% twelfth
grade. Of those who responded, 28% were single, divorced or widowed, 65%
were married or remarried, and 7% were separated. Additionally, the
income level for those who responded is 18% below $25,000.00; 23%
between $25,000.00 and $50,000.00; 24% between $50,000.00 and
$75,000.00; 19% between $75,000.00 and $100,000.00; and 16% over
$100,000.00. While 75% of those who responded were white, 11% were black
or African-American, 8% were Asian, 3% were Hispanic or Latino, 2% were
American Indian or Alaska Native, and 1% was Native Hawaiian or Pacific
Islander. 59% of those who responded have college courses and beyond,
38% had a high school education, and 3% completed middle or junior high
school.
The community has provided Cookeville High School with several major
adopters including Cookeville Communications, Cookeville Regional
Medical Center, Neura Transport, First National Bank of the Tennessee,
McDonald’s, One Hour Martinizing, Shea Chiropractic, and Tennessee Heart
and Flow Serve. Several community organizations have joined with school
groups: Kiwanis sponsors the CHS Academic Team; Rotary sponsors
Interact; Lions sponsors the Leo club; Volunteer Medical Group sponsors
the cross country team, and Premier Imaging sponsors the CHS newspaper
the Charger. Some other businesses that provide in many ways include
Averitt Express, O’Charley’s restaurant, and the local newspaper, the
Herald-Citizen.