The Bedford County Post

07/23/2025

Beckman Begins First Full Year as Principal at Liberty School

Bedford County Schools (BCS) is proud to announce that Dr. Daniella Beckman will begin her first full year as principal of Liberty School during the 2025–2026 school year. This comes after stepping in as interim principal in December 2024 and being officially named to the role in April 2025.
“Dr. Beckman has established a strong presence at the school,” commented BCS Superintendent Dr. Tammy Garrett. “And now, she prepares to lead Liberty into a new academic year with vision, energy and a deep commitment to students and families.”
Beckman brings years of instructional and leadership experience to her role at Liberty School. She began her career teaching English II and coaching softball at Blackman High School in Rutherford County. She later returned to her hometown of Chapel Hill to teach middle school English Language Arts at Forrest School, her alma mater, where she also coached the middle school cheerleading and softball teams. She eventually transitioned back to teaching high school English II, IV and Journalism before moving into an instructional facilitator role and then serving as assistant principal for seven years.
In 2022, Beckman and her family relocated to Bedford County where she joined the district as the secondary instructional coach. The following year she became assistant principal at Liberty School and was later tapped to serve as interim principal in December 2024. Her leadership and dedication earned her the permanent role as principal less than four months later.
Beckman holds a Bachelor of Science in English and Professional Education from Austin Peay State University where she also played on the softball team. She earned a Master of Education in Administration and Supervision from Middle Tennessee State University, a Specialist in Education degree in Curriculum Direction from Arkansas State University, and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Tennessee State University.
She lives in Bedford County with her husband, Cory, and their son. Together they own and operate a chicken farm where they raise pullets.
“I am thankful to work in the community where I live and where my husband and I are raising our family,” she shared. “I went to a small rural school and am grateful to now work in a similar environment.”
Beckman is driven by a strong belief in the power of education; she says, “I believe that all students can learn and should have access to the opportunity to do so. Education can change future generations. I hope that people support public education and this principle.”
As she looks ahead to the school year, she shared her excitement about continuing Liberty’s positive momentum.
“I am most looking forward to continuing the great things that are happening at Liberty School. It truly is a special place to be, and I am honored to be part of the community!”
She also praised the district and its culture of support when she said, “Bedford County Schools is a great place to work because of the people. I am grateful for the people I work with and the support I have received since I have been in the district in various roles. I was interested in this position because I wanted to be at Liberty School, regardless of the position, because it is such a wonderful place to be.”
With a strong foundation already in place and a clear vision for the future, Beckman is eager to partner with staff, students and families.
“Liberty has great students and families who I hope will continue to partner to make Liberty School the best it has ever been!”

https://www.bedfordcountypost.com/beckman-begins-first-full-year-as-principal-at-liberty-school/

07/23/2025

DOT Foods is now hiring!
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07/22/2025

Sunflower Blooms

Photos by Diandra Womble

Every Mother’s Day weekend, Mickey Womble starts his garden and planting of his sunflowers. He started this many years ago for his daughter, Diandra. Each and every year the garden gets bigger and the sunflower color palette gets larger. Mickey uses past dried sunflower seeds from each year’s planting and plants those seeds for the coming year. As you see, many colors bloom from this. The blooms start around July 4th and really peak mid-July. There are many different kinds of sunflowers and some, like pictured, are called the dwarf sunspot, black peredovik, early black heart, procut red, velvet queen, chocolate and florenza sunflower.

https://www.bedfordcountypost.com/sunflower-blooms/

07/22/2025

Webb School graduate and current member of the Brooklyn Nets, Keon Johnson, is set to hold a free camp later this week in Bell Buckle.
(Photo Courtesy of the Brooklyn Nets)

https://www.bedfordcountypost.com/johnson-set-to-host-basketball-camp/

07/22/2025

Harris Middle hosted a three-day mini camp open to future cheer leaders, focusing on tumbling, new cheers and teamwork on the mat.
(Submitted Photo)

https://www.bedfordcountypost.com/harris-middle-hosts-cheer-camp/

07/22/2025

The Webb School has canceled the 2025 high school football season due to low numbers.

https://www.bedfordcountypost.com/webb-cancels-2025-football-season/

07/22/2025

SIERS: On Monday, the Tennessee Titans announced quarterback Will Levis will undergo a season-ending shoulder surgery later this month and the timing is awfully conspicuous after successful OTAs earlier this spring.

When the Tennessee Titans took Cam Ward with the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, it was pretty clear the front office and coaching staff didn’t see 2023 second-rounder Will Levis as the future of the franchise. On Monday, the Titans announced Levis has elected to have a season-ending sho...

07/19/2025

07/17/2025

It's Christmas in July at Woodard's Diamonds and Design!

07/17/2025

Bedford County honors N.O.W. Foundation

BRADY FLANIGAN
Editor

Before 10 a.m., everyone had gathered on the ground floor of the Shelbyville courthouse. In much the same tradition as the highest hills of England are oft dotted with medieval moss-stone castles, cities in the American South seem bound by instinct to perch their courthouses on the highest mound of dirt in the land. Outside, a man swept across the lawn with a zero-turn. From that high place, it looked as if he were trimming the rooftops of the town below.
Enough of the crowd was wearing bright yellow that it’d’ve looked alien to a passerby. But the crowd was there to honor something called the “daffodil initiative,” a new part of the N.O.W. Foundation’s Kindness Campaign. Women in yellow pantsuits and button-ups, and men in generic blue or black blazers, clustered in groups of three, talking amongst themselves. Occasionally one would break loose from their triumvirate and wander to another. The crowd of maybe 30 kept a steady flow of bodies moving from group to group.
The N.O.W. (No Opportunities Wasted) Foundation is a non-profit founded in 2024 by Angelia James and Tiffany Dandy, built on a mission of growing community in Bedford County by offering services like food and clothing assistance, mental health resources, and educational programs to those in need. Everyone was there for a proclamation ceremony authorized by County Mayor Chad Graham to honor the work of the N.O.W. Foundation.
The crowd arrived in pieces, and as the lower floor filled up, the chamber became increasingly loud. Sounds sprang off the marble walls, and with each new arrival the room grew louder—until it was a wide roar, as if stepping into a moth sanctuary full of fluttering wings.
When 10 a.m. arrived, a man waved his arms and shouted until the crowd quieted down. He declared the ceremony would soon begin upstairs, in the room where county commission meetings are held. The crowd migrated up the stairs and settled down in rows of wooden pews while the cameramen set up their equipment in the aisles. Angelia and the other members of the N.O.W. Foundation hung back a minute, building tension for a slightly late arrival, the way brides do. They arrived with a bouquet of daffodils.
The proclamation was supposed to be delivered by Bedford County Mayor Chad Graham, but he was caught up last minute. County Trustee Tonya Davis read in his place.
The proclamation followed the classic government script—formal, florid, and stitched together with “Whereas” clauses:
Whereas the N.O.W. Foundation has served the citizens of Bedford County… Whereas their work promotes kindness and community… Whereas the daffodil shall stand as a symbol of that kindness…
Tonya became choked up on that last “whereas.” It’s hard to say whether it was the content, the cadence, or the sheer number of preambles that did it. For a second, the ceremony cracked open, and something human spilled out.
When the proclamation was finished, Tonya invited Angelia forward to speak.
“This time I would like Angelie—”
“Angelia,” she cut in, correcting her name.
“Angelia—Dr. James—to come forward to accept the proclamation.”
“I appreciate you all coming out,” she said.
“We are just very happy with the success of the event. We want you to know that we want to express kindness. It is very important to our foundation. This initiative, we are very serious about it… thank you again.”

https://www.bedfordcountypost.com/bedford-county-honors-n-o-w-foundation/