JessLockhartThird Place, East Division, K-8/Middle Schools

Jess Lockhart, Principal
1717 Bristol Caverns Highway
Bristol, TN 37620
Sullivan County Schools
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Recipe For Success:

Holston Valley is a 6-8 middle school in rural Sullivan County with 76% of the students economically disadvantaged.  We currently have 201 students at Holston Valley and our objective has always been to prepare our students to meet the challenges of a changing world.  We provide varied instruction tailored to the needs of a diverse population and we stress to all students the importance of a quality education.

Our school is successful because the faculty and staff work so well together as a team.  I try to select and retain the best teachers possible that have the drive and passion to be effective educators.  The curriculum, scheduling and positive teacher work ethic play vital roles in our student’s achievement.  Each school day is designed to incorporate as much instructional time as possible.

We utilize the “team concept” at Holston Valley Middle and our grade level teachers plan together each day to meet student needs.  The strengths and weaknesses of our students are identified several ways throughout the school year.  Our teachers use classroom progress, assessments, TCAP scores and Think Link data to determine student needs.  TCAP data is also used to target and identify students that are proficient or basic in the academic subjects.  We encourage students that are basic or below basic to enroll in the after school tutoring program that meets two hours per day, four days per week.  Teachers often consult with students during the team planning time to enhance student academic progress.  We also have two computer labs where Study Island, Ed Helper, Brain Pop and Read 180 are implemented when possible.  Our goal is to see that each and every student is engaged to their fullest potential during class instruction time.

Our teachers, students and community are extremely proud of our this award.  My goal will always be to see that both students and faculty strive to reach their highest level of educational success.  Again, our accomplishments are a group effort by everyone, but our teachers go above and beyond their call of duty to make success happen!  It is both an honor and a blessing for me to work at Holston Valley Middle School.