About Cascade Elementary

Cascade Elementary was established in 1997 when due to overcrowding kindergarten through fifth grades were moved to a new site on the same campus as Cascade High School. Cascade Elementary School serves the communities of Bell Buckle, Normandy, and Wartrace, as well as various smaller communities. The location is approximately five miles northeast of Shelbyville and eight miles southeast of the Beechgrove exit on Interstate 24. The northeastern area of Bedford County contains the typical rolling hills, farmlands, woodlands, and fresh streams of Middle Tennessee. Cascade School (K-12) was established consolidating the Bell Buckle and Wartrace schools. Students of both schools and community members submitted suggestions for the school’s name and mascot, which were then considered by various members of the communities.

 

The name Cascade, which was taken from the name of the area’s main water source, Cascade Springs, was approved by the student body, faculty, and the school board. The Tennessee Walking Horse was chosen as the mascot and “Champions” as the name of the school teams. This is appropriate since Wartrace is known as the “The Cradle of the Tennessee Walking Horse.” The school colors are orange, black, and white. Black was taken from the colors of the Wartrace Panthers, white was taken from the Bell Buckle Blue Devils, and orange was selected to represent the newness of the Cascade School. Cascade Elementary School has since adopted the Tennessee Walking Horse colt as its mascot.

 

Cascade Elementary School opened in 1997 with the capacity for 500 students and a first-year principal, Sharon V. Edwards. First-year enrollment was 417. Over the next nine years, five double portables were added to accommodate the growing student population. With current enrollment of 667, plans were made to address the overcrowding issue.

 

In the fall of 2007, Cascade had another first-year principal, Martha Fisher, and a new 11,641 square foot wing opened with an occupant load of 210. Ten classrooms, one teacher workroom, a storage facility, and a set of restrooms reduced the overcrowding issue. The 4th and 5th grades moved into the new addition, freeing up three portables which were moved to other schools. Landscaping was added through the use of donations and the vocational class at Cascade High School.

 

In August 2014, Cascade Elementary again had a first-year principal, Sherry Crawford. In 2021, Robin Ayers Adcock became the new principal of Cascade. She has worked hard to continue serving the community as well as the school.

 

Cascade Elementary is a Blue Ribbon School and has also been a Reward School.