New Hires Announced

For immediate release.

December 16, 2019

Clarksville, Tenn. Clarksville Academy, a private Pre-K through 12^th grade college preparatory school, is pleased to announce the hiring of our Heads of Intermediate and Upper School, as well as, the addition of a new position, Major Gifts Officer.

Head of Intermediate School, Alicia McQueen, received her Bachelor of Education in Interdisciplinary Studies and her Master’s of Science in Psychology, with an emphasis on School Counseling. Alicia is a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the American School Counseling Association. She has just completed her eighteenth year as an educator and is serving in her eighth year at Clarksville Academy. During her time at CA, Alicia has taught all grade levels, including Lower School Guidance, Intermediate School English, Public Speaking and Discovery electives, and Upper School Leadership and Psychology. She has also served as school counselor for all grade levels. Recently, Alicia took on the role of CA’s Curriculum Director, which has involved the oversight and leadership of the Department Chair Committee, as well as the implementation of a PreK-12 full curriculum vertical mapping program. Her knowledge of, and commitment to, the intermediate school age student, coupled with her extensive guidance background and curriculum expertise, make her an excellent hire for this position.

Head of Upper School, Denise Walker, received her Associates of Science in Legal Studies, Associates of Arts in General Education, Bachelor of Science in Social Psychology, and a Master of Science in Continuing Education: Psychology and Counseling. Denise is a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the American School Counseling Association. She just completed her fifteenth year as an educator, thirteen of which have been at Clarksville Academy. Prior to that Denise served in the United States Air Force as a paralegal. During her time at CA she has taught all grade levels, including technology, psychology, ACT Prep, Leadership & Strategic Impact, and served as our Director of School Counseling. In her role as the Director of College Counseling, Denise helped the 2019 graduating class secure 9.2 million dollars in scholarship funds, the highest in school history. Her leadership style, commitment to students, and extensive knowledge of our student body make her the standout candidate for this position.

While the highly qualified group of applicant finalists was competitive, Alicia and Denise bring a knowledge and experience of the Clarksville Academy community that made it clear that they are the right candidates.

Major Gifts Officer, Christina Clark has been a fixture in not only the Clarksville Academy community but the Clarksville community as well. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Apparel, Merchandising and Textiles with a minor in Business at the University of Kentucky. Throughout her professional career, Christina has focused her work on interior design and non-profit fundraising. Christina’s legacy in Clarksville has been her success in the non-profit sector, serving as leadership on a variety of committees and boards such as The Clarksville Customs House Museum Guild, Junior Auxiliary, Leadership Clarksville Board of Directors, and Austin Peay State University’s Candlelight Ball Committee. In 2018, Christina chaired the APSU Candlelight Ball and secured more scholarship dollars than any previous chair. Christina will focus her time and attention on securing major gifts on behalf of Clarksville Academy.

“Clarksville Academy is known as an educational leader in our community. The hire of these three individuals continues our commitment to attract the most qualified educators and leaders to support our mission and vision. Mrs. McQueen and Mrs. Walker are known and loved by our student and parent community, and are strong leaders who will lead our school on a course for success. Mrs. Clark’s tenacity and commitment to seeing Clarksville Academy grow made the addition of her position vital to our school,” Jennifer Hinote, Head of School.

For more information on Clarksville Academy or its programs visit: clarksvilleacademy.com.

Alicia McQueen, Head of Intermediate School

Denise Walker, Head of Upper School

Christina Clark

Christina Clark, Major Gifts Officer

Giving the Perfect Gift

By: Sally Allen, Director of Marketing & Development

December is a time of giving. During this season of giving, we all rush around trying to find the perfect item for that special person. We scour online sites and stores hoping to find just the right thing. But this season is about more than material gifts. Gifts can come in all forms. The gift of time, talent, service, or financial support can make a major impact.

Gifts of time and service can be given in a variety of places. You could volunteer with a local food pantry, shelter, church, civic organization or school. Volunteering not only provides a service for the recipient, but also provides a sense of satisfaction, connection and love for the volunteer. When you find the right fit for you or your family, you will find a world of opportunities await you!

The gift of talent is a special one. Can you sing? Dance? Play a musical instrument? Offer the gift of art? Can you share your knowledge or expertise on a topic in a class or to a group? Can you read to young students or read with students who need an extra boost? Gifts of talent are truly special and something that will make a major impact on those you share it with.

The gift of financial support is a personal one. For our family, we discuss what areas or organizations are important to us. Financial gifts don’t have to be large to make an impact. Non-profit organizations need gifts large and small and make a lasting impression. When choosing where and what to give, find an organization you believe in and one who has a mission you want to support. Many organizations will allow you to make general gifts or gifts toward particular projects within their campaign.

We all enjoy giving and receiving gifts, but this holiday season, I encourage to you look at the variety of ways you can give. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Serving Others

By: Lisa Little, Key Club Sponsor

My first eyewitness experience of community service was at my great-grandmother Rosa Anderson’s home in Tennessee Ridge. Tennessee Ridge is a small community found on the outskirts of the town of Erin. As a child, I looked forward to riding the ferry across the Cumberland River that created the county line between Stewart and Houston counties. She was a tall, slender built woman with red hair that was always in a long braid down the middle of her back. She loved to cook, garden, quilt, crochet, and raise chickens. Often times during our summertime visits, she would take me to the garden to help her collect the bounty provided by the rich, red clay soil. She also liked for me to help her collect eggs from her brooding hens. I wasn’t always fond of this task as I had been pecked several times while attempting to retrieve the eggs. After our outside adventures, Granny Anderson, as we fondly called her, would lay the vegetables and fruits out in cardboard box lids that lined the floor of the enclosed back porch of her home. This room also had boxes stacked in every nook and cranny containing mason jars filled with canned vegetables, jellies, and jams. Locals would stop by to purchase fresh and preserved items or eggs. Though she lived on a fixed income, she charged very little for the items she sold. More than once, I walked with her to nearby homes to deliver boxes fresh fruit and veggies, as a gesture of neighborly love. She would give her handmade baby sweater sets or quilts to friends or church members. She would take some of her earnings to the local hardware store to purchase supplies for her crocheting and quilting. She collected used clothing to make quilts. She was resourceful, talented, and a beloved member of her community.

My great-grandmother passed away over 30 years ago. She is one of many members of my family that have what I call a heart of service. I began my own journey of service by joining Key Club as a freshmen student at Northwest High School. Through my family’s examples and my 4 year involvement in Key Club, I learned how to serve others in various ways and found it brought a great feeling of joy to my soul. In 2001, I was a founding faculty member of Rossview High School. During the assigning teaching and sponsor responsibilities by administration, I was granted the opportunity to establish a chapter of Key Club. It was truly a moment that came full circle. It was now my turn to give students the joyful experience of helping your fellow man.

Four years ago, I became a member of the Clarksville Academy faculty and again was blessed by becoming the Key Club Advisor. In the past four years, club member have earned over 10,000 hours of service. Through the leadership of club officers, these students have served many local organizations and charities. They have collected Jeans for Teens, food items for Manna Cafe, winter clothing for The Well, and children’s toys for Vanderbilt’s Ronald McDonald House. Additionally, they have painted Halloween pumpkins and created non-skid socks for local nursing home residents. Some students spent time tutoring classmates or middle school students during study hall. Others have volunteered to work at school events. A most recent service project involved creating PLARN from plastic grocery bags to make sleeping mats for the homeless.

Their reach has even extended to the needs of our four-legged friends. Two years ago the club collected pet food. This year, they decided to recycle their own t-shirts into dog toys. These students are full of enthusiasm and creative ideas of how to grow CA Key Club’s service to others. They never cease to amaze me; I learn from them at each meeting and event. Most of their ideas don’t involve spending money, but looking for ways to invest their personal time or how to recycle items as a useful product to others. I could go on for days about all that this wonderful group of students has done. Each one inspires me to be a better person, to help make their visions a reality, and to guide them in developing their own hearts of service. Two things that I hope I will continue through my lifetime are to never stop learning and to never stop giving of the talents afforded me.

Charitable Giving

By: Sally Allen, Director of Marketing & Development

During this time of year, we all begin to think about charitable giving. There are so many fantastic opportunities available for giving. Here are a few simple guidelines for deciding where or how to give.

Choose the organization(s) that best fit with you or your family’s interests.
Research the charitable organization that you want to give to. Is it a credible 501c3 that spends its money wisely to achieve its mission? Will you receive a tax deduction?
Do they prefer a monetary donation, a donation of food, clothing, personal care items or the gift of your time serving with the organization?
What is their mission and does it relate to what you believe?
Will your employer match your gift?

These 5 simple guidelines will help you in deciding on where and what to give. Selecting an organization that not only supports the beliefs and mission that you and your family have, but is something you trust is the most important. Once you’ve narrowed your selections down, it’s important to research the charity and note how they spend their money (actual funding vs. administrative funding). Unfortunately, there are many charitable organization that spend more on publicity and administrative staff than on their stated goals or cause. Then dig a little further and see if they prefer something other than a monetary donation. Some organizations appreciate the gift of time as much, if not more, than your dollars. Finally, ask your employer if they will match your gift. Many companies will match gifts up to a certain amount. Contact your human resources office to see if you qualify.

The holiday season is all about giving. There are many opportunities to give and serve causes and organizations that are important to you. We hope you find the right place to donate your time and/or resources to.