About Cascade High

Follow us on Social Media.

Mission Statement  

CHS: Committed to the Highest Standards of Excellence

We are committed to the highest standards of excellence for every student.

About The School  

Cascade High School’s Purpose Statements

Students

1. Challenge themselves to achieve their highest potential as independent learners and stretch their current academic ability.
2. Engage in academic learning, begin to understand the relevance of their learning to real life, retain what is taught, and continue to be lifelong learners.
3. Participate in the culture and community at Cascade, holding each other accountable and feeling safe to learn.

Teachers

1. Prepare students for lifelong learning by holding students accountable for self-directed learning in all courses through rigorous learning opportunities.
2. Collaborate in order to improve their instruction and consistently take advantage of learning opportunities to provide students with the best skills for future success.
3. Strive to connect with their students by being involved in school culture outside the classroom.

Parents and Community

1. Are involved in every aspect of our school and are engaged in their children’s academic and extracurricular endeavors.
2. Invest in Cascade students by mentoring, guest speaking, and providing internships.
3. Utilize various means of communication such as the school website, access to student gradebook, phone calls, and social media to stay informed of their children’s academic progress and daily school activities.

School Structure

1. Informs teachers and stakeholders in advance of all upcoming events to help plan optimal instruction and participation.
2. Creates and utilizes alternate schedules to maximize instructional time while accommodating for memory-making activities and testing.
3. Provides tools, such as meaningful professional development at the school level, for high-quality teaching.
4. Ensures students possess study skills and resourcefulness in accessing study tools, while providing and protecting a productive study environment for students.

Mascot & Colors

Mascot: Champions

Colors: Orange & Black

History of Cascade School

Cascade School evolved from three schools: Wartrace K-12, Bell Buckle K-12, and Normandy Elementary. The idea to put the schools together came when the Bell Buckle School burned on April 12, 1972. The clock still hanging in the current front office was the one actually rescued from the Bell Buckle fire of 1972.The Bell Buckle students finished their 1972 year at Wartrace School. In the 1972-1973 school year, the two schools, Bell Buckle and Wartrace, would officially become one.

Suggestions were taken from the students and community for the name of the school, the mascot, and the colors. The name Cascade was chosen because the Cascade Springs was the water supply shared by Bell Buckle, Wartrace, and Normandy. The school colors derived from an interesting combination of both schools' colors. Bell Buckle’s colors were red, white, and blue; Wartrace’s colors were black and yellow. White was taken from Bell Buckle and black was taken from Wartrace. So where did Cascade's famous orange come from? The color orange came from the combination of Bell Buckle’s red and Wartrace’s yellow. The mascot was unanimously agreed upon to be a walking horse, but naming it took a little thought. The students didn’t want to be called the "horses," so they asked themselves: "What do you want your horse to be?" The answer--a champion! Thus, we became the Cascade Champions.

The students from the new school "Cascade" were in the Wartrace building until 1976 when the present building was finished. The new building would bring all elementary students from the Bell Buckle, Wartrace, and Normandy schools together along with the middle and high school students from Bell Buckle and Wartrace. The total student body population in 1976 was 710 students.

Due to overcrowding, a new elementary, K-5, school was constructed and opened for students in the 1997-1998 school year. The middle school grades 6-8 took the south section where the elementary had been. The high school was housed in the north section that they previously shared with the middle school.

Since 1976, there have been seven principals in the present building. The first was Mr. Marvin Whitaker, former principal of Bell Buckle High School. Mr. Whitaker served as principal from 1972-1984. Mr. Hal Skelton became the second principal and held the position from 1985 until 1994. Mr. Terry Looper became the principal in 1995 and held the position until 2007. Mr. Looper was the first African-American principal in Bedford County since the schools were integrated in 1965. Mrs. Sharon Edwards, previously the principal at Cascade Elementary, became principal in the fall of 2007 and resigned in 2012. Mrs. Edwards was the first female high school principal in Bedford County. Mr. Tim Harwell became principal in 2012 and held the position until 2017.  Mr. Josh Young became principal at the beginning of the 2017-18 school year and served until 2022. Mrs. Sorrells is the 7th principal in school history. She has previous administrator experience from her time at Lincoln County school.  In the 2011-12 school year, the middle school was assigned its own principal, and Mr. David Parker, previously the assistant principal for the 6-12 school, was named the first Cascade Middle School principal.

From 1972 until present day, Cascade has striven to provide a learning environment that enriches, challenges, and nourishes students. Because of the students, teachers / staff, and community, Cascade is a special place to be.

GO CHAMPIONS!