By Marcia Barnes
Staff Writer
Clay County Board of Education Chairman Jason Shook announced the date for the next regular board meeting and Superintendent Melissa Godfrey followed up in announcing that Monday, Aug. 25 will also be the first day of school in Hayesville.
In a request to address the board in the public comment period, Brenda Lovett, Secretary-Treasurer for Clay County Canine Initiative and Lieutenant Bruce Moore, Clay County Sheriff’s Officer briefly described an upcoming event to raise funds for an appropriate canine for the schools. This might be a well-trained child-friendly yellow lab or mild-mannered German shepherd. This would be the dog that goes to school if the Saturday, Sept. 27 fundraiser at Eagle Fork Vineyards in Shooting Creek is successful.
Recognition for professional and athletic achievements were plentiful at the meeting. The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching Scholarship was awarded to Hayesville High School Science Teacher Amanda Coker. Dr. Brock Womble, NCCAT Executive Director presented the prestigious scholarship to Coker.
Hayesville High School Varsity Track Head Coach Jon Hensley officiated in handing certificates of recognition from Smoky Mountain Conference All Conference to Kyla Eller, Marlo Joyce, Skylar Lockaby, Kadence Morrow and Ava Shook; in Men’s Varsity Track, Daniel Allen, Elio Murillo, Kenyon Rogers-Gibby and Tre Graves.
Smoky Mountain Conference Honorable Mention in Women’s Varsity Track was awarded to Savannah Burch, Sydney Greenstone and Raelynn Wood; Smoky Mountain Conference Honorable Mention in Men’s Varsity Track was awarded to Noah Carter, Eli Chandler, Jack Dorsey, Jackson Dye, Cooper Matheson and Braylen Thompson.
Hayesville High School Varsity Baseball Head Coach Joe Jack Sellers presented Smoky Mountain Conference All Conference certificates of recognition to Ben Bethel, Kendall Boyer, Chance Hughes, Michael Mauney, Tate Roberts, Jackson Sellers and Kyle Shaheen.
Smoky Mountain Conference All Conference Player of the Year was Ben Bethel.
All Region Team players were recognized, Dawson DeVane, Kyle Shaheen, Chance Hughes, Michael Mauney, Tate Roberts and Kendall Boyer; All State Team, Ben Bethel and Jackson Sellers; and second Team All WNC, Ben Bethel and Jackson Sellers.
Construction on Hayesville Intermediate School continues with the campus skyline showing vertical steel beams rising above some older campus structures. Godfrey said that more details on the state of construction will be available at an upcoming construction meeting. No date has been set as yet for that meeting.
Godfrey reported on Clay County Schools Strategic Plan 2025-2026 and current goals completed and goals still to be achieved within the North Carolina State Board of Education Mission. The goals of the mission are to eliminate opportunity gaps by 2025, increase educator preparedness and improve district and school performance by 2026.
Pointing out goals already achieved at Hayesville schools, Godfrey said that two of the goals to improve district and school performance have been completed, progress-monitor and problem-solve to meet the needs of individual learners and use data to measure mastery of standards and identify learning gaps and needs.
Also completed was reviewing all school discipline plans and procedures annually to ensure providing proper framework and improving work and learning environments through improved air quality at the elementary, middle and high schools.
To increase educator preparedness: review and revised recruitment, hiring, retention and evaluation processes to grow and maintain a skilled workforce have been met. Conceptualizing a more structured beginning teacher support program has been met and conducting yearly evaluations to gauge the efficacy of the beginning teacher support program is in place.
Action taken at the Monday, July 28 meeting included approval of:
• Memorandum of Understanding with Communities for Students.
• School Nutrition Vendor.
• Driver’s Education Contract.
The next regular board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25.