By Marcia Barnes
Staff Writer
Interim Superintendent Scotty Penland, presented positive comments at the Clay County Schools Board of Education meeting on Monday night. The Aug. 28 date also coincided with Hayesville’s first day of school.
“The principals and staff have done an excellent job. They were all prepared, the students were all excited. It was smooth,” Penland said.
Enrollment numbers for all four schools totaled 1,211 on Monday and 1,283 students with the addition of Pre-K children. Penland said the schools may have more students show up after the Labor Day holiday.
Emphasizing the importance of attendance Penland said, “The parents might not think about it at the time, two days a month, that doesn’t sound like a lot, but it adds up over time. It’s a lot of hours, a lot of days, a whole year of school by graduation.”
Penland also announced the completion of each school’s summer maintenance. Hayesville Primary School has a new chain link fence; Hayesville Elementary School has been completely painted on the inside and Penland noted that it looks very inviting. The middle school gym has air conditioning and it’s working and the gym floors have been repaired at the high school.
Two of Hayesville’s teachers were recognized with separate awards from the N.C. Center for the Advancement of Teachers. Rachelle Leek was named the Clay County Beulah Padgett Whichard Honored Educator Scholar for 2023-2024. Amy Trout received the R. Phillip Haire Honored Educator Scholar for 2023-2024.
A third recognition was to Revonda Palmer who was chosen by her peers out of the entire region as the 2023-2024 Western Region Curriculum and Instruction Management Coordinator of the Year.
Heather Plemmons, District Multi-Tiered Support coordinator for Hayesville schools reported on Facilitated Assessment Model and said that plans for addressing specific components and outcomes for data that had been collected was going into place. Plemmons said that looking at core instruction in the schools, every child, every grade would be included.
In other matters:
• The board approved an expenditure of $39,000 for a sound system which will be installed in the new auditorium which is part of the design work of LS3P. The sound system is an add-on. Board members were all in favor. Penland said, “We’re going to do it.”
• The board approved a Public School Building Repair and Renovation Fund distribution request for HVAC in Room 213 at Hayesville High School.
A closed session was requested by board members for the remaining meeting.
The next regular board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25.