The Haywood County Schools Board of Education met on Thursday, February 8, with a full slate of business. The first order of business was an introduction of the directors and teachers who have been selected for the summer Read to be Ready program by Chief Academic Officer Yvette Blue and Elementary Academic Supervisor Michelle Tillman. Then Superintendent Joey Hassell introduced the Teachers of the Year. Board members approved out-of-state travel for the HHS track teams, heard an audit of school and cafeteria funds, budget amendments, and a summary of the State Report Card by Superintendent Joey Hassell.

Read to be Ready

HCS received a $78,000 state grant, and the school board made up the difference of $30,000 to make the $108,00 needed to support the program. The summer program will accommodate 90 students at four campuses: The Scott Street Center, the Douglas Community Center in Stanton, Haywood Elementary School and Sunny Hill Innovative Learning Center. The program with the theme, “Reading Olympics,” will last from June 4-28, Monday through Thursday, and include field trips. Directors for the program are teachers Catherine Lester and Trista Parker. Sponsors Achana Jarrett for the Scott Street Center and Mrs, Rivers for the Douglass Community Center joined members of the teaching staff for a photo. Teachers are Catherine Lester, Krista Parker, Danetta Bond, Chrissy Carl, Crystal Foster, Lacey Gaylord, Leigh Ann Lindsey, Dawn Lovelace, Tonya Madere, Suzie May, Cayla Mirelez, Minnie Reed, Jamie Rutkowski, Darlean Wellington, Cheri Williams, Hattie Starks, Rhonda Taylor, Grace Fergie, Brittany Ferrell, and Tiana Wiley.

Teachers of the Year

Selected by their peers as Teachers of the Year are: (front, from left) Haywood High School – Holly Chilcutt, Haywood High School Career and Tech Division – Brandlin Turner and Haywood High School REACH – Julian Stanz ; (second row) Anderson – Crystal Foster, Haywood Elementary – Lacey Gaylord, East Side Intermediate- Leigh Anne Allen, Haywood Middle School – Charita Perry. District Level winners are PreK-4 – Lacey Gaylord, Grades 5-8 – Charita Perry, and Haywood High School – Holly Chilcutt. The District Level winners will compete in the regional competition.

Board members approved two out-of-state trips for the HHS Track teams. Coach Dave Rogers will take the HHS teams to participate in the Invitational of the South in Murray, Kentucky, and to the Paducah Tilghman Invitational Tourney in Paducah, Kentucky.

Superintendent Hassell and CFO David Livingston went over the audit for the school activity accounts and cafeteria funds from July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. There were some findings, but Mr. Livingston will meet with the employees and work with them to learn the procedures and remedy the problems before the next audit. The Board also approved the budget amendments presented by Mr. Livingston.

Lastly, Superintendent Hassell gave an overview to board members and visitors of the State Report Card results for Haywood County Schools. He also spoke about his Superintendent’s report that he sends out on Fridays that includes his activities each week and reports from the director of each department.

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, March 8, at 6:00 p.m.