Haywood County Schools Superintendent Marlon King, Deputy Superintendent Teresa Russell and School Board Chairman Harold Garrett welcomed all school employees to the first day of the 2012-13 school year on July 30 at Haywood High School.

Superintendent King addressed administrators, teachers and other school staff members, central office staff, board members and guests, sharing state results and data from our schools’ testing and using words of praise for the remarkable progress students made in academics during the 2011-12 school year. He praised his entire staff for working hard together to make this happen.

Superintendent King also presented Mrs. Russell as the new Interim Superintendent who will take his place when he leaves in mid-August to take a position with the State Department of Education. She spoke to the crowd, expressing confidence in the staff and her plans to continue keeping up the good work.

“I am excited to have the opportunity to serve as Interim Superintendent of Haywood County Schools. I am humbled to have the privilege of working with the most talented and dedicated educators in the state of Tennessee. Most importantly, though, I am honored to be in a position to serve the students, parents, and community members of Haywood County. We have had marked success over the past few years under the direction of Dr. Marlon King, and it is my goal to continue this work while providing stability and continued growth,” Mrs. Russell said.

A number of local and area merchants and professionals set up booths in the gymnasium for the school employees to visit before and after the celebration.
The first day at school for students will be on Monday, August 6. The schools will also hold Family Curriculum Nights on Friday, August 3, from 5 to 7 p.m.