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Wlaf1450
By Charlotte Underwood
JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- Interim School Director Nancy Lay gave her first director’s report at Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting, announcing the “good news” that the district had or would be receiving two grants and that attendance was up by nine students over last month.
She started her report off by thanking everyone for the opportunity to serve the district as interim director.
“It’s my first time in this seat and I am really excited to be here,” Lay said. She also shared the good news that the “contractor for Jacksboro Elementary is scheduled to have work completed by May, a month early than planned.”
She also announced “another little tidbit of good news” that attendance for the district was up by 9 students over last month.
Lay said the district should be receiving a $50,000 ATSI grant for LaFollette Middle School. ATSI stands for Additional Targeted Support and Improvement.
She also announced the district had received Comprehensive Literacy Sustainability for $500,000.
“That grant if for $500,000 over five years and that targets fifth through 12 grade literacy,” Lay said.
Lay also announced that on January 15th from 5 am until 7 am, LaFollette Middle School will be featured on WBIR Channel 10 (Cool Schools) featuring their new ISM Lab.
“It should be something really neat to see,” Lay said.
She also said a “big congratulations to CCHS band students for their recent achievements. “Noah Campbell, Owen Dial, Jace Huddleston and Raily Marcum were selected for All-East State and we are especially proud to recognize that one of these students earned a spot in the All-State Band, a tremendous honor,” Lay said.
She also reported that new cameras were installed and operational at Valley View Elementary School and at ELLA.
“Safety and technology are collaborating on the rollout of the new Raptor Emergency Management App. Basically that goes along with the system we already have where we check people in and out of the schools. This is the next level of that for safety in the building. Staff will be allowed to communicate and receive updates during emergency situations through the app, and they will also be able to report an emergency situation in the app, supporting a coordinated and timely response,” Lay said. The goal is for all schools to be using the app by February.
In the maintenance report, she said that 41 new interior doors had been installed at Campbell County High School and that the trash compactor is fully functional at Valley View.
The 4th grade outside canopy has been installed at Caryville Elementary and two new valves have been installed at the lower sewer pump station at White Oak Elementary and three new pumps have been installed in the sewer system at Wynn Elementary.
Lay told board members that the Federal Programs Supervisor had resigned her position in December and that the “majority of the allotted funds for her salary were used up in half the year instead of balancing through the full year.”
“I have worked with finance to find the best solution while spending the least amount of money, costing approximately $29,000 to replace her,” Lay said, adding that was “the best-case scenario.”
In the final part of her first report, Lay said that letter grades have dropped for the district.
“We are analyzing the needs and digging deep into the data to assess our needs and do what we have to do,” Lay said. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-01/14/2026-6AM)