Haywood County Schools recognizes academic success

After the last school year, Haywood County Schools held onto its seventh-place ranking in the state, out of 115 school districts, in academic performance. The school system first attained this historic high-water mark during the 2021-22 school year, prior to which it was ranked 10th. 

Two grants help Haywood students

Haywood County Schools recently received two grants from Dogwood Health Trust. One will benefit students at the Haywood Community Learning Center, and another will help fund mental health support services in elementary and middle grades. 

New principal at Waynesville Middle School

The Haywood County School Board moved quickly to approve a new principal for Waynesville Middle School after the sudden departure of previous Principal Jennifer Reeves. 

Haywood County Schools will buy Ratcliff Cove land

More than three months after a rezoning request revealed plans by Haywood County Schools to consolidate several facilities on a new piece of property in Waynesville, Superintendent Trevor Putnam was given access to the funding that will make acquisition of the parcel possible. 

School board approves property acquisition

The Haywood County School Board has approved the acquisition of a parcel of land off Ratcliff Cove Road for the construction of a facility that would consolidate several of its auxiliary services. 

Public hearing set for school board rezoning request

As first reported in The Smoky Mountain News, Haywood County Schools has proposed a multi-million dollar consolidation of several auxiliary services on a 28-acre parcel off Ratcliff Cove Road. For that to happen, the parcel must first be rezoned.

HCS budgets for a changing school system

As Haywood County Schools hammered out its 2023-24 budget, administrators faced declining student population and the imminent end of COVID-era relief funds, both of which will diminish the amount of money available for the public school system.

EXCLUSIVE: Potential property shuffle puts Haywood County Schools in a pickle

A relatively routine rezoning request for a parcel off Ratcliff Cove Road has inadvertently revealed multi-million dollar plans by Haywood County Schools to consolidate several of its auxiliary services in one central location — a move that could affect multiple facilities and have a ripple effect on several other ongoing county issues.

Haywood Schools still face deluge of flood repairs

On Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 17, 2021, the second day of the school year, Haywood County Schools Superintendent Dr. Bill Nolte announced that school would be closed the following day. “Early and extensive flooding from Tropical Storm Fred” had damaged several roads used for bus routes, and there was uncertainty about scheduled food deliveries to the school system. It would be an optional workday for teachers, not a remote learning day for students.

Haywood School Board reverses course, mandates masks

At an emergency meeting Saturday, the Haywood County School Board voted 5-2 to mandate masks and enact a plan that will adjust masking policy based on the weekly averages of positive COVID-19 cases. 

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