West Carroll Board Updates District Goals

ATWOOD (October 2) — The West Carroll Special School District board briefly gathered in the West Carroll Junior/Senior High School cafeteria Thursday night for their October meeting.

On the agenda were a student disciplinary hearing request, overnight field trip requests and a discussion of literacy and numeracy proficiency goals adhering to the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) accountability report. Present board members were Jeremy Jackson, Misty Mitchell, Keith Murray, William Robinson and Betty Wallace.

Joey Pryor requested a student disciplinary hearing with the board and Chris Hayden, the school district’s attorney, regarding his child. After a discussion, the board agreed Pryor’s child committed a zero tolerance offence. Wallace and Jackson made motions to deny Pryor’s request for a hearing, and the board unanimously voted in agreement, affirming the school district’s initial decision.

Afterward, the board approved two requests to send grades 4-12 to the Beta Club State Competition in Nashville.

Caldwell then provided the school board with the district’s educational goals for this school year, as written in the TISA accountability report. Goals include improving third grade student literacy from 33.9 percent to 39 percent proficiency, increasing K-12 literacy from 29.6 percent to 34 percent proficiency, and increasing K-12 numeracy from 26.4 percent to 30 percent proficiency by the end of the 2025-26 school year.

Caldwell projects West Carroll’s third grade literacy proficiency will reach 70 percent by 2034.

After recognizing a lack of public comments, the school board gave West Carroll principals the floor to report on their respective schools.

West Carroll Primary School Principal Jackie Wester informed the board of events and initiatives her school led in September and read a calendar overview leading up to fall break. She explained the “Drop Everything And Read” initiative the school began in September, which urges students to read 50 books by Christmas and 100 books by the end of the year.

Like Wester, West Carroll Elementary School Principal Jessica Williams informed the board of her school’s events and initiatives leading up to fall break.

West Carroll Junior/Senior High School Principal Adam Douglas recapped homecoming week and the school’s recent mum sale to the board and gave an overview of the school’s upcoming events — including the Boo Bash on October 21. He also reported three new students enrolled in the past week.

All three principals expressed their gratitude toward the school board for the work they have done so far this school year.

Caldwell provided a short Director of Schools report, shouting out several members of the district staff. He updated the board on the primary school’s remodel, which he was hopeful would be completed by the end of students’ fall break. The remodel project began over the summer and set out to replace all doors and windows and build a new vestibule. The elementary school is scheduled for a similar remodel in summer 2026.

At the end of his report, Caldwell opened the floor for Melissa Watkins to introduce herself. Beginning after fall break, Watkins is West Carroll’s new technology director and EIS-TEDS data specialist. A self-described “data person,” Watkins will oversee federal accountability, student attendance and students’ college and career readiness. Watkins leaves the Hollow Rock-Bruceton school district, where she taught high school science.

West Carroll’s next school board meeting is November 6.