Sand Gap Elementary School

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Dear Jackson County Community,

I want to reach out to our community to clarify the false rumors that have been made against the Jackson County Board of Education and myself. We have been accused of frivolous spending while making budget cuts. I can assure you that our money is being spent as budgeted and there have been no cuts. Every year the budget is prepared by the District’s Finance Officer and me. As part of this process, we review all needs for the district, which include instructional needs, buildings & grounds needs, transportation needs, staffing needs, technology needs, and an assortment of other needs.

Our students come first. Since I was named Superintendent, I have worked to ensure that our students have the best for their education. All students in Jackson County have chrome books and are being instructed with the newest curriculum available. We are currently in the process of updating our chrome books to continue this trend of providing the best for our students. Since I became Superintendent, the district has provided new curriculum coaches to collaborate with our teachers to make sure the students are receiving the best instruction.

We have provided raises for our staff. My first year, all full-time staff, certified and classified received a $1500 extra service pay that they had never received before. We provide the staff with up-to-date resources and provide the best professional learning possible.
This school year, we opened the Little Generals Learning Center to provide our staff with assistance in childcare.

Since I have been here, the district sets aside $150,000 for each building for maintenance and repairs. I am constantly communicating with my staff and asking each principal what they need, whether it be for instruction or for their buildings. Since I became Superintendent, we have begun the renovation process of Sand Gap and Tyner. The renovation at JCMS is about to wrap up. The issue with heat and air at JCMS are being addressed. Issues arose in the process that began before I became Superintendent that were uncovered last summer and through constant communication with the construction crew, we are working through the issues.

The district budgets and purchases two new school buses each year. We purchase top of the line buses in this expenditure to ensure reliability and student safety.

The most recent are the purchases of vehicles. Just like with our bus fleet, we have a fleet of vehicles that must be updated. While many false rumors have circulated on this issue, none of the vehicles are new or have been purchased for me to drive for personal use. The money for these vehicles is in our budget and board approved. The vehicles purchased were purchased with multiple uses in mind. They transport students to and from different events, whether it be for ballgames, academic competitions, organizational events and competitions and school representation. This is a more cost-effective means of transportation for our district. By using these vehicles, we can save on fuel, drivers, and wear and tear on the bus fleet.

These vehicles are also used for staff. They are driven to meetings, professional learning, school business, and sporting events. In total, four vehicles were purchased this school year, the purchase prices were within the allotted budget.

• 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Work Truck 4WD, $26,505
• 2022 GMC Yukon XL SLT $48,184
• 2022 Chevrolet Traverse LT Cloth $28,390
• 2023 Chevrolet Traverse LS $27,559

I have written this letter with the hopes of putting out the correct information. We always want to be transparent. Our goal is to serve our students, our staff, and the citizens of Jackson County. Everyone is welcome to attend our monthly board meetings. They are held on the third Monday each month at 6:00 at the Central Office.

Sincerely,

Renee Smith, Superintendent