Think BIGGER

She accepted a tough assignment, but Amie Marsh has stepped into her role as Superintendent of Haywood County Schools with eyes wide open and an equally expansive, even bursting, agenda to match.
Only on the job a year, Marsh has moved speedily to perform triage on a patient that is wounded but fighting hard to thrive. “I spent an extensive amount of time meeting with key stakeholder groups, such as teachers, staff, students and families, government officials and civic and school groups.”
She learned that competitive salaries should be part of the community’s focus, and she believes residents agree with her. “The sense of community here in Haywood is unmatched. The people…truly support one another and the greater good of the county. The sense of community is also evident in our schools as the students follow the Anderson to Haywood High feeder pattern.”

Families with children who are looking at Haywood County can be reassured, she says, that both the community and our schools will embrace them and provide an educational experience that sets them on a path to college and career, provided by educators who care about them.
New standards of student performance assessment, support for teachers and students, enhanced security and daily intervention for students who need support are part of the plan. School-day and after-school tutoring programs have been reimagined to ensure students are getting what they need on a consistent basis.

BlueOval City partnerships and opportunities

Jobs will be abundant, but particular skills and training will be critical as car manufacturer Ford and its associated manufacturing partners begin producing state-of-the-art vehicles. As we expand our Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways, we are consistently evolving instructional practices to ensure students are getting the highest quality education experiences possible, Marsh says.
Haywood County is working collaboratively with neighboring counties Tipton and Lauderdale to develop HTL University to strengthen CTE opportunities. HTL University will be the first rural district collaborative in the nation to respond in partnership to industry investment. It will position K-12 students and families for the jobs of the future.
Originally a grassroots effort, HTL University has grown because of support from the governor, the Tennessee Department of Education and the Tennessee Board of Regents. All have pledged enough money and support for the program to launch in the Fall.

HTL will strongly support students as they connect to career options within existing local industries and career areas so that students have the education and embedded skills they need to go to work soon after graduating from high school.
Continuing, strong support for college-bound students
There is intense focus on technical education…not just in Haywood County…but across the state and region. Haywood County, however, will also offer Advanced Placement support for students on the college pathway. Dual enrollment coursework will support students with college readiness classes and technical/career options.
ACT preparation during the school day will give students multiple opportunities and exposure to the types of questions they’ll face on the ACT. They’ll have several chances to take the test, with no cost to parents, followed by diagnostic work on identified areas of need that will help them improve their results on subsequent tests.

Teachers, the key to success

“Exceptional student achievement starts with strong teaching,” Marsh says. “We need to ensure quality instruction that is aligned with state standards.
“In a perfect world we would have abundant funding that allowed us to create a world class learning environment for our students that includes an endless supply of instructional material, highly compensated teachers and cutting-edge professional development that equips teachers with the skill and knowledge they need to reach every student every day.”
First-class curricula, facilities, instructional leaders are keys to success
Marsh is dreaming big without apology. She knows the challenge, not just in Haywood County but in many of the surrounding counties, is to bring students forward after innovation and creativity have been lacking in recent years.
Public schools in Tennessee will depend, now more than ever, on community support, financial commitment, fearless leaders and vision. Amie Marsh can see the possibilities clearly.
“We have made significant curricular changes to ensure that what teachers are teaching each day is at the pace and level of rigor needed to ensure standards are taught to the maximum extent possible,” she says.
But she knows the road to success will take more than one leg of the stool: student coursework. She knows that well-supported teachers and administrators, armed with coaching, roadmaps, professional development and competitive salaries can be the catalysts that propel students forward into career, college, and rewarding lives.
Finally, she is counting on local support for a sizable investment in education, not just over the next 10 years but far into the future. “The success of our county, in terms of economics and growth, is heavily dependent upon what we do to support our school system,” she says. “Everything from athletic facilities to state-of-the-art classrooms and buildings that reflect the changing educational landscape are important.”
Marsh feels confident that she has relocated to a community that sees the challenges and opportunities for education clearly and believes the investments needed in athletic facility upgrades and a new high school are apparent to all.
What she believes is this: “As our community evolves, we will need to think bigger.”

During her 18 years as editor of the Brownsville States-Graphic, Christy Tate Smith solidified her appreciation of and belief in the people of Haywood County. She continues to work for the county’s progress…particularly as it moves toward educational excellence…while pampering her senior rescue dog, writing short memoirs and celebrating family.