New Clay County High School principal outlines ACT, attendance and staffing goals

A newly introduced principal at Clay County High School used the July 9 board meeting to lay out academic and operational goals for the coming year and to announce recent hires.

"I'm gonna shoot for a 20," the principal said, describing a target ACT average for students after a recent retake mean of 17.6. The principal framed the goal as ambitious but said a range of classroom, attendance and relationship-building strategies would support it.

On attendance, the principal said improving the rate is a priority and proposed aiming for roughly a 10% improvement by tightening attendance policies and increasing teacher outreach: "If a kid is missed 2 or 3 times a week, call that parent. Even the little things, building relationships with them, incentivizing high attendance rates." The principal listed recent hires and staff assignments, including new special education and grade-level teachers, and said voluntary athletics participation—particularly in football—has increased.

Board and staff also noted districtwide accomplishments and staffing updates: the personnel roster showed the district was fully staffed as of Monday, staff presented summer camp photos and said Clay County High School students earned 251 industry certificates in CTE classes this year, translating to bonus funding for the board.

The board extended condolences after staff announced that longtime teacher Amanda Hale had died; her funeral was scheduled for Saturday. "We are thoroughly gonna miss miss Amanda Hale," a board member said, noting 25 years of service to the district.

Staff noted facilities work—window repairs and a planned gym-floor project scheduled to begin in August—along with bus-driver training and nutrition plans that will continue free breakfast and lunch for Clay County students.