With the school shooting that took place in Oregon, the Williamson County School Board pivoted to acknowledge safety protocols during its October meeting.
A 16-year-old shooter opened fire in a special needs classroom at Silver Rail Elementary School last week, killing three children and a teacher.
Interim Superintendent Leigh Webb spent the first few minutes of the meeting going over safety precautions for Williamson County Schools after a moment of silence for those who lost loved ones in Oregon. She reminded those present and the community that safety is a daily conversation in the county.
“It may be a community reminder when we turn the news on, but it is a daily conversation in school — something that we take very seriously. This isn't just one thing. How do we keep school safe? Can you tell me what the one thing is that we can do? It's not one thing; it's everything,” Webb said.
Superintendent search
The Williamson County School Board unanimously approved conducting superintendent interviews confidentially in executive session in the board meeting on Oct. 19.
With this, community engagement is still in the works in different ways, with board chair Claire Reeves coordinating it with ZEAL Education Group.
They determined that several community meetings with stakeholders will take place from Nov. 9 to 13, as well as one meeting on October 26 at 5:30 p.m. with the Williamson County Mayor, Franklin City Mayor, and County Commissioner.
Webb shared her gratitude to the board for allowing her to apply as part of her interim contract for the permanent role.
“I believe with all of my heart and soul, the person who's selected to lead this district moving forward should earn it. They should apply, they should interview, he or she should convince you without a doubt that they're the best person and the right person to lead this district. I don't blame you for not wanting to appoint someone blindly. This district deserves the best possible person. So good luck in your search,” Webb said.
In the meantime, she said her focus is to make sure the ship remains steady and every student in Williamson County Schools gets the best education that they can.
The board also unanimously approved $100,000 budget for the superintendent search. That money is coming from the payroll already in place for the current school year salary of the superintendent and assistant superintendent.
Redistricting talks
Families in Stephens Valley will see a small shift in their zoned cluster.
It will move from the Fairview area to nearby Grassland schools.
Currently, only one student is attending the school they are zoned to, and 11 others are already attending Grassland outside their zone.
The change will allow those students to take the bus. It goes into effect in the 2027 to 2028 school year.
New middle school
Additionally, the board approved a new middle school in Brentwood on the Split Log Road property next to Jordan Elementary School.
District 8 board member Donna Clements clarified that the $87 million for the project can come from the Educational Impact Fee.
The county commission will ultimately decide where to acquire the funding.
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