The Pickett County School Board named Melissa Robbins as the new Director of Schools Thursday night.
Robbins has spent her entire 20-year career in the Sumner County School District, serving as a classroom teacher, success coach, and administrator. Robbins said the Pickett County job was appealing because it is her hometown. Robbin said her passion for her career is the students, and she plans to keep her job student focused.
“The thing that makes me smile the most and gives me great joy is to walk into a building and see students,” Robbins said. “I’m just looking forward to getting to know the students in Pickett County and work with all the staff members here to just get better and better, just like they have been already.”
Robbins said she has already been in discussion with the board about test scores. Robbins said test scores are not everything, but she hopes the pursuit of student growth will lead to better scores on the TCAT.
Robbins replaces Diane Elder, who announced her retirement last month. Elder said the new director inquired about Pickett County’s open positions at the end of last school year, but there were none open at the time.
Elder said she let Robbins know about the Director of Schools position as soon as she decided to retire.
“[Robbins] has been coming in and working with me, sort of asking questions and reading the policies and handbooks, and just learning more about our system,” Elder said. “And trying to get to know people. She attended a leadership conference on Monday and Tuesday and got to know our team some and some of the other directors across the Upper Cumberland, and I think it’s been a good process.”
Robbins said she’s already spent time getting ready for her new job by being in the district office.
“It’s been very exciting, and it’s given me time to understand more than I did about Pickett County Schools and the policies that are in place to help the students be the best that they can be.”
Elder said Robbins will be great, and she is happy to help anytime.
Elder spent 18 years as the Pickett County Director of Schools, and was celebrated by the School Board and department heads after the meeting was adjourned.
Robbins officially steps into the Director of Schools Role on July 1, and her contract runs until June, 2029.
In other business, the School Board adopted several tweaks to existing policies, including emergency plans, physical education, and substitute teachers.
The School Board also accepted a trash collection bid from Clean Sweep, a propane bid from UPG, and pest control bid from Lakeside Termite.
