Overton County Schools ended the academic year navigating a series of construction projects and winter closings through a focus on teamwork and collaboration.
Director of Schools Kim Dillon said the system managed to maintain its schedule of testing and end-of-year trips despite the consistent presence of on-campus construction.
“We certainly have a lot going on right now, especially with three of the schools dealing with the additions that are currently in progress and have been for the bulk of the school year. But even with all the construction, the testing, and end-of-the-year trips, I think we ended on a good note.”
Dillon said the district exhausted its allotted snow days during the winter and was forced to utilize several virtual learning days to maintain instruction. Dillon said the school system also faced unexpected closures resulting from water utility issues and a power outage that moved one campus to remote learning.
“We have students and teachers that are resilient and they just continue to work hard and try to play catch up, and I feel like they did the absolute best that they could,” Dillon said. “They were working hard and staying on task whenever we were in session.”
Dillon said the success of her first year in the leadership role relied on the combined contributions of administrators, supervisors, and the local community. Dillon said she prioritized transparency and giving staff members a voice in district operations to foster a team-oriented environment.
“I could not do this job without everyone,” Dillon said. “And that includes from students all the way up to my supervisors. I feel like the communication is great. We try to be as transparent as possible, giving people a voice. I just feel like that’s been one of the things I really wanted to work on and I feel like it’s been a success this year, and I hope that continues.”
Dillon said the education profession carries significant mental weight due to fluctuating enrollment numbers and the potential for funding shifts. Dillon said the district sometimes has to absorb positions or adjust staffing based on available financial resources at the end of the year.
“We have some really, really, really strong educators who are in it for the right reason, and when you’re in a position and a profession for the right reason, which are the kids, then you can get through pretty much anything,” Dillon said.
Dillon said she relies on a support network of other superintendents within the Upper Cumberland region to help navigate the daily learning curve of the directorship. Dillon said while many students have begun their summer break, several teachers have committed to working a four-week summer school session to support student needs.
“I think everyone needed a break,” Dillon said. “Although, like I said, we are in summer school. So there are teachers that are going to work all four weeks of summer school, so their break kind of hasn’t started yet. And we’re very appreciative of the fact that they’re willing to come and do that because our kids need it.”
Dillon said the central office has already transitioned into the planning phase for the next academic year by reviewing master schedules and professional development requirements. Dillon said the district is currently evaluating enrollment shifts to determine which staff positions need to be posted for hire.
“I think Overton County is a great district,” Dillon said. “I feel like we are on the right track to getting where we want to be. We have very, very strong teachers who, like I said, are in it for the right reasons and the community is super, super supportive. And I think if we just continue to do what we do, it will pay off in the end.”
