Haywood County school board approves $1.02 million SIG allocation, AI contract and personnel policy updates

The Haywood County School Board voted to accept a series of budget amendments, personnel-policy updates and contracts at its regular meeting, including a $1,016,009.49 School Improvement Grant allocation, a $37,000 contract for AI integration in instruction and communications, and revised background-check rules required by state law.

The actions were presented by district staff and approved without recorded opposition. The board also approved overnight and out-of-state travel for student groups, summer-program dates and a new campus monitor job description that reclassifies existing security staff.

The SIG funding — listed in the meeting materials as $1,016,009.49 — will be allocated across multiple departments and applied at the high-school level, district staff said. "This money will be put in four different departments," a district finance presenter said during the meeting. The packet identifies the award as a SIG grant and shows line-item increases and corresponding expenditures in the general school purpose fund.

The board approved a $37,000 contract to expand AI training and integration for teachers, administrators and — later in rollout — students. A district presenter described current AI use for communications and newsletters and said the vendor who provided earlier training would continue supporting the academic team and help the district…