The Estill County School Board and district administration announced the hiring of Trent Singleton as the new high-school principal.

Superintendent Brock told the board that Singleton has been hired and will officially start on Jan. 1. "He officially starts January 1, but he's already been in the building and met a bunch of students," Brock said. Board members present expressed enthusiasm about Singleton’s arrival and the direction he will bring to the high school.

The announcement followed the superintendent's report, which also noted positive December testing data, recovering attendance and plans for spring concerts. During public comment, a submitted statement from Ashley Rollins, a local nurse and parent, thanked the board and Mr. Brock for cautious decisions around weather-related school closures, underscoring community appreciation for safety-first calls.

What comes next: Administrative onboarding steps for Singleton are expected before his Jan. 1 start date; the meeting did not provide additional details about the principal's contract, salary or prior assignment. Those specifics are not recorded in the transcript and should be confirmed with district human-resources records or future board meeting minutes.