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Smyth County School Board approves dozens of staff actions, hires and supplements ahead of school year
Summary
The board unanimously approved multiple resignations, transfers, new hires, extracurricular coaching assignments and extra-compensation supplements in a batch of personnel actions finalized after a closed-session review. Decisions were recorded as 7-0 votes.
The Smyth County School Board on Aug. 11 approved a broad package of personnel actions — resignations, transfers, hires, extracurricular assignments and extra-compensation supplements — in advance of the 2025-26 school year.
Board member Dr. Paul Grinstead moved the set of personnel approvals following a closed-session personnel review; Ben Adams seconded the motion and the board recorded unanimous 7-0 votes on the listed items. The board certified that the closed session complied with state open-meeting law (§ 2.2-3712(D) of the Code of Virginia) before taking the personnel votes in open session.
What the board approved: the minutes list several resignations (including Joni Johnson, Angelica Peaslee, Gerald Thomas and Kelly Woods) and transfers such as Kancyce “Shaye” Cassell from an instructional aide position to a teaching assignment at Marion Middle School and Paula Cook moving to Marion Middle School as an instructional aide. The board approved hires recommended by the superintendent, including teachers, instructional aides, custodial staff and district positions; the minutes name hires such as E. Brice Hoffman as a teacher at Chilhowie High School and Pamela Morin as a district speech aide.
Extracurricular and supplement approvals: the board approved extracurricular coaching hires — including Amber Atkins as head volleyball coach at Marion Middle School and Jared Pierce as head football coach at Chilhowie Middle School — and a long list of non-athletic supplements and stipends. Supplements recorded in the minutes include extra-block teaching pay for several staff members, route supervisor and road-checker stipends for transportation staff across the district, and a designation of a critical-shortage bus driver at Rich Valley Elementary School.
Legal and administrative notes: each personnel action recorded in the minutes was approved by a 7-0 vote following the closed-session review. The board also approved Religious Exemption Case #2025-02 during the same set of votes.
Next steps: the approved hires and assignments are procedural steps the district recorded in its minutes; the board’s actions put those staff and supplement payments into effect for the upcoming school year.
