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Survey shows gains in teacher working conditions; principals flag bullying, vaping and behavior management
Summary
Clay County Schools reported strong district gains on the 2026 Teacher Working Conditions Survey, with increases in staff morale and trust. Principals highlighted improved indicators but warned of rising vaping/tobacco use, bullying, classroom conduct issues, and the need for clearer communication about K9 inspections and Narcan policies.
District leaders reported districtwide improvements on the 2026 North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey, with a 10% increase in agreement that the district is a good place to work and learn (now at about 97%), and gains across leadership, safety and instructional support categories.
The district presenter highlighted a 14% rise in "an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect" and a 9% rise in "I look forward to going to work each day." The presenter credited school leaders and recent initiatives for the improvements.
Principals gave school‑level context and action plans. Miss Heather Clemens (primary school) said certain indicators remain strong but noted a "drop in the percent of people who feel comfortable raising concerns" and declines in agreement that "admin knows what goes on in my classroom," promising monthly team meetings and open‑door days to increase staff voice. Other principals said the district exceeded state averages on many measures but flagged increases in bullying, cyberbullying, vaping and student disrespect; one principal linked some behavior problems to off‑campus social media and home influences.
During public comment and the superintendent's update, board members discussed recent K9 visits to campuses. The superintendent said two K9 visits (Luca and Freya) occurred since April and reported "we have not had any findings from any of those visits" while promising to provide a detailed list of substances the dogs can detect and to coordinate communications with parents when significant safety issues arise. The superintendent also noted the district policy allows SROs to carry Narcan and that staff nurses could carry Narcan with standing orders from the health department.
Board members asked staff to provide formal follow‑up on K9 outcomes, a list of detectable substances, and a plan for parent notification and Narcan standing orders.
