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Smyth County School Board approves multiple personnel changes and certifies closed session
Summary
At a called meeting May 28, 2026, the Smyth County School Board voted unanimously to enter and certify a closed session under Virginia FOIA and approved a package of resignations, transfers and hires for the 2026–27 school year, including several principal appointments.
The Smyth County School Board voted 7-0 May 28 to approve a slate of personnel changes for the 2026–27 school year and to certify a recently completed closed session under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
Dr. Paul Grinstead, board member, moved to approve the personnel actions, and Ben Adams seconded; the motion passed unanimously. The motion covered resignations, a set of staff transfers across district schools, individual hires and district reappointment lists for fiscal year 2027.
The personnel package included two resignations (Madison Prater, Chilhowie High School instructional aide; M. Riley Blevins, Marion Elementary part-time instructional aide) and a series of transfers and reassignments across Atkins, Marion, Chilhowie, Northwood, Rich Valley, Sugar Grove, Oak Point and Marion Senior High School. Notable assignments approved in the same action included Kristy May as principal at Chilhowie Elementary School; Julie Sturgill as principal at Oak Point Elementary School; and Jerad Ward as principal at Chilhowie High School. The board also approved custodial hires, classroom teacher appointments and administrative staff additions as listed by district staff.
Earlier in the meeting, Mr. Joe Johnson moved and Mr. Ben Adams seconded a motion to convene a closed meeting under §2.2-3711(A)(1) of the Code of Virginia (personnel matters) and §2.2-3711(A)(7) (consultation with legal counsel and briefings related to actual or probable litigation). The board voted 7-0 to enter closed session and later voted 7-0 to end the closed session. The board then read and adopted the certification required by §2.2-3712(D) of the Code of Virginia, confirming by roll call that only matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements were discussed and that the meeting addressed only matters identified in the motion.
The meeting record shows the board also approved FY27 reappointment lists for full- and part-time staff and supplement reappointments as part of the same set of approvals. There was no recorded debate or public comment on the personnel items during the called meeting.
Following the votes the board adjourned after a 7-0 vote on a motion from Lynn White, seconded by Mac Buchanan.
