Public schools have grappled with constant change over the last several years due to the impacts of COVID-19.

Unique among the Smoky Mountain News’ four county coverage area, the Swain County School Board is a partisan-elected board. This election cycle there are four candidates competing for two seats. One is currently held by Travis Hyatt, a Democrat, who is seeking reelection. The other is held by Kim Carpenter who is not seeking reelection.

On the heels of new academic data showing Haywood County Schools ranking seventh among the state’s 115 districts, school board elections will bring four seats before voters.

This year, Macon County Schools began the process of building a new high school. The Franklin High School that exists now has been there since the 1950s and current plans are for the new school to be built on the same site, through a multi-year process of demolition and construction.

When the Haywood County School Board announced that it had chosen Trevor Putnam as the system’s new superintendent, I can’t think of a single person who follows education news in this region that was surprised. People were making that call even before Superintendent Bill Nolte announced his relatively sudden November retirement.

Candidates have filed and the races are set for school board elections this November.

Voters in Jackson County will return to the polls July 26 to determine the winner of a runoff election for Jackson County Schools Board of Education.

This election cycle there were 10 candidates running for three seats on the Jackson County Schools Board of Education. Of those, Lisa Buchanan, Kim Moore and Lynn Dillard came out on top and will join the board this July. Though this is a non-partisan race, it is decided during the primary election.

A bill introduced by Haywood County’s two state House representatives would make all of the county’s municipal elections — as well as school board races — a partisan affair.

Ten candidates are running for three open seats on the Jackson County Board of Education this spring. Only one incumbent is running, while two other seats will have a newcomer following the Primary Election.