Jackson County Public Schools Will Now Have Three Schools Bearing The “Smoky” Name, Following A Board Of Education Vote Tuesday Night.
By A 3-0 Decision, Board Members Approved The Name “Smoky Mountain Middle School” For The New Campus Near Sylva. One Board Member Was Absent, And Another Abstained, Citing Concerns About Possible Confusion With Nearby Smoky Mountain High And Smokey Mountain Elementary.
Superintendent Dana Ayers Had Previously Expressed Concern About The Name, Noting The School System’s Policy Discouraging Similar Facility Names. While She Acknowledged The New School Would Feed Into The High School, Ayers Had Favored A More Geographically Distinct Option.
Other Suggested Names Included Jackson County Middle School And Two Variations Using The Name Tuckasegee. Combined, The Tuckasegee Names Earned 71 Out Of 254 Staff Survey Votes, While “Smoky Mountain Middle School” Received 109.
Despite Mixed Opinions, The Board Moved Forward With The Top Vote-Getter. The New School Brings The Total Number Of Public Schools In Jackson County To Ten.
