My niece was bullied from elementary school to middle school. Mr Putnam was the Principal at Clyde…read moreElementary at the time. In middle school it was brought to his attention and the Principal of canton middle and Mr Putnam the super intendent more than once. NOTHING EVER GOT DONE. It was so bad my niece wrote a letter about suicide!!! Canton middle is horrible. My niece couldn't take it anymore and just quit because their sorry a$$e$ done NOTHING!!!! Something needs done with the bullying at these schools. They don't just need talked to they need to have serious consequences for them and their parents if after first time talking to parent doesn't work.

Wow. To be able to review a school district makes me just plain giddy with power. This review will…read morebe edited as time marches on. The easy stuff: For a time, the bussing contact's home phone was listed as opposed to his office line. Every few years I would call with a question, hoping that his ______ wife would not answer. She would. The last time I talked to her, I told her that her husband should correct his listing. Free breakfast is offered, as is reduced or free lunch. Free clothes are offered through "Clothes to Kids". Most educators are terrific. There are a few exceptions. The district also has a Pre-K program that is outstanding and free to eligible students (eligibility is determined per screening). It is presently limited to four locations. Your kid has to be four years old. Developmentally delayed children are accepted. Dismissal is at 3 p.m. Bussing is available. Twenty-four paid slots are, too, but are expensive. My daughter loved it, and she benefited from the program immensely. My older daughter is autistic. The middle school years are especially hard, with hormonal males screaming in you face and hormonal females at your lunch table who are suddenly "allergic" to peanut butter. This past year, my daughter found it extremely difficult. I contacted EC* out of desperation, and they got her a peaceful lunch location. This district has a show showcasing students' art every spring. You can vote on the pieces of art that you like best in the high school division. I always vote for the overlooked photography and mildly dark stuff. The tough stuff: This school district did not say one word about the "Girls on the Run" Fall 2016 program that my daughter attended. I contacted the public affairs division through the district's website to tell them that the girls would love to see some website recognition for all their hard work. Never got a reply nor props. I know that a few schools in the district were involved with "GOTR". The teachers that coached our kids worked hard. Our girls gained confidence and wisdom. They deserved the honor of being news. Empowerment trumps owl pellets, peeps. Halloween does not exist in schools here. The word "Halloween" is replaced by the word "Fall". The positive psychological power of dressing up and becoming someone else for a bit is eschewed due to uneducated fear. Chill. Capes make you strong; not demonic. The autism services in this district are lacking due to rurality. Even before we moved here due to difficult circumstances I knew it would be, well, difficult. My daughter's NJ EI** rep contacted Haywood Co.'s EI. NJ's EI had failed to pick up on my daughter's autism or speech impediment (thanks, guys), and so Haywood Co. told us that she could have a screening, but not to expect services. They concluded that my daughter could not get autism services (thanks, guys). It wasn't until two years later and when I finally had had enough that my daughter got diagnosed with autism though Mission Hospital (thanks, guys.) However, when we first arrived in Waynesville, my daughter was eligible for speech services and was diagnosed with a speech impediment. (I am providing this info as there is no distinct boundary between the EI program and this district.) Some U.S. counties require all teachers to undergo training in dealing with autistic kids. I am not sure if Haywood Co. does. The EC department here has at times feigned innocence or passed the buck when I questioned or asked for autism services, excepting the above lunch action. Speaking of speech, my daughter's speech therapist in Pre-K showed up whenever she felt like it. When I spoke with an EC contact about this, she made excuses for her ("She just had a baby...") Ditto for standard therapy- my kid's therapist moved on, and the new one failed to appear until I complained. Precious therapy was lost- the earlier it is applied, the better. Plus, it is illegal. All our other therapists have been super. Certain employees of this district ignore adjacent bullying and may even join in (name of employee withheld due to fear of retaliation). Lastly, separation of church and state is murky in this district. A federal government rep slipped in "Jesus Christ" during an invocation (!) at an event that combined a public school and a county service. This is against the law. If the regional, predominating religion can be connected to outside events on flyers passed out at schools, the PTA, vaccine exemptions (!!), or even mascara, then it will happen in this district. I have no qualms about my daughters' education. They are being challenged. They are talking about bird symbolism in novels, bone marrow, Rosa Parks, and even hobbits. Haywood Co.'s public schools are great in most aspects, but should redefine others. Give them a chance, even a second one. Uncommon thinkers can be found in Haywood Co. *Exceptional Children **Early Intervention Tips: Contact with problems via email. Do not be afraid to ask for help.