October 16, 2026

By JAMES EVANS
Rutherford County Schools

Leadership, academics, school culture and suggested improvements were the topics of discussion at the first Student Advisory Council meeting of the school year.

Director of Schools Dr. Jimmy Sullivan and Deputy Superintendent Dr. Kay Martin hosted the group, which consists of 20 high school students representing all Rutherford County high schools.

The students spent more than two hours sharing their perspectives on items that should be celebrated at their schools, along with concerns and suggested ways to improve opportunities for students. Dr. Sullivan and Dr. Martin also explained school district operations, goals and governance.

Students offered suggestions including:

• Developing a shared academic vocabulary across elementary, middle and high schools.

• Providing more opportunities for tutoring and student mentoring across all schools.

• Improving access to athletic facilities among the various student-athlete groups.

• Providing more education and assistance for students applying for college and scholarships.

“Our counselors are very good at what they do, but sometimes they are overloaded with what they are doing,” one student commented.

Students also highlighted positives about their schools, including access to ACT prep courses; the four-by-four schedule, which provides more opportunities to take classes; opportunities for student voices to be heard; dual enrollment and early college programs; and career and technical classes and access to industry certifications.

Dr. Sullivan and Dr. Martin plan to hold additional meetings this school year to gather input directly from students.