The school year is underway statewide, and a local district is starting with new leadership. Dolly Fannin was selected as the new Elliott County Schools Superintendent over the summer.
Fannin has served as a teacher, Intervention Coordinator, and more within the district. Most recently, she was the Director of Pupil Personnel, where she worked to address chronic absenteeism within the district.
Fannin said her years at Elliott County grant her a balanced perspective on how to best serve different students within the school system.
“I was our District Intervention Coordinator, as well as our Gifted and Talented District Coordinator. So, I saw both ends of the spectrum. How that we need to support our students that are struggling, as well as challenge our students that are identified as gifted students,” said Fannin.
As she takes on Elliott County Schools’ highest position of leadership, Fannin said she aims to create hands-on learning opportunities for students and implement statewide frameworks.
One of these is the Portrait of a Learner framework, which Elliott County Schools is adopting for the current school year. Fannin said the statewide initiative will help students achieve interpersonal skills that supplement their learning.
“It’s incorporating things to ensure that our students are effective communicators, that they’re engaged, that they’re responsible,” said Fannin. “That they’re able to work collaboratively together. Those are skills that we want to enhance our academics.”
In its effort to expand hands-on learning, the district also recently received a Prosper Appalachia Career Exploration Project grant, opening career opportunities for Elliott County High School seniors.
Fannin added the district is very small, so a lack of tax funding is one of the system’s most pressing issues. She said she hopes these initiatives will help propel the district forward and better its ability to serve students at all levels.