New Williamson County School Board Member Appointed

WCS schools

Nancy Garrett was appointed to the Williamson County School Board on Monday night by the County Commission with a vote of 17 to 4.

She takes over the vacant 12th District seat that Susan Curlee held before officially resigning in September, and will serve out the term ending August 2018.

Nancy Garrett“I am seeking this appointment because Williamson County Schools truly changed my life,” Garrett, who grew up attending WCS, said. “I understand the needs of the 12th District and WCS as a whole. Our district is facing significant issues of growth, personnel shortages and funding to meet anticipated district growth. The current situation requires board members with a willingness to think of creative solutions and problem solve.”

Garrett, nominated by Commissioners Dana Ausbrooks and Steve Smith, graduated from Franklin High School, where her father taught for more than 30 years.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Belmont, and is a senior knowledge manager for Partner Matters at Deloitte, the second-largest professional services firm in the country.

In addition to her professional life, she has served as Centennial High School Parent Teacher Organization president in 2014-15, been active as a volunteer at WCS and Franklin Special School District since 1990, and co-founded of Hands on Nashville and Friends of FSSD Schoolchildren Summer Reading Program.

She has lived in District 12 for 19 years, and her son graduated from Centennial last year.

“I intend to focus on the true responsibilities of non-partisan board service,” she said. “The role of a WCSB member is complex and has a steep learning curve; I am ready to hit the ground running and make up for any lost time for the families of District 12 and WCS as a whole. As someone who has been blessed by Williamson County Schools for three generations, I take this opportunity to serve very seriously.

“I will work faithfully and honorably for the WCS community and be a good steward of our resources.”

There was a well more than majority support among the public in attendance at the standing-room-only commission meeting for Garrett.

However, support for Garrett was not total.

Former assistant principal Dr. Sandra Juarez was also nominated for the position.

Juarez had a 30-year career in education before retiring three years ago. She spent about 20 years as an educator in Williamson County Schools, last serving as an assistant principal for Grassland Elementary School. Jaurez also worked as a classroom teacher, a special education teacher, a coordinator of gifted education for WCS and a Belmont University associate.

“Our school system is facing tremendous growth and a changing landscape, and we need the unique perspective of an educator is critical in making well-informed decisions,” Juarez said in support of her nomination.

Many people signed up to speak during the public speaking portion of the meeting.

First, House District 65 Representative Sam Whitson spoke to his support of Garrett.

“I support Nancy Garrett for what is her dedication to the parents, teachers and students that demonstrate a value system and a commitment to others that will enhance the board,” he said. “But the main reason I am here to speak on her behalf is because I want her more than anyone else to represent my five grandchildren in District 12 and their teachers, because Nancy represents all that is good and right about the best county and school system in Tennessee.

He then asked everyone there to support Garrett to stand up, and most of the people in the seats of the auditorium stood up.