Our Story

Our Story

Clay County Community for Students, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization, which promotes and facilitates the coordinated delivery of existing resources to children and their families within a school community. CCCFS involves schools, businesses, parents, health and social service providers, churches and civic organization, bringing our community together in a spirit of cooperation and trust. Together, we are all working to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed. CCCFS became operational in 1998 and has achieved outstanding success in meeting the needs of students and families in our community.  CCCFS serves the entire school district PreK-12th grade with a total enrollment of 1376 students.

Clay County is a small, rural county (population of 10,801) located in the mountainous region of western North Carolina. We are a compassionate and close-knit community, but resources are very limited since the local economy is driven mostly by small businesses and tourism. As of 2018, Clay County has a median household income of only $38,801 and 27.09% of our children are living in poverty. Low family income has been proven time and time again to be major factor on a child’s academic and developmental growth.

Because there are no large funding streams available to rural communities, CCCFS exists to bring the community together to supply the necessary resources to meet student and family needs. In order to bring outstanding services and/or educational programs to our schools. CCCFS collaborates with dozens of different human resource agencies, numerous local organizations and churches, and a variety of Government agencies such as the North Carolina Forest Service, Tennessee Valley Authority, the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service – just to name a few.

Here at CCCFS, we are always in need of mentors, tutors, volunteers, grant opportunities, and donations. If you or your child are in need of assistance, or if you feel you can help us in any way, please do not hesitate to contact us. Together we can ensure that every child in Clay County can reach his or her full potential.

 

Our Staff

Hannah Miller
Executive Director

Karen Dudley
Site Coordinator

Chris Batchelder
Student Tutor

Board Of Directors

JOSEPH BAKER, USFS

CIVIL ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN

PUBLIC (828) 837-5152

Orientation 01/19/2021

joseph.baker@usda.gov

 

ANDREW BROWN

PASTOR

VILLAGE CHURCH

NON-PRIVATE (828) 361-1841

Orientation 07/26/2023

abrownreadsemail@gmail.com

 

SILAS BROWN, AG-SCIENCE TEACHER

CLAY COUNTY SCHOOLS

PUBLIC (828) 389-6532

Orientation 01/09/2022

silas.brown@clayschools.org

 

MARK BUCHANAN

CLAY COUNTY SHERIFF

PUBLIC (828) 361-5080

Orientation 07/20/2023

sheriffbuchanan@claycountyso.com

 

TIFFANY CLAPSADDLE

MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

PUBLIC (828) 389-9924

Orientation 07/29/2024

tiffany.clapsaddle@clayschools.org

 

ROBBY EVANS

OWNER TECH GUYS

Orientation 07/28/2023

robby.evans1@gmail.com

 

MELISSA GODFREY

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

PUBLIC (828) 389-8513

Orientation 07/09/2020

melissa.godfrey@hayesvillees.org

 

TODD GOINS, VICE-CHAIR

DIRECTOR CLAY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

PUBLIC (828) 389-6301

Orientation 07/28/2020

todd.goins@claydss.us

 

BECKY GRINDESTAFF, SECRETARY

SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR

PUBLIC (828) 389-9271

Orientation 07/28/20

bgrindstaff@claync.us

 

 

MARIE GUNTHER

DIRECTOR CLAY COUNTY TRANSPORTATION

PUBLIC (828) 389-0644

Orientation 09/22/2011

gunther@brmemc.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CCCFS STAFF

HANNAH MILLER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

PO BOX 642

HAYESVILLE, NC 28904

PUBLIC (828) 389-1625

Orientation 06/17/2024

Screening Process Completed 6/12/2024

hannah.miller@clayschools.org

 

KAREN DUDLEY

SITE COORDINATOR

PUBLIC (828) 389-8586

Orientation 09/30/2014

Screening Process Completed 08/20/14

karen.dudley@clayschools.org

 

CHRIS BATCHELDER

STUDENT TUTOR

PUBLIC (608) 778-9991

Orientation: 08/27/2024

Screening Process Completed 08/21/2015

chris.batchelder@yahoo.com

 

ANDY JAMES, CHAIR

VICE PRESIDENT /CITY EXECUTIVE STATE EMPLOYEES’ CREDIT UNTION

Orientation 01/16/2019

andyjames16@gmail.com

 

JULIE LEDFORD

DENTIST

PUBLIC (828) 389-8714

Orientation Scheduled

 

DEBBIE MAUNEY

COUNTY MANAGER CLAY COUNTY GOVERNMENT

PUBLIC (828) 389-0089

Orientation 02/22/2001

dmauney@claync.us

 

STACEY OVERLIN

HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

PUBLIC (828) 389-6532

Orientation 04/20/2021

stacey.overlin@clayschools.org

 

 

CHRIS OWEN, TREASURER

UNIVERSAL BANKER I

UNTIED COMMUNITY BANK

Orientation 06/25/2024

christina_owen@ucbi.com

 

HEATHER PLEMMONS

HAYESVILLE PRIMARY PRINCIPAL

PUBLIC (828) 389-3763

Orientation 06/30/2021

heather.plemmons@clayschools.org

 

JIM RICH

DIRECTOR CLAY COUNTY CHAMBER

PUBLIC (828) 389-3704

Orientation 07/18/2023

director@claychambernc.com

 

 

CLARISSA ROGERS

DIRECTOR CLAY COUNTY HEALTH DEPT

PUBLIC (828) 389-8052

Orientation 7/21/2021

clarissarogers@clayhdnc.us

 

AMY SACCO

BRANCH MANAGER

NANTAHALA BANK

Orientation 05/28/2024

asacco@nantahala.com

 

JASON SHOOK, CHAIRMAN

CLAY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD

PUBLIC (828) 389-2168

Orientation 01/18 /2019

jason@jasonshookdds.com

 

KIFFANY STOKES

AGRICULTURAL/ 4-H AGENT

CLAY CO. COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE

PUBLIC (828) 389-6305

Orientation scheduled

kagriggs@ncsu.edu

 

KARISSA TEAGUE

HAYESVILLE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL

PUBLIC (828) 389-8585

Orientation 07/20/2022

karissa.teague@clayschools.org