Jeff Mayo assumed the reins of the Arlington Community Schools in one of the most challenging times ever — in the middle of a pandemic.

COVID-19 led to unprecedented decisions, an ever-changing educational landscape and plenty of alterations to how to run a school year.

Arlington names Jeff Mayo as next school superintendent

“It’s not been an easy year. I think we can all attest to that. Our ultimate goal this year is to keep schools open,” Mayo said, speaking to the Arlington Chamber of Commerce’s monthly membership luncheon Wednesday.

Mayo’s update on the school year came at the Arlington Church of Christ Family Center. The remarks came about seven months after he was named the ACS superintendent, replacing Tammy Mason, who retired. Before his rise to the top role, Mayo served as the district’s chief of staff since the ACS inception in 2013.

He noted the district’s mission to empower and inspire students has evolved slightly since 2014 to involve career readiness versus the need to send every student to college.

“We have expanded our career and technology programs exponentially since we became a district,” Mayo said. “Because of that, college may not be the path that our graduates are going to seek.”

Next semester, Arlington High will debut its new machining and fabrication lab, where students will get hands-on training through a partnership with Southwest Tennessee Community College.

Arlington home market strong despite pandemic

Adapting this year to COVID-19, the district created virtual hubs for Arlington Middle School students to help with overcrowding in classrooms. ACS may extend the concept to other schools for next semester.

“Second semester. We don’t (know) what that’s going to look like yet. We’re planning that now,” said Mayo. “Elementary schools may get some form or fashion of the hub. I have a couple of ideas about how that’s going to work.”

Mayo touted the fact that no ACS schools have had to close this semester, due primarily to students and faculty sticking to health protocols like wearing masks and social distancing.

“The kids have done a beautiful job wearing masks,” the Arlington superintendent said. “We’ve gone from mask-fear to it being a fashion accessory in just a few months.”

Approximately 750 of the district’s 4,826 students (or 16%) chose full virtual learning this semester instead of in-person instruction. ACS formed its Arlington Online school this semester.

“I’ve heard mixed reviews,” said Mayo, who has daughter at Arlington High with three days per week of online learning. She has attention problems and takes medication for it. “As a parent, I was very concerned about my daughter being independent, and I know what her challenges have been over the years.”

Regarding the COVID-19 virus, ACS has a 1.1% positivity rate district-wide. There have been 402 quarantine cases, with 55 of those (13.6%) testing positive.

Arlington names Jeff Mayo as next school superintendent

“I would’ve told you a month ago that I feel like a lot of parents are going to want their kids back in school, but now I could see it going either way with the increase of [COVID-19] cases in society,” he said. “I don’t know what kind of effect that’s going to have on families.”

Chamber Director Tonia Howell took time Wednesday to recognize the town’s veterans on Veterans Day (including four who attended) since Arlington’s annual Veteran’s Day event — normally held on the Sunday before the holiday — was canceled this year due to the pandemic.

Arlington Mayor Mike Wissman also gave an update on the town’s annual holiday events, including Christmas on the Square scheduled for November 20 and a Christmas parade on December 5.

“Usually we have 6,000 people packed into the Square, and we were even hoping to have more this year with the new facilities opening up next door,” said Wissman. Instead the town will hold a drive-by event with goodie bags for kids and more.

“It will be a smaller, shorter parade, but it will still be something that hopefully the community will rally around,” he said. “All we’re trying to do is spread the Christmas spirit.”