JACKIE CLAYTON

Jackie Clayton was born and raised in Forest City, NC. She graduated from East Rutherford High School in 1978. In 1979 she received my Basic Law Enforcement Certification at Isothermal Community College. In 1981 she graduated from Isothermal Community College with my Associate in Pre-Law.  From 1979-1984 she was employed by Rutherford County Sheriff’s Dept as a Deputy and Asheville Police Dept as a patrol officer.. she started part-time with McDowell County Sheriff’s Dept in 1986 as a deputy/ certified telecommunicator until 2010.  She was a state-certified Basic Law Enforcement Instructor and certified firearms instructor. This is what partially led her to the school system, being in a classroom. Raising two young boys was difficult trying to work in so many different areas. So, she decided to work in an area where she could spend more time with her children since my husband was in law enforcement also.  She was employed part-time as a substitute teacher for McDowell County Schools from 1995-2003 where she then was employed full-time at the Alternative Learning Center. The school is now MAI Early College as of 2018. She has been state-certified as a Medical Responder since 2007. 

Her philosophy of education is that all students, from kindergarten to seniors in high school, are special and important and they deserve the best learning experience that can be given. They deserve a place where they not only can learn academically, but they will learn and grow socially, and mentally and feel safe in their environment at school. It has been her goal from day one that all students feel safe and want to learn.