News

2026 Job Fair

DATE:   February 28, 2026   PURPOSE:  This event will provide job seekers with a chance to explore employment opportunities with Johnston County Public Schools.   DETAILS:  Johnston County Public Schools will host its annual Job Fair from 9 AM to 12 PM at Smithfield-Selma High School.    Administrators from all 50 schools and various central office departments will be at the fair, greeting candidates face-to-face to discuss job opportunities, answer questions, and sign early

Leadership Johnston Announces Dr. Martha Jo Asselin as 2026 Leadership Instructor

Johnston County, NC — Leadership Johnston is pleased to announce that Dr. Martha Jo Asselin has been selected to serve as the lead instructor for the 2026 Leadership Johnston program, bringing decades of proven leadership experience, educational expertise, and community development insight to the region’s premier leadership development initiative. Dr. Asselin has dedicated her career to advancing education, cultivating leaders, and strengthening communities. Over the course of her tenure with the State

Select JCPS High School Students and 2025 Graduates Named AP Capstone Candidates

SMITHFIELD, NC - Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS) is excited to share that for the 2024-2025 academic year, two seniors and two 2025 graduates are candidates for the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Capstone Diploma™, and three seniors and two 2025 graduates are candidates for the AP Seminar and Research Certificate™. The College Board AP Capstone is a two-year program based on two AP courses: AP Seminar and AP Research. The program helps students develop critical thinking, collaboration, and

From Field to Finance: BriAnna Walker Coaches Students on Workforce Competitiveness and Financial Li

SMITHFIELD - BriAnna Walker, Talent and Leadership Development Manager, visited Smithfield-Selma High School on Thursday, December 4, 2025, as a guest speaker, engaging students in an interactive and thought-provoking session focused on workforce competitiveness and financial literacy. Using the mindset of an athlete and a coach, Ms. Walker challenged students to think strategically about their future careers. Through three dynamic scenarios—stepping into the roles of job candidate, recruiter, and

Eighth-Grade Students Are Wowed at the 2025 JOCO WORKS World of Works

SMITHFIELD, NC - The air may have been chilly, but Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS) eighth-grade students were fired up for the Triangle East Chamber’s 2025 JOCO WORKS World of Works (WOW).  During the two-day event, held on the Johnston Community College campus, approximately 3,500 eighth-grade students had the opportunity to explore career possibilities from more than 40 Johnston County-based industries, including event sponsor Novo Nordisk, UNC Health Johnston, the North Carolina Forestry

Johnston Community College Honored with EAB Innovative Institution Award

SMITHFIELD, N.C. (November 13, 2025) – Johnston Community College (JCC) has been named an Educational Advisory Board (EAB) Innovative Institution Award recipient, recognizing the college’s exceptional leadership, creativity, and transformative impact on campus culture and student success. This year, EAB received more than 40 nominations from colleges and universities across the country, each highlighting unique initiatives that advance education through innovation and collaboration. JCC’s strategic work to

Teacher Assistant of the Year rewarded for good works

Johnston County Public Schools Teacher Assistant Chellie Cherry from West Smithfield Elementary was named the 2022 Teacher Assistant of the Year.    The reason is crystal clear. A dedicated employee of Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS) for nearly 30 years, she has spent twenty-two of those years as a teacher assistant, an amazing feat in and of itself. The cherry on top is that she is a teacher assistant of exceptional students.   A native of Johnston County and a graduate of

2022 Johnston County Teacher of the Year is Homegrown Success

Four Oaks Elementary third grade teacher Jennifer Beninate was named the 2022 Johnston County Teacher of the Year at the annual Flame for Learning Award banquet on April 26.  Beninate is the epitome of a teacher, which by definition is someone who imparts knowledge and enlightens. It’s immediately obvious that teaching is her calling. She draws inspiration from her idol Mary Poppins and speaks to her students lovingly and calmly. “Teaching is just a way I get to be Mary Poppins every day,” she

JCPS TA of the Year is Chellie Cherry, West Smithfield Elementary

Johnston County Public Schools teacher assistant Chellie Cherry from West Smithfield Elementary was named the 2022 Teacher Assistant of the Year at their organization's annual banquet.  Teacher Assistants work alongside teachers to give students additional attention and instruction. Darrick McNeill is the Principal of West Smithfield Elementary. Cherry’s coworkers said that she is beyond deserving of the Teacher Assistant of the Year award, and is an integral part of the West Smithfield Elementary

Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 88 donates 500 book bags to JCPS

Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 88 donates 500 book bags to JCPS Written By: Robin Koppen, JCPS Communication Specialist   SMITHFIELD, NC - The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #88 (FOP 88) bought and donated 500 backpacks to help children in Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS).  Members of the FOP 88 worked alongside JCPS school social workers, school counselors, student advocates, school nurses, assistant principals, and some central office staff to fill the bags on Thursday, Mar. 17, at the

Celebrating the Voices and Passions of Local FarmHers

Smithfield, N.C. --  The Junior Women's League of Smithfield, in partnership with the Johnston County Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher program and JoCo Grows Agriculture Committee will host Ask A Farm(HER), a local farmer Q&A panel featuring female farmers from Johnston County on Monday, February 7, 2022 from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m at Johnston County Ag Center.     The purpose of the Q&A panel is to give Johnston County citizens an opportunity to hear farmers discuss the issues of importance to

LEADERSHIP JOHNSTON LAUNCHES CLASS OF 2022

SMITHFIELD, NORTH CAROLINA, January 15, 2022— A fully engaged Leadership Johnston program returns to Johnston County this year! The eleven-month program is designed for those who want to learn more about the county while developing and refining leadership skills. Through a variety of personal growth opportunities, individuals will gain a more in-depth understanding of the many facets of Johnston County, build crisis leadership and change management skills, and learn the skills necessary for effectively

JCC Offering Free Workshop for Underemployed and Unemployed

Smithfield-Selma Chamber of Commerce recognizes local SuperStar Teachers

The Education Committee of the Greater Smithfield-Selma Area Chamber of Commerce honored seven local elementary school teachers on November 3 at its semi-annual Semester SuperStars Luncheon at the Sleep Inn & Suites in Smithfield.  These teachers were nominated by their principals and recognized as outstanding educators in the Smithfield-Selma area. The teachers were given a plaque and a bag full of items from Chamber members. A similar luncheon will be held in the spring for outstanding middle and high