The Troy City Board of Education approved the hire of seven new elementary teachers on Thursday.

“I’m very excited about these new hires,” said Teresa Simms, Troy Elementary principal. “We had a very good pool of applicants.”

The new hires include Denerica Hardmon, gifted teacher; and teachers Justina Wills, Sydney Harrell, Jade Henderson, Sarah Kelly, Parker Reiss and Latasha Vaughn.

Simms said she has not yet assigned teachers to individual grade levels. “We’re still moving things around and making adjustments,” she said. The hires leave only a physical education teacher opening to be filled at the elementary school.

The board also accepted three resignations and approved three new hires for Charles Henderson High School. Resignations accepted included Derek Irons, social studies teacher and head baseball coach; Adam Helms, physical education teacher and coach; and Ashton Higginbotham, English teacher.

Hires include Randy Bryant, career preparedness teacher; William Teal, social studies teacher; and Cayla Whitt, art teacher.

Dr. Lee Hicks, superintendent, said the administration continues to work to fill open positions, including the coaching spots at the high school. “We’re advertising for the positions as soon as we know about them and the administration is working to fill them quickly,” he said.