Most Principals At Nashville’s Lowest Performing Schools Get Another Year

A big jump in the number of Nashville schools that rank in Tennessee’s bottom five percent means more personnel decisions for the district. For the most part, Metro Schools plans to keep the current leadership in place.

Out of a dozen schools that now have “priority” status, seven will maintain the current principals, though three of those could lose their jobs if standardized test scores don’t improve this year. In a few cases, spokesman Joe Bass says the district is staying the course because the principals are so new.

“They’ve only been there for not even one full year,” Bass says. “We have faith in them and feel that they’re strong leaders and have a really strong vision for the school.”

In one case, the district had no choice but to change the principal in order to apply for a federal school turnaround grant.

The district conducted national searches to fill the newly-open positions. Two are from Clarksville. Another two have been recruited from out-of-state. One position is still unfilled.

School-by-school

• Buena Vista Elementary – Michelle McVicker will remain, but contingent on this year’s test results. This is her third year.
• Inglewood Elementary – a new principal has been hired. Tracy McPherson was previously the principal at East Montgomery Elementary in Clarksville. The district says it had to change leadership in order to get a federal School Improvement Grant.
• Kirkpatrick Elementary – the school will begin converting to a charter next year. Principal Mildred Nelson will continue to oversea the district-controlled side of the building.
• Napier Elementary – Dr. Ronald Powe is retiring. A new principal was hired from out-of-state but hasn’t been made public due to current employment obligations.
• Robert Churchwell Museum Magnet Elementary – First-year principal Trellaney Lane will remain in place.
• Whitsitt Elementary – Justin Uppinghouse, also in his first year, will stay at the school.
• Bailey STEM Magnet Middle – Third-year principal Christian Sawyer will be retained as long as test scores improve.
• Jere Baxter Middle – Principal Miriam Harrington will stay a second year.
• Joelton Middle – The district hired Sean Impeartrice from Clarksville.
• Madison Middle – A new principal was recruited from Kansas City. Kelli Lorton will start in the fall.
• Neely’s Bend Middle – The state’s Achievement School District has taken over and is handing control to LEAD charter schools one grade at a time. Principal Barbara Maultby-Springer has chosen to move to a different school.
• Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High – Principal Sonia Stewart, while not in her first year, will remain.