SUPERINTENDENT SPOTLIGHT: John English (Unicoi County)

TOSS is excited to announce that our Superintendent Spotlight for the month of May is Mr. John English who is finishing up his first year as superintendent of Unicoi County Schools.  

Mr. English shared with us some exciting things going on in his district, including the upcoming implementation of a blended learning program that will offer high school students a high quality alternative to the traditional high school experience. 

When asked what he loves most about his job, Mr. English stated how much he enjoys working closely with the other leaders and staff in his district to put systems into place to support teachers and enhance student learning.  He also added, "My love for Unicoi County is what keeps me motivated.  Knowing that the work that my team and I do will improve outcomes for the students, teachers, and families of Unicoi County is why I come back everyday.  It is an honor to have the opportunity to have a daily impact on the lives of our students and community." 

Mr. English also shared with us his favorite memory from his time so far as superintendent.  "The memory that stands out most is having the incredible fortune of being able to recognize a fourth grade student at a school board meeting for going back into a burning house to save his younger cousin.  He suffered burns and both children spent time in the Vanderbilt Burn Center, but his actions saved her life.  Having the opportunity to present him with a state proclamation recognizing his heroism has by far been one of the best moments of my school year." 

We are honored to work with great district leaders like Mr. English.  Thank you for your service to public education! 

ENTER NOW: TN's Best K-12 Practices Contest

We're excited to be working with LEAN frog on this opportunity for Tennessee school districts to win up to $3,000! 

This contest will recognize Best Practices and Innovations in K-12 public schools that impact student achievement and promote effective and efficient use of public resources.  

It is open to all TN public school systems.  Each system may submit up to three entries describing a Best Practice implemented within the last two school years (2014-2015 and 2015-2016). 

The winning entry will receive $3,000, and two runner-up entries will receive $1,000 each. 

SUPERINTENDENT SPOTLIGHT: Lynn Watkins (McKenzie Special School District)

This month, our Superintendent Spotlight is Lynn Watkins who has served as superintendent of the McKenzie Special School District for seven years! 

When asked about successes in his district, Mr. Watkins was extremely proud saying, "We are one of only two districts to twice earn exemplary status."  He also spoke about their peer evaluation program that has been great for the district's teachers. "We require each of our teachers to do three peer evaluations a year. They schedule a time to observe a lesson with three of their peers. Our principals have the option of scheduling these across grade levels and subjects. We ask them to share what they liked and what they might have done differently."  Mr. Watkins told how this was a great way for his teachers to see that "we are all in this together," and he has even had teachers thank him for the opportunity. The program has allowed the district to support teachers with less experience through the help of multiple experienced teachers, in addition to their formal evaluations and mentoring program.

Mr. Watkins also shared about his favorite part of being superintendent, saying: "My office is next to our elementary school. Each morning I go to the front lobby and welcome the students as they enter. Elementary students are very honest. The smiles and personalities are genuine. I see in them a child that is happy to be in the place we are providing. I see children that want to be challenged. I see students that are excited about what the day will bring. It makes me feel good about what we do." 

Fun Fact About Mr. Watkins: He actually grows his own garden, and makes pickles, relish, and salsa from homegrown vegetables. He also makes a mean homemade BBQ sauce.  

SUPERINTENDENT SPOTLIGH: Dr. LaDonna McFall (Coffee County)

TOSS is please to announce that our March Superintendent Spotlight is Dr. LaDonna McFall, who has served as the superintendent of Coffee County Schools for four years now.  In her time at Coffee County, the district has seen immense growth.  As reported in the SCORE State of Education in Tennessee, Dr. McFall's district has seen a 26.6% growth in 3-8 Math TCAP scores since 2011. 

Dr. McFall shared that in her district, they believe in developing their students socially and emotionally, as well as academically.  Therefore, they emphasize good citizenship and anti-bullying in several ways.  Three years ago, they implemented the Olweus Anti Bullying Program across the district.  She said that they believe that a well-rounded, empathetic, empowered student is the foundation for success in a changing world, so they continue to refine their practices to ensure their students become better equipped to handle the challenges they face. 

When asked what her favorite part of her job is, Dr. McFall state, "I am a teacher and a coach at heart.  I love working alongside my teammates to increase the level of instructional capacity of our administrators and teachers, and most importantly I love spending time with students.  Whether it's reading with them, watching them participate in extracurricular activities, or helping them with homework, I feel fortunate that I have the opportunity to play a small roll in the lives of children." 

Finally, we asked Dr. McFall to share one of her favorite memories from her time as superintendent in Coffee County so far.  She told the following story: "I have so many wonderful memories, but one comes to mind. I was getting ready to sit down and read a book to some kindergarten students.  One little fella tugged on my pants leg; I looked down at him and he said, 'I'm not sure who you are, but you smell good. Can I sit beside you?' That was one of the most genuine compliments I've ever received." 

All of us at TOSS are so honored to work with incredible leaders and educators like Dr. McFall. 

AASA 2016 National Conference on Education

TOSS is proud to have our 2015 Tennessee Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Mike Looney, representing our state at the AASA National Conference on Education.    

Conference Presentations

Just because you were unable to attend the conference does not mean you should miss out on the professional development! AASA has uploaded the presentations from NCE16 on their website. Click below to access them.

http://my.aasa.org/AASA/Resources/NCE/2016/Feb11.aspx

AASA: 2015 Superintendent of the Year White Pages

This week the Superintendent of the Year Forum White paper was released. The publication, Leadership for Change, endeavors to summarize the essential elements of the Superintendent of the Year forum, while emphasizing the imperatives for action by those individuals who are leading our Nation’s school district.

http://www.aasa.org/uploadedFiles/2015%20SOY%20Forum_WhitePaperFinal.pdf