Dr. David Stephens Named 2017 TN Superintendent of the Year

(Right to Left): Governor Bill Haslam, Dr. David Stephens, Wayne Miller (TOSS Executive Director)

The Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents (TOSS) met in Gatlinburg, TN on September 11th for their annual Awards and Recognition Dinner.  The 2017 Tennessee Superintendent of the Year was announced at the banquet on Sunday night.  This year TOSS was honored to present the award to Dr. David Stephens of Bartlett City Schools, representing the Southwest/Memphis region.

Dr. Stephens was chosen for this honor out of a distinguished group of eight Regional Superintendents of the Year, which included Ms. Rebecca Isaacs (Rogersville City), First Tennessee; Dr. Jason Vance (Loudon County), East; Mr. Bobby Cox (Warren County), Upper Cumberland; Dr. Dan Lawson (Tullahoma City), South Central; Mr. Don Roberts (Meigs County), Southeast; Mr. Mike Davis (Robertson County), Mid-Cumberland; and Mr. Randy Frazier (Weakley County), Northwest. 

Dr. Stephens earned his Bachelor’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of Memphis and his Master’s degree from Trevecca Nazarene University.  He has served as the Director of Schools in Bartlett since the district’s creation in 2014.  Dr. Stephens was able to successfully start a school district and freshmen academy in just six short months after assuming his role.  The new President-Elect of TOSS, John Aitken, said of his peer and friend, “David has managed to do a lot of great things for his district and do them really well, so I cannot think of anyone who is more deserving than him.” 

TOSS Executive Director Wayne Miller stated, “We are very proud of David for winning the State Superintendent of the Year Award.  The work that he has done has been exemplary, especially given the fact that he created the district from scratch just a short time ago.  David and his school and district leaders are always very active in professional development.  Being recognized for his good work comes as no surprise.”  

Dr. Stephens will submit his application for the National Superintendent of the Year sponsored by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), and he will represent the state of Tennessee at the AASA National Conference on Education.  

SUPERINTENDENT SPOTLIGHT: Barbara Parker (Cannon County)

Our Superintendent Spotlight for August is Barbara Parker from Cannon County Schools.  She has dedicated many years to her district, serving as Director of Schools from 1996-2004 and 2009-present.    

We asked Ms. Parker to tell us about some exciting things happening in her district.  She was proud to share about the instructional coach program that Cannon County Schools has launched this year.  They will also be partnering with the State's coaching network.  They are taking full advantage of the IPI teacher partnership program, and are seeing great results!  Cannon County was one of the 12 original Read to Be Ready grant recipients.  They held a 4-week summer reading camp for 27 students, and were able to incorporate the summer feed program in with it.  Ms. Parker reported, "we have truly improved our SIP review process and will be showcasing that initiative at CORE office meetings." 

When asked what her favorite part of her job was, Ms. Parker said: 

"Working for the betterment of education in Cannon Co. and the State is what motivates me to continue in my job.  Teaching was my first and only career choice.  Being able to influence a child's future is so rewarding, and becoming a director allowed me to have a larger influence on all children in my community."  

Fun Facts about Ms. Parker:

• She is an avid reader.
• She has taught Sunday School and been a church pianist for 40 years!

Thank you, Ms. Parker, for your dedication to Cannon County Schools and public education.

SUPERINTENDENT SPOTLIGHT: Dr. Mike Winstead (Maryville City)

This month, TOSS would like to recognized Dr. Mike Winstead as our July Superintendent Spotlight.  He has served as the superintendent in Maryville City Schools for two and half years.

When asked to share some exciting things going on in his district, Dr. Winstead spoke about iReach.  This is the district's digital conversion model, which if flourishing in its second year.  Every student k-12 now has a device in-hand!  This has led to a determination to focus on high quality instruction with meaningful and engaging integrated technology.  Dr. Winstead said that administrators have encouraged teachers to adopt a growth mindset by setting goals and plan for taking the next steps.  The message he is sharing is, "You can set the path.   You can set the pace.  But, you have to keep moving on your iReach journey."  By setting this expectation and providing the right tools and resources to teachers, they're giving students limitless learning opportunities.  

Dr. Winstead was excited to share about a new multi-district project to increase literacy and promote a love of reading.  Along with Alcoa City, Blount County, and local private schools, Maryville schools are participating in One Book Blitz, which Dr. Winstead described as "a unique program where all k-5 students in the area are provided a copy of the same chapter book for a shared reached experience."  He said, "we expect this event to build enthusiasm for reading, provide a rich literacy experience for our younger students, and build unity among our schools." 

We asked Dr. Winstead to share his favorite part of his job, to which he responded:

"Building relationships through weekly visits in the schools is my favorite aspect of my job. I prioritize the opportunity to walk through halls, step inside classrooms during instruction, and speak personally to faculty, staff, and students. As this habit has developed, I am overwhelmed with the outcomes.  Teachers are eager to highlight effective teaching strategies and learning experiences, and students know my name and speak to me as I enter the classroom.  I am invited to participate in class activities and demonstrations.  In addition, I make special effort to attend and engage in the special events and athletic competitions in the district.  This past school year I enjoyed sliding down an inflatable during an elementary field day and conducting the grand finale of the 7-9th grade orchestra concert.  Experiences and opportunities like those keep me inspired and motivate me each day." 

Fun Fact about Dr. Winstead: 

He has a rich family history of enjoying all types of games, which he has brought into his leadership with central office staff and the principal team.  This has been welcomed with enthusiasm and helped to build deeper relationships.  Just recently the Leadership Team worked together to successfully escape the "Breakout Room" before time ran out! 

Tennessee Digital Resources Library

TOSS is excited about the recent release of the Tennessee Digital Resource Library, which makes digital educational content available to educators for FREE on iTunes U.  We encourage you all to take advantage of this resource and share it throughout your district.  The digital library contains open resources for the following fourteen high school courses: Algebra I and II; Biology; Chemistry; Economics; English I, II, II, and IV; Geometry; Government; Physical Science; U.S. and World History.  Teachers from more than twenty districts participated in this project.  

Partners on this project: 

• Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA)
• Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents (TOSS) 
• Tennessee Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (TASCD)
• Tennessee Educational Technology association (TETA)
• American Public Education Foundation

You can read more about it in the Huffington Post article linked below. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mia-toschi-/new-tech-in-tennessee-tha_b_10945638.html

SUPERINTENDENT SPOTLIGHT: Branson Townsend (Decatur County)

This month, TOSS is happy to highlight Branson Townsend as our Superintendent Spotlight!  He has served has the Director of Schools in Decatur County for nearly two years now. 

Mr. Townsend was excited to share that his district was invited by the TN Department of Education to participate in the state Teacher-Leader Network, which has helped Decatur County Schools identify exemplary leadership practices and build a strong culture that emphasizes the importance of teacher leadership.  He said, "effective teachers can serve a critical role in providing high-quality, relevant, and ongoing professional learning.  The National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality identified seven areas that effective teacher leadership can foster in schools.  Each of these has been crucial in providing support for educators in our district.  We are using the experience of the Teacher-Leader Network to support our efforts to improve teacher quality and student learning; to ensure reform initiative works; to retain, motivate, and reward accomplished teachers; as well as provide opportunities for professional growth, extend principal capacity, and create a more democratic school environment." 

When asked what motivates him in his job, Mr. Townsend listed getting to see the progress made every day through culture changes from shared leadership development in the district as they work to build capacity for teacher growth.  This, in turn, he believes, will lead to improved learning outcomes for all Decatur County students.  

FUN FACTS & FAVORITE MEMORIES: 

"I have been blessed to come from a family who believes fervently in public education.  Decatur County Riverside High School opened as a newly consolidated high school in the county in 1965, and I was a senior in that 1966 graduating class.  During the 25th anniversary of the school, I was serving as the high school principal, and I have had the opportunity during the 50th anniversary (2015-16 school year) to serve as the district superintendent.  I also had the opportunity to work with the TN Department of Education for 17 years during my education career.  As I begin the second full year of a three-year contract as superintendent of Decatur County Schools, I am humbled more and more each day of the awesome responsibilities of this position.  I recognize that we all must be collectively committed to the education of the generations to follow if we expect our country to remain a leader for peace and prosperity in the world"

Everyone at TOSS applauds Mr. Townsend for his commitment to public education in Tennessee and thank him for sharing his story!