Hamilton County Schools has made several personnel changes ahead of the 2021-2022 school year.
Crystal Sorrells is now principal of Brainerd High School. She previously served as principal of East Ridge High School and is Hamilton County Schools’ 2021 Principal of the Year.
A Brainerd High graduate, Sorrells has been an educator for 22 years and is the daughter of two longtime HCS educators.
She first joined Hamilton County Schools in 2009 as assistant principal of Brainerd High. Since then, she’s served as principal of Orchard Knob Middle, Tyner Middle Academy and East Ridge High School.
Sorrells is a high school mentor principal for the Missionary Ridge Learning Community and a graduate of the Principal Leadership Academy, which Hamilton County Schools, the Public Education Foundation, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga sponsor.
She earned a degree in elementary education from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University and a master’s in school administration from Gardner Webb University. Sorrells is pursuing a doctoral degree from Carson Newman University.
She will be the first female principal of Brainerd High.
Hamilton County Schools has named Juan Moreno principal of East Ridge High. He previously served as principal of East Ridge Elementary School.
Moreno began his career as a kindergarten teacher at Spring Creek Elementary School in 2009. In 2016, the district hired him as assistant principal of East Ridge Elementary. Two years later, the district named Moreno principal of East Ridge Elementary.
Moreno has been part of the East Ridge community for over 12 years. Next year’s graduating class at East Ridge High will include students from the first class Moreno taught.
Moreno is pursuing his doctoral degree from Trevecca Nazarene University.
Hamilton County Schools has named Jasmine Farrow principal of East Lake Elementary School. She previously served as assistant principal of East Side Elementary.
Before her role as assistant principal of East Side, Farrow was an elementary teacher at East Brainerd Elementary and Woodmore Elementary.
Farrow holds a degree in human ecology, a master’s in teaching leadership and an Ed.S in school leadership and administration from UTC. She’s pursuing her doctoral degree from Trevecca.
Farrow is a member of the 2021 class for Aspiring Principal L.E.A.D., a new talent development program aimed at recruiting, developing and retaining school leaders already within the district. She also participated in the Principal Leadership Academy of 2018-2019 and the Leadership Fellows class of 2011-2012.
Farrow replaces Joyce Lancaster, who’s retiring after 37 years of service with Hamilton County Schools.
Breckan Duckworth is now the new literacy officer of Hamilton County Schools. Duckworth previously served as an English language arts lead for the district.
Duckworth will work to ensure at least 50% of all third-grade students score “proficient” or “advanced” in the TNReady English Language Arts assessment by 2023.
The literacy officer position is grant-funded.
Duckworth played a role in Hamilton County Schools’ 202 launch of HCS at Home, a remote learning program that works alongside in-person instruction.
Before that, she developed a district-wide literacy framework as English language arts lead for middle schools in the district.
Duckworth earned a degree in English from the University of Alabama and a master’s in educational leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Hamilton County Schools has named Dr. Sarah Lane the principal of Bess T. Shepherd Elementary School. Previously, she served as assistant principal of Loftis Middle School.
Lane has worked in Hamilton County Schools since 2006. She previously worked as a lead literacy teacher as well as literacy coach and elementary school teacher at Woodmore Elementary, Rivermont Elementary, Normal Park Museum Magnet and Clifton Hills Elementary.
She is a member of the 2021 class for Aspiring Principal L.E.A.D. and participated in the Leadership Fellows class of 2012-2013 and the Principal Leadership Academy of 2018-2019. She is a graduate of the Leadership Chattanooga Class of 2017.
Lane holds a degree in human ecology from UTC. She also earned a master’s in curriculum and instruction and an Ed.S in instructional leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
Last year, Lane completed her doctorate in leadership and professional studies from Trevecca.
Lane replaces Valerie Brown, who’s retiring after 28 years of service with Hamilton County Schools and 37 years in Tennessee public education.
Source: Hamilton County Schools