Hamilton County Schools has selected four new principals for the 2020-21 school year. The schools receiving new leaders are Allen Elementary, East Brainerd Elementary, Daisy Elementary and Red Bank Middle School.
“High-quality leadership is vital to the success of our schools and learning communities as we push forward to higher achievement, even with the knowledge that certain challenges lie ahead,” says Neelie Parker, chief schools officer of Hamilton County Schools. “We understand the gravity of the school dynamic and how a quality leader manages change and sets the focus and culture, leading to the success of children in our schools.”
Daisy Elementary Assistant Principal Jill Hall will step into the principal role at the school. She will replace Lee Ziegler, who’s moving to Hixson High School to take over for retiring principal Lee Sims.
Hall has been with Hamilton County Schools since 2001. In addition to serving as assistant principal of Daisy Elementary, she has taught kindergarten and second and third grades at Red Bank Elementary and Spring Creek Elementary.
Hall holds is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a master’s degree from Trevecca Nazarene University.
Phillip Greeson comes from Laurens County, Georgia, to lead Allen Elementary. He returns to Hamilton County after nine years in leadership positions in school districts in Georgia, including assistant principal, principal and director of human resources. Before serving as a leader, Greeson was a school counselor for 16 years.
Greeson replaces Chris Tillett, who will be the new principal at Red Bank High School.
After earning a degree in psychology at Berry College, a master’s in school counseling at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and an educational specialist in administration and supervision degree at Lincoln Memorial University, Greeson earned a doctor of education in leadership and professional practice at Trevecca Nazarene in Nashville.
Hamilton County Schools has tapped Saunya Goss to lead East Brainerd Elementary through its transition to a temporary location following the damage the school sustained during the Easter Sunday tornado. She will take over for Dr. Marthel Young, who’s retiring.
Goss currently serves as the elementary director of the Opportunity Zone. Previously, she served as principal at Battle Academy from 2010-2017 and assistant principal at Westview Elementary from 2008-2010.
Before moving into administration, she was the school psychologist and gifted teacher at Battle Academy.
Goss graduated from Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences and holds bachelor’s, master’s and specialist degrees from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree from Carson-Newman University.
John Tharp will take his 27 years of experience in education to Red Bank Middle School. He is taking over for Andrea Edmondson, who will begin working with federal programs in the fall.
Tharp has served as executive director for the Harrison Bay Learning Community in Hamilton County Schools since May 2018.
He has been an executive director, teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, superintendent and university professor during his career.
Tharp earned his undergraduate degree at Illinois Wesleyan University. He holds a doctorate from the University of North Carolina.
Source: Hamilton County Schools