Administrative Appointments Announced in May

May 13, 2021

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System is announcing multiple administrative appointments for the 2021-2022 school year.

May 27, 2021

Rossview High School Principal

Dr. Meghen Sanders has been selected as the principal at Rossview High School, beginning the 2021-2022 school year. She is replacing Dr. Schanda Doughty who has been selected as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction 9-12.

Sanders has been the principal at Centennial High School in Franklin, Tenn. since 2019. Previously, she served as the assistant principal for seven years and curriculum specialist for one year at Pearl-Cohn High School in Metro Nashville Public Schools. She began her teaching career in 2006 serving in several Nashville area schools. Sanders has served as an adjunct instructor at Grand Canyon University, Belmont University, and Middle Tennessee State University. She was named the Academies of Nashville Academy Principal of the Year in 2018.

She earned her Ed.D. in Curriculum Design from Tennessee State University, both an Ed.S in Instructional Technology and an M.A in Curriculum and Instruction from Middle Tennessee State University, and a B.A. in English Language Arts Education from Wright State University.

Early Technical College at TCAT Administrator

Dr. Karen Beard has been selected as the administrator of the Early Technical College at TCAT, beginning the 2021-2022 school year.

Beard has been the academy principal of Whites Creek High School in Nashville, Tenn. since 2014. Previously, she served as the dean of students for one year at Apollo Middle School. She began her teaching career in 2005 and has served as a physical education and wellness education instructor. During that time, she developed a Sports Medicine and Athletic Training Pathway for Metro Nashville Public Schools.

She earned her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Carson-Newman University, an Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Tennessee Tech University, and both an M.A. in Education, Human Performance and Sports Science and a B.S. in Human Performance and Sport Science from Tennessee State University.

Adult Education and Transition to Work Supervisor

Katrina Wallus has been selected as the administrator of Adult Education and Transition to Work, replacing Dr. James Bailey, who has been selected as the principal of Kenwood High School.

Wallus has served as a CMCSS Special Populations Coordinator for nearly 17 years. She began her career with CMCSS in 2005 as a behavior consultant. She previously served at the Tennessee Department of Education and Vanderbilt University working with early intervention systems.

She earned her M.A in Education in School Counseling from Murray State University and both an M.S. in Health and Human Performance and a B.S. in Psychology from Austin Peay State University.

Byrns Darden Elementary School Assistant Principal

Victoria McAlman has been selected as an assistant principal at Byrns Darden Elementary, beginning the 2021-2022 school year.

McAlman is currently a third-grade Multi-classroom Leader at Burt Elementary. She has been with the district since 2015 and has six years of experience as a teacher and 504 coordinator. She has earned numerous awards and recognitions, including the Distinguished Educator Award, Teacher of the Year 2020 and District Teacher of the Year 2021 awards, Microsoft Innovative Educator, and the Green Apple Award.

She earned her M.A. in Educational Leadership at Austin Peay State University and Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University. She completed the CMCSS Aspiring Administrators Academy and is a Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance fellow.

Carmel Elementary School Assistant Principal

Shelli Childers has been selected as an assistant principal at Carmel Elementary School, beginning the 2021-2022 school year.

She has served as the academic coach for Carmel Elementary since 2016. Previously, she has served as a teacher at Carmel and Sango elementary schools and Northeast Middle School, beginning her tenure with the district in 2001.

Childers earned her M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction and B.S. in Elementary Education from Austin Peay State University. She completed the CMCSS Leadership Development Class Series and McREL Balanced Leadership Training.

Hazelwood Elementary and Liberty Elementary Schools Assistant Principal

Sabrina McAllister has been selected as an assistant principal split between Hazelwood Elementary and Pisgah Elementary schools, beginning the 2021-2022 school year.

She has been the academic coach for two years at Ringgold Elementary. Previously she has served as a teacher at Barksdale Elementary, Before and After School Program Administrator, and the director of Camp Invention, beginning her tenure with CMCSS in 2000.

She earned her M.A. in Educational Leadership and Administration and her B.A. in Education from Austin Peay State University. McAllister is a graduate of the CMCSS Aspiring Administrator Academy and McREL Balanced Leadership Training.

Minglewood Elementary and Liberty Elementary Schools Assistant Principal

Kelly Parker has been selected as an assistant principal split between Minglewood Elementary and Liberty Elementary schools, beginning the 2021-2022 school year.

Parker serves as the Student Support Coordinator at Northwest High School. Previously, she has served as a Physical Education teacher for seven years at Northwest High School and six years at New Providence Middle School. She has served as an adjunct instructor at Austin Peay State University and Tennessee Tech University. In 2009, she earned the Green Apple Award.

She earned her M.A. in Exercise Science from Tennessee Tech University and her B.S. in Health and Human Performance from Austin Peay State University. She completed the CMCSS Aspiring Administrators Academy.

May 21, 2021

In response to student enrollment growth at Kenwood, New Providence, and Richview middle schools, CMCSS has selected the following half-time assistant principals for those schools beginning the 2021-22 school year.

Kenwood Middle School

Dr. Charlsie Gordian has been selected as a half-time assistant principal at Kenwood Middle School. Currently, she is an Academic Coach at Kenwood Middle and has previously served as an Intervention Coordinator and teacher at New Providence Middle School. Prior to joining CMCSS in 2016, she had seven years of experience in teaching and substitute teaching roles in Kentucky.

Dr. Gordian earned her Ed.D. in School Administration, Ed.S. in Educational Leadership with administrator certification, and M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership from the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, KY. She earned her B.S. in Middle Grades Education from Murray State University in Murray, KY and associate degrees in Applied Science, Arts, and Science from Hopkinsville Community College in Hopkinsville, KY. She completed the McREL Balanced Leadership Training for Administrators and CMCSS Aspiring Administrators Academy.

New Providence Middle School

Taylor Massie has been selected as a half-time assistant principal at New Providence Middle School. Currently, she serves as a Virtual Teacher and the AVID Coordinator at New Providence. She started her career in CMCSS in 2013 at New Providence and has served as a Language Arts teacher, lead teacher, and Site-Based Induction Specialist. She was named a Distinguished Educator in 2019 and was the Green Apple recipient in 2015.

Massie earned her Ed.S. in Accountability and Instructional Leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University and an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction and a B.A. in English from Austin Peay State University. She completed the McREL Balanced Leadership Training for Administrators and CMCSS Aspiring Administrators Academy.

Richview Middle School

Verlina Heady has been selected as a half-time assistant principal at Richview Middle School. Since 2004, she has served as a Reading, Language Arts, and Writing teacher at Richview. Over her seventeen years of experience in education, she also has served as a team leader, student-teacher and new employee mentor, and a student tutor and mentor. At the higher-education level, she serves as a writing tutor and reading specialist for college students.

Heady earned her Ed.S. in Administration and Supervision from Austin Peay State University, M.Ed. in School Counseling from the University of West Alabama, and B.S. in English from Austin Peay State University.

……..

May 14, 2021

Director of Curriculum and Instruction 9-12

Dr. Schanda Doughty has been selected as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction 9-12, replacing Dr. Brandi Blackley who will be transitioning to Kenwood High School as an assistant principal.

Dr. Doughty has been the principal of Rossview High School since 2016, previously serving as an assistant principal at the school for seven years and one year at West Creek Middle. She began her teaching career in CMCSS in 2000 at Clarksville High and also taught at Rossview High. During her 21-year career with CMCSS, she has earned numerous awards and recognitions, including the Green Apple Award (2002 & 2004), Distinguished Classroom Teacher Award, and the TSSAA Region 5 Principal of the Year Award.

She earned her Ed.D. in Learning Organizations and Strategic Change from Lipscomb University, M.A. in Education from Austin Peay State University, and Bachelor of Science in Business Education from Murray State University. Doughty completed the CMCSS Aspiring Administrator Academy, CMCSS Advanced Leadership Training for Assistant Principals, and McREL Balanced Leadership Training for Administrators.

Kenwood High School Assistant Principal

Brandi Blackley has been selected as an assistant principal at Kenwood High School, beginning the 2021-2022 school year.

Blackley has been the Director of Curriculum and Instruction 9-12 since 2019. Previously, she served as an assistant principal at Northwest High School. Before beginning her career with CMCSS in 2017, she was an assistant principal at Covington High and Brighton Middle schools and had served in instructional support roles in Shelby and Tipton counties. Additionally, Blackley has 18 years of teaching experience in schools in Mississippi, Georgia, and Tennessee. Over her 25-year career in education, she has served on numerous school-, district-, and state-level curriculum, assessment, and professional-learning committees.

She earned her master’s in educational leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University and B.A. in English from Delta State University in Cleveland, Miss.

Moore Magnet Elementary School Principal

Kelsea Cox has been selected to serve as the principal of Moore Magnet Elementary STEM School, replacing Ptosha Maclin who will be transitioning to Carmel Elementary as the principal.
Cox has been an assistant principal at Barkers Mill Elementary School since 2016. Previously, she has served as an Academic Coach, RTI2 Specialist, and first-grade teacher at Barkers Mill, beginning her tenure with CMCSS in 2011. She has served on several local and state-level committees, including the APSU Teacher Education Council, Tennessee Teacher-Leader Network, and the TN Governor’s ELA Standards Review Committee.

She earned her M.A. in Educational Leadership and B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Austin Peay State University. Cox completed the McREL Balanced Leadership Training for Administrators and the CMCSS Leadership Development Class Series.

West Creek Elementary Principal

Melanie Steinlage has been selected to serve as the principal of West Creek Elementary School, replacing Lynne Rains who will be transitioning to Barkers Mill Elementary as the principal.

Steinlage has been the assistant principal at Byrns Darden Elementary School since 2018. Previously, she has served as an Academic Coach at Byrns Darden and Hazelwood elementary schools and a teacher at Hazelwood Elementary, beginning her tenure with CMCSS in 2010. She also has served as a Site-Based Induction Specialist and on several school and district-level committees.

She earned her M.S. in Educational Leadership K-12 from the University of Tennessee Martin and her B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of South Florida. Steinlage completed the McREL Balanced Leadership Training for Administrators as well as several Kagan Professional Development Workshops.

Barkers Mill Elementary School Assistant Principal

Kim B. Smith has been selected to serve as an assistant principal at Barkers Mill Elementary School.

Smith has served as the assistant principal at Carmel Elementary since 2018. She has 13 years of experience in school leadership, having served as principal of Moore Magnet Elementary and assistant principal at Minglewood Elementary. Smith began her tenure with CMCSS in 1990 as a teacher at Ringgold Elementary School and also has taught at St. Bethlehem and Kenwood elementary schools. Over her 31 years in the district, Smith has earned numerous awards and recognitions, including the NCLB Highly Qualified Teacher designation, the Green Apple Award, Distinguished Classroom Teacher Award, CMCSS K-4 Teacher of the Year in both 2000 and 2005, and was a state finalist for Tennessee Teacher of the Year.

She earned both her M.A. and B.S. in education from Austin Peay State University and her administrative endorsement from Trevecca Nazarene University. Smith completed the McREL Balanced Leadership Training for Administrators, CMCSS Aspiring Administrators Academy, and the CMCSS Leadership Development Class Series.

CMCSS K-12 Virtual School Assistant Principal

Danielle Head has been selected to serve as an assistant principal at CMCSS K-12 Virtual School.

Head has been serving as a Technology Integration Coach for the district since 2017. Previously, she served as a teacher at Carmel and Moore Magnet elementary schools and began her career with CMCSS in 2009 as a substitute teacher. Head has earned several national certifications, including the Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, and she is in the process of completing the International Society for Technology in Education Certification.

She earned her Ed.S. in Administration from Arkansas State University and her M.A. in Elementary Education and B.A. in Communications from Austin Peay State University. Head completed the McREL Balanced Leadership Training for Administrators.

Liberty Elementary School Assistant Principal

Donna Gagliardi has been selected to serve as the assistant principal at Liberty Elementary School.

Gagliardi has been an assistant principal at Minglewood Elementary School since 2018, previously serving in a split assistant principal position between Minglewood and Ringgold elementary schools in 2017-18. Before entering school leadership, she was an Academic Coach at Ringgold and had over 20 years of teaching experience in Tennessee and Illinois. She also has served as a Site-Based Induction Specialist and on other school- and district-level curriculum, professional learning, and leadership committees. Gagliardi has earned several honors, including Ringgold Teacher of the Year nominee (2013, 2014, & 2015), Distinguished Classroom Teacher of the Year, and Disney’s American Teacher Award Semi-Finalist in 1999.

She earned her master’s in Educational Leadership from Austin Peay State University and bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Western Illinois University. Gagliardi completed the McREL Balanced Leadership Training for Administrators and the CMCSS Aspiring Administrators Academy.

Montgomery Central Middle School Assistant Principal

Johnathan Stoll has been selected to serve as an assistant principal at Montgomery Central Middle School.

Stoll has served as the Student Support Coordinator at New Providence Middle School since June 2018, beginning his teaching career at the school in 2013. Previously, he served as a substitute teacher for CMCSS. Stoll has participated in several school- and district-level professional learning and curriculum roles and was the district’s Eighth-Grade Science Lead Teacher. He was named the New Providence Teacher of the Year in 2017.

He earned his Ed.S. in Accountability and Instructional Leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University, M.A. in Teaching from Austin Peay State University, and B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Tennessee at Martin. He completed the CMCSS Aspiring Administrators Academy, and has earned certifications in Restorative Practices and the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI).

West Creek Middle School Assistant Principal

Dale Land has been selected to serve as an assistant principal at West Creek Middle School.

Land has been the assistant principal at Liberty Elementary School since 2019. He began his career with CMCSS in 2012, and has served as an academic coach, science teacher at Kenwood Middle, and classroom teacher at Ringgold Elementary. Before coming to CMCSS, Land had a 20-year career in the United States Army as a soldier, Assistant Operations and Training Manager, and Senior Educator and Administrator.

He earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Ed.S. in Administrative Leadership from Carson-Newman University, M.A. in Teaching from Austin Peay State University, and B.S. in Criminal Justice from Troy University. Land completed the McREL Balanced Leadership Training for Administrators, CMCSS Aspiring Administrators Academy, and the Six Sigma Green Belt Certification.