Somebody at Knox County Schools must have read someplace that executives should have no more than seven “direct reports.” That could explain the hierarchy of administrative leaders at the Central Office.

Superintendent Dr. Jon Rysewyk has five assistant superintendents:

  • Academics
  • Business and Talent
  • Student Success
  • Operations
  • Strategy

Each has a handful of direct reports

Rysewyk himself has four direct reports: a chief of staff, executive assistant, school board office and senior advisor.

Rysewyk has created five regions, each with a director and a supervisor. All schools fall into a region. Then there’s a position called chief of schools. Perhaps this person coordinates regional leaders.

With school starting, Rysewyk has replaced the former chief of schools, Ryan Siebe, with Dr. Shelly Maddux. One promotion can cause a ripple and that’s what you see below. Please work with me.

Shelly Maddux

Dr. Shelly Maddux is the new chief of schools. She was most recently director of Region One. Dr. Maddux joined KCS in 2006 as a teacher at Brickey-McCloud Elementary School (ES). She was appointed assistant principal at Carter ES in 2011. In 2014, she was named principal of Pond Gap Elementary and later appointed principal of Amherst Elementary. She was named supervisor of Region One in 2022, and in 2024 she was named director of Region One. Her degrees are from the University of Tennessee, Lincoln Memorial and University of the Cumberlands.

Dexter Murphy

Dr. Dexter Murphy replaced Maddux as director of Region One; he had been director of Region Five since 2022. Dr. Murphy joined KCS in 2009 as a teacher at Pond Gap ES. He has served as an assistant principal Vine Middle, Sarah Moore Greene Academy; principal of Green Magnet Academy, Maynard Elementary and the Upper School Academic Dean at Emerald Academy. His degrees are from UT (music), LMU (master’s), UT (educational specialist) and University of the Cumberlands (doctorate).

Christy Dowell

Christy Dowell replaced Murphy as director of Region Five. She had been the supervisor of Region Two since 2022. She joined KCS in 2000 as a teacher at Inskip ES. She was named administrative assistant at Inskip in 2003 and became principal of Ritta ES in 2006. In 2013, she was named principal of Cedar Bluff ES, and in 2015, she was appointed supervisor of elementary education. Her degrees are from Tennessee Tech.

Trina Spista

Dr. Trina Spista replaced Dowell as supervisor of Region Two. She had been principal of Amherst ES since 1922. Dr. Spista joined KCS in 2016 as assistant principal at Pond Gap ES; she became principal there in 2019. She previously was a special education teacher and administrator in Colorado. Her degrees are from Bowling Green State University, Grand Canyon University and University of the Cumberlands (doctorate).

Emily Jellicorse

Emily Jellicorse replaced Spista as principal of Amherst ES. She has been an assistant principal at Copper Ridge ES. She joined KCS in 2008 as a teacher at Carter ES. Previously, she was a teacher at Jefferson County Schools (TN) and in Arkansas. She taught at Holston Middle, and then was instructional coach at Gresham Middle. In 2017, she became assistant principal at Gresham, then assistant principal at Gibbs ES. She has been principal of Carter ES, Chilhowee Intermediate, then as assistant principal at New Hopewell ES and Copper Ridge. Her degrees are from Carson-Newman, UT and LMU.

Other news from the school board

Dual enrollment: The current agreement between Knox County Schools and Pellissippi State Community College to enable high school students to enroll for certain college classes must be working. On August 3, the school board authorized similar agreements with Carson-Newman University, ETSU, MTSU, PSCC, Roane State CC, Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Tennessee Tech, Tusculum University, UT-Chattanooga, UT-Martin.

Updated policy on selection of classroom materials other than textbooks. HERE.

Adopted several other resolutions and policy changes that I’ve not had time to review. Will try to continue this next Wednesday.

Knox County Schools organizational chart here. (Has not been updated for current school year.)

Regions: One – Five

A major change implemented by Dr. Rysewyk upon becoming superintendent was to assign all KCS schools to a region, based primarily on feeder patterns although these aren’t exact. The easiest way to understand the regions is to look at the high schools.

  • Region One – Bearden, Farragut, West High
  • Region Two – Hardin Valley Academy, Powell, Karns, Virtual School
  • Region Three – Career Magnet Academy, Carter, L&N STEM Academy, Paul Kelley Volunteer Academy and South-Doyle
  • Region Four – Central, Gibbs, Halls, Richard Yoakley
  • Region Five – Austin-East, Fulton
Change ahead on BOE

Look for at least three new faces on the Knox County Board of Education come September 1, 2026, maybe five since two incumbents have foes in the August 6, 2026, general election.

  • District 1: Charles Frazier (R) vs. Breyauna Holloway (D)
  • District 4: Ashley Sartelle (R) vs. incumbent Katherine Bike (D)
  • District 6: Lee Ann Eaves (R) vs. Cadence Collins (D)
  • District 7: incumbent Steve Triplett (R) vs. Amy Fenner (D)
  • District 9: Bill Sofield (R) vs. Brandy Jenkins (D)

Board chair Kristi Kristy (District 9) was upset in the May Republican primary by Bill Sofield. The Rev. Dr. John Butler (District 1) was defeated by Breyauna Holloway in the May Democratic primary. Betsy Henderson (District 6) is running for county mayor.

In memoriam

Gayle Boroughs

Linda Gayle Boroughs, 83, of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, passed on July 30, 2026. Her career in elementary education began in Memphis, followed by Clinton. She later attended the University of Tennessee, earning a master’s, and spent the rest of her career teaching special education at Oak Ridge High School. After retirement, she was an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma Society and continued to support education in Oak Ridge in any way she could. Gayle and her husband, Cotton, were active members of the Oak Ridge community for 60 years. They had three children and five grandsons. The obituary is here. The family will receive friends at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 15, at First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge with a service at noon.

Brenda Bundren

Brenda Nash Bundren, 69, of Tazewell, Tennessee, passed away at her home on July 31, 2026. She spent 35 years teaching second grade in Claiborne County, retiring from Springdale Elementary School. She was a lifelong member of Springdale Missionary Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by husband Larry Bundren. The obituary is here. The funeral was on August 3, 2026, at the Springdale Church.

Notes & Quotes

Farragut Band Boosters yard sale will be Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 8 a.m. until noon at Farragut High School. Info on donations: kristin.ricciuto@farragutband.org/.

Rock the Block – Free Back-to-School Bash – Wednesday, August 12, from 5:30-8 p.m. at Concord United Methodist Church, 11020 Roane Drive, in Farragut. No charge for food or games.

Powell Station Celebration – Car show and disc golf tournament on Saturday, August 8, from 9-3 at Powell High School. It’s the 12th annual Travis Wegener Memorial Car Show sponsored by the Tennessee Valley Mustang Club.

Quote: “Time flies when you’re having fun,” – Dominick Pelaia, new student rep on the Knox County school board at conclusion of August 3’s five-hour meeting.

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Sandra Clark compiles obituary links and writes daily at KnoxTNToday – the Let’s Talk series includes topics of law, neighbors, schools, leaders and outdoors. Enjoyed this article? Read more Let’s Talk – Schools by Sandra Clark.

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