Superintendent Dr. Jon Rysewyk has made four administrative appointments, three are effective July 2023:
Brandon Pratt has been appointed ombudsman for the school system, serving as a point-of-contact for parents who have questions or perhaps conflicts with school personnel. A job description is here. Pratt holds two degrees from the University of Mississippi and taught there before joining Knox County Schools in 2001 as a teacher at Cedar Bluff Intermediate. He began his career in administration in 2005 as an assistant principal at A.L. Lotts. He has served as principal at Corryton, Sunnyview, Ball Camp, Northshore and New Hopewell elementary schools.
Shawn Smith has been appointed principal of Copper Ridge Elementary School. She taught at Ridgedale Elementary from 1985-2000 and at Copper Ridge from 2000-2017. She has been the assistant principal at Copper Ridge since 2017. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana College and a master’s from the University of Tennessee.
Tonya Cash will be the principal of Christenberry Elementary School, where she has worked for 11 years. She has been the assistant principal at the school since 2013. Her bachelor’s degree is from Carson-Newman with a master’s from Grand Canyon University and an education specialist degree from LMU.
Kori Lautner has been appointed interim assistant superintendent of strategy effective April 2023. Lautner worked as a site director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley for three years before joining Great Schools Partnership as the community school coordinator for Lonsdale Elementary School in 2015. In 2020, she became the community engagement manager for Knox Education Foundation, and she currently serves as senior executive to the superintendent. She holds two degrees, both from the University of Tennessee: a bachelor’s in English literature and a master’s in public policy and administration.
Sandra Clark is editor/CEO of Knox TN Today Inc. Information from Knox County Schools website.