Superintendent Dr. Jon Rysewyk has named six new administrators, with appointments effective July 2022.
Dr. Brad Carr was named principal of South-Doyle High School, replacing Tim Berry who will become supervisor of federal programs at the central office.
Dr. Carr joined Knox County Schools in 2008 as a teacher at Fulton High School. He then worked as a TAP mentor at Austin-East and as a TAP master teacher at South-Doyle High School. He was an assistant principal at Powell High and was principal of Graham HS in Bluefield, Virginia. In 2021, he was named director of human resources for Tazwell County public schools.
He holds degrees from King College, the University of Tennessee, LMU and University of the Cumberlands.
Tim Berry has been appointed federal programs supervisor for KCS. Berry has been principal at South-Doyle High School since 2011. He started letting people in the school community know about his plans to resign in May, shortly after achieving his long-sought goal of getting STEM accreditation for South-Doyle.
A Loudon County native, Berry was an all-state high school basketball player and played during his one year at Hiwassee College. After transferring to the University of Tennessee, he pursued his interest in science – particularly chemistry and biology – and decided to become a teacher.
He spent 21 years as a teacher and administrator in Loudon County and earned advanced degrees from Lincoln Memorial University and Tennessee Technological University.
Berry applied for a principal’s position in Knox County after he was unsuccessful in his bid to become schools superintendent in Loudon County. He landed at South-Doyle at a time when the school’s morale was low and steadily gave the student body confidence and pride.
Jennifer Garrett is principal of K-12 virtual schools. She joined KCS as a teacher at Karns Elementary and also taught at Sterchi. She currently is principal of the district’s elementary virtual school. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Tennessee and has also served as principal of Paul Kelley Volunteer Academy.
Alicia Jones has been appointed director of student success. This position is not mentioned in Rysewyk’s restructuring. Jason Myers was named assistant superintendent of student success to oversee “functions including English Language Learning, Health Services, School Culture, Special Education and Region 5.” Myers currently serves as the district’s executive director of student supports. Maybe Jones will get that job.
Jones began teaching in 2010 as a Georgia network for educational and therapeutic support teacher. She previously worked as a juvenile probation/parole specialist. In 2015, she began working as a public safety teacher at Hiram High School in Georgia, and in 2016, she was named the special education coordinator and district administrator for the Georgia network. She holds degrees in criminal justice from Troy University and an education specialist degree from Kennesaw State University.
Dr. Karen Loy is the new director of special education. She has been special education supervisor since 2017. In 1998, she became a program consultant for Richard Yoakley School, and in 2000, she was named principal of Ridgedale School and the Karns Annex alternative programs. She also oversaw the middle school evening alternative program. In 2007, she became principal of Northwest Middle School. She holds degrees from Tennessee Tech and the University of Tennessee.
Jennifer Hemmelgarn, an attorney, is now the interim assistant superintendent of business and talent. She joined KCS in 2016 as supervisor of employee relations. She previously worked eight years as an associate attorney for Leibowitz Law Firm. In 2019, she became director of employee relations, a position that she currently holds.
Hemmelgarn’s bachelor degree in business is from Western Carolina University and her doctorate is from the UT College of Law.
Previously announced principals include:
- Brad Corum, from principal at Karns High School to principal at Carter High School
- Laicee Hatfield, from principal of KCS secondary virtual schools to principal at Karns High School
- Dr. Susan Hutton, from principal of Dare Elementary in Yorktown, North Carolina, to principal at Brickey-McCloud Elementary
- Megan Blevins, from assistant principal to principal of Inskip Elementary School
- Taiesha Young, from assistant principal to principal of Pond Gap Elementary School
- James Slay, from assistant principal at Green Magnet to principal of Gap Creek Elementary School
- Tiffany Watkins from Gap Creek to Spring Hill Elementary
- Trina Bruns from Pond Gap to Amherst Elementary
- Lynn Jacomen from Inskip to Hardin Valley Elementary
- Casey Cutter from Sam Houston in Maryville to Blue Grass Elementary
- Jamie Cantrill from Blue Grass to elementary staffing supervisor
- Sunny Poe Scheafnocker from Hardin Valley to new northwest elementary
- Kristen Jackson from assistant principal to principal at West Hills Elementary
- Josh Van Pelt from interim to full principal at Mooreland Heights Elementary
- Suzanne Parham from assistant principal at Karns Elementary to Farragut Intermediate
- Kimberly Harris from assistant principal at Northshore to principal at Bonny Kate
- Tracy Marsh from assistant principal at Beaumont to principal at A.L. Lotts.