Windy Clayton posted: “Miracle on 34th Street” has nothing on the magic that happened this morning at SMGMA! What an abundant gift it is to have a boss who has a huge heart to serve alongside us! Dexter D. Murphy, I’m blessed to call you a friend, mentor, director and official SMGMA Santa!”

Lambdin is AD at Berean

Vince Lambdin

Berean Christian School has hired Vincent Lambdin as athletic director, effective January 15, 2026. The announcement came from Brad Neal, upper campus principal at Berean.

Lambdin previously served as an assistant football coach and head softball coach at Fulton High School, where he was also involved with the Play It Smart program. For the past 10 years, he has worked with the Boys and Girls Clubs, mentoring and supporting students at West and Karns high schools. Info here.

In Memoriam

The area lost several educators over the past weeks. (If you know of another who should be included, please email news@knoxtntoday.com/)

Joe Tate

Joe Grady Tate, 89, was a graduate of Arkansas State University who called Knoxville home for over 60 years. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, LouL Tate, founder and leader of Tate’s School and Tate’s Day Camp. After teaching for many years at Knox County Schools, Joe served as an assistant principal at Cedar Bluff Middle School and as a principal at Ball Camp Elementary and Cedar Bluff Intermediate schools.

An Army veteran, he was a natural musician and artist whose work is prominent at Tate’s School. He was also an accomplished commercial real estate developer, buying land in then-rural Cedar Bluff leading to today’s 54-acre school campus and Tate’s Gallery Shopping Center, Cedar Bluff at Middlebrook Pike. Joe Tate will be remembered for his entrepreneurial spirit, artistic talent, his humor and unwavering devotion to his family and community. Full obituary here.

Kay Moody

Kay E. Moody, 73, of New Market, Tennessee, graduated from Jefferson High School and earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Carson-Newman. She spent more than 30 years in public education, mostly teaching sixth grade science at Jefferson Middle School. Many lives were touched by her kindness and encouragement. A celebration of life service will be held on Sunday, December 28, at Mill Springs Baptist Church. Full obituary here.

Janet Cloud

Janet Lee “Jane” Cloud, 84, remained deeply rooted in her hometown, Knoxville, throughout her life. A passionate educator, she earned her bachelor’s degree from Knoxville College and continued her studies at The University of Tennessee, where she received her master’s degree and pursued additional academic work. Her career was marked by a profound commitment to nurturing both intellect and character in her students and athletes. Full obituary here.

Priscilla Kirby

Priscilla “Prissy” Kirby, 77, of Knoxville, was a graduate of Young High School and the University of Tennessee with a master’s degree in education from Lincoln Memorial University. She taught for 40 years with Knox County Schools at Adrian Burnett Elementary as a kindergarten teacher. She spent many hours creating new ways and ideas to help her students enjoy learning. She even got a classroom visit from Peyton Manning. Family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, December 26, 2025, in the parlors of Berry Funeral Home, 3704 Chapman Hwy, Knoxville. Full obituary here.

Lillian Henson

Lillian Lanning Henson, 82, taught at West and Karns high schools for 33 years. She graduated from MTSU with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education. She was a loving woman, who enriched the lives of everyone she met. She will be lovingly remembered and dearly missed. Her memorial service was Friday, December 19, 2025, at Neal Funeral Home in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Full obituary here.

Lila Roden

Lila Fite Roden, 97, graduated from high school in Clarksville, Tennessee, and graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree from Carson-Newman College. Her father, D. Harley Fite, was president of C-N from 1948-68. Mrs. Roden taught for 20-plus years, but is most remembered for her 18 years as a fourth-grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School where her sister Esther also taught fourth grade. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at Farrar Funeral Home in Jefferson City, Tennessee. Full obituary here.

Sandy Echternacht

Arthur C. “Sandy” Echternacht Ph.D., 85, grew up in Iowa. Academic degrees are from the University of Iowa (1961), Arizona State University (1964) and his doctorate from the University of Kansas (1970). He taught zoology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, from 1975 to his retirement in 2019. He served as the head of the Zoology Department and led its transition to today’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department. The family will receive friends Thursday, January 15, 2026, 4-7 p.m. in the chapel of Berry Funeral Home, 3704 Chapman Hwy, Knoxville. Full obituary here.

Barbara Moore

Barbara Ann Moore Ph.D., 78, a Memphis native, taught college for 41 years, the last 31 of them at UT where she chaired the broadcasting department. She got a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Memphis and her doctorate in mass communication from Ohio University. Among many academic articles and books that Barbara authored or coauthored, Horton Foote’s Three Trips to Bountiful (SMU Press, with David Yellin) was named one of the best academic books of 1993. Full obituary here.

Heather Hayes

Heather Collins Hayes, 48, graduated from Carson-Newman College, and spent her career in education. She taught for many years at Paulette Elementary School, Union County, and Rutledge Middle School, Grainger County. Her “teacher friends” became like family, sharing a loyal bond that lasted a lifetime. She was active at Clear Springs Baptist Church in Corryton. Full obituary here.

Signing off with best wishes to all. We’ll return next week with a look at the recent release of state test scores – which label each school, its staff and students with a letter grade – based on one test. State legislators don’t get education. Just sayin’.