Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) will start the 2023/2024 school year with 23 new principals. This is a slightly higher number than in previous years, due to several veteran principals choosing to either retire or accept a position with a surrounding district and in some instances, MNPS has chosen not to renew a seated principal’s contract.
On Friday, the district revealed upcoming assignments for the new school leaders. They also named three new executive leadership placements, including one for the district’s long-term chief spokesman.
Sean Braisted, who currently serves as Executive Officer of Communications and Community Engagement, will serve in the newly created position of Chief of Communications and Technology. In his expanded role, Braisted is expected to build a stronger relationship between district leadership and the technology services department. Braisted will continue to serve as the spokesperson for MNPS in addition to his new duties.
The promotion brings to nine the total number of “Chiefs” in MNPS Director of Schools Adrienne Battles’ cabinet. Battle’s predecessor, Dr. Shawn Joseph, employed four Chiefs.
Under the current pay schedule, Chiefs earn $185K annually. The $1.2 billion budget for the upcoming school year, recently approved by Metro Council, is expected to increase that compensation. To what extent has yet to be determined, as Human Resources is still working on the final draft of the revised MNPS Executive pay scale.
Of the 23 new principals, only Raquel Gonzales of Pennington Bend Elementary is new to the district. Gonzales comes to Nashville having served as a teacher, science coordinator, assistant principal, and principal in Chicago.
Dr. Battle has instead pulled her selections from the ranks of the district assistant principals and instructional coaches. For many, the promotion marks their first opportunity to serve as principals.
Six of the new principals are themselves products of Metro Nashville Public Schools. Kelby Garner, of Overton High School, is returning as principal to her alma mater.
Former Wilson County principal, Dr. Deante’ Alexander, will return to MNPS to take over Cane Ridge High School. Dr. Battle chose not to renew the contract of former principal Michel Sanchez. Alexander had previously served at Antioch High School as an academy principal, but left for Wilson County to pursue a principal position.
Dr. Tonya Dennis previously served as principal at Haynes Middle from 2012-2015.
Four of the named principals are transitioning from interim status to full-time. Three of the new principals have been tagged with the interim title for the upcoming school year.
Taking over as Director of Elementary and Middle School Athletics, for the retired Rosevelt Sanders, is Penny Howard, a three-time track and field All-American graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Most recently, she was a Program Director with Communities in Schools of Tennessee.
Daniel Phillips is the new Director of Academies of Nashville and Career and Technical Education. He held a similar role at Grand Island Public Schools in Grand Island, Nebraska.
Braisted told The Tennessee Star, “While our first goal as a district is retention, we are excited about the principal appointments and their commitment to serving and supporting the students, families, and faculty they serve.”
The new appointments will take effect on July 1, 2023.
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TC Weber is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. He also writes the blog Dad Gone Wild. Follow TC on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]. He’s the proud parent of two public school children and the spouse of a public school teacher.
Photo “Students” by Pavel Danilyuk.
