School Safety & Transportation

Healthy School Environment
Headline: Healthy School Environment Sub-headline: FOSTERING a safe, supportive, and healthy school environment that promotes physical and emotional wellbeing Icon: School building Image: Three boys standing together, two of whom are wearing orange and yellow safety vests, with an officer in the background.

The Tennessee Department of Education, through the work of the Coordinated School Health Division and the School Safety & Transportation Team, is committed to providing necessary supports to districts and schools across the state to assist efforts in providing and maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment. Through collaborative efforts with various teams and agencies, the department understands that it is vitally important to have a collaborative approach in order to ensure the safety of all students and staff across Tennessee.

The School Safety & Transportation represents the Healthy School Environment component of the Coordinated School Health Division. The Healthy School Environment component relates to the quality of the physical and aesthetic surroundings; the psychosocial climate, safety, and culture of the school; the school safety and emergency plans; and the periodic review and testing of the factors and conditions that influence the environment. By implementing a comprehensive methodology to address school safety, focusing on mitigation, protection, prevention, response, and recovery, schools can strengthen the safety and security of students and staff.

“Nothing is more important than Tennessee students and teachers returning home from school safely each day.” – Governor Bill Lee

Tennessee Department of Education Safety Contacts

Senior Director of Regional Support Director of School Safety & TransportationTransportation Manager

Melisa Fuhrmeister

Melisa.Fuhrmeister@tn.gov

(615) 708-3540

Kimberly Daubenspeck

Kimberly.Daubenspeck@tn.gov

(615) 970-2418

Joshua Hinerman

Joshua.Hinerman@tn.gov

(629) 259-1099

Tennessee Regional Safety Consultants

Emily Morgan

Emily.H.Morgan@tn.gov

(629) 279-8961

Districts Supported

Alamo City SchoolsHenry County SchoolsParis SSD
Bells City SchoolsHollow Rock-Bruceton Special Schools South Carroll Special Schools
Benton County SchoolsHumboldt City SchoolsTrenton Special School District
Bradford SSDHuntingdon Special SchoolsUnion City Schools
Crockett County SchoolsLake County SchoolsWeakley County Schools
Dyer County SchoolsMcKenzie Special SchoolsWest Carroll Special Schools
Dyersburg City SchoolsMilan SSD 
Gibson County Special School DistrictObion County Schools 

Amy Clenney

Amy.Clenney@tn.gov

(629) 292-7209

Districts Supported

Arlington Community SchoolsHardeman County SchoolsLauderdale County Schools
Bartlett City SchoolsHardin County SchoolsLexington City Schools
Chester County SchoolsHaywood County SchoolsMcNairy County Schools
Collierville Municipal School DistrictHenderson County SchoolsMemphis-Shelby County Schools
Decatur County SchoolsJackson Madison County SchoolsMillington Municipal School
Fayette County SchoolsLakeland School DistrictTipton County Schools
Germantown Municipal School District  

Amy O’Bryan

Amy.OBryan@tn.gov

(629) 259-1399

Districts Supported

Cheatham County SchoolsHumphreys County SchoolsRutherford County Schools
Clarksville-Montgomery County SchoolsLebanon Special School DistrictStewart County Schools
Dickson County SchoolsMetro Nashville Schools Sumner County Schools
Franklin SSDMurfreesboro City SchoolsWilliamson County Schools
Houston County SchoolsRobertson County Schools 

April Abercrombie

 April.Abercrombie@tn.gov

(629) 259-1593

Districts Supported

Bedford County SchoolsLawrence County SchoolsMaury County Schools
Coffee County SchoolsLewis County SchoolsMoore County Schools
Fayetteville City SchoolsLincoln County SchoolsPerry County Schools
Franklin County SchoolsManchester City SchoolsTullahoma City Schools
Giles County SchoolsMarshall County SchoolsWayne County Schools
Hickman County Schools  

Districts Supported

Bledsoe County SchoolsJackson County SchoolsSmith County Schools
Cannon County SchoolsMacon County SchoolsTrousdale County Schools
Clay County SchoolsOverton County SchoolsVan Buren County Schools
Cumberland County SchoolsPickett County SchoolsWarren County Schools
DeKalb County SchoolsPutnam County SchoolsWhite County Schools
Fentress County/Alvin C. York  

Andrew Meade

Andrew.Meade@tn.gov

(615) 955-5796

Districts Supported

Athens City SchoolsGrundy County SchoolsPolk County Schools
Bradley County SchoolsHamilton County SchoolsRhea County Schools
Cleveland City SchoolsMarion County SchoolsRichard City Schools
Dayton City SchoolsMcMinn County SchoolsSequatchie County Schools
Etowah City SchoolsMeigs County Schools 

Allison Rutherford

Allison.Rutherford@tn.gov

(615) 955-5796

Districts Supported

Alcoa City SchoolsJefferson County SchoolsOak Ridge Schools
Anderson County SchoolsKnox County Schools Oneida Special School District
Blount County SchoolsLenoir City SchoolsRoane County Schools
Campbell County Schools Loudon County SchoolsScott County Schools
Claiborne County SchoolsMaryville City SchoolsSevier County Schools
Clinton City SchoolsMonroe County SchoolsSweetwater City Schools
Grainger County SchoolsMorgan County SchoolsUnion County Schools

Melissa Cutlip

Melissa.Cutlip@tn.gov

Districts Supported

Bristol City SchoolsHamblen County SchoolsNewport City Schools
Carter County SchoolsHancock County SchoolsRogersville City Schools
Cocke County SchoolsHawkins County SchoolsSullivan County Schools
Elizabethton City SchoolsJohnson City Schools Unicoi County Board of Education
Greene County SchoolsJohnson County SchoolsWashington County Schools
Greeneville City SchoolsKingsport City Schools 

External & State Agencies Contact Information

Homeland Security

(866) 907-7357

Homeland.Security@tn.gov

Homeland Security

TEMA

(615) 741-0001

TEMA

Local EMA

(615) 741-0001

Contact Your Local EMA(tn.gov)

FEMA

(202) 646-2500

FEMA

Suicide Hotline

988