Supervisor of the Year

The goal of the Tennessee Supervisor of the Year program is to recognize and celebrate the wealth of excellent district leaders that exist across the state. Each year an outstanding public school supervisor earns distinction as the Tennessee Department of Education Supervisor of the Year (SOY).  This honor is reserved for leaders who demonstrate superior abilities in:

·         managing and motivating students and faculties;

·         evoking high standards;

·         demonstrating a commitment to excellence;

·         implementing innovative programs; and

·         having a track record of exceptional gains in student learning.

Supervisors of the Year are selected competitively through four cycles: district, region, grand division, and state. 

Supervisors selected at each cycle receive local recognition and awards underwritten by local sources. State recognition and awards include a banquet honoring the nine region-level Supervisors of the Year.

2022-23 Supervisor of the Year

Of nine Supervisor of the Year finalists representing Tennessee’s eight CORE regions, as well as the Shelby County-Municipals area, Dr. Penny Thompson, Pre-K Director and Instructional Coordinator in Lebanon Special School District, was selected as the 2022-23 Tennessee Supervisor of the Year.

Dr. Thompson’s dedication to literacy is shown in her support of the district’s teachers. She has created and led professional development on how to teach reading, ultimately raising student achievement in phonological and phonemic awareness. Additionally, Dr. Thompson organized a Pre-Kindergarten Registration and Health Fair for families to complete applications, receive free health screenings, and consult with community service providers. Dr. Thompson currently serves on the Reading 360 Advisory Council, the TN Early Literacy Network, and the Mid-Cumberland Literacy Network.

Benefits of Participating in the Tennessee Supervisor of the Year Program

What are the benefits to supervisors?

By participating in the Tennessee Supervisor of the Year program, district leaders have the opportunity to:

• be celebrated and honored for making exceptional district-wide gains with students,
• expand knowledge of education policy and participate in local, state, and national policy discussions,
• serve as spokesperson and advocate for the education profession, and
• become inducted into an amazing network of statewide awardees, and become connected to an impactful, ongoing body of work that engages you as a professional long after an awardee’s service year.

What are the benefits to schools and districts?

By participating in the Tennessee Supervisor of the Year program, districts have the opportunity to:

·       attract local, state, and national attention,

·       allow the district’s honorees to serve as a voice for the education profession, thus elevating the district and attracting educators and leaders to the district, and

·       celebrate excellence in education by honoring hard working, successful district leaders.

What does the Tennessee Supervisor of the Year do?

·         Respond to and fulfill Tennessee Supervisor of the Year speaking requests, presentations, etc.

·         Share their expertise with the department.

·         Identify and advocate for educational issues.

Eligibility & Selection Process

A Supervisor of the Year nominee must:

• Have a minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in public schools.
• Have a minimum of one (1) year of experience as an administrator.
• At all levels of recognition, must be employed as a supervisor in a Tennessee public school system.

Directors of schools will nominate one supervisor from the district using the online Principal and Supervisor of the Year Nomination Form.

This honor is earned by demonstrating superior abilities in:

• managing and motivating students and faculties;
• evoking high standards;
• demonstrating a commitment to excellence;
• implementing innovative programs; and
• having a track record of exceptional gains in student learning

The 2024-25 nomination deadline is Dec. 17, 2023.

Projected 2024-25 Timeline

Application Resources

·       2022-23 Tennessee Principal and Supervisor of the Year Process Overview (PDF): This short video provides an overview of the 2022-23 Tennessee Principal and Supervisor of the Year process and what you can expect from each stage in the selection process.

·       Approaching the Part I Principal and Supervisor of the Year Application (PDF): This one-hour webinar will dive more deeply into the components of the part I Principal and Supervisor of the Year application.

·       Approaching the Part II Principal and Supervisor of the Year Application (PDF): This one-hour webinar will dive more deeply into the components of the part II Principal and Supervisor of the Year application.

·       Supervisor of the Year Part I Application:  This document contains all questions listed in the electronic part I application. Districts are encouraged to use this document as a foundation for their own district-level Supervisor of the Year applications. Applicants are encouraged to use this document to draft and revise application responses prior to submitting via the online form.

·       Supervisor of the Year Part II Application:This document contains all questions listed in the electronic part II application. Applicants are encouraged to use this document to draft and revise application responses prior to submitting via the online form.

·       Supervisor of the Year Guidebook for Applicants: This document contains tips and tricks for how to improve your Tennessee Supervisor of the Year application. While referencing this document will not guarantee a successful outcome in the selection process, this document is useful for refining your responses to ensure they align to the application prompts.