Tennessee Names 2008 Supervisor and Principals of the Year
Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Education today announced winners of the 2008 Supervisor of the Year and Principal of the Year awards. Sumner County Schools Elementary Instructional Coordinator Glee Moore received the 2008 Supervisor of the Year award. Two principals were named 2008 Principals of the Year: Margaret McKissick-Larry of Memphis City Schools and Scott Owens of the Paris Special School District.
“These individuals provide critical leadership and expertise to the schools they serve,” Education Commissioner Lana Seivers said. “Their excellent work has earned the esteem of colleagues and improved the quality of education for students in their communities. I congratulate these administrators on the well-deserved recognition.”
The Supervisor of the Year and Principal of the Year programs, co-sponsored by Education Networks of America (ENA), honor administrators who guide improvements in school programming while pursuing higher standards of student academic success. The winner and each of the finalists received awards provided by ENA at an awards banquet during the 2007 LEAD conference.
Glee Moore has worked tirelessly to ensure her teachers have the support to see that their students are successful. Among her contributions, she initiated the implementation of a K-12 teacher mentoring program called First Impressions through which trained mentors have supported more than 500 beginning teachers in 38 schools. Sumner County’s teacher retention rate has improved partly as a result of this program. Ms. Moore also has received the Outstanding Educator Award from Middle Tennessee State University’s Dyslexia Center.
Margaret McKissick-Larry is principal of Avon Lenox School and has 46 years of experience in Tennessee public schools. All of her students scored proficient or advanced on the TCAP Alternate Assessment Portfolio in 2006. She also developed a work-based learning program called Project Excel. Ms. McKissick-Larry is active in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission, the Tennessee Performing Arts Commission and as a delegate to the National Education Convention.
Scott Owens is principal of W.G. Rhea Elementary and has 18 years experience in Tennessee public schools. His strengths as an administrator are to motivate students and faculty and to hold high expectations for desired outcomes. He developed the Jump Into Reading Program, a motivational/reward event that focuses on reading. During the 2006-2007 school year the students, teachers and parents of W.G. Rhea School read over 425,000 books. Last year, 90% of those students scored in the 90th percentile on reading benchmark tests. Scott is active in the Principals’ Study Council, serves as a 1st Lieutenant in the Tennessee State Guard and is a commissioned officer in his local sheriff’s office.
For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.