MNPS honored its very best teachers, principals and support employees during a joyful ceremony Thursday with awards, dinner, photos, music and gifts.
More than 130 building-level Teacher of the Year winners, along with Support Employee of the Year and Principal of the Year finalists, gathered at Music City Center with their family members, principals and district leaders for the event.
Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle thanked and praised the honorees for their unwavering commitment to their students’ success.
“We have to know our students. They need us, and they want to be seen and heard and known,” Battle said. “This is why our Every Student Known work is critical; we can unlock what makes students grow and help them find the opportunities they need so they can thrive.
“You are here tonight because you do that work so well. You make sure every student is known, cared for, valued, supported and on a path to success.
“Teachers, the work you do every day to ensure that students are learning and growing is heroic.”
Natalie Williams, who teaches second grade at Percy Priest Elementary School, was named the overall MNPS Teacher of the Year. Williams is in her third year at Percy Priest and her 10th with the district.
The other eight finalists for Teacher of the Year were:
Teacher of the Year Finalists
Elementary School Teachers
- Lindsay Jackson, Gower Elementary
- Molly Gillis, Warner Elementary
Middle School Teachers
- Lily Joy, Head Middle
- Cheryl Wilson, Isaiah T. Creswell Middle School of the Arts
- Iris Reyes, McMurray Middle
High School Teachers
- Ruby Aguilar, Glencliff High School
- Meghan Condlin, Hunters Lane High School
- Jenna Hagengruber, John Overton High School
Support Employees of the Year
The district also celebrated its Support Employees of the Year:
- Heather Lacy, interpreter, West End Middle School
- Sancia Trotter, paraprofessional, Ida B. Wells Elementary School
- Deborah E. Whitman, attendance clerk, Tusculum Elementary School
Principal of the Year
Chara Rand, principal of Isaac Litton Middle School, was named the district’s overall Principal of the Year as well as Middle School Principal of the Year.
MNPS also named a Principal of the Year for each of the other tiers:
- Elementary: Dr. Andrew Davis, Julia Green Elementary
- High schools: Clarissa Zellars Stith, The Academy at Old Cockrill
The other finalists for Principal of the Year were:
Elementary School Principals
- Kellee Akers, Rosebank Elementary
- Dr. Cheryl Bowman, Shwab Elementary
Middle School Principals
- Dr. Tonya Dennis, Haynes Middle
- Dr. Gary Hughes, John Trotwood Moore Middle
High School Principals
- Dr. Miriam Harrington, Pearl-Cohn High
- Dr. Angela McShepard-Ray, Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet High
As an extra show of appreciation, the district and event sponsors gave each Teacher of the Year recipient a “swag bag” with the following items: an MNPS-branded backpack, an MNPS-branded Bluetooth speaker, an MNPS-branded portfolio notebook and a special gift from Trevecca Nazarene University.
Teacher of the Year and Support Employee of the Year finalists also received two admission tickets to the Frist Art Museum and monetary gifts provided by Cornerstone Financial. And Teacher of the Year, Support Employee of the Year and Principal of the Year finalists received two tickets to the Nashville Soccer Club game on July 16 in the prominent “615 Spot” at Geodis Park, with the overall Teacher of the Year winner receiving the “Hero Spot.” At the game, finalists will also receive a free meal and gifts. The overall Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year will also be recognized as the “Hero of the Match.”
Photos from the event are on Flickr.
Teacher of the Year by School
Elementary School
- A. Z. Kelley Elementary: Carlee C. Watson
- Alex Green Elementary: James Cooper Jr.
- Amqui Elementary: Addison Groves
- Andrew Jackson Elementary: Wendy Grayson-Scurlock
- Bellshire Elementary: Makieda Mathews
- Cambridge Early Learning Center: Maegan Hickey
- Cane Ridge Elementary: Callie Longmire
- Carter-Lawrence Elementary: Alexondria McKinney
- Casa Azafrán Early Learning Center: Alexandra R. Wood
- Chadwell Elementary: Brenda Fields
- Charlotte Park Elementary: Jessica Bloomrosen
- Cockrill Elementary: Brittany McMurry-Harrington
- Cole Elementary: Brandi Giles
- Cora Howe School: Nathaniel Jacobson
- Crieve Hall Elementary: Anna Watkins
- Cumberland Elementary: Merlicia Harden-Lassiter
- Dan Mills Elementary: Carleen L. Noble
- Dodson Elementary: Carrie M Patterson
- DuPont Elementary: Mary Knox Oatley
- Eagle View Elementary: Christina Johnson
- Eakin Elementary: Leanne Danielle Rusk-Carter
- Fall-Hamilton Elementary: Summer J. Griggs
- Gateway Elementary: Jordan Chitwood
- Glencliff Elementary: Alana Gerbs
- Glendale Elementary: Brittney Desch
- Glengarry Elementary: Emilie Thompson
- Glenview Elementary: Tiffany Doss
- Goodlettsville Elementary: Samantha Simms
- Gower Elementary: Lindsay Jackson
- Granbery Elementary: Brittney Hannah
- Harpeth Valley Elementary: Gabrielle Van Nest
- Harris-Hillman Special Education: Henry Mahasi
- Hattie Cotton Elementary: Angela Banks
- Haywood Elementary: Maria Seda
- Henry C. Maxwell Elementary: Caroline Ciotoli
- Hermitage Elementary: Debra Demlow
- Hickman Elementary: Rachel J. Stockard
- Hull-Jackson Elementary: Tabitha H. Stevenson
- Ida B. Wells Elementary: Katie H. Liggett
- Inglewood Elementary: Lauren Allgood
- Ivanetta H. Davis Early Learning Center at Bordeaux: Shaye Watson
- J. E. Moss Elementary: Kimberly Therber
- Joelton Elementary: Danielle Maggy Wheeler
- John B. Whitsitt Elementary: Jessica P. Ellis
- Jones Elementary: Cori Paquin
- Julia Green Elementary: Justine M. Schultz
- Lakeview Elementary: Yashica M. Smith
- Lockeland Elementary: Anna-Marie Settine
- May Werthan Shayne Elementary: Katherine Davis
- McGavock Elementary: Nichol Albertson
- Mt. View Elementary: Lauren Guenther
- Murrell at Glenn School: Katherine Williams
- Napier Elementary: Joni Wells
- Neely’s Bend Elementary: Allison Winston
- Norman Binkley Elementary: Hannah Fixel
- Old Center Elementary: Toiya Paige
- Paragon Mills Elementary: Elizabeth Tingler
- Park Avenue Elementary: Kim Matthews
- Pennington Elementary: Elizabeth Menchaca
- Percy Priest Elementary: Natalie K. Williams
- Robert Churchwell Elementary: Montavious Thomas
- Rosebank Elementary: Lucy Grunkemeyer
- Ross Early Learning Center: Kisha Hopson
- Ruby Major Elementary: Kimberly Kay Parrish
- Shwab Elementary: Justice Way
- Smith Springs Elementary: Sarah Padgett
- Stanford Elementary: Karen Payne
- Stratton Elementary: Ashley E. Hogan
- Sylvan Park Elementary: Courtney Hobgood
- Thomas A. Edison Elementary: Venita Campbell
- Tom Joy Elementary: Anson Amour
- Tulip Grove Elementary: Lesley Baxter
- Tusculum Elementary: Monica DeMartino
- Una Elementary: Charla Mason
- Warner Elementary: Molly Gillis
- Waverly-Belmont Elementary: Casey Moore
- Westmeade Elementary: Hailey Ellis
Middle School
- Antioch Middle: Erica T. Hayes Schultz
- Apollo Middle: Lashonda Toran
- Bellevue Middle: April Rolston
- Brick Church Middle: Tianna Ewing
- Croft Middle: Nicole Wolfe
- Donelson Middle: Gwendolyn Poindexter-Rayford
- DuPont Hadley Middle: Loleta Bryant
- DuPont Tyler Middle: Joshua Scurlock
- East Nashville Middle: Shawndra L. Armstrong
- Goodlettsville Middle: William Townley III
- H.G. Hill Middle: Emma Griffin
- Haynes Middle: Monique Hodges
- Head Middle: Lily Joy
- Isaac Litton Middle: Tessa R. Berger
- Isaiah T. Creswell Middle School of the Arts: Cheryl J. Wilson
- Jere Baxter Middle: LaQuesha Anderson
- John Early Middle: Lyndell Edmondson
- John F. Kennedy Middle: Charity Allen
- John Trotwood Moore Middle: Michael Todd Henderson
- Johnson Alternative Learning Center: Michael Grader
- Madison Middle: Jonathan M. Smith
- Margaret Allen Middle: Jayvon Treadway
- Martin Luther King, Jr. School (Middle): Nikki Boleyjack
- McMurray Middle: Iris Reyes
- Meigs Middle: Christian Johnson
- Moses McKissack Middle: Linda Bean
- Rose Park Middle: Brittany Beech
- Stratford STEM Magnet School (Lower Campus): Taimeka Berry
- Thurgood Marshall Middle: Jameon D. Hatcher
- Two Rivers Middle: Daven Oglesby
- West End Middle: Stephanie Kraft
- William Henry Oliver Middle: Nancy Caroline Sharp
- Wright Middle: Armanda Palmore
High School
- Antioch High: Janie Macklin
- Cane Ridge High: Likisha Rhodes
- Early College High: Lindsey Lieck
- East Nashville Magnet High: Shelby Crandall
- Glencliff High: Ruby Aguilar
- Hillsboro High: Mikeal Trump
- Hume-Fogg High: Shayna Snider
- Hunters Lane High: Meghan Condlin
- James Lawson High: Breyer Hillegas
- John Overton High: Jenna Hagengruber
- Maplewood High: Tracia Alexander
- Martin Luther King, Jr. School (High): Teresa Agee
- McGavock High: Patrice Rodgers
- MNPS Virtual School: Charles V. Hawk
- Nashville Big Picture High: Teryn Patrick
- Nashville School of the Arts: Jade Wilkison
- Pearl-Cohn High: Rachel Miller
- Stratford STEM Magnet School (Upper Campus): Fred H. Christian IV
- The Academy at
- The Academy at Hickory Hollow: Edward Knauss
- The Academy at Old Cockrill: Emily Grammer
- The Academy at Opry Mills: Kendra Bradford
- W. A. Bass Alternative Learning Center: Nakiesha Walker
- Whites Creek High: Montrell Williams