Hamilton County superintendent reassigns some principals

Thursday, July 14, 2011

photo Rick Smith

Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Rick Smith announced Wednesday that he is shuffling more than a dozen principals and assistant principals within the school system.

Rick Rushworth, assistant principal at Lookout Valley Middle/High will replace longtime principal Lee McDade, who is moving into a job as assistant superintendent for administration, Smith said.

John Pierce, assistant principal at Red Bank High School, will succeed Stacy Stewart as principal at Red Bank Middle School. Stewart was promoted to assistant superintendent of personnel.

Maryo Beck, principal at Orchard Knob Middle School, will be reassigned as assistant principal at Central High School. He will be replaced by Crystal Sorrells, an assistant principal at Brainerd High School, according to Smith.

At the elementary school level, Karen Hollis is moving from principal at Ganns Middle Valley Elementary School to be elementary operations director at the central office. Sandra Jerardi, principal at Hixson Elementary, will replace Hollis, and Danna Thorne, principal at Birchwood Elementary, will replace Jerardi at Hixson.

Sharon Watts, principal at East Ridge Elementary School, will become principal at Birchwood Elementary, and Carol Langston will leave a job at the central office to become principal at East Ridge Elementary.

Marthel Young is going to Rivermont Elementary from Orchard Knob Elemenary. Angela Askins is leaving Falling Water Elementary to lead Hillcrest Elementary, where she replaces Katrina Overton.

Among the other moves Smith made:

Lee Ann Burk, principal at Brown Academy, will move to Falling Water Elementary as principal.

Jennifer Spates will be promoted from assistant principal at Shephard Elementary to principal at Brown Academy.

Katrina Gravitte will be promoted from assistant principal at Clifton Hills Elementary to principal at Daisy Elementary.

LaFrederick Thurkill will be promoted from assistant principal at Apison Elementary to principal at Orchard Knob Elementary.