Stacy Stewart, human resources director for Hamilton County Schools, will succeed Katie O'Brien as principal of Red Bank Middle School, officials announced today.
Ms. O'Brien is retiring in June.
"Stacy has the skills, knowledge and leadership to ensure that Red Bank Middle School continues on its path toward excellence," Superintendent Jim Scales said in a news release.
Ms. Stewart's position at the school districts' Central Office has been eliminated as part of staffing adjustments due to ongoing budget constraints.
A 24-year education veteran, Ms. Stewart began her career in Hamilton County in 1986 as a special education teacher at Signal Mountain Middle School. She moved to help open Loftis Middle School as a special education teacher in 1995 before becoming an assistant principal at Red Bank Middle School in 1996, the news release stated. She worked at Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts as an assistant principal in 1999 and then moved to Brown Middle School in 2000. She was promoted to principal of Brown Middle School in 2000 where she stayed until 2005 before coming to Central Office as a human resources director.
"I am excited to return to the Red Bank family in this new capacity," Ms. Stewart said in the release. "My passion is working with kids, and I am excited to be able to interact with the students and help shape their learning and future."
A native of Kentucky, Ms. Stewart has a bachelor's degree from University of Dayton, Ohio, and a masters in education from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.