Justin Robertson, the director of Hamilton County Schools, has been named the Southeast Tennessee Superintendent of the Year.
The recognition from the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents makes Robertson one of eight finalists for Tennessee Superintendent of the Year.
As superintendent, Robertson said, his goal is to ensure students and staff have the support they need to succeed while also positioning the district to have long-term success.
“That work takes thoughtful planning, strong partnerships and a shared commitment to creating opportunity for every student in every community,” he said in a press release Wednesday. “I appreciate my peers across the Southeast for recognizing me with this award, but I’m more grateful to the Hamilton County community for walking alongside me in this work as we strive to serve all students.”
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Robertson has led Hamilton County Schools for the past four years. He was hired in December 2021, and in April 2024, the Hamilton County school board renewed his contract for another four years.
“Considering the momentum of Hamilton County Schools, it comes as no surprise that Dr. Robertson was named Southeastern Tennessee Superintendent of the Year,” Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp said the press release. “He leads with conviction and a deep belief that all children can thrive, and that has been reflected in his commitment to academic excellence and expanding career pathways.
“Dr. Robertson has been a great partner as we’ve worked together to make historic investments in our schools and in the future of Hamilton County,” Wamp continued. “His leadership is helping strengthen Hamilton County for generations to come.”
This past school year, Hamilton County Schools achieved its highest-ever graduation rate and was named an “advancing district” for the first time since 2019. That designation, the second-highest out of five possible levels, is based on a variety of performance indicators, including student achievement, academic growth, chronic absenteeism, graduation rate and support for English learners.
“We both deeply value having had the opportunity to work so closely with Dr. Robertson this year,” school board student representatives Ryan Jenkins (Soddy Daisy) and Starr Saied (Ooltewah) said in the press release. “It’s clear to us that his leadership is rooted in collaboration, compassion and an unwavering commitment to students. Every decision is made with the entire Hamilton County Schools community in mind, making this honor truly well deserved.”
In his time as superintendent, Robertson has led the development and implementation of a school facilities plan that will impact at least seven school communities and lead to five new or renovated buildings. He also created a new school funding model that allows principals to tailor staff to meet students’ needs and ensured that every school has an assigned school security officer.
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Robertson began his career in 2000 as a teacher and coach at Boyd Buchanan School and then spent a short time as an educator and administrator in Memphis-Shelby County Schools. In 2008, he started working for Hamilton County Schools, where he held a variety of administrative roles, including chief operations officer, before being named superintendent.
In recent years, local school leaders have gone on to be named the Tennessee Superintendent of the Year after receiving the regional recognition. Linda Cash, superintendent of Bradley County Schools, earned the top honor in 2024, and former Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Bryan Johnson was recognized in 2020.
— Compiled by Shannon Coan