Six more Metro Schools will begin 2015-16 with new principals. District leaders have chosen experienced educators who will serve their new schools well.
The principals and their assignments are:
- Glencliff Elementary School – Julie Hopkins
- Hickman Elementary School – Dr. Kim Fowler
- Goodlettsville Middle Prep – Katrina Frazier
- Joelton Middle Prep – Peggy Brodien
- Hillsboro High School – Dr. Shuler Pelham
- Overton High School – Dr. Jill Pittman
About the Principals
Glencliff Elementary School – Julie Hopkins
Julie Hopkins has a passion for service that has fueled her 22 years serving students in Metro Schools. During that time, she has filled varied roles in schools, including classroom teacher, mentor teacher, assistant principal and principal. She comes to Glencliff from J.E. Moss Elementary, where she served as assistant principal for a very diverse student population speaking several different languages. She has earned many awards throughout her career, including Tennessee Education Association (TEA) Administrator of the Year and Teacher of the Year. She also spent two years on the TEA Board of Directors. Ms. Hopkins holds a bachelor’s in business administration, a master’s in elementary education, a specialist’s degree in administration and supervision and is working on her doctorate in education.
Hickman Elementary School – Dr. Kim Fowler
Dr. Kim Fowler has been teaching children for 34 years, reaching all grades prekindergarten to high school. She spent 22 years teaching and leading in Metro Schools, including time spent as principal at Chadwell, Kirkpatrick and Mt. View Elementary Schools. During that time, Dr. Fowler was chosen as a mentor principal by the Tennessee Department of Education. Most recently, she served as principal at Bradley Academy in Murfreesboro, a Tennessee Reward School in 2011-12. She has won numerous awards, including Middle Tennessee Principal of the Year in 2007 and Metro Schools Principal of the Year in 2010. Dr. Fowler holds a bachelor’s in elementary education, two master’s in administration and supervision and guidance and counseling, as well as a doctorate in educational leadership.
Goodlettsville Middle Prep – Katrina Frazier
Katrina Frazier brings a wide range of experiences to Goodlettsville Middle, including 13 years in the classroom as a middle school language arts teacher where she was honored with the distinction of Teacher of the Year. Throughout her career, she has served such varied roles as dean of instruction, assistant principal, reading specialist, family school coordinator, NCLB program specialist and data/assessment coordinator. Most recently, she was responsible for the rapid improvement of student achievement for LEAD Public Schools. She is dedicated to improving the social intelligence of students while holding them to high academic standards. Ms. Frazier holds a master’s degree in administration from Jackson State University as well as a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s in administration and is currently seeking a doctorate in leadership and professional practice.
Joelton Middle Prep – Peggy Brodien
Peggy Brodien is a well-known and respected veteran educator who has been helping children in Nashville for 28 years. She began her career in Metro Schools as a teacher at Chadwell and Granbery Elementary schools. She was later an instructional designer at Robert Churchwell Museum Magnet Elementary School, working with museum specialists within the school in addition to museums and historians around the city. As an administrator she has served at Neely’s Bend, Cole, Harpeth Valley, Amqui and Tom Joy Elementary schools. Most recently, Brodien served as the Principal of the Health Sciences Academy at John Overton High School. During her tenure at Overton, her academy received Model Accreditation status by the National Career Academy Coalition and was honored at the Academies of Nashville Awards for the Partnership of the Year with David Lipscomb University Pharmacy School. She is well known for building leadership capacity and has collaborated with teachers, parents, students and the community wherever she has served. She plans to continue to demonstrate her love as a public educator to help students reach their full potential in both academics and social and emotional development in her new role at Joelton Middle School. Ms. Brodien holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s in educational administration and will soon finish her doctorate in administrative leadership.
Hillsboro High School – Dr. Shuler Pelham
Dr. Shuler Pelham comes to Hillsboro from John Overton High School, where he has successfully led the most diverse school in the state for the past seven years. During his time at Overton, he increased academic achievement, increased student attendance and significantly decreased discipline incidents. He also helped found the Cambridge program at Overton, an internationally recognized advanced academic program. This gives him the experience he will need to meet the challenges of an International Baccalaureate World School like Hillsboro. Dr. Pelham is a graduate of Metro Schools, after which he attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the University of Tennessee. Following a career in the tech industry, he taught in both elementary and middle schools before earning a doctorate in administration in order to pursue school leadership. Dr. Pelham is active in church and community organizations, where he has become an advocate for English language learners and students with disabilities. He and his wife are proud parents of four children, all of whom are Metro Schools students.
Overton High School – Dr. Jill Pittman
Dr. Jill Pittman is returning to Overton High School, where she served as an award-winning academy principal just two years ago. She has served as a school leader in Metro Schools since 2006, working in both middle and high schools in the district. Prior to her work in Nashville, she served as an administrator in Florida for eight years, working with high school students on college and career readiness. Dr. Pittman opened the district’s first Freshman Academy at Antioch High School before taking the reigns as principal of J.T. Moore Middle, an International Baccalaureate World School. Most recently, she has served as principal of another International Baccalaureate World School at Goodlettsville Middle Prep. She returns to Overton as a proven leader, previously working in both the freshman and I.T. academies, with an emphasis on improving literacy outcomes and English learner support. Dr. Pittman was named Metro’s Academy Principal of the Year in 2013. She holds a bachelor’s degree in foreign language education, a master’s in educational leadership, an executive certification in community college leadership and a Ph.D. in public administration. In addition to her work in schools, Dr. Pittman is an adjunct professor in the Andrews’ Institute of Civic Leadership at Lipscomb University, serves on the Executive Board of Professional Educators of Tennessee and is an America Achieves Fellow. Her husband, Mark, is the principal of Bellevue Middle Prep.
Filed under: News, Schools Tagged: elementary schools, glencliff, goodlettsville, hickman, high schools, hillsboro, joelton, middle schools, new principals 2015-16, news, overton, principals, schools
