STATE OF EDUCATION IN TENNESSEE: 2012-2013 – Section II: Education Priorities
STATE OF EDUCATION IN TENNESSEE: 2012-2013 – Section II: Education Priorities
John Sevier Elementary
Support Effective School Leadership
(Maryville City Schools)
School Leadership Team
Ask any teacher at John Sevier to describe their school’s philosophy, and you’ll hear the same refrain: “It begins and
ends with relationships.” At John Sevier, effective leadership stems from the premise that strong relationships build
strong schools. “Teachers and families are really connected at John Sevier,” third grade teacher Nicole Keller said.
“That’s what makes John Sevier so special.” Here, there is no one hero in the building. When it comes to creating a supportive learning environment, teachers, students, parents, and administrators are all encouraged
to be leaders.
tions from the first year they enter the school. Wilson does not manage from a distance, nor does
he keep the day-to-day knowledge about the school to himself. On the contrary, he “spreads
the knowledge” by assigning all teachers to administrative teams that are involved in
decision-making around school operations. These teams focus on specific issues like
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Principal Rick Wilson is revered among faculty for empowering his teachers to take leadership posi-
building maintenance and school improvement, as well as new teacher hiring.
Wilson values his faculty’s input throughout John Sevier’s rigorous teacher recruitment process. “When you treat everybody like professionals, they feel
empowered,” he said.
Teachers are given ample autonomy in the classroom as well. If a
teacher identifies a certain skill or instructional material he or
she would like to use, Wilson does everything he can to accommodate the request. He doesn (