Adam Clark selected to TRPN

\The Tennessee Department of Education, in partnership with Belmont University, announced 57 school leaders selected to the 2024-25 cohort of the Tennessee Rural Principals Network (TRPN), which is a comprehensive approach to improve the preparation, retention, and development of principals in rural communities across Tennessee. Lewis County High School Principal Adam Clark was selected as one of the 52. Of the appointment, Mr. Clark says, “It is a tremendous opportunity to be able to network Lewis County Schools with other schools that are similarly situated to discuss the challenges and opportunities that face Rural schools in Tennessee.”

“With Tennessee hosting the fifth-largest number of rural students nationwide, this initiative is crucial in fostering educational leadership in communities across our state,” said Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education. “We are excited to partner with Belmont University for the next cohort of the Tennessee Rural Principals Network, to provide these school leaders with professional development opportunities to further the important work of setting all our students up for future success.”

The Tennessee Rural Principals Network launched in 2018, giving rural principals an opportunity to learn and grow together through in-person and online learning sessions, focusing on leadership coaching and job-embedded activities. During this cohort, over the next three years, participants will explore the unique challenges and opportunities in rural school leadership, learn strategies to ensure high-quality instruction and the recruitment, retention, and support of rural educators, build relationships among other rural district leaders, and access effective resources in the rural context.

“The Tennessee Rural Principals Network is a tremendous professional growth and capacity-building mechanism for rural school leaders, positively impacting the students, families, and communities they serve,” said Dr. Jim McIntyre, Dean of the College of Education and Assistant Provost, Belmont University. “For the next three years, the state of Tennessee has increased the investment in this important effort, enabling the TRPN team to serve and support even more rural principals across the state.”

Clark was asked the following questions:

What are some current challenges you see facing rural school leaders today? One of the biggest challenges discussed thus far has been the hiring and retention of teachers. Most new teachers seem to be entering the field by hiring into systems that are in Metropolitan areas with more offerings when it comes to salaries, housing, entertainment and infrastructure.

3) Over the next three year appointment, what do you hope to gain from the experience? I hope to be able to bring in information that will be helpful to our system from the teachers, administrators and our students concerning academics, and support systems that will make Lewis County Schools the best that it can be.

4) How long have you been in education? Or, better, what is your educational history? I have been in education since August of 2001. I was employed by Shelby County Schools at Bolton High School as a Social Studies Teacher and football coach. I was blessed to work with some great folks while at Bolton for a period of three years. After leaving Shelby County, I returned to Lewis County High School where I taught civics, economics and personal finance, geography, and sociology while coaching football until 2022. In 2022, I was hired as the Principal at Lewis County Middle School for one year, then I was blessed to have moved to the Principal position at Lewis County High School in 2023, where I am presently serving.