New Sullivan schools Director Chuck Carter ready for new academic year

BLOUNTVILLE — Monday will mark the first day of the 2023-24 school year for kindergarten students, transfer students and new teachers and principals in Sullivan County Schools.It also will mark Director of Schools Chuck Carter's first day of the new school year at the helm of the region's largest school system, which is projected in budget documents to have about 8,125 students. The count as of mid-week before school got underway was 8,121.Although Carter will have been director of the system for just more than five weeks as of Monday, Aug. 7, the first day of school for Sullivan County students in the 2023-24 school year, he's been an employee since March 27 so he has more than four months under his belt with the system.Morristown native Carter, 59, most recently headed career technical education for the Tennessee Department of Education, and before that he was over the CTE program at Hamblen County Schools.One of three semifinalists, then one of two finalists, Carter late last year was chosen over former West Ridge High School Principal Josh Davis as the new director in a 5-2 vote by the Board of Education and subsequently hired on a two-year contract starting July 1.Davis this summer moved on to a position with Washington County (Tennessee) Schools, with former Johnson City Schools Principal George Laoo (pronounced Lay-O) chosen the new West Ridge principal. He was principal of the Johnson City Virtual Academy.That was among administrative appointments some school board members recently questioned because in-house employees weren't chosen.Carter said he will continue to "make every effort possible to grow our own leaders and hire them to lead our schools. With that being said, we have to look at each individual situation and the unique needs related to each decision and then search out the best person to fill that position."Carter in late March through June worked in tandem with Director of Schools Evelyn Rafalowski, who retired June 30, and he formally became director July 1.IMPRESSIONS SO FARSince late March, Carter said his top three impressions of the school system are positive, including the work ethic "we can do it" attitude. "Teachers, principals and everyone at our Central Office definitely lead by example in that area.Second, he said Sullivan County has a caring community that has welcomed him with with "a smile and a warm handshake.Third, he cited a "desire to see each student in Sullivan County be successful and that success should be tailored to the goals and aspirations of each individual student."PLANS FOR FUTUREAs for goals and plans, Carter also said he hopes to help improve relations and cooperation between the County Commission and Board of Education."My goal as director of schools in Sullivan County is to provide a collaborative spirit of teamwork that draws on the strengths of all community partners," Carter said. "By being transparent and upfront in what we are doing in our schools and what we need to be successful, I am hopeful that our whole community can support us and work to build bridges of collaborative effort throughout Sullivan County."He said the top strength of the school system is "superb community support. Our business and industry partnerships continue to grow in numbers, and everyone is eager to lend a hand. I have seen such an outpouring of support from our community-based support organizations."As for weaknesses, he instead cited "opportunities to grow" toward high expectations and our goals with individual students in mind. "As all communities in our state and across our country rebound from the pandemic, turning the corner from the disrupted educational process we experienced is critical for every school system."WHAT HE SEES AS HIS STRENGTHSAs to what he brings to the table as director, Carter said that included working for the Tennessee Department of Education and having been engaged in the creation of the the Tennessee Investment in the new Student Achievement or TISA funding formula and also the Innovative Schools Model Grant or ISM.Gov. Bill Lee and the General Assembly committed almost $600 million dollars to ISM "to spark innovation that would transform the high school experience for our students. Placing this investment in context, in 2009, Tennessee received close to $350 million in federal funding for the 'Race to the Top' initiative, so this $600 million state investment is historic in nature.Likewise, TISA has pumped $750 million in additional funding into K-12 education compared to the old BEP or Basic Education Program funding."I feel poised to lead our school system as we create life-changing opportunities for our students to create college and career goals and plans that will guide them after graduating from our schools," Carter said. "Our success doesn't end when a student graduates, we can truly say we have been successful when our students reach their individual goals in postsecondary and careers."Chuck Carter, 60, is in his 32nd year working in education.He has an education specialist degree, or Ed.S., in supervision and administration from Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee; a master's in supervision and administration from LMU; an education certification license obtained through a program at East Tennessee State University; and a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He also attended Walters State Community College in Morristown.He graduated from Morristown East High School.Starting in April of 2022, he became career technical education or CTE director for the Tennessee Department of Education. Before that, from July 2018 to March 2022, he was CTE director of Hamblen County Schools in Morristown. He also was principal of Union Heights Elementary School from November 2008 to June 2018, and a teacher and coach at East Ridge Middle in Whitesburg from August 1991 to October 2008.Sullivan County Schoolshttp://www.sullivank12.net/First student day Monday, Aug. 7.423-354-1000154 Blountville Bypass, Blountville, TN 37617