Washington County Schools name new principals
Washington County Schools has named new principals for David Crockett High School and Jonesborough Elementary School. Dr. Ashley Davis will be the new principal at David Crockett High School while Matt Combs will be the principal of the new K-8 Jonesborough Elementary School when it opens in August 2023.
Davis has spent her entire career in Washington County schools, starting as an English teacher at Crockett before moving into administration. She was an assistant principal at Daniel Boone before running the Career and Technical Education program at Boone. She later served as assistant director of schools in Washington County for three years and was most recently the deputy chief academic officer for the entire school system.
“Dr. Davis is the right choice at this moment to best support the needs of the students, faculty, staff, and families of David Crockett High School. Her working knowledge of DCHS, Washington County Schools, and the Washington County communities served will have a great impact on the future of the school,” Jerry Boyd, Superintendent of Washington County Schools, said in a statement. “Dr. Davis will strengthen the team, build relationships, and carry a powerful vision of success that will propel David Crockett High School forward as a top high school in our state for all students to learn, grow, and thrive toward a promising future.”
Meanwhile, Combs will offer continuity in his role as principal of Jonesborough’s new school. He has served as principal of the current Jonesborough Elementary School for six years, and the school was recognized as a Reward School by the State of Tennessee under his watch.
“Mr. Combs was chosen for his specific skill set and inherent strengths. Those skills and strengths match the particular needs of the school,” Boyd stated. “As with all decisions I make, this hire was made with a strict focus on student achievement and what is best for the students at Jonesborough Elementary School.”
Indian Trail adds Wallingford, Walker as assistant principals
Indian Trial will have two new faces on its administrative team to start the 2022-2023 school year, as Sara Wallingford and Kelsey Walker will join principal James Jacobs and assistant principal Chris Feathers. Indian Trail will now have three assistant principals as it transitions to a 6-8 middle school.
“We are excited to have Sara and Kelsey join the Indian Trail team,” Jacobs said. “Adding these two talented educators and leaders, along with the team we already have in place, will provide Indian Trail with a well-balanced team that has varying experiences across the board.”
Wallingford has spent the last 18 years as a teacher and administrator in Kingsport City Schools, while Walker has worked for the last decade as an English language arts teacher at Liberty Bell.
“I am excited to join Johnson City Schools and the Indian Trail Middle School community,” Wallingford said. “I am grateful for the experiences I had as an educator and school leader in Kingsport. The opportunities and support I received helped me grow, and this opportunity at Indian Trail is one that I could not pass up. I am looking forward to the excitement and challenges of middle school life. I cannot wait to begin working with Dr. Jacobs and the incredible Indian Trail team.”
Walker noted that she’s developed a love for working with middle school students after her decade in the classroom.
“Their time in school is a unique, challenging, and rewarding experience, and I have loved learning about how best to serve them and make their experiences in school meaningful,” Walker said. “To continue my journey with this system as an assistant principal at Indian Trail Middle School is an incredible honor that allows me to continue working with and supporting middle school students. After having worked with so many amazing colleagues, families, and students in this Johnson City Schools, I feel confident I am ready to learn from and navigate this exciting new role under the guidance of Dr. Jacobs, and alongside the rest of the administrative team, the teachers, and the staff at Indian Trail.”
Walker earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and Secondary Education from East Tennessee State University in 2012. She followed that with a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from ETSU in 2014. Most recently, Walker received her Doctorate of Education in Administrative Leadership from Carson-Newman University in 2021.
Wallingford served as an English teacher for 12 years at Dobyns-Bennett before becoming an Instructional Design Specialist for three years. Since 2019, Wallingford has served as Associate Principal at Andrew Johnson Elementary School.
Wallingford earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Milligan in 2004. She went on to receive her Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Carson-Newman in 2016. Most recently, she earned her Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of Tennessee as a member of the UT Leadership Academy Cohort in 2020.
For more information about Indian Trail Middle School, please visit IndianTrail.JCSchools.org.
