MATTHEW BURNETTE, Staff Writer

Four finalists for the Director of Schools position were approved by the Coffee County School Board at a March 31 Special Call meeting.

Tennessee School Boards Association Executive Director Dr. Tammy Grissom presented two finalists to the Board for further consideration.

Grissom said that there were 16 applicants overall.

“Our job was to select the finalists that best met the criteria that the Board adopted,” explained Grissom.

The first candidate recommended by the TSBA is East Lincoln Elementary School Principal Scott Hargrove. Hargrove has served in that role since 2014 and had a stint as Interim Superintendent for Tullahoma Schools from 2019 to 2020.

The second candidate that the TSBA recommended is Dr. Amie Lonas who currently serves as the Provost for Joint Special Operations University, a position she’s held since 2022. She also served as the Superintendent for Franklin County Schools from 2015 to 2017.

Board member Scott Hansert made a motion to approve the recommended candidates that was seconded by Board member Chris Koon.

Board member Jennifer Peacock Hodge made a motion to amend the original motion with a second by Board member Robert Gilley to include Hickerson Elementary Principal Kathy Crabtree and Coffee County Schools Director of Attendance Dr. Keith Cornelius on the list of candidates to be interviewed.

Both the amendment and the original motion as amended passed 8-0 with Board member Holly Matthews absent.

The Board also approved 8-0 a motion brought by Board member Freda K. Jones with a second by Hodge to record the candidate interviews to be published after the interview process but not livestream them to offer a level playing field to all candidates.

The interviews are open to the public and will be held on April 21-24 in the School Board meeting room.