Welcome to the Tennessee Principals Association

The only Associations with their focus on principals are those such as the Tennessee Principals Association. All our members are principals, have been principals or desire to be principals. TPA's entire program of work, structure of organization and benefits delivery systems were planned around the professional and personal development of its members.

Our contact information for the Executive Director is 423.794.6664 or tnprinassoc@comcast.net . To reach the Membership Processor call 423.245.5687 or tpamembership@embarqmail.com . To contact any board member by e-mail go to the Leadership Team section on this site or look on the back of any of the Frontline newsletters.

Our best known products are the the Journal (Tennessee Principal) edited by Catherine Prentis of Cockrill Elementary School in Nashville, the Frontline newsletter issues prepared by Lauren Partin and Ernest Bentley, Jr., the Annual Conference (this year in Pigeon Forge on December 2nd and 3rd at the Music Road Hotel and Inn), our Legislative Lobbyist and legal mind in Stephen Smith, our Electronic Modules which award TASL credits through a partnership with Niswonger Foundation and all of the benefits associated with the TPA/NAESP affiliate relationship (million dollar liability coverage, legal assistant package, publications and so forth).

Nationally TPA is a part of a 25,000 member network of principals. Within the state hundreds of principals operate as colleagues and available human resources to each other. It would be great to have you join with us both to enjoy the benefits mentioned above and to contribute from your areas of strength. Download the membership form and fax it to 423.245.5687 today!

Who we are

From its early years as a K-8 principal group this association has expanded its membership eligibility to include middle school and secondary school administrators, so that today all PreK-secondary principals are eligible to become members. The governing board is composed of an Executive Committee, District Directors for 9 geographic areas or zones and appointees for priority initiatives selected for long range development by the association. The Executive Committee is presently made up of the elected officers (President, President Elect, Vice President, and NAESP State Representative), the Past President, and the appointed Secretary, Treasurer, and Executive Director. These individuals are Brian Partin, Sharon McNary, Rick Wilson, Teresa Dennis, Constance Hayes, Kim Headrick, Dr. Debra Bentley and Dr. Ernest Bentley Jr.

The District Directors and the NAESP State Representative have traditionally served as the core recruitment and benefits liaisons with members across the state. With the expansion of eligibility to upper grade administrators there may be increasing need to rethink this structure and customary strategies. Currently the District Directors include Steve Barnett in 9, Julie Thompson in 8, LeeAnn Mills in 7, Marsha Newman in 6, Donna Rhoton in 5, Marti Phillips and Jane Lezon in 4, Calvin Bailey in 3, Teresa Jackson in 2, and Elaine-Stewart Price and Dr. Terri Evans in 1. Directors are appointed to 3 year terms on a staggered schedule with a two term maximum.

Initiative Board appointments in 2010/2011 will include Catherine Prentis as editor for Tennessee Principal, Pattye Evans for Beginning/Retired, Kimber Halliburton as Legislative Liaison, Dr. Sam Shaw for Research, Linda Irwin for Professional Development, Sonya Cathey for Middle Schools and Dr. Niyah Griffin for Independent Schools. Dr. Nancy Meador serves as NAESP Zone 4 District Director. All Initiative appointments are annual recommendations by the President which are approved by the Executive Committee. Initiative appointments may be renewed for additional one-year terms.

You can find all board members in the "Our Team" link located in the top menu.

A Word From Our President

As we begin to plan for the year, I challenge each of you to reflect on these words from Max Dupree, “In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.”  My hope is that we will continue to build ourselves as individuals, principals, state leaders, and as an organization in order to support our personal and professional growth.  

 I look forward to working with each of you throughout this year.  The role of the principal is ever-changing, but it has never been so crucial and impactful as it is today.  For that very reason, it is imperative that we continue to strengthen our association one member at a time.  Thank you again for your participation in TPA - I look forward to working with each of you throughout the year!

 Sincerely,

 Brian Partin, TPA President

Where we are going

The overall theme for the 2010/2011 TPA year might well be thought of as the year of MINING FOR CLUES.  A first step will be our book study of 7 MEASURES OF SUCCESS, What Remarkable Associations Do That Others Don’t.  As stated in chapter 4:

        "The third measure, Data-driven strategies, refers to a continuous loop that remarkable associations tend to exhibit.  They continually track member needs and issues as well as the wider environment, then collectively analyze the data to reach a shared understanding through asking, ‘What do we now know?  What are we going to do about it?’  These associations then incorporate the findings into their strategic and operational planning." 

As George Stephanopoulos might say, TPA needs to be focused on mining today’s principalship for clues as to what we now know and what are we going to do about it.

 This December 2nd and 3rd the TPA Annual Leadership Conference will be in Pigeon Forge with the theme of Transforming School Cultures.  The flyer is included on your flash drive.   Last year capacity building (Fullan’s third secret to change) was selected as the December annual conference focus.   It is appropriate that the next couple of association years include both concepts.