CLARKSVILLE, TN – CMCSS made the following administrative announcements in April for the 2026-27 school year, naming six new assistant principals.

Barkers Mill Elementary

Kari Richards has been selected as an assistant principal at Barkers Mill Elementary School. After honorable service in the United States Air Force, Richards brings more than 20 years of experience in education, including roles as an academic coach, multi-classroom leader, and classroom teacher. She joined CMCSS in 2019 after beginning her career in California, where she was recognized with multiple honors, including a Teaching of Excellence Award and multiple grants supporting instructional innovation. Richards has also contributed to district-level curriculum development and earned the Volunteer Advocacy Project Certificate through Vanderbilt’s Kennedy Center. Richards earned her Ed.S. in Administration and Supervision from Austin Peay State University, M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University, and B.S. in Liberal Sciences from Excelsior College.

Carmel Elementary

Smiling woman with glasses and blonde curls, wearing a blue top and black cardigan against a light gray background (professional headshot).

Wimberly (Katie) Hackett has been selected as an assistant principal at Carmel Elementary School. Hackett has been an administrator since 2023, serving as an assistant principal at Glenellen Elementary and Sango Elementary schools. Before entering administration, she served as an academic coach at Sango Elementary. Hackett began her career with CMCSS in 2009 and has served as a classroom teacher and visual arts teacher at Barkers Mill and Carmel elementary schools. She has served in numerous school- and district-level curriculum and instruction leadership roles and has been recognized as a Green Apple Award recipient and two-time Distinguished Classroom Teacher. Hackett is a graduate of the CMCSS Aspiring Administrators Academy. She earned her M.A. in Educational Leadership, B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies, and A.S. in Liberal Studies from Austin Peay State University.

Freedom Elementary

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Nathaniel Lyons has been selected as an assistant principal at Freedom Elementary School. Lyons brings prior administrative experience from Champaign Unit 4 School District in Illinois, where he served as an assistant principal overseeing school operations, special education, and professional learning. Since joining CMCSS in 2024, Lyons has served as a fourth-grade teacher at West Creek Elementary, supporting student achievement through data-driven instruction and collaboration. He began his career in education in 2012 and has served in a variety of teaching and leadership roles. Lyons earned his M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Eastern Illinois University and his B.S. in Elementary Education from Illinois State University.

Glenellen Elementary

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Kimberly Adams has been selected as an assistant principal at Glenellen Elementary School. After honorable service as a Captain in the United States Army, Adams has served for nearly a decade in public education. She has served as a teacher at Sango Elementary and Oakland Elementary schools, as well as at a school in Texas. She has led schoolwide initiatives to strengthen family engagement, communication, and school culture, and has been recognized as a Teacher of the Year and a Distinguished Classroom Educator. She earned her Ed.S. in Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University, M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M–Central Texas, M.A. in Healthcare Administration from Webster University, and B.S. in Criminal Justice from Westfield State University.

Oakland Elementary

Smiling woman with shoulder-length brown hair wearing a royal blue blazer over a black top, against a light gray background.

Hannah Durbin has been selected as an assistant principal at Oakland Elementary School. Durbin has served at Oakland Elementary since 2015 and is currently an academic coach. She previously served as a multi-classroom leader and classroom teacher and has facilitated numerous professional development sessions. Durbin is a two-time recipient of the Green Apple Award and has completed multiple CMCSS leadership development programs, including the Aspiring Administrators Academy and the Introduction to Leadership Academy, as well as several state and national educational leadership and instructional certification programs. Durbin earned her M.A. in Educational Leadership and B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Austin Peay State University, as well as her M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix.

Rossview Elementary

Professional headshot of a smiling woman with long brown hair, wearing a green blazer and black top, against a neutral backdrop

Dr. Rachel McDonald has been selected as an assistant principal at Rossview Elementary School. Dr. McDonald brings more than a decade of experience in education and currently serves as a multi-classroom leader at Hazelwood Elementary School. She has served in numerous leadership roles at Hazelwood Elementary and Norman Smith Elementary schools, including mentoring teachers, leading professional development, and supporting school operations. Dr. McDonald has been recognized as a Teacher of the Year and has completed multiple CMCSS leadership development programs, including Leadership Elevation Academy, Aspiring Administrators Academy, and Teacher-Leader Academy. She earned her Ed.D. in Leadership and Ed.S. in Accountability and Instructional Leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University, M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University of Portland, and B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Tennessee Wesleyan University.