Greeneville Native Appointed to State Board of Education
Article as it appeared in The Greeneville Sun’s Education Section on Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Nicholas Darnell, a native of Greeneville, has been appointed to the Tennessee State Board of Education.
Darnell, an eighth grade American history and government teacher in Hamblen County, will represent the First Congressional District on the board, according to a news release from the State Board of Education.
He joined the board in May and will serve through 2023.
A teacher for 12 years, Darnell was chosen as the East Ridge Middle School, Hamblen County and First Tennessee Core Region middle school teacher of the year in 2015. In the same year, he was selected by Gov. Bill Haslam to serve on the first Governor’s Teacher Cabinet. He has advised the governor and Education Commissioner for the past three years.
Darnell also serves as a learning leader for Hamblen County by facilitating Professional Learning Communities, leading professional development and mentoring fellow teachers, according to the release.
He is a 2002 graduate of South Greene High School, was a Niswonger Scholar and earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Tusculum College in 2006. Darnell earned his master’s degree in educational leadership and his specialist degree in school system leadership with an administrative endorsement from East Tennessee State University.
“I am very excited to have Nick join the State Board as our new teacher member and feel confident he will bring valuable insight and perspective to the board’s policy discussions and decisions,” said Dr. Sara Morrison, executive director of the State Board of Education.
The Tennessee State Board of Education is a 11-member, governor appointed and legislatively confirmed board on policy review and development across all areas of K-12 education in the state, according to the release.
The State Board of Education is the governing and policy making body for Tennessee’s pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade public education system. Its work touches all facets of education from accountability and evaluation to standards and teacher education.
Members are chosen from each congressional district in the state and also include a student and the executive director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, who serves as a non-voting, ex officio member.
