T. Nakia Towns, Ed.D. | 404.493.6768 | [email protected] | linkedin.

com/in/TNTEdD

July 19, 2021

Joe Wingate, Chairman
Tucker McClendon, Vice Chairman
Hamilton County Board of Education
3074 Hickory Valley Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421
Dear Mr. Wingate and Mr. McClendon:

The purpose of this letter is to express my sincere interest and willingness to serve as Interim
Superintendent of Hamilton County Schools (HCS).

In contemplating if I should submit my name for consideration, I thought about how I could best give back to
this community for the wonderful support and encouragement that has come my way. Colleagues in HCS,
many of whom I now consider dear friends, as well as countless community members have gone out of their
way to show me kindness and grace during these unprecedented times. As Chairman Wingate so beautifully
articulated at the last Board meeting and as Dr. Bryan Johnson has so exquisitely modeled, the
superintendent role, when done right, is ultimately an act of service to our community.

So, I can think of no better way to show my deep gratitude to the children, families, and staff of HCS than to
offer my service in support of a smooth transition while the board selects Dr. Johnson's successor. After the
year we've endured, I am committed to ensuring that our community experiences a return to normalcy and
consistency as we start the new school year. Our teachers and school leaders must be able to focus on
welcoming all children back onto campus without the potential stress and distraction that comes from
uncertain or unfamiliar leadership.

For family and personal reasons, I will not apply for the permanent superintendent position. Therefore, my
service as interim would not conflict with Board Policy 5.801. I understand and acknowledge the Board's
direction that whomever is named Interim Superintendent shall not be eligible to apply for the permanent
position. Since my relocation to Hamilton County in August 2017, I have lived in Ooltewah, which is in
District 9. If selected, I look forward to working closely with all Board members, including the member who
will represent me as part of the Ooltewah community.

For the Board's review, I have enclosed my current resumé which details my contributions to the Future
Ready 2023 plan, highlighting key initiatives that I collaborated on with teaching and learning, finance,
operations, and student supports. I am also including three letters of professional reference from Mayor Jim
Coppinger, Dr. Bryan Johnson, and HCEA President, Jeanette Omarkhail, written earlier this year to support
my application for superintendent in other communities. I think these letters highlight the skills and abilities
I will leverage to facilitate an orderly transition that sustains the momentum of the last four years.

I thank the Board and the community for affording me the incredible growth opportunity that I have
experienced during my time in HCS. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as Deputy Superintendent. I am so
grateful for every day that I get to engage in meaningful work, supporting my passionate belief that every
child deserves access to an excellent public school education.

I appreciate your time and thoughtful consideration as you select the Interim Superintendent. Please don’t
hesitate to contact me should you require any additional information.

Sincerely,

T. Nakia Towns, Ed.D.

T. Nakia Towns, Ed.D. | 404.493.6768 | [email protected] | linkedin.com/in/TNTEdD

Professional Summary
Senior Executive Educational Leader. Passionate advocate for children promoting a culture of equity,
innovation, continuous improvement, and community engagement in public schools. Committed educator
with demonstrated expertise in instructional leadership, human resources, finance, technology, and
operations. Effective communicator with a proven ability to inspire and persuade. MBA, Duke University, and
EdD, Vanderbilt University, with over 25 years complementary experience in the public and private sectors.

Professional Experience
HAMILTON COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 2018 – Present
Deputy Superintendent Chattanooga, TN
Leading in the state’s fourth largest district, serving 45,000 students with 6,000 employees in 79
schools and $420M budget. Support all divisions – teaching & leading, talent, equity, innovation, operations,
and finance – to improve student outcomes. Hired as chief of staff overseeing communications, family
engagement, policy, accountability, strategic planning, and federal programs. Member of MOU collaborative
conferencing team with teacher association. Oversee district-wide COVID-19 response and reopening plan.
Highlighted Results at Hamilton County Schools:
 Fastest improving district in overall student academic growth, climbing 128 spots from 130th to 2nd in
district ranking from 2017 to 2019 for overall student academic growth grades 3-12, out of 146 districts.
 #1 ranked district in Tennessee for elementary grades in student academic growth in 2019.
 45 schools earned highest rating for student academic growth (level 5) in 2019 – most in district history.
 32 Reward schools (“A” graded) in 2019 – highest proportion in the state and most in district history.
 Raised graduation rate to 87.0% in 2020, achieving highest level for district since 2013.
 Improved proficiency in each state-assessed high school subject by more than 5 percentage points in 2019.
 Increased rate of 2020 graduates completing early post-secondary courses to 68.2% versus 31.1% in 2018.
 Grew scholarships earned by class of 2020 to $124.5 million, quadrupling total for class of 2018.
 316 industry certifications and credentials awarded to 2020 graduates, a 518% increase versus 2018.
 Achieved highest level for student growth (level 5) in 20 of 25 grade/subject areas and met/exceeded
student growth expectations in 100% of grade/subject areas in state accountability framework in 2019.
 Met 8 of 11 key performance indicator (KPI) 2019 targets for student achievement in strategic plan,
including historically underserved student group metrics.
 Exceeded 2023 five-year KPI target for percentage of teachers meeting/exceeding student growth
standard (80%) and number of schools meeting/exceeding growth standard (66 of 74) in 2019.
 Improved first-year teacher retention to 86% (up from 74% in 2018), exceeding 2023 five-year KPI target.
 Increased teacher salaries 8% and invested over $42 million in staff compensation over three years.
 Planned pilot to evaluate two science of reading literacy curricula. Led to six-year adoption of high-quality
instructional materials and implementation training for 1,200 teachers in 42 elementary schools.
 Coordinated priority-based budgeting process, organizing departmental input and budget development.
Developed three-year financial plan for targeted investments aligned to strategic goals.
 Created and launched poverty-adjusted base staffing model for schools to address resource inequity.
 Secured $800 thousand grant to launch student success planning with eight schools and 3,384 students.
Matched students with 152 partners offering 215 services with support of county-wide Children’s Cabinet.
 Established office of social emotional learning and introduced framework for integrated student supports.
 Expanded whole-child supports – counselors, career advisors, social workers, behavior interventionists,
truancy specialists and ESL teachers – and launched Newcomer Center for recently arrived immigrants.
 Formed district-wide family and community engagement office and developed community outreach
facilitator role to support Parent University, Leadership HCS, and Family Resource Center initiatives.
 Crafted toolkit and MOU to support community partners operating virtual learning centers during COVID-
19 response. Developed microgrants and raised private funding to support 41 centers across the county.
 Collaborated with national firm to drive facilities assessment process. Delivered 10-year, three-phase
$891.5 million proposal to right-size district, improve building conditions, and increase equity.
 Rebranded HCDE to Hamilton County Schools with new logo, redesigned website, and expanded social
media presence. Attracted over 25,000 new followers on Facebook and Twitter, a 430% increase.
T. Nakia Towns, Ed.D. [email protected] (page 2 of 4)

Professional Experience
TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 2015 – 2018
Assistant Commissioner Data and Research Division, Nashville, TN
Executive Cabinet member, reporting to Commissioner, supporting 146 districts and 1,700+ schools
serving over 80,000 teachers and one million Tennessee students. Oversaw the offices of accountability,
assessment, research & strategy, and data management & reporting. Led collection, reporting and analysis of
strategic data to inform policymaking. Monitored Tennessee Succeeds strategic plan implementation.
Revamped design and managed launch of next generation state assessments. Redesigned accountability
framework, as a part of state plan submission for Every Student Succeeds Act.
Highlighted Results at Tennessee Department of Education:
 Earned “A” rating from Education Next for rigor of new state assessment versus NAEP (the Nation’s Report
Card) 2017 mapping study, ranked 11 out of 50 states for alignment to high academic expectations.
 Improved national state ranking to 19th and 21st on 4th and 8th grade science, respectively—the highest
ever on the Nation’s Report Card in 2016, eliminating achievement gap between boys and girls.
 Improved to 25th in state ranking for 4th grade math in 2015 NAEP results – first time ever in top 25.
 Raised student proficiency in 8th grade reading and 4th grade math to above NAEP national average in 2015.
 Founded Tennessee Education Research Alliance (TERA) in partnership with Vanderbilt University.
 Passed key legislation for Read to be Ready literacy initiative, school improvement interventions, school
report card grading, and district accountability framework.
KNOX COUNTY SCHOOLS 2010 – 2015
Chief Accountability Officer Office of Accountability, Knoxville, TN
Executive Cabinet member, reporting to Superintendent, supporting over 8,000 employees, 60,000
students, and a $425 million budget in the state’s third largest district. Oversaw strategic planning,
research, accountability, school improvement, federal programs, and grants. Collected and reported school,
educator, and student data to drive equitable resource allocation. Managed organizational performance and
educational return on investment (eROI). Designed and launched STAR (School Teams Achieve Results)
planning tool. Developed theory of action and support protocol for priority schools performing in the bottom
five percent of the state. Initiated Innovation Zone (iZone) structure for priority school improvement.
Director, Human Capital Strategy; Acting HR Executive Director Human Resources, Knoxville, TN
Senior leadership team member, implementing transformational change initiatives in talent
management, focused on teaching effectiveness, strategic compensation, and efficient hiring
processes. Coordinated activities to attract, select, develop, reward, and retain effective educators.
Restructured department to improve customer service. Led transition to electronic workflow and began hiring
cycle 30 days earlier. Steered development of instructional coaching model to support job-embedded
professional development. Supported 16 departments to create and launch performance management for
over 200 professional staff. Co-taught human resources class in Leadership Academy for aspiring principals.
Highlighted Results at Knox County Schools:
 Earned Exemplary designation – highest district accountability rating – among 12 of 144 districts in the
state in 2015 and only large urban district to ever attain highest rating.
 Met 11 of 11 annual measurable objectives for improving student achievement in 2015.
 Narrowed 11 of 16 achievement gaps for historically underserved student groups in 2015.
 Earned highest rating for student academic growth (level 5) in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
 All four iZone schools exceeded state growth expectations in 2015.
 Improved graduation rate to 90% in 2015, compared to 79% in 2008.
 Earned straight A’s on state report card for first time in district history in 2013 and again in 2014.
 Evaluated $15 million invested in literacy programs; restructured interventions based on eROI findings.
 Expanded TAP model from 4 to 18 schools and hired 91% of 131 master/mentor teachers in three months.
 Led design of strategic compensation system; created 600 teacher leadership roles with supplemental pay.
 Secured and managed $18 million Teacher Incentive Fund grant and state Race to the Top funds to
implement differentiated compensation plan for 4,000 certified staff.
T. Nakia Towns, Ed.D. [email protected] (page 3 of 4)

Education
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY, Peabody College 2012 – 2015
Doctor of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy. Dean’s Merit Scholarship. Nashville, TN
THE BROAD CENTER FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF SCHOOL SYSTEMS 2010 – 2012
Master of Education, Educational Leadership. Broad Residency in Knox County Schools. Los Angeles, CA
DUKE UNIVERSITY, Fuqua School of Business 1999 – 2001
Master of Business Administration. Goldman Sachs Fellow (full-tuition scholarship). Durham, NC
DUKE UNIVERSITY, School of Engineering 1991 – 1995
Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Biomedical Engineering. National Achievement Scholar. Durham, NC

Honors, Awards, and Distinctions

 Associate Professor Adjunct, Department of Leadership, Policy & Organizations, Vanderbilt University,
Doctor of Education program, Fall 2021 appointment
 Panelist, Foundational Policies for Student Success, SCORE Educator Fellows, 2020 Statewide Convening
 Panelist, Equity and School Choice, Grantmakers for Education 2019 National Conference
 Keynote Speaker, 2019 Education Doctorate Summer Seminar, Florida State University
 Expert Peer Reviewer, 2019 Promise to Practice, ESSA State Plans, Collaborative for Student Success
 Future Chief Fellow, Chiefs for Change, national leadership development program, 2018-2019
 Facilitator, Innovative Approaches to Alternate Assessment Design, Council of Chief State School
Officers, 2017 National Conference on Student Assessment
 Panelist, Promoting Equity through Accountability, TN Educational Equity Coalition, 2017 Summit
 Facilitator, Smarter School Spending, Council of Great City Schools, 2014 CFO Conference
 Harvard University Public Education Leadership Project Summer Institute, 2014
 TAP Award of Distinction, National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, 2013 recognition for
district commitment to teacher leadership, teaching quality, and strategic compensation
 Dean’s Merit Scholarship Award, Peabody College of Education, Vanderbilt University
 PRism Award of Excellence, National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) for Knox County
Schools APEX strategic compensation marketing materials, 2012
 Broad Residency Fellow, Broad Center for Urban Education, 2010-2012 cohort
 The Business Report and Journal 40 Under 40, recognition as a premier business achiever for the
Savannah-Hilton Head region, 2005
 Goldman Sachs Fellow Scholarship Award, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University

Selected Presentations, Workshops, and Lectures

Towns, T.N. (2021, May) Creating a Strategy to Improve Equitable Access and Digital Instruction. Presentation
to CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking) webinar attendees.
Towns, T.N. (2021, February) A District Transformation: Accelerating Our Work in HCS. Presentation for
Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents Associate Leadership Institute Network Meeting.
Towns, T.N. (2020, October) School Re-opening in a Global Pandemic. Lecture for Moral and Ethical Dimensions
of Public Management course at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, Executive Education.
Towns, T.N.; Marion, S.; and Smith, K. (2020, August) Assessment Approaches for Today’s Learning
Environment. Panelist and presenter for professional development workshop facilitated by Learning Forward.
Towns, T.N. (2020, February) ESSA’s Impact on Federal and State Accountability. Lecture for Exploration of
Education Policy course at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Towns, T.N. (2017, May) English Learner & Early Post-secondary Opportunity Landscape in TN: Building a
Bridge to Post-Secondary… for ALL! Presentation and panel discussion at Chattanooga State Community
College, Bridges to Success 2.0. Chattanooga, TN.
T. Nakia Towns, Ed.D. [email protected] (page 4 of 4)

Selected Presentations, Workshops, and Publications

McQueen, C.; Towns, T.N.; Carney, E.; Batiwalla, M; and Knudson, H. (2017, April) Every Student Succeeds Act:
Building on Success in Tennessee. ESSA State Plan submitted to U.S. Department of Education.
Towns, T.N. and Batiwalla, M. (2016, December) A-F Grading for School Accountability. Presentation to State
Board of Education. Nashville, TN.
Towns, T.N. and Minihan, C. (2015, May) The Role of the Elementary Assistant Principal: A Program Evaluation
for Jefferson County Public Schools (Louisville, KY). Doctoral capstone, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.
Towns, T.N. and Abdelrazek, R. (2014, April) 2014 Educational Return on Investment Report: 2012-2013
Program Evaluation. Published by the Knox County Schools, Knoxville, TN.
Towns, T.N. (2012, November) Strategic Compensation and Teacher Evaluation in the Knox County Schools.
Presentation at the 40th annual conference of the National Alliance of Black School Educators. Nashville, TN.
Towns, T.N. (2012, May) Accelerating Strategic Human Capital Management in the Knox County Schools.
Master’s capstone, the Broad Center for Education Management, Los Angeles, CA.

Professional and Civic Affiliations

Harvard University Education Redesign Lab By All Means Consortium
State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE), COVID-19 Innovative Recovery Network (CIRN)
Chattanooga 2.0, Steering Committee
Hamilton County Children’s Cabinet, Executive Committee
Hamilton County Schools Foundation, Ex Officio Founding Board Member
Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards
University of Tennessee Center for Educational Leadership, Leadership Academy Practitioner Partner
The Broad Center Alumni Advisory Board
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, a public service sorority, Diamond Life Member

Additional Professional Experience

WELLS FARGO & COMPANY (formerly WACHOVIA BANK, N.A) 2007 – 2010
Vice President / Senior Relationship Manager Business Banking, Atlanta, GA
Managed nearly $200 million asset portfolio. Grew portfolio revenue by 14% through increased credit
transactions and securities investments. Sustained profitability using risk management strategies.

BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION 2001 – 2007

Vice President / Client Manager Commercial Banking, Savannah & Atlanta, GA
Associate Banc of America Securities LLC, Syndicated Finance, Charlotte, NC
Generated over $3 million revenue in nonprofit portfolio. Closed $15 million in credit transactions, 131% of
goal, in 2005. Executed and closed 11 sole- or joint-lead arranged transactions for Fortune 1000 companies
in 2002, generating $23.4 million, topping business plan by 9% and growing revenues by 18%.

IBM CORPORATION 1996 – 1999

Technical Sales Specialist Sales & Distribution, Minneapolis, MN
Senior Product Specialist Network Support Center, Research Triangle Park, NC
Selected for national technical sales pilot program. Secured $16 million of new business. Surpassed quota at
106% of goal, earning Technical Excellence award and Extraordinary Results performance rating.

SEI CORPORATION 1995 – 1996

Corporate Associate Information Technology, Oaks, PA
Helped build network infrastructure to transition to internet/intranet technology platform as database
administrator. Identified software applications to reduce paper, resulting in 25% decrease in storage space.
 Y
HAlVIILTON COUNT , TENNESSEE
OFFICE oF THE ColTNIY MAYOR
Jil\1 M. COPPINGER

Superintendent Search Committee:

I am writing to provide a professional reference on behalf of Dr. Nakia Towns. Dr. Towns is the Deputy
Superintendent in Hamilton County Schools. As County Mayor, I have had the pleasure of working
closely with her regarding district funding and key strategic initiatives, as well as the COVID-19 response
and reopening for county schools.

Dr. Towns was a valuable contributor in developing the district's budget and helping promote my
proposal to raise additional revenue for schools. I witnessed firsthand her ability to break down complex
issues in a way that our community could more readily understand. Dr. Towns supported me in several
town hall sessions, where we answered questions about the details of the proposal. Even when the
crowd wasn't especially friendly, she was always personable, poised, and persuasive. She is a skilled
communicator who is quick on her feet and able to connect with a wide range of stakeholders -
including business, elected, and civic leaders from across the political spectrum.

Dr. Towns shares my passion for seeing all children in Hamilton County succeed. To that end, she led the
district to join the By All Means Consortium in partnership with Harvard University. This work resulted in
my formation of the Children's Cabinet, which brings together agencies that serve children and youth to
create shared goals and accountability around student outcomes. Dr. Towns facilitates the work of the
Cabinet and has overseen the launch of student success plans to match children with needed wrap­
around services. This initiative has been especially critical as we faced the challenge of the COVID-19
pandemic.

Dr. Towns has overseen the work of the pandemic response for the school system. She helped organize
over 40 community partners to launch virtual learning centers to support students with remote learning.
Moreover, the school district has created the safety infrastructure and protocols that allowed our
county to be the first large school system in Tennessee to open for the current school year in August.
She has led the district to work with urgency to establish reliable contract tracing, publish real-time data
dashboards, drive community support for the HCS SAFE Pledge, and conduct on-site rapid tests for staff

625GEUl«,l.l.·\l·Ext·E.StTl'E208 • CtL.\'fT.\'\(XXi.l. TN 37402 • P110XE(423) 209-6100 • Fix (423) 209-6101

and students. The work of the COVID-19 response team under her direction has enabled us to keep
schools open safely, even as we have battled unprecedented levels of community spread this fall.

The current district leadership team, with Dr. Towns functioning as the Superintendent's right-hand,
achieved historic results for students. Our district is the fastest improving in Tennessee based on
student academic growth, and we have attained the highest graduation rate since 2013. Almost half-
32 of 74 - of our schools earned Reward status, the equivalent of an "A" letter grade on our state report
card in 2019. I can't remember a time in recent history that our community has felt so much pride and
optimism towards the school system .

I credit much of the change in the district's culture and trajectory to the work of Dr. Towns. I believe
that her experience in both public education and the private sector has contributed to her significant
impact in Hamilton County. I am impressed by her political savvy, business acumen, and leadership
presence. I am confident that she would be an excellent superintendent, because I have seen her step
into the role seamlessly when called upon to do so .

It would be an understatement to say that her exceptional talent would be sorely missed in our
community. However, I have no doubt that Dr. Towns is eminently qualified to be your next
Superintendent and that, if selected, she would lead your district to reach new heights for students and
families .

Sincerely,

ct :Co~g:,Cp,P y
Hamilton County Mayor
Hamilton County
Department of
Education
Superintendent Search Committee:
Dr. Bryan Johnson
Superintendent I am pleased to submit this letter of recommendation on behalf of Dr. Nakia Towns. Hamilton
County Schools serves approximately 45,000 students in urban, rural and suburban
Hamilton County communities. It is one of the more complex school systems in the state because of its diverse
Board of Education
economic, ethnic and geographic makeup. Before my arrival in July 2017, Hamilton County
Joe Wingate ranked as the 130th of 146 school systems in Tennessee for student academic growth. We
Chairman recognized the challenge of improving student achievement would be multifaceted and
District 7 would require the acquisition of exceptional talent to move the district forward. Since Dr.
Tucker McClendon
Towns’ arrival in February 2018, we have moved from 130th to the 2nd ranked school system
Vice Chairman in Tennessee for student academic growth.
District 8
I was drawn to Dr. Towns because of her work at the state level, where she served as
Dr. Steve Highlander Assistant Commissioner for the Data and Research division, overseeing assessment and
District 9
accountability. She led a complicated shift in statewide assessments that increased the rigor
Jenny Hill and alignment to national standards, as well as leading the development of the state plan for
District 6 the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). She also has a unique background having worked in
the private sector and serving another large school system, Knox County, at the executive
Karitsa Jones
cabinet level. Her skills made her the perfect candidate for our then newly developed Chief
District 5
of Staff role and now as my Deputy Superintendent.
Marco Perez
District 2 As Deputy, Dr. Towns works across departments and with the community. She is charged to
collaborate with department heads and focus our efforts around the board’s strategic
Tiffanie Robinson direction. She works very closely with our Chief Financial Officer as we have re-engineered
District 4
our budget to align to the strategic plan. She also partners with our Chief Schools Officer to
Joe Smith prioritize our most underserved populations and allocate additional resources to turnaround
District 3 schools. She supports our Chief Equity Officer to expand inclusive settings for students with
special needs, increase support for English learners, and enhance social-emotional learning
Rhonda Thurman
District 1
and wrap-around services. She engaged with the Chief Operations Officer to complete the
RFP for a new transportation contract and improve the work quality of our custodial services
vendor.

This year, she worked hand-in-hand with our Chief Schools Officer on the adoption of our
new literacy curriculum that is likely the most important adoption that the system has
completed in the last decade – even while she is also playing an integral role in our COVID-19
response, supporting the launch of our HCS at Home remote learning option. Dr. Towns has
also worked alongside me as we have collaborated with county government and our funding
body on key budget initiatives, such as our long-term facilities plan.

Recently, I have been recognized as Tennessee Superintendent of the Year, and I am

currently one of AASA’s four finalists for National Superintendent of the Year. I mention this
recognition because I strongly believe that these honors reflect the work of our entire
leadership team and that of our district as a whole. Dr. Towns has been at the center of that
work in every way, and I believe that her contributions are invaluable. I know personally that
her partnership with me has been essential to our administration’s progress since 2018.

Office of the Superintendent • 3074 Hickory Valley Road • Chattanooga, TN 37421 • Tel: 423-498-7042 • www.hcde.org
Dr. Towns displays a skill-set that I believe is key to the successful superintendents of the future. She is
strategic, a great communicator, focused on improving student achievement, innovative, and, most
importantly, committed to children. The two questions that have always been top of mind for me in hiring
are: 1) would you want the candidate to serve in your child’s school system; and 2) would you rehire the
applicant? When it comes to Dr. Towns, the answer to both questions for me is emphatically “yes!” If she is
chosen as your next superintendent, you will have acquired a phenomenal talent, and Hamilton County
Schools will have incredibly big shoes to fill. I am confident you will not find a stronger candidate ready,
willing and able to serve as CEO of your school district from day one.

If I can be of further assistance or if there are additional questions, please feel free to reach out to me
directly.

Respectfully,

Dr. Bryan Johnson

Superintendent
 Jeanette Omarkhail
President
4655 Shallowford Road
Chattanooga, TN 37411
C: 423-498-9535
F: 423-485-9512
E: [email protected]
www.hcceaeducator.org

Superintendent Search Committee:

As President of the local National Education Association affiliate, I have had the honor and
privilege to work with Dr. Nakia Towns for the past three years. I can personally attest to the
many positive accomplishments that have resulted from her leadership, and all the initiatives
she has been instrumental in proposing, supporting and implementing here in Hamilton County.
I believe Nakia’s nontraditional path to becoming an educator is one of her strengths, as she
has brought a fresh perspective and new ideas that have enhanced our district.

During my tenure as Association President, Nakia has been on the front line to advocate for
competitive wages in Hamilton County. We have worked together to propose a raise and/or step
increase every year. We have succeeded in increasing pay by over 8%, paid $2800 in bonuses
to all teachers, and increased steps to 30 years. We have invested over $42 million in staff
compensation over the last three years. Nakia has supported educators in speaking-up during
county commission meetings and school board work sessions. Her encouragement of teacher
leadership and empowering teachers to advocate for themselves with administration, school
board, and other policy makers reflects her profound respect for educators and deference to our
expertise.

Nakia has been influential in improving working conditions for our educators and all staff. The
district doubled our life insurance benefit, added a short-term disability benefit, and opened
employee wellness clinics with pharmacies to provide much needed discounted prescriptions
and over-the-counter medicines. After talking with her about the overwhelming time teachers
were facing outside of the contract during this pandemic, she worked quickly to assist in adding
more planning time to the calendar with three asynchronous learning days and an administrative
day at the end of the year. She also led the effort to adjust the calendar to successfully shift
three inclement weather days to give much needed days of respite for educators and staff. The
"whole teacher, well teacher" mental health supports program that she was a part of developing
has helped our teachers access healthier approaches to stress management. Nakia has
advocated for teachers having greater voice in district decision-making through establishing a
Teachers Cabinet, in addition to teacher advisory councils representing all schools.

Our teachers have felt a sense of relief as Nakia has led the effort to fund more counselors,
social workers, behavior specialists and truancy officers, adding more than 50 positions for
whole-child support. She understands that teachers can’t wear all these hats and still focus on
student learning. Our district has also recognized the need for increased English learner
interventions by adding over 40 ESL teachers since 2018, a 65% increase since Nakia joined
Hamilton County Schools. Moreover, she understands the need for a well-rounded education,
as evidenced by her support of additional visual arts teachers, STEM education resources, and
digital fabrication labs K-12.

In her first months here, she developed a program that invited community leaders to learn more
about the school system. I was privileged to be a part of the inaugural Leadership Hamilton
County Schools cohort. The goal of the program is to “create opportunities for a diverse group
of community stakeholders to experience Hamilton County Schools in a unique way and…
to enhance the understanding of public education, leading to better-informed public
servants and business/civic leaders.” Although I have been teaching in Hamilton County for
almost 15 years, I came away with new knowledge due to the transparency and
thoroughness of this program. Leadership HCS will resume this spring with the graduation
of the second cohort, which was interrupted due to the pandemic.

Nakia announced our pivot to HCS Continued Learning, providing families two weeks of district-
created learning packets K-12 so that teachers could have time to transition to virtual learning
last March. She assisted in creating a Reopening Taskforce with educator, community and
family representatives as advisors to the reentry plan. She was in every community and
educator meeting to ensure that there was transparency and consistency in sharing the
message and the plans. Her willingness to listen to others and incorporate their ideas and
suggestions is a true sign of a great leader.

Last July, we launched the Summer REACH program for on campus learning with enhanced
teacher compensation to support the most at-risk students and pilot safety protocols for three
weeks. This program was successful in helping to remediate skills for over 2,000 students in
grades K-8. Our teachers felt valued and supported because of Nakia’s voice saying ALL – staff
and children – are important.

We were the first large district in the state to open in August for the 2020-21 school year, in
person and without delays. Nakia’s efforts overseeing the development of the reentry plan with
remote learning and virtual school options, as well as the phased approach to on campus
learning has been innovative and has many moving parts. She has stayed on top of it all by
working closely with her team.

Nakia has been in the middle of all the planning and strategy sessions. Our plan includes gating
criteria, a Phase Tracker, the SAFE Pledge, a COVID-19 data dashboard, a nurse hotline, the
COVID-19 fellowship, and a contact tracing team. The district provided free COVID-19 testing
for all employees at district wellness centers and launched rapid tests on site at schools. Nakia
has been on the ground assisting in schools, as we have needed all hands on deck. Reopening
schools was a huge undertaking, but, anytime we had a question or concern, Nakia was there to
answer and hear our suggestions. Again, her visibility and responsiveness helped our teachers
to feel valued, respected and safe, even in the middle of this crisis.

On a personal note, I have grown to know Nakia as a friend and a colleague. Her openness and
honesty are the real deal. She has a great sense of humor that I adore and her ability to explain
issues clearly and succinctly has been so helpful to me in my role as Association President. I
will say that if you select her as your next superintendent, you are getting a shining jewel who
will surely enhance your work and make a difference for kids. She will do this with grace and
humility, as she comes along beside you, ready to achieve the goals developed in partnership
with your community. I highly recommend Dr. Nakia Towns as a chief executive who will be
child and family-centered, while respecting teacher voice and expertise.

Please feel free to reach out to me with any further questions.

Sincerely,

Jeanette Omarkhail
HCEA President