Breaking News from Putnam County School System Concerning Principal Change at CHS

Dr. Linda Nash will serve as the executive principal of Cookeville High School as the school system begins a search for the person that will be the next principal of Cookeville High School.  Dr. Nash is a retired Putnam County educator with 34 years of experience in education, including 18 years as a classroom teacher at CHS, eight years as a PCSS school administrator, and six years as a PCSS district-level supervisor.  Her experience, organizational skills, and proven leadership will provide focus, support, and stability for the faculty, staff, students, and parents of Cookeville High School during the second half of the 2018-2019 school year as we conduct a nationwide search to recruit and select the next principal.Superintendent Boyd stated, “I have great confidence in Dr. Nash as a lifelong public educator, school leader, and district leader.  Her daily presence at Cookeville High School will provide stability and focus during the transitional period over the next months. Through her experience, work ethic, and a clear vision of excellence, she will lead and support deliberate continuous improvement efforts that will position the new principal to move CHS forward from a good high school to a great, nationally recognized learning community.

With the appointment of Dr. Nash, the former principal, Mr. Clif Matlock, will be reassigned as an assistant principal on the CHS administrative team.  Prior to being appointed principal CHS in July 2017, he served as an assistant principal at CHS with additional athletic director duties during the 2014-5, 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years.

“Mr. Matlock is an early career school administrator that has a promising future.  In time with additional leadership experience, I anticipate that he will have another opportunity to lead another school as principal if he chooses to do so.  His dedication and efforts as the executive principal at Cookeville High School over the past 18 months should be noted. Although the current needs of CHS require a principal with deeper leadership experience,  Mr. Matlock has served the students and educators of CHS with unquestionable commitment. I sincerely thank Mr. Matlock for taking on the challenge, when so few are willing to do so. Without a doubt, he has a heart for all Cookeville Cavaliers.

The full details of the nationwide search for the next principal of Cookeville High School will be formally announced at the February Regular Board of Education meeting scheduled for February 7, 2019.  The new principal will take the helm at the end of this school year.