Metro Nashville Public Schools' Board of Education has named Dr. Adrienne Battle its director of schools.
Battle had served as interim director since April 2019, after the board bought out the contract of then-director Shawn Joseph. Battle, who was unanimously approved Friday by school board members, has been with Metro Nashville Public Schools for 20 years. Before taking over from Joseph, she was community superintendent for the system's southeast quadrant, one of four regions.
The school board on Thursday said it had canceled a planned interview with Battle as part of its director search. Chair Anna Shepherd said the decision would let Battle focus on the school district's response to COVID-19 and other issues.
“We started the director search process in a much different environment here at MNPS and across the country,” Shepherd said. “We need to remove distractions from Dr. Battle’s plate so she can focus on the needs of our students and staff, and as a Board, we need to thoughtfully consider whether the director search process is appropriate or necessary at this time.”
Previously, Battle worked as an executive lead principal for priority and elementary schools, as the executive principal at Antioch High School and as the academic principal and assistant principal at Glencliff High School. She has held other leadership and teaching positions within Metro schools for the past 14 years, and also has served as an adjunct faculty member for the University of Phoenix and Tennessee State University.
Battle holds master’s, educational specialist and doctorate degrees from Tennessee State University and a bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University.
