The following information is from the Hamilton County Department of Education Website.
Crystal Sorrells will be the new principal of East Ridge High School in the Missionary Ridge Learning Community. Since 2015, Sorrells has served as the principal at Tyner Middle Academy. Sorrells is a twenty-year veteran in education with experience as an administrator at the high school and middle school level and as a math teacher.
At Tyner Middle, Sorrells increased opportunity and access to math, science, and technology magnet philosophies for students. She also engaged teachers in professional development to support student achievement and growth and the implementation of a laptop for learning for each student at Tyner. Tyner Middle has earned back-to-back Level 5 designations from the state for student academic growth under Sorrells’ leadership.
Sorrells came to Hamilton County Schools in 2009 to serve as an assistant principal in charge of the ninth grade Success Academy at Brainerd High School. She also served as principal of Orchard Knob Middle School from 2011 to 2015 before moving to Tyner Middle Academy.
Before coming to Hamilton County Schools, Sorrells served as an administrator and teacher in Charlotte, North Carolina. She was an elementary and middle school assistant principal in Charlotte and taught middle school mathematics.
“I’m excited to join the Pioneer Family, and I look forward to connecting with the students, parents, staff, and community,” said Sorrells. “I hope my strengths as an instructional leader, a servant leader, and an all-around community cheerleader will be a welcomed addition to the ERHS team.”
Sorrells holds a BS in Elementary Education from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. She earned a master’s in School Administration from Gardner Webb University. Sorrells graduated with the first cohort from the Principal Leadership Academy sponsored by Hamilton County Schools, the Public Education Foundation, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She was trained by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) in Creating a High-performance Learning Culture and in the Tennessee Turnaround Principals Cohort.
Sorrells’ experience and background fit the qualifications and characteristics parents shared with the district that they would like to see in a principal. Experience with a diverse population of students and the ability to motivate students academically and in extracurricular activities were also important to parents.
