Johnson City Schools on the hunt for a new superintendent

Johnson City Schools Superintendent Steve Barnett will leave his current role at the end of the month to serve as chief operating officer of the Niswonger Foundation. Barnett has led the district since 2017. (Photo from Johnson City Schools)

The Johnson City Board of Education and Tennessee School Board Association are looking for a new superintendent for Johnson City Schools, as current Superintendent Steve Barnett gets set to leave his position to become chief operating officer of the Niswonger Foundation.

According to a recent announcement, the district put out a survey for community members to share their thoughts on the issues and challenges facing the district today, their expectations of the new superintendent, and the leadership skills needed to effectively serve Johnson City Schools. District leaders said the survey, which will be online until Jan. 27, will help the district determine the criteria used in the selection process.

Barnett, who is currently in his eighth year leading the district, will remain in his position until the end of the month. The former Towne Acres Elementary principal became superintendent in 2017 after Richard Bales announced his retirement.

With Barnett set to leave his role at the end of the month, the district recently selected Greg Wallace, the district’s current supervisor of safety, mental health and transportation, to serve as interim superintendent.

District leaders recently told WJHL that Wallace will work with Barnett until the end of January to become more familiarized with the role. Board Chair Jonathan Kinnick told reporters that Wallace was among five finalists when the board settled on Barnett in 2017.

“Greg has been working primarily security, mental health, all that, but he also has all the skills needed to do the superintendent role and take care of issues and problems that come up,” Kinnick told WJHL.

Kinnick added that he hopes the next superintendent will be like Barnett, who has spearheaded several district initiatives to improve student success and played a pivotal role in ongoing efforts to construct a new Towne Acres Elementary School to accommodate growing enrollment.

“We’re in the top ten of any category you can measure out there for schools in Tennessee,” he told WJHL. “And we want to continue that and [find] somebody that wants to lead us to make sure that we do that.”

The search comes as Johnson City Schools leaders work to implement a new five-year strategic plan that includes academic and safety improvements and new mental health services. District leaders plan to have a new permanent superintendent by the end of the current school year.