Three Lee University graduates have been named principals of Cleveland City Schools. Donald Benton will lead E.L. Ross Elementary School, Dr. Alicia Kahrs will serve at Arnold Memorial School, and Dr. Joe Parker will head Blythe-Bower Elementary School, effective this fall.
“All of us in the college of education were thrilled when we saw the announcement,” said Dr. Bill Estes, dean of Lee’s Helen DeVos College of Education. “Cleveland City Schools is our official ‘Primary Partner’ within Tennessee’s Department of Education teacher pipeline. Seeing our alumni move into the key leadership positions in a K-12 setting is both gratifying and a challenge to keep preparing the best educators for all levels and positions in local education agencies (LEAs).”
Benton, a 2005 and 2009 graduate of Lee University, is currently assistant principal at Cleveland High School. He joined Cleveland City Schools in 2021, serving previously as operations coordinator and BLADE (Blended Learning and Digital Enhancement) facilitator. Before that, he was the band director at Walker Valley High School, leading more than 200 students. Benton holds a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s in educational leadership from Lee.
“When I arrived at Lee University in 2002, I quickly fell in love with this institution,” said Benton. “The opportunities I experienced at Lee shaped me into the administrator I am today. My wife, Sarah, and I knew that Cleveland was the place to build our family and invest in the community. I am honored to serve as principal of E.L. Ross and to work alongside some of the best educators in the city.”…