Dr. Brian Mells, Principal at Whites Creek High School in Metro Nashville Public Schools named as recipient of William J. and Lucille H. Field Award for Excellence in Secondary Principalship for the State of Tennessee.
The Field Award was established to recognize one outstanding secondary school leader each year who demonstrates leadership excellence through commitment to the values of civility, candor, courage, social justice, responsibility, compassion, community, persistence, service, and excellence. Administered by the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences at the University of Tennessee, the Field Award identifies a Tennessee secondary school principal whose life and work are characterized by leadership excellence and encourages secondary school principals to pause and reflect upon their current leadership practice and to consider their experience, challenges, and opportunities in light of the personal values that they embody.
The Field Award recipient for this year is Dr. Brian Mells. Principal of Whites Creek High School in Metro Nashville Public Schools. A secondary principal since 2016, Dr. Mells holds a Bachelor’s degree from The University of Tennessee, a Master’s from Tevecca Nazarene University, an EdS and an EdD from Carson-Newman University. During Dr. Mellls’ tenure at Whites Creek High School, he has led his campus to excellence by supporting academic rigor and student achievement, and by strengthening positive relationships with all stakeholders. Dr. Mells is an exceptional school leader who has taken the initiative to implement numerous programs on his campus, inspire instructional innovation, and improve student achievement. Dr. Mells stated that his “core belief of [his] leadership is that all students can achieve and grow academically, socially, and emotionally, when the appropriate systems and structures are in place for them to be successful.
Dr. Mells is an innovative school leader who is passionate about developing collective efficacy and collective accountability among his faculty and staff to ensure that they achieve excellence for all stakeholders. Under Dr. Mells’ leadership, Whites Creek High School was able to increase all academic achievement outcomes for all students and earn an overall composite TVAAS of Level 5 for the first time in school history and has maintained that status for the past two years. Dr. Mells was nominated for the Field Award by MNPS superintendent, Adrienne Battle and endorsed by the Chief of Innovation, Renita Perry. Perry commented, “Dr. Mells is an innovative school leader who is passionate about developing collective efficacy and collective accountability among his faculty and staff to ensure that they achieve excellence for all stakeholders.” The department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Tennessee is proud to name Dr. Mells as this year’s Field Award Winner. Congratulations, Dr. Brian Mells!