Linda Gilbert, director of Murfreesboro City Schools, announced the appointment of key individuals for the upcoming school year.

Kristina Maddux has been named coordinator of Instructional Effectiveness.

Maddux will join the City Schools curriculum staff to work with teachers in a support and leadership role including assisting with teacher level development of professional learning communities. Maddux previously served as a third grade teacher at Scales Elementary. Maddux received her Master of Science degree from Middle Tennessee State University.

Patty Kennedy has been named supervisor of the Department for Exceptional Children.

Kennedy is currently the Exceptional Children's Director for Vance County Schools in Henderson, N.C. Previously, she was the Exceptional Children's director for Bladen County Schools in Elizabethtown, N.C. and has also served in an assistant principal role at Luther Jeralds Middle School in Fayetteville, N.C. Kennedy received her master's degree in school administration from Fayetteville State University in North Carolina.

Sheri Arnette has been appointed coordinator of Teaching and Learning.

Arnette was honored as District Teacher of the Year in 2012 and has served as a district mentor teacher. She has taught in Murfreesboro City Schools for more than 20 years and holds her master's degree in curriculum and instruction.

Terrance Haynes has been appointed assistant principal at John Pittard Elementary.

Haynes most recently served as a fifth grade teacher at Mitchell-Neilson Elementary. Previously, Haynes was an assistant principal and principal in Metro-Nashville Public Schools. In addition to his work in education, Haynes has worked with the Charles Davis Foundation and was a member of this year’s Leadership Academy. Haynes replaces Xavier Hamler, who assumed the district responsibilities for the Extended School Program.

Jenny Ortiz has been named assistant principal serving a dual role between Bradley Academy and Scales Elementary School.

Ortiz has taught at Scales Elementary, The Discovery School and Erma Siegel Elementary and ranks in the Top 5 percent of teachers for the district on 2012 ThinkLink data. Ortiz received her Masters of Education degree in Administration and Supervision from MTSU.

Laurie Offutt has been named assistant principal serving a dual role between John Pittard Elementary and The Discovery School.

Offutt has taught at Scales Elementary and Central Magnet School. She received her bachelor's degree from Western Kentucky University and her master's degree from MTSU. Offutt was a member of the state committee to develop the evaluation rubric for media specialists and has taught at MTSU.

Kimberly Wade Osborne has been appointed assistant principal for Hobgood Elementary.

Osborne has served as the district numeracy coach in Metro-Nashville Public Schools since 2001. Osborne has conducted extensive professional development in STEM, classroom management, and teaching strategies. She is a state math common core trainer, has been a member of Houghton Mifflin's Elementary Science Tennessee Teacher Advisory Board and was accepted into the MNPS/Vanderbilt Leadership Academy. She is also an education graduate of MTSU.

Additionally, Beth Swain will move to Bellwood Bowdoin Preschool as assistant principal. Swain served as assistant principal at Bradley in the 2011-12 school year and has served as a dual role assistant principal with Bellwood previously.

These leaders will join the existing leadership team of Murfreesboro City Schools as the district moves forward in creating academic and personal success for each of more than 7,600 school children.

Murfreesboro City Schools is a district of 12 schools committed to the academic and personal success of each child.