East Hamilton principal named principal of the year

Brent Eller, principal of East Hamilton School, was named the 2020 principal of the year for Hamilton County Schools last week.

Eller has been leading East Hamilton since the fall of 2018, after six years at Loftis Middle School. This school year has been a challenging one for East Hamilton, as it has for many schools in the community, because of the coronavirus pandemic and the Easter Sunday tornado that struck Chattanooga and surrounding areas. Still, Eller has continued to lead and help bring along the new middle school scheduled to complete construction this summer, according to a news release.

“I am very humbled by this recognition,” Eller said in a statement. “We have so many outstanding principals in Hamilton County Schools that are deserving of this recognition, so I am very appreciative of the honor.”

During Eller’s two years at the helm, the school has been named a Level 5 school by the state, based on student academic growth, and has earned “AP Capstone School” status. The school has also added two Future Ready Institutes, providing unique opportunities for students to prepare for careers after high school, according to the news release.

“The faculty and staff at East Hamilton are some of the most dedicated people that constantly put what is best for students at the forefront of every decision,” Eller said. “The students are also incredible and have continued to challenge themselves to explore their untapped potential.”