New MP superintendent prioritizes student academic growth
MOUNTAIN PINE — Incoming superintendent at the Mountain Pine School District Tish Knowles says one of her main priorities coming into the district this summer will be to improve the district’s school letter grades.
Knowles, who is in her fifth year as superintendent at the Earle School District, will replace Bobby Applegate at Mountain Pine following his retirement effective June 30.
She said when she interviewed last month, she was impressed by the amount of community support and community involvement that went into the search process.
“I have a team approach and I want to sit down with school board members, with administrative staff, the district leadership team, teachers … you have to look at the past before you can move to the future,” she said.
While it is still too early to outline any specific goals, she said she wants the students to succeed academically, and that one of her main objectives will be to raise the district’s letter grades.
“To really make sure that we’re moving in the right direction academically — that is my main concern,” she said.
According the Arkansas Department of Education Data Center, for the 2022-2023 school year, Mountain Pine High School had a 59.47 D letter grade while the elementary school had a 64.67 D.
Mountain Pine School Board President Shawn Blees said upon hiring Knowles the board was impressed with how she helped Earle get out of fiscal distress and he felt she could do the same for Mountain Pine academically.
Born in Homer, Alaska, and raised in Oakdale, Louisiana, Knowles attended college at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.
“I started out as a radio/TV major,” she said. “And they had a great
department, so that’s how I ended up in Arkansas. And then I left school and came back to school when I was 30 and got my bachelor’s degree, and went on to get my master’s and specialist degree.”
Knowles began her education career in Baumholder, Germany, as a long-term kindergarten classroom substitute teacher before coming back to the U.S. With her dual degree in special education and elementary education, she taught special education at the Paragould School District for 10 years before accepting a position as principal at Bay Elementary School.
She later served as teacher center coordinator at the Crowley’s Ridge Educational Service Cooperative before being appointed by the state to help lead Earle out of fiscal distress.
Knowles said she is impressed with Mountain Pine’s special education program as well as its band program.
“I have always put students first. And whenever I’ve had people who work under me ask about spending money, my question has always been ‘How does it affect students?’ And so if we’re doing things the right way, we’re doing things for students. We’re doing what’s best for students every time. Every decision that is made, whether it’s academic or financial, if it’s not what’s best for students, then we shouldn’t make the decision,” she said.
Upon accepting the job, she said she does not make any decisions without first praying about them.
“I went home and prayed about it and I just really, I just feel like it’s a great fit,” she said. “And I’m looking forward to it. I’m real excited about being there and getting started and meeting new people and having new opportunities and getting to know the community.”