Email: Parentadvisory@knoxschools.org
Website: https://www.knoxschools.org/domain/5429
Phone: 865-594-9582

Mr. Myers is honored to be the Executive Director of Student Supports and looks forward to serving Knox County Schools and the students we serve. Mr. Myers is committed to keeping the needs of students at the center of all decisions and will strive to treat students as he would want his own treated.

Mr. Myers graduated from Lenoir City High School in 2000. He earned a B.A. in history from the University of Tennessee where he also earned his M.S. in special education and earned his school leadership certification while completing coursework for a PhD also at the University of Tennessee.

Most of Mr. Myers’ career has been spent working with high school students. During his time in education he has worked in many capacities, and strived to be the best he could in all of them. His career began at Lenoir City High School in 2004 where he worked with the in-school suspension program and coached football as-well-as track and field. In 2008 he moved to Fulton High School where he served as a special education teacher and continued coaching. In 2011, he was appointed to a lead teacher position at Fulton. In 2012, he joined West High School as an assistant principal, where he focused on freshman transition supports before serving as curriculum principal in 2015. He was appointed principal of Knoxville Adaptive Education Center in 2016 where he served for two years. Last school year Mr. Myers served as the principal of Bearden High School. Each position has taught him countless lessons related to serving students and school communities

Hi, I’m Janice Cook the new Director of School Culture. This is a new branch of Student Support Services within Knox County Schools. Currently, in our district, we have many excellent support systems and programs for students facing social emotional or behavioral challenges. My job will be to set goals for the district and mold these programs together in a cohesive process to increase supports to students. For the past 30+ years, I have worked to support students who struggled to access their education for a variety of different reasons. This new position allows me to continue that work at a district level.

• Lay the groundwork in advance: it is a good idea to let them get familiar with the school so the new surroundings won't seem as scary on the first day. Many of the Elementary Schools have social stories specifically about their school to help to overcome first-day-of-school jitters. The books are a good way to open up discussion with the child about any scary emotions they may be experiencing .
• Get the child excited about school. Have the child help shop for new school clothes or supplies. Let them pick out what they will wear. Talk about all the fun things that they may do when they are at school.
• Plan a morning routine. As the first day draws near, parents should start implementing a morning schedule. Practice routines such as setting out the clothing and packing their backpack the night before.
• Create a super-special "goodbye" just for them. A hug and kiss is fine, but sometimes a little something extra can help both parents and child separate without too many tears. Humor is always good to lighten the mood, whether it's telling a funny joke or a silly handshake. Anything that is special to your child.
• Make a graceful exit. You've arrived at the classroom on the first day, introduced your child to the teacher and found your student's desk or cubby. As much as you'd like to stay, it's best not to linger.
• Give the child a little something to hang onto. Parents who anticipate that their children may have some tears during the day can give them a trinket as a remembrance of mom and dad. A little note in the lunch box or back pack is a simple way to support them.
• Plan something special after school It can be a trip to the library for new books or an ice cream outing--the promise of doing something fun may help the children separate more easily from the parent at school, knowing they have something to look forward to at the end of the day,