T. C. Miller Elementary School for Innovation will welcome Christen Rhodes as their new principal in the fall. With more than twenty years of administrative and teaching experience, Rhodes’s background encompasses alternative, special, and general education, equipping her to meet the needs of all students at T. C. Miller.
Just half a mile down the road, Rhodes is wrapping up her three-year tenure as the assistant principal at E. C. Glass High School. It’s a bittersweet moment, since E. C. Glass High was where she got her start as a teacher in 2002.
But Rhodes couldn’t be more enthusiastic about this new chapter of her career. Her goal as an educator, she says, is to prime students for success–both in school and beyond. At T. C. Miller, she can start investing in students’ futures from the beginning of their educational journeys.
“As we enter T. C. Miller’s 30th year as a school for innovation, I cannot wait to work with our fabulous teachers and staff to continue to provide a top-notch education for our students,” Rhodes said.
Her approach to education is trauma-informed and student-centered, having served Fort Hill Community School for five years as an alternative education teacher and then as an alternative education coordinator prior to her time at E. C. Glass High. Combined with her 11 years as a special education teacher at Jefferson Forest High School, this experience will help Rhodes champion all students at T. C. Miller.
Rhodes holds a bachelor’s degree in sport management from Liberty University, a master’s degree in special education from Old Dominion University, and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Lynchburg College.
As August fast approaches, Rhodes prepares for the students’ return. Stewarding the school’s high standards of achievement is a big responsibility, but LCS Superintendent Dr. Crystal Edwards is confident that Rhodes is up for the challenge.
“I’ve seen firsthand how Christen meets the diverse needs of the students she leads at E. C. Glass. I know her passion for inclusivity will take T. C. Miller to new heights of excellence,” Dr. Edwards said.
