Tag Archives: NPEF

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2026 Nashville “Teacherpreneurs” Announced

A media release from the Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) announces the 2026 class of Nashville Teacherpreneurs and explains more about the program:

The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) announced the latest cohort of the Teacherpreneur program, marking its fifth year and continuing its partnership with founding supporter Amazon. Since 2021, the Teacherpreneur program has supported over 40 educators to develop their innovative solutions for removing barriers to student success, with winners receiving cash prizes and access to seed funding for implementation.

Some of the issues being considered by cohort members include creating employment certification pathways for multilingual students, increasing resources for family engagement programs, building support for first year teachers, and facilitating stronger connections to magnet school opportunities. The cohort experience will culminate in a pitch event in March 2026, where educators will present their ideas to a panel of community judges for a chance to win a share of $25,000, as well as funding to support the implementation of their ideas. The fifth Teacherpreneur cohort includes:

  • Courtney Antonello, H.G. Hill Middle School
  • Ashley Bolan, Hunters Lane High School
  • Mary Jo Cramb, Academy at Old Cockrill
  • Nakia Edwards, Oliver Middle School
  • Katie Fitzpatrick, Hume Fogg Magnet High School
  • Molly Goss, Cane Ridge High School
  • Heather Hall, East Nashville Magnet High School
  • Leigh Ann Harbort, Harris Hillman School
  • Madison Reeb, Valor College Prep
  • Likisha Rhodes, Cane Ridge High School
  • Louisa Saylor, Goodlettsville Elementary School
  • Debbie West, Waverly-Belmont Elementary School
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Nashville Teachers: Teacherpreneur Apps Close Nov. 12

The Nashville Public Education Foundation’s (NPEF) Teacherpreneur applications close soon – from an email:

Teacherpreneur is a professional learning experience for Nashville public school educators designed to harness teacher expertise and innovation. Teacherpreneurs participate in 5 sessions over January and February to build out ideas that help advance positive outcomes for students. 

Teacherpreneurs will identify an issue they want to address, research root causes of the issue, learn about change management theory, and use design thinking strategies to create solutions that help students thrive. In March, Teacherpreneurs will pitch their ideas for a chance to win cash prizes and seed funding to pilot their idea.

Application information

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Nashville’s 2025 Blue Ribbon Teachers

A press release from the Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) highlights Nashville’s 2025 Blue Ribbon Teachers:

Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) and Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) designated 25 educators as new Blue Ribbon Teachers at a ceremony hosted by Vanderbilt University on October 30. Each Blue Ribbon teacher received a $2,000 cash prize, professional headshots, a trophy, media mentions and two round-trip airline tickets, courtesy of Southwest Airlines. Since 2014, the Blue Ribbon Teacher awards have recognized and celebrated more than 475 of Nashville’s top teachers.

The 2025 winners are:

  1. Courtney Antonello, H. G. Hill Middle
  2. Brooke Adler, Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet
  3. Tony Berg, Wright Middle
  4. Deanna Boorsma, Meigs Middle Magnet
  5. Hudson Christian, Stratford STEM Magnet High
  6. Christopher Collins, Hume-Fogg Magnet High
  7. Sarah Diaz, Maplewood High
  8. Abbie Gunkel, Charlotte Park Elementary
  9. Manda Hackney, Tusculum Elementary
  10. Heather Hall, East Nashville Magnet High
  11. Samira Hardcastle, John F. Kennedy Middle
  12. Dr. Brittany Harrington, Cockrill ES
  13. Maegan Hickey, Cambridge Early Learning Center
  14. Joshua Latham, Republic High
  15. Matthew Laurence, Hume-Fogg Magnet High
  16. Valerie McAnally, Cole Elementary
  17. Jennifer Murray, Hume-Fogg Magnet High
  18. Meredith Musgrove, Paragon Mills Elementary
  19. Marti Profitt, Nashville School of the Arts
  20. Likisha Rhodes, Cane Ridge High
  21. Alex Robinson, John Overton High
  22. Zakeisha Appleton Smith, Tusculum Elementary
  23. Mary Alice Strickler, KIPP High School
  24. Debbie West, Waverly-Belmont Elementary
  25. Courtney Williams, Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet

“Teaching is an admirably tough profession that requires creativity, patience and unwavering commitment. We are so proud to honor the top teaching talent in our city each year and show Nashville how educational excellence can help students thrive, said Dr. Diarese George, NPEF President & CEO. “The Blue Ribbon Teacher designation recognizes the hard work of these teachers and shines a spotlight on the innovation and leadership that happens daily in MNPS classrooms.”

NPEF Blue Ribbon Teacher Awards held at the Wyatt Rotunda

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Professional Learning Opportunities with NPEF

The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) offers the following professional learning opportunities:

Teacherpreneur

Are you a Nashville public school educator with an innovative idea for improving student outcomes? Teacherpreneur is a unique opportunity to focus on an issue you are passionate about, research the root causes of the issue, and develop a solution and implementation plan to help advance the positive change you wish to see. Teacherpreneur is a professional learning cohort experience for educators who are looking to grow as teacher leaders, expand their networks, and learn how to make changes that last.

At the end of the 5-session experience, Teacherpreneurs will present their ideas at a pitch event to a panel of judges. Top concepts are awarded a collective $25,000 in cash prizes ($10,000 for first place, $7,500 for second place, $5,000 for third place, and $2,500 for the community favorite award). The top three concepts receive access to additional seed funding to implement their ideas.

Apply here

Leadership Public Education

Are you passionate about supporting public schools and are looking for ways to get involved? Leadership Public Education is a leadership development cohort experience over the course of six months designed to grow participants’ knowledge and skills as public schools advocates. Cohort members will learn from experts about key topics related to Metro Nashville Public Schools, including school funding, education policy, and talent pipelines. 

The Leadership Public Education program, in partnership with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, is designed to help participants learn more about the unique challenges and opportunities facing our public schools and position them to serve in community leadership roles that benefit our students, schools, and district. 

Apply here

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On the Power of Public Education

Nashville Public Education Foundation President and CEO Diarese George writes about why public schools matter:

What I notice most in Nashville’s public schools is the resilience, creativity and excellence that shines through every day from teachers and students. At its core, the story of Metro schools is the story of who we are as a city, and the story of who we are becoming.

Public schools are where possibility meets empowerment — the kind of hope, connection and work that can change generations. 

Public education belongs to the whole city. It is the heartbeat of a thriving, just and equitable Nashville that ensures our children are seen, supported and set up to lead lives of purpose and impact.

It represents the promise that every child, no matter their neighborhood, language, race or background, has the opportunity to dream boldly, learn deeply and step into a powerful future full of possibility.

Diarese George
NPEF CEO Diarese George

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NPEF Celebrates Hall of Fame Honorees

The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) celebrated this year’s public schools Hall of Fame honorees at an event in late September.

On September 30, hundreds of Nashvillians joined us to celebrate our city’s public school excellence and induct nine new honorees into the Public Schools Hall of Fame. This year’s event recognized one visionary business leader, three outstanding Metro Nashville Public Schools alumni, two transformational high school teachers, one inspiring school leader, and two local nonprofits improving opportunities and resources for students.

According to an NPEF media release:

Nine remarkable honorees were inducted, including Janet Miller, Martesha Johnson Moore, Marlene Eskind Moses, Tom Parrish, Addison Barrack and Montrell Williams, Chris Plummer, Ed.D, as well as the Adroit and Nashville Tools for Schools organizations.

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Leadership Public Education App Open

The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) makes the following announcement:

The Leadership Public Education application is open now through November 14! This opportunity is for anyone looking to gain knowledge about our public schools, grow a network of fellow public schools advocates, and share their experiences and voice in support of the students, teachers, and schools in our community. NPEF believes in order to advance positive outcomes for students, we all have a role to play; Leadership Public Education is a great way to engage in the community to help ensure all students thrive.

In partnership with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Public Education is a 6-month public education leadership development program that empowers individuals with the knowledge and skills to serve in community leadership roles at all levels of Metro Nashville Public Schools.

Application and information

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NPEF Announces Teacherpreneur Application

The Nashville Public Education Foundation made the following announcement:

Since 2021, NPEF has led a cohort of educators through a unique professional learning experience designed to harness their expertise and innovation. Teacherpreneurs participate in 5 sessions over January and February to build out ideas that help advance positive outcomes for students.

Teacherpreneurs will identify an issue they want to address, research root causes of the issue, learn about change management theory, and use design thinking strategies to create solutions that help students thrive. Then, Teacherpreneurs will pitch their ideas for a chance to win cash prizes and seed funding to pilot their idea.

Information and application here.

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NPEF Welcomes New Leader

The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) has a new leader.

From an email:

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Diarese George to our team! After an extensive national search, Dr. George has been selected as NPEF’s new President and CEO and will be starting in his role on August 4. He is currently the founder and executive director of the Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance (TECA) and previously served in a variety of roles serving the education ecosystem in Nashville and Tennessee, including as the director of recruitment for the Nashville Teacher Residency and as a high school teacher in the Clarksville/Montgomery County school district. We are looking forward to how his expertise and collaborative spirit will help NPEF advance outcomes for Nashville’s students. You can learn more about Dr. Diarese George in our official announcement here.

Diarese George
NPEF CEO

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New Leadership at NPEF

Nashville Public Education Foundation names Dr. Diarese George next CEO

The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) announced that Dr. Diarese George will be the organization’s next President and CEO.

From a press release:

“From direct experience, including time as a teacher, Dr. George understands the challenges and opportunities in Nashville’s public education system,” said Ralph Davis, chair of the NPEF Board of Directors. “He brings passion and data-driven insight to his work and we are excited about what NPEF will accomplish under Dr. George’s leadership.”

“As a former teacher, nonprofit founder, and advocate, I know the power and exponential impact that great schools and great educators make in a student’s life,” said Dr. George. “I’m honored to lead NPEF into its next chapter and advance its strong legacy of building connections and partnerships that ensure every student in Nashville has the opportunity and access to succeed.”

Before leading TECA, Dr. George served as director of recruitment for the Nashville Teacher Residency, where he drove efforts to diversify the educator workforce by recruiting more people of color into the profession. Prior to that, he was a high school business teacher in the Clarksville/Montgomery County school district. Known for his deep networking and relationship-building skills, Dr. George has held several national and statewide fellowships, including Education Pioneers’ Summer Fellowship, the Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) Educator Fellowship, Hope Street Group Teacher Fellowship, and the Mosaic Fellowship, which empowers education leaders of color across Tennessee. His passion for advancing education is further reflected in his service on statewide councils, boards, and committees.

Dr. Diarese George

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