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KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – Tennessee School Board Association (TSBA) officials released the application materials of six applicants in the running for the Kingsport City Schools (KCS) superintendent position on Monday, and News Channel 11 has compiled their backgrounds for public review.
Dr. Jaime Cole
Located in New Albany, Indiana, Jaime Cole’s work history includes two previous superintendent positions across six years in Peach Springs Unified School District and Northampton County Public Schools. According to Cole’s application materials, she received a doctoral degree in education administration from Northern Arizona University with an overall GPA of 4.0.
The educator listed allergy ratings as her reason for leaving Northampton County’s system in late 2022.
Dr. Jerry Gibson
Gibson currently serves as the superintendent for the Galveston, Texas Independent School District (ISD) and previously worked for the Marshall, Texas ISD from 2016 to 2021. Gibson’s district manages a student body of around 7,200 people with a budget of $100 million.
According to his application materials, Gibson served as a teacher for around 25 years and as a superintendent for nine years.
Dr. Christopher Hampton
Hampton was appointed as KCS’s interim superintendent after the retirement of Jeff Moorhouse in late 2022. The previous principal and counselor holds three degrees from East Tennessee State University, including a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis.
Hampton is now responsible for the administration of the 7,400-student Kingsport school system with a budget of $86 million.
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William Horniak
William Horniak is a teacher with 19 years of experience and currently serves as an educational consultant for a private company. According to his application, Horniak attended but did not graduate from Liberty University’s strategic organizational leadership doctoral program. Horniak said he has served three years as a principal, but did not list where on his application.
The North Carolina resident wrote that he is familiar with German, Arabic and Chinese in addition to English.
Kelly Linkenhoker
As a teacher with 25 years of experience, Kelly Linkenhoker now serves as a principal in the Radford City Schools District. Her work experience includes one year as an assistant superintendent in Buena Vista City Public Schools.
Linkenhoker wrote that she attended, but did not graduate from, Vanderbilt University’s leadership and learning in organizations doctorate with a 4.0 GPA.
Dr. Scott Paul
Scott Paul currently works for Oklahoma City Public Schools as a curriculum coordinator and has previously served as a teacher for 16 years. The Edmond, Oklahoma resident holds a doctorate in organizational leadership and instruction in education from Grand Canyon University with a 3.59 overall GPA.
According to his application, Paul’s district manages roughly 34,000 students.
TSBA executive director Dr. Tammy Grissom said the organization will recommend applicants for interviews on Feb. 13 during KCS’s board meeting.
