Tennessee DOE outlines Part 1 requirements, deadlines and video guidance for Principal and Supervisor of the Year

Sarah Brown, senior coordinator of educator recognition and communications for the Tennessee Department of Education, led a webinar reviewing the Part 1 application for the Tennessee Principal and Supervisor of the Year awards and emphasized submission rules, scoring, and accessibility for reviewers.

The Part 1 application must be submitted by March 24 and includes basic (non‑scored) demographic information, two written responses limited to 750 words each, one video response limited to five minutes, and an optional supporting documentation packet of up to five pages. "Supporting documentation is completely optional and choosing not to submit supporting documentation will not penalize the applicant in any way," Brown said. She added the department will redact identifying information from applications to reduce unconscious bias.

Why it matters: The Part 1 application determines region level semifinalists. Regional scoring committees will select one semifinalist per grade band in each of the state’s nine regions — 27 region level semifinalists total — and applicants will be notified in mid‑April. Each application is reviewed by two or three scorers and assigned a holistic score based on written responses, the video, and any supporting documentation that is submitted.

Brown walked applicants through best practices for the written responses and video. For written responses she advised applicants to "create a rough outline" and to make sure they are "answering all parts of the question," and she encouraged applicants to "show how your work influenced the learning and growth of others through examples and evidence." For the video, she said content — not cinematic quality — is scored: the department will assess whether the video is within the time limit, demonstrates confidence and sincerity, and presents an organized, relevant message; audio clarity was recommended but visual polish will not be scored.

Brown warned applicants to host video files where reviewers can access them without district firewall restrictions. "Do not put it in your district's network, because that is often blocked by firewalls," she said, and suggested public‑link services such as YouTube, Google Drive, or Dropbox with viewing permissions set to anyone with the link. She also advised applicants to follow school and district media‑release policies when including students in recordings.

The webinar reiterated limits on supporting documentation: five legible pages maximum; reviewers will not receive material that exceeds that limit. Brown recommended that supporting documents directly connect to the written narrative rather than substitute for a strong written response and suggested adding brief notes within materials to explain their relevance.

The department also announced a policy on generative AI tools during state‑hosted meetings: "The state of Tennessee does not currently permit the use of generative AI tools," Brown read. She said meetings hosted on state resources that use such tools will be blocked and cautioned that contractors, vendors and subrecipients may discuss protected state data in non‑public sessions.

On reviewer assignment and bias mitigation, Brown said scorers are drawn from outside an applicant’s grand region so that, for example, no reviewer from East Tennessee will score an East Tennessee applicant. She said reviewers can be swapped if a conflict is identified. The department holds weekly office hours on Mondays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Central Time to answer applicant questions, though she noted holiday exceptions.

The webinar recording and applicant guidebooks are available on the Tennessee Principal and Supervisor of the Year website. Brown closed with contact information for questions and encouragement for nominees to begin drafting responses and planning video submissions.