It hasn’t taken Bearden students long to see what principal Mrs. Debbie Sayers had already seen about Mr. Greg Adams.

Mr. Adams has only been on the job as a Bearden assistant principal for a week, but he is already having a positive effect on students.

“He is warm, positive, and 100% student-centered,” Mrs. Sayers said.

Mr. Rod Crockett, who has been Bearden’s senior assistant principal since 2013, has taken medical leave, leaving an open position in administration.

Mr. Adams, an East Tennessee native, has 18 years of experience in education. He has a bachelor degree in Special Education/Learning Disabilities and a master degree in Emotional Impairment. 

He also earned a certificate in Educational Leadership and Administration from the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, qualifying him for the position even further.

His teaching career began at DaVinci High School in Jackson, Mich. This school coincidentally connects Mr. Adams and Mrs. Sayers. 

“He had worked as an assistant principal at the high school that I got my first teaching job at,” Mrs. Sayers said. “And it’s a small town; it’s not big like Knoxville is.” 

But it was Mr. Adams’s personality and professionalism that left her with an overall favorable first impression of the new hire. She has referred to him as a “well-rounded individual with a focus on excellence, innovation, and self-improvement.” 

In addition to these positive traits, Mr. Adams has also shown signs of adaptability. He seems to be transitioning to the new atmosphere of Bearden relatively quickly. 

“I feel great,” Mr. Adams said. “It’s just a new feeling, seeing the new faces. That’s the biggest challenge, but other than that, it’s great.” 

Mr. Adams has a heart for sports, as demonstrated by his previous work as athletics director at DaVinci High School.

He enjoys working out, riding bikes, and spending time with family in the time that he is not at Bearden.