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Brown remembered as ‘brilliant and dedicated’ leader




Sumner County Deputy Director Jennifer Brown lost her battle with cancer Sunday, Jan. 6.File

Sumner County Deputy Director Jennifer Brown lost her battle with cancer Sunday, Jan. 6.File

Sumner County Deputy Director of Schools Dr. Jennifer Brown lost her battle with cancer on Sunday at the age of 51.

“The whole community is certainly grieving the loss of a brilliant and dedicated leader in education in Sumner County,” said former Sumner County School Board Chairman Beth Cox. “I will always be grateful for her commitment to educational excellence in our schools.”

Brown was hired as the school district’s Assistant Director for Instruction by Director of Schools Dr. Del Phillips in 2011. She was promoted to Deputy Director in 2015.

In that position, Brown was responsible for supervising and overseeing the district’s Instruction, Pupil Services, Transportation, Information Technology and Human Resources departments.

“Our entire school system and county grieves at the loss of our friend and colleague,” Phillips said in a statement. “Jennifer believed the purpose of teaching was to help each student discover and achieve his or her own individual greatness, and she approached every decision with this goal in mind.”

Phillips added that Brown was the chief architect of several school district initiatives, including the expansion of the district’s AP course offerings, as well as the creation of a middle college high school and a middle technical college high school.

“Jennifer also created our instructional coaching program that is recognized as exemplary across the state,” he said. “She was a tireless advocate for creating opportunities for our district’s students and our teachers to learn, create and grow.”

Brown was named Supervisor of the Year by the Tennessee Department of Education in Oct. 2016. She was also voted Mid-Cumberland Supervisor of the Year by her peers in 2015. In 2000, she received Teacher of the Year honors by her peers while teaching middle school English.

Born in Rockfield, Ky., Brown resided in the Shackle Island community for more than 30 years, according to her obituary. She leaves behind her husband of 29 years, Lyndon Brown and a daughter, Hannah Brown.

Brown held several academic degrees including: an architectural engineering degree from Western Kentucky University, an elementary education degree from Tennessee State University, a master of education degree from Trevecca Nazarene University, and a doctorate of education degree from David Lipscomb University.

After Brown began serving as the district’s Assistant Director for Instruction in 2011, Sumner County saw an improvement in academic gains, earning straight A’s in achievement for three years in a row, according to a media release by the school district at the time. The district also said it had one of the highest graduation rates in the state and the third highest ACT composite among Tennessee districts with enrollments of over 10,000 students.

Cox echoed those achievements.

“I know we continued to see a rise in test scores and ACT scores despite the challenges we faced with the state testing system,” she said on Monday.

“As an individual she was caring, giving, and one of the most knowledgeable people I know in education. Her mark is forever planted in the many halls of the schools all over Sumner County, and we will forever be blessed by her leadership in our community.”

Phillips agreed Brown’s legacy will be a lasting one.

“Our district and our county will benefit for decades to come from the educational opportunities Jennifer worked to help create and from the individuals she mentored to become better educators and better instructional leaders,” he said. “The thoughts and prayers of our school board and our entire district are with Jennifer’s family.”

Current Assistant Director of Instruction Scott Langford was one of those mentored by Brown.

“Jennifer was not only a tremendous leader and mentor of mine, she was an outstanding mother, sister, wife, and friend,” Langford said. “I am amazed each day with the work she did and the lives she touched.”

Brown died at her home in Goodlettsville after battling the disease for several months.

A visitation will be held from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 8 and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9 at Long Hollow Baptist Church. A Celebration of Life Service will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9 at Long Hollow Baptist Church.

This story has been edited since it first ran online to include additional information.

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