Tennessee Tech University announced Monday, Oct. 5, that Heather Tinch, principal of Burks Elementary School in Monterey, has been named the 2026-27 Tennessee Principal of the Year by the Tennessee Department of Education. The honor was announced at the department’s annual Excellence in Education celebration in Nashville, according to Tennessee Tech.
Tennessee Tech said Tinch earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1999, a master’s degree in instructional leadership in 2007 and an educational specialist degree in instructional leadership in 2008.
According to the university, Tinch has led Burks Elementary since 2021, after serving as vice principal at Prescott South Middle School from 2013 to 2021. Burks has been recognized as a Tennessee Reward School for three consecutive years under her leadership, Tennessee Tech said.
Tinch told the university that she sees the award as recognition of the work of the Burks Elementary staff, and said she was grateful to represent the school, community and Putnam County Schools.
Tennessee Tech also reported that Putnam County Schools educator Derek Zachary, a physical education teacher at Northeast Elementary School, was recently named a finalist for Tennessee Teacher of the Year.