Nashville school board member Christiane Buggs to head nonprofit PENCIL
Current Nashville school board member Christiane Buggs is set to become the next president and CEO of PENCIL, a local nonprofit that fosters partnerships between the community and Metro Nashville Public Schools.
Buggs has represented Metro School Board District 5 since 2016, which encompasses the central section of Davidson County and includes most of the Pearl-Cohn cluster, along with parts of the McGavock, Glencliff and Hillsboro clusters.
She defeated three opponents in the 2016 election and ran unopposed in 2020. Buggs has long focused on addressing the roots of inequities within the district and a her push to build anti-racism and bias training for MNPS staff.
PENCIL, which stands for Public Education Needs Community Involvement and Leadership, announced the move in a news release Friday afternoon. The organization led a five month national search for a new leader.
“PENCIL makes a difference in the lives of Metro Schools students, families and teachers every day," Buggs said in the release. "I have witnessed it, admired it and played a part in it during my time with MNPS. It’s a community effort — a mission to provide equitable access to resources and opportunities to our students, so we can empower them to succeed now and in the future.”
In March, outgoing President and CEO Angie Adams announced her plans to step down as her daughter is set to graduate from MNPS in the spring. Buggs will take on the role on Jan. 1 and work closely with Adams throughout the spring as she transitions into the role.
“I have had the privilege of working with Christiane over the last couple years — she is respected, thoughtful and an exceptional leader who cares deeply for our young people, our public schools, and the future of Nashville,” Adams said in the release. "I know Christiane loves PENCIL and feel confident that she is uniquely suited to grow PENCIL’s impact while staying true to its vital mission, vision, and values."
Buggs will work closely with MNPS Director Adrienne Battle and MNPS as a whole in her new role. She declined to comment on whether she will seek reelection for her school board seat, which will be on the primary election ballot on March 5. The filing deadline for the spring election is Dec. 14.
A Nashville native, Buggs is an MNPS graduate who went on to earn a bachelor's degree in physics and two master's degrees in education, according to the release. She went on to teach middle school math in the district before becoming a school board member in 2016.
Buggs currently serves as the director of strategic partnerships with the Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance. She has worked closely with PENCIL over the years and has served as an ex-officio member of its board of directors since 2022.
PENCIL was founded in 1982 with the goal of helping young people succeed. The organization's data from the 2022-23 school year shows 798 partnerships, $3.5 million in supplies distributed and $4.2 million in total community investments, along with more than 19,000 volunteer hours logged.
"PENCIL envisions a world where access and opportunities are equitable for all students to have a successful future," the release said.
Learn more about the organization at at pencilforschools.org.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville school board member Christiane Buggs named CEO of PENCIL
