Dr. Mark Gonyea is elated about the chance to open a new school and work with a team of dedicated educators and staff members to establish a culture to best serve students.

He’ll get the opportunity as the first principal of Plainview Elementary School, the newest Rutherford County school set to open in August 2021. Director of Schools Bill Spurlock made the hiring announcement today. 

“Dr. Gonyea is a strong instructional leader and has the ability to build instructional capacity throughout his faculty,” Director Spurlock said. “He is the ideal administrator to launch our next school.”

Rutherford County Schools plans a multi-school complex at the Plainview site, which is near the Epps Mill Road interchange on Interstate 24. The elementary school is the first school in that plan.

“Plainview Elementary will be the foundation for what is built there,” Gonyea said. “I’m really excited to be a part of what Rutherford County Schools has planned.”

Gonyea — currently a principal for Murfreesboro City Schools and a past assistant principal with Rutherford County Schools at Riverdale and Smyrna Primary — will begin his new role in February. 

He’ll start by hiring his faculty and staff and working with the director of schools and the engineering department to open the school as construction is finalized. 

Students at the school will come from various elementary schools in the area as part of a rezoning plan that is under review. In 2013, Gonyea helped open Stewarts Creek High School, which also had the task of unifying groups of students who had been rezoned from other schools. 

“I’m looking forward to that concept of bringing multiple families together and establishing a culture of enthusiasm for working together for the good of students,” Gonyea said. “No matter where you came from, you are now Plainview.”

In all, Gonyea has 26 years as an educator, including a 15-year stint at Smyrna High School, four years at Stewarts Creek High School and then his administration experience at Riverdale High School, Smyrna Primary School and Northfield Elementary School. 

For more information about Plainview Elementary School, including the current rezoning proposals and other announcements, please visit www.rcschools.net/plainview/