College of Education Student Success Authentic MSU Diversity and Inclusion Academic Excellence Alumni and Giving

MSU alum hired as principal for Fayette County Public Schools

12 May 2020

Donte Tichenor Picture Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Manny Caulk has announced that Morehead State University alumnus Donte Tichenor (13) will be the new principal at Booker T. Washington Elementary School in Lexington.

“I am extremely excited and humbled by this opportunity to serve in this community,” Tichenor said. “When I entered the field of education more than 10 years ago, I never envisioned myself being in an elementary school. God has a way of ordering your stops and closing doors that you thought were meant for you. None of this would have been possible without Morehead State University.”

Tichenor earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Kentucky before attending MSU to earn his Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Middle Grades Social Studies. At MSU, he was awarded Graduate Student of the Year.

“When I decided to return to school to pursue a graduate degree in teaching, Morehead State took a chance on me when other universities said I needed higher scores,” Tichenor said. “Fast forward almost a decade later and numerous roles within my district, I am now principal of Booker T. Washington Elementary School.”

Tichenor worked for the Job Corps program and later a private mental health provider before joining FCPS in 2009. There, he served in roles as a substitute teacher, para-educator, social studies teacher, behavior interventionist and dean of students. Tichenor led the Informational Technology Academy at Bryan Station High School in 2018. In his most recent role, he came to Booker T. Washington Elementary to serve as the professional growth and effectiveness (PGE) coach prior to becoming principal.

Tichenor said he has multiple goals as the principal at Booker T. Washington Elementary, including creating a positive culture, retaining and recruiting good teachers, frequent and passionate celebrations of student success, focusing on student growth and empowering both families and the community to contribute to student success.

Morehead State University’s Volgenau College of Education is offering a reduced tuition rate to all Kentucky school teachers and other educators enrolled in courses within our College of Education. For more details on the reduced tuition offer, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/kyeducators.

To learn more about MSU’s Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education and its programs, call 606-783-2162 or visit www.moreheadstate.edu/education.