Dr. Jake Quilliams has been named principal at Pi Beta Phi Elementary School following Dr. Hans Ballew’s stint as interim principal and the retirement of longtime principal Carey Woods.  It is a homecoming of sorts for Dr. Quilliams, a native of East Tennessee, as he attended Pi Beta Phi Elementary before graduating from the McCallie School in Chattanooga. He then attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), where, in 2008, he received his Bachelor of Science with a major in political science and a minor in history. Next, Dr. Quilliams attended Georgia College and State University, where, in 2011, he earned a master’s degree. In 2019, he graduated from UTC with a Doctorate of Philosophy in learning and leadership. Quilliams has experience in Sevier County schools as well, having worked at Seymour High School as a social studies teacher, technology coordinator, data coach, and eventually, as an assistant principal before exploring opportunities in other districts. Of Pi Phi, Dr. Quilliams said, “I’m tremendously excited to return to Pi Beta Phi and to Gatlinburg to rejoin the Mountaineer community. Pi Phi is a very special school with a unique history and culture that sets it apart from its peers and makes for an incredibly effective learning environment.  I look forward to joining the staff in helping add to this rich tradition as our school meets the challenges of the future.”