AHS promotes from within, names Erica Peyton assistant principal

Arlington High School has selected Erica Peyton as the school’s newest assistant principal, continuing a journey that has taken her from the classroom to counseling and now administration - all within the same building she has called home throughout her entire career.

Peyton will replace longtime assistant principal Dr. Felicia Turner, who is retiring after 31 years in education.

A familiar face to many students, families and staff, Peyton first began her career at AHS as a Career and Technical Education teacher before later transitioning into school counseling and most recently serving as the school’s EPSO (Early Postsecondary Opportunities) Specialist. Across each role, she has helped support students in different ways, whether through classroom instruction, postsecondary planning or helping expand college and career readiness opportunities.

“I appreciate that Erica has seen Arlington High from a lot of different angles,” AHS Principal Chris Davis said. “She knows this community well because she’s spent her entire career here, but that’s never stopped her from thinking outside the box. She doesn’t want to do things just because we’ve always done them a certain way. She asks good questions, brings ideas to the table and genuinely wants us to keep growing, so she’s the type of person you want on your team because she’s always pushing us to keep improving. She cares deeply about our students and their success, and I know she’s going to work hard and be a great addition to our admin team."

In her current role as EPSO specialist, Peyton has overseen Advanced Placement and dual enrollment programming, coordinated ACT and AP testing and helped expand postsecondary opportunities for students. She has also conducted teacher evaluations, supported Career and Technical Education initiatives and helped lead the school’s transition to SchoolLinks, an interactive digital platform that helps with college and career readiness.

Prior to becoming EPSO specialist, Peyton spent seven years as a school counselor at AHS, helping students navigate course selection and academic pathways while also counseling students through challenges. Throughout her time at the school, she has also served in several leadership capacities, including as Counseling Department Chair, a member of the AHS Leadership Team and a TEAM TN teacher evaluator.

“Every position I’ve had at Arlington High has allowed me to help students in a different way,” Peyton said. “In the classroom, it was helping students grow academically through my content area. As a counselor and EPSO specialist, it became helping students discover their goals and prepare for what comes after high school. I’m excited for this next step because it gives me another opportunity to support both students and teachers while continuing to serve a school and community that has meant so much to me throughout my career.”

Congratulations, Mrs. Peyton!