Mr. Mike Chai
Principal

Phone: (423) 472-2241
Email: mchai@clevelandschools.org

Hello, my name is Michael (Mike) Chai, and I am honored to be the Arnold Memorial Elementary School principal. This is my 13th year as the principal at Arnold. I started working in Cleveland City Schools in 1995 as an Extended School Program staff member. After graduating from Lee University, I worked as an Instructional Assistant at Mayfield Elementary for two years. In 2003, I graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a Master's Degree in School Counseling. I worked at Cleveland Middle School in the counseling department for four years and then two additional years as the leader of Student Services at CMS. I earned my Educational Specialist degree from Tennessee Technological University during that time. I was fortunate to serve in Assistant Principal roles at Blythe-Bower and Cleveland High School before coming to Arnold in 2012. I am so proud to be the principal at Arnold. We have a wonderfully diverse building full of teachers who love to teach and love their students even more.

I have been married to my wife, Sheryl, since 2002. You will often see her at Arnold, as she is a substitute. She loves subbing for Arnold! Our son, Christian, is a 7th grader attending Cleveland Middle School. I love spending time with my family, playing video games, mountain biking, and hiking.

Thank you so much for being a part of Arnold. You help to make our school a special place!

Mr. Matt Ingram
Assistant Principal

Phone: (423) 472-2241
Email: mingram@clevelandschools.org

Mr. Matt Ingram is a 1992 Alum of Cleveland High School, graduated with his teaching degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and received his School Administration & Educational Leadership diploma from Lee University. He taught in a third-grade classroom in Cleveland City Schools for twelve years before moving into his Administration role at Cleveland Middle School where he served as the 7th Grade Assistant Principal in addition to his time as the Assistant Athletic Director.

His lovely wife, Jill, is the Children’s Minister at First United Methodist Church here in Cleveland. Both of his daughters, Ella and Savanna, are also Cleveland Blue Raider Alumni and currently finishing their degrees at UTC and ETSU. Harry, his new beagle puppy, enjoys chewing bones and long naps.

This current Assistant Principal role covers the landscape of two fine and historic elementary schools, Stuart Elementary and Arnold Memorial Elementary School. The current plan has Mr. Ingram on a weekly rotation where he will serve one elementary school for one week, then switch to the other school for the following week. Please note Mr. Ingram will be available and able to communicate with students, parents, and families from both schools at ANY time during ANY week.

Mr. Ingram brings an energetic, passionate, student-focused, and teacher-supported mindset and philosophy to his daily journey as a school administrator. His overall goal is to keep our students safe all while watching them grow both socially and academically.