Shelby County Schools

Chris Dean will serve as the new assistant principal at Oak Mountain High School. Dean has over 19 years of experience in public education, serving his entire career in Shelby County Schools.  He most recently served as the Administrative Assistant at Helena High School and previously was a teacher at Oak Mountain High School. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Science, a master’s degree in Secondary Education, and a Certificate of Instructional Leadership from the University of Montevallo.

Amber Pennington will serve as the new assistant principal at Montevallo Elementary School. Pennington graduated with a bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from James Madison University, a master's degree in Teaching from Mary Baldwin University, and an Instructional Leadership certification from the University of Montevallo. Ms. Pennington served as a paraeducator for two years while earning her teaching degree. She then taught third grade for seven years before moving to an Administrative Assistant position at Helena Intermediate School in 2022.

Shelby County nurses had a full day of professional development provided by Nurse Supervisor Treasa Daly and ADPH officials in preparation for the 23-24 school year. The nurses are excited about the school year and looking forward to meeting the healthcare needs of SCS students.

Oak Mountain High School, a Shelby County school, is thrilled to announce the outstanding achievements of its students on the Advanced Placement (AP) exams. Several classes achieved a remarkable 100% pass rate, demonstrating the students' and teachers’ commitment to academic excellence. The classes that achieved a 100% pass rate on the AP exams include AP Chemistry, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C, AP Latin, and AP Calculus BC. Particularly noteworthy is the Calculus BC class, where all 21 students who took the exam received a passing score (score of 3 or higher), with a mean score of 4.48 out of a possible 5. Additionally, 29 students took the Calculus AB exam, achieving a mean score of 3.66—over one full point higher than the state average. In total, Oak Mountain High School administered 871 AP exams, achieving an overall pass rate of 62%. This reflects an impressive 13% increase in the pass rate over the last five years, a testament to the continuous efforts to enhance academic excellence at the school. Principal Andrew Gunn expressed immense pride in the students' hard work and dedication, acknowledging the rigorous challenges many undertake by enrolling in multiple AP courses. Gunn also commended the school's staff for their support and commitment to the students' academic growth. "These outstanding results are a testament to the commitment of our students and the dedication of our staff," said Principal Andrew Gunn. "Our students continuously demonstrate their willingness to embrace academic challenges and reach new heights. We are thrilled to celebrate their accomplishments and the positive impact our educational community has on their growth and success." As Oak Mountain High School enters its 25th year, the administration, faculty, and staff remain committed to providing an enriching educational experience that prepares students for college, careers, and beyond.

Congratulations to Mt Laurel Elementary School which was recently named an i-Ready Super Stretch School by Curriculum Associates based on their i-Ready Diagnostic growth last year. MLES had 56% of their students achieve Stretch Growth in English Language Arts

This morning Shelby County Schools hosted administrators and SROs from our district, along with Pelham, Alabaster, and Hoover. Judge Welborn, Juvenile District Judge for Shelby County, and Shaun Styers, Chief Juvenile Probation Officer were the guest speakers. It was great to see all the districts in Shelby County come together to talk about school safety.

Dr. Resia Brooks, Human Resources Coordinator for Shelby County Schools, will serve on the Board of Directors for the Council of Leaders in Alabama Schools as the President of the Alabama Association of School Personnel Administrators (AASPA). Brooks joins a distinguished group of education leaders who are dedicated to advancing excellence in leadership and promoting positive change in Alabama Schools. Affiliate presidents play a vital role in CLAS by representing and advocating for the unique needs and interests of their affiliate organizations. Their contributions will help shape the strategic initiatives, programs, and resources developed by CLAS to empower educational leaders across the nation. "We are honored to welcome Dr. Brooks as president of AASPA to the CLAS Board of Directors," said Dr. Vic Wilson, Executive Director for CLAS. "The leadership of our affiliate presidents within their affiliate organizations brings a unique perspective that will greatly benefit our collective efforts to support and empower educational leaders in Alabama."

Tracy Whitfield and Shelley Davis were honored by Superintendent Lewis Brooks with Journey Shaper Awards during the July 27 board meeting. Whitfield serves as an administrative chief clerk and executive assistant to the board, while Davis serves as Dr. Brook's administrative secretary. "These two ladies are true leaders in our district," Dr. Brooks shared with those in attendance. "The culture of this office improved tremendously because of their desire and efforts to create a family atmosphere. When we are short-handed, they pitch in. When our colleagues are going through difficult circumstances, they are supportive. Even though they deal with difficult things throughout the day, they stay positive and it is clear that the focus is on what is best for the district." Whitfield is the first person to receive the prestigious honor twice. She was previously honored in February 2022 along with Susan Goodwin and Jennifer Cofer from Student Services, and Elvin Hill Elementary Principal Courtney Madison, for providing outstanding customer service to a family who was experiencing a hardship. The Journey Shapers Award draws its name from the school district’s motto “Prepared for the Journey,” and is to honor individuals who display excellence by going “above and beyond” what is expected of them, especially as it pertains to helping shape the journey of others.

Erin Moody will serve as the next assistant principal of Inverness Elementary. Moody graduated from UAB with a bachelors in Early Childhood/Elementary Education and from West Alabama with a masters in Elementary Education and Instructional Leadership certification. She has worked for the past 13 years as a second grade teacher at Oak Mountain Elementary and Chelsea Park Elementary and as an Instructional Coach at Mt Laurel Elementary

Congratulations to students from Shannon Acton's Advanced Placement Chemistry class from the 22-23 school year. These amazing students had a 100% pass rate on AP Exams exams administered in the Spring!

Friday is the last day to register for After School Care for the upcoming 23-24 school year. Register online at www.ezchildtrack.com/scscomed/parent.

Sandy Evers will serve as the next principal of Oak Mountain Middle School. Evers has 27 years of experience in education and most recently served as Assistant Principal at Oak Mountain High School since 2017.

Brooke Dunham will serve as the new principal of Inverness Elementary. Dunham began her experience with Shelby County Schools as a 2nd-grade student at Inverness Elementary and was a member of the 2nd graduating class of Oak Mountain High. Dunham taught for 16 years at Chelsea Park Elementary before serving 3 years as the Assistant Principal at Helena Elementary School. She is a National Board Certified teacher who was recently awarded renewal.

Erica Hogge will serve as the new assistant principal of Calera Intermediate Erica Hogge served as a 1st grade teacher at Calera Elementary from 2008-2021 and most recently as the District Instructional Coach for Math & Science for grades K-5 in Shelby County.

Amy Allen will serve as the next assistant principal at Vincent Elementary School. Allen holds bachelor's and master's degrees in elementary education, a master's degree in instructional leadership, and an educational specialist degree in teacher leadership, all from the University of Montevallo. Allen has 17 years of experience in Shelby County Schools. She began her career at Calera Elementary in 2006 teaching first grade and kindergarten. In 2021, Allen became a Local Reading Specialist and has served Chelsea Park Elementary School for two years.

For more information on how to enroll for Pre-K, please check the following link: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/3646/SCS/2865297/23-24-First-Class-Pre-K.pdf.

Abbie Akers will serve as the assistant principal at Mt Laurel Elementary. Mrs. Akers holds a bachelor's degree in general and special education from the University of Alabama and a master's degree in Instructional Leadership from the University of Montevallo. She began her career with Auburn City Schools working for Wrights Mill Elementary as a special education teacher for two years. Mrs. Akers served as a 3rd-grade teacher at Chelsea Park Elementary for five years and most recently as a Reading Specialist at Oak Mountain Elementary.

Wendy Cespedes will serve as the new principal at Montevallo Elementary School. Wendy Cespedes. Mrs. Cespedes began her teaching career in 2012 at Mt Laurel Elementary School as a 2nd-grade teacher. In 2014, Mrs. Cespedes transferred to the newly opened Forest Oaks Elementary to teach 2nd grade. Mrs. Cespedes served in various leadership roles at FOES and was selected as the Forest Oaks Teacher of the Year in 2018-2019. In 2021, Mrs. Cespedes was selected to serve as the Assistant Principal at Vincent Elementary School. Mrs. Cespedes has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Grand Canyon University and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from the American College of Education.

Due to the threat of severe weather, Shelby County Schools summer school and all Community Education activities, including summer camp, will dismiss at 12:00 p.m. on June 14, 2023.

Congratulations to our Counselors of the Year - Amy Willis from Chelsea Park Elementary, Wendy Williford from Calera Middle, and Jessica Gandy from Calera High. A very special thank you to Integrative Health Services for sponsoring lunch for our amazing school counselors!