Laurie King, Crestline Elementary Principal
How long have you been at Crestline Elementary? I have been at Crestline since 1984. I was a special education teacher for 18 years, a reading coach for 5 years and the assistant principal for 5 years.
I have worked under Dr. Mike Melvin for 17 years. He served as a tremendous mentor. When he left, I felt confident about coming into this position because I know the school so well and I was mentored so well.
What do you like about Crestline Elementary? It’s the atmosphere. Our staff is like a family. It is a community school. We have always been a school where the teachers are lifelong learners. We have an excellent staff. We have tremendous parent involvement; and, we have the best kids in the world.
What made you interested in early childhood education?
I worked with special education children while I was in high school and fell in love with doing it.
What college did you attend? I went to Auburn for my undergraduate degree and UAB for postgraduate degree. Both degrees were in special education.
What kind of changes can we expect to see for the new school year? One of the most important things we are talking about now is reaching the 21st century learner .We are trying to incorporate more technology in every lesson.
What kind of changes in technology has Crestline made so far? We are moving to a paperless system and as a school. All of our newsletters are sent out via e-mail. We also started online registration this year. Parents can now register their child and pay registration fees online. And, we are also posting our classes on our website this year for the first time ever.
Chris Shaw, Spain Park principal
What do you like about Spain Park High School? Spain Park has a great community supporting it. It has everything that you look for in a school. It has great academics, great athletics and a great facility.
How long have you worked in education? I have worked in education for 24 years.
What college did you attend? I went to the University of North Alabama. I majored in both history and physical education.
I completed my master’s degree at Alabama State University
What changes do you hope to bring to Spain Park? I want to build on the relationship of trust that the school has with community. I also want to make the school more parent-friendly.
What type of changes in technology can we expect to see this year? We are improving our website by updating the teacher’s pages and blogs.
Why did you decide to go into education? I love to make a difference in the lives of students. Teachers and administrators play an important role in helping students succeed.
What is Spain Park’s secret to success? The community helps us succeed. The parents are very passionate about seeing their kids become successful.
