Haleyville Elementary assistant principal resigns; new AP hired

HALEYVILLE   -  One of the assistant principals at Haleyville Elementary School has resigned before his actual effective hire date, with the board of education naming his replacement at an early morning special called meeting Thursday, July 11.
Kyle Butler, who was named elementary assistant principal at the board’s April 22, meeting, resigned effective June 21--a little over a week before his July 1, hiring effective date.
Butler was hired as elementary assistant principal to replace Stacy Tinch, who was transferred to the assistant principal’s position at the high school effective July 1, replacing Candy Garner, who retired after the completion of the 2023-2024 school year.
Hired to replace Butler is Dr. Marc Tracy, effective July 18. Tracy comes to the elementary school with experience both at the elementary school level and as an administrator.
The board also hired six elementary teachers,  to replace six teachers whose resignations were also approved at the July 11 meeting.
“We are very excited to welcome our new faculty and staff members into the Haleyville City Schools family,” HCS Superintendent Dr. Holly Sutherland pointed out.  “They are all amazing teachers and administrators who we know will bring added value to our schools.
“We are looking forward to a great year in Haleyville City Schools,” the superintendent concluded.
Elementary Principal Tammy Hatton noted, “Mr. Butler called and said he basically needed to resign based on some family responsibilities he needed to deal with.
“He did attend with us the admin retreat. He was a part of that, but nothing after that,” Hatton added. “After that, he was called to a family emergency.”
Looking ahead, Hatton continued, “We’re reminded that education is a flexible profession.  We have to be mindful that flexibility plays a big role in our profession, and we move forward based off the circumstances we have.
“Everything will continue to flow with our new personnel and pick up where we’ve left off, bring (Dr. Tracy) in and give him the support he needs to be successful, as well,” Hatton continued.
Hatton said Tracy is very positive, energetic and eager to step into the role.
“He has been in what they call a unit school, which is like a K-12 school,” Hatton noted.
Tracy ha served as principal at Sweet Water School in Marengo County since February.  Sweet Water is a P-12 (Pre-K-12) school with 600 students.  In his role as principal, Tracy worked with scheduling, obtaining grants, testing and curriculum planning.
Before that, Tracy was assistant principal at Pleasant Home School in Andalusia from 2021-2024, where he tackled administrative duties, as well as served as attendance officer, athletic director and bus supervisor.
From 2009-2020, Tracy taught and coached at the following schools, Valley High School, Straughn High, Andalusia; Fayette County High School, Deshler High School, Tuscumbia; Tharptown High School, Russellville and East Lawrence High School, Trinity.
Degrees Tracy has obtained include doctor of education  in educational leadership from Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va.; educational specialist degree and master of arts in teaching degrees,  both from University of West Alabama, Livingston; bachelor of science in education from Auburn University.
Tracy is a 2004 graduate of Phil Campbell High School.
Haleyville Elementary Assistant Principal Dr. Elyse Aldridge, who will be working beside  Tracy, recalled coaching against him.
“He is a very nice person. I look forward to working with him in a different capacity this time,” Aldridge stated.
“I am excited he’s going to be there, and I’m sure he’ll do a good job,” she added.
 
Elementary
resignations approved

Resignations from Haleyville Elementary School approved at the July 11 meeting were teachers Laura Nelson, effective June 20; Merritt Muck, effective June 25 and Olivia Brimer, Hollison Patterson and Leah Smith, each effective June 26.
The resignation of Paige Hooker as elementary school nurse was also approved, effective July 12.

Elementary
teachers hired

The following teachers were hired at the July 11, meeting: Callie Porter, as middle school special education teacher; Ashley Hill, Samantha Marcum, Chloe Reynolds, Aly Wakefield and Amber Nichols, as elementary teachers, each effective Aug. 1.
Virginia Moriah Morton was hired as elementary substitute to fill a family medical leave for Emily Kennedy and Brooke DeLeon, with the hire effective Aug. 1.