MBS welcomes 2 new principals

After saying tough goodbyes to two well-known and well-loved principals this past school year, Mountain Brook Schools announced the new principals of both Cherokee Bend Elementary and Mountain Brook High School.

Cherokee Bend Elementary

According to research, Sandy Ritchey said she isn’t supposed to be where she is today.

Ritchey, who grew up speaking both Arabic and English, was an English language learner and an “apartment kid.” She said she didn’t move around a lot — only once — but did spend time on free and reduced lunches.

“And my success was due to the educators who believed in me,” she said. “It was a blessing to be surrounded by teachers who chose to see the potential and find that part in me as a gift. … Research says I’m supposed to not have four degrees.”

But she does, and Ritchey credits her success to the teachers who saw what she could become. 

Ritchey will take over as the principal of Cherokee Bend Elementary starting July 1, after one year at CBE as assistant principal.

Ritchey didn’t initially start her college career in education. She had first planned to go into pediatrics, but soon realized her love of working with children would lead her back to the classroom.

After graduating from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, she first entered the education world in Hoover teaching second, third and fifth grades before becoming a reading coach and then an assistant principal. Ritchey made her way to Crestline Elementary, where she was a literacy coach, and soon found her home at CBE.

Ritchey didn’t have the goal of becoming an administrator, either. She said it was others who saw her potential and gave her opportunities to lead, and administrators at Hoover who pushed her to pursue an administrative certificate.

“And I have now been honored with the title of principal,” she said. 

Ritchey was surprised to be offered the principal’s position at CBE, but said she is excited and doesn’t take the position lightly. 

“It took me a while, because I couldn’t believe that the [Board of Education] and [Superintendent] Dicky Barlow were blessing me with this opportunity to serve the children and our faculty and staff and our community,” she said.

During her time with Mountain Brook Schools, Ritchey helped CES on what she called a “Mount Everest journey” to strengthen student learning. Together with other teachers and administrators, she was part of the process to redesign instruction and curriculum to meet the needs of students. She was also named an alternate Elementary Alabama Teacher of the Year in 2017 and a Mountain Brook Schools Teacher of the Year in 2016. 

Since her time at CBE, Ritchey has seen a change, too.

“In this one year, what I have noticed is that there’s been a culture shift in, ‘We want more for our children,’” she said, explaining it’s coming from the faculty and the community. She’s excited to feed that desire and wants to make sure everyone is working toward a shared vision and shared goals.

“I’ve had the opportunity to hear about a lot of dreams this year, and I think what I’m looking forward to doing whatever I can to support those dreams and see them to fruition,” she said.

Mountain Brook High School

Ritchey won’t be the only new principal in MBS this year, either. Philip Holley, formerly the assistant principal of Mountain Brook High School, was named MBHS principal, also effective July 1.

And Holley’s got something special to his title: he’s the first principal of the high school to also call it his alma mater.

“It adds a little bit more pressure, I think,” Holley said, laughing.

Holley, like Ritchey, didn’t initially see himself in education, but switched to that direction after having an enthusiastic and engaging science teacher at Auburn University. Holley said he would get home after class and talk excitedly about what he learned to his future wife.

“I remember her saying, ‘You love talking about this so much, have you ever thought of becoming a teacher?’” Holley said. 

So he did.

After spending some time on the “six-year plan,” he graduated and began teaching high school science in Center Point and Irondale before getting a call to teach ninth-grade biology at Mountain Brook Junior High.

“Having gone to school there, I thought, ‘Oh yeah. I’m never going to pass that up,’” he said. Holley spent 11 years at MBJH before serving as an assistant principal for two schools outside of MBS, and again he got a call to return.

“It was like coming back home,” he said. 

Holley was hired as the assistant principal for curriculum and instruction at MBHS in 2016 despite, like Ritchey, not initially wanting to become an administrator. He knew he was positively affecting students in his classes but realized he could impact many more students each year at a higher role.

“I’m definitely doing what I’m called to be doing. I credit my wife for getting me into this,” he said. “To say I’m excited [about the new position] isn’t even a strong enough word.”

Since his time as student at MBHS, Holley said he hasn’t seen a lot change in level academic instruction or the culture. He said the school, faculty, students and the community have always valued excellent education, and it’s nice to see that has remained. He did mention, however, that the athletics programs are more competitive now.

In addition to having attended himself, Holley has three children in MBS, one of whom is a rising senior. He said they’re all excited for him to be head of the high school.

“That’s really special to be the principal of the school where my kids are and where they’re going to be. … Even my 5-year-old is excited,” he said. And Holley mirrors his son’s sentiments.

“I’m looking forward to everything,” he said, noting he loves working with the faculty and students. “I’m looking forward to when we have faculty meetings, I’m the one leading the faculty meetings … Just leading the school. Everything about it.”