Photo courtesy of Mountain Brook Schools.
Ashley Crossno, Brookwood Forest Elementary School’s new principal.
When a school community welcomes a new principal, it is about far more than filling an office. It is an opportunity to preserve what makes a school special while charting a course for what comes next.
This year, that opportunity arrives at both ends of a student’s educational journey — from the halls of Brookwood Forest Elementary to the campus of Mountain Brook High School.
Ashley Crossno has been named principal of Brookwood Forest Elementary School, while Lars Porter will assume leadership of Mountain Brook High School. Their appointments, unanimously approved by the Mountain Brook Board of Education, represent more than a changing of the guard. Together, they reflect a district-wide investment in leaders who know the community, understand its traditions and have spent years building relationships within its schools.
Neither Crossno nor Porter is new to Mountain Brook. In fact, both have spent much of their professional lives preparing for these moments.
For Crossno, becoming principal of Brookwood Forest feels less like arriving somewhere new and more like continuing a story she has been helping write for years. During her 15 years in Mountain Brook Schools, she has served as a classroom teacher at Crestline Elementary, as a literacy coach at Cherokee Bend Elementary and, most recently, as assistant principal at Brookwood Forest. Before joining the district, she spent three years teaching at Oak Mountain Intermediate School.
Now she succeeds longtime principal Nathan Pitner, inheriting a school community known not only for academic excellence but also for its uniquely close-knit culture.
“I am honored to step into the role of principal at Brookwood Forest,” Crossno said. “Our faculty and staff, families and most especially our Rangers make BWF the best place to come to work each day. It will be a privilege to continue building on the strong foundation established by Mr. Nathan Pitner and lead our ‘Family in the Forest’ in the years to come.”
That phrase, “Family in the Forest,” is one Crossno returns to often when describing the school she now leads.
“I’m incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the Brookwood Forest community,” she said. “There truly is no other place like the Forest.”
She points first to the teachers, describing a culture where educators challenge one another to grow professionally while working collaboratively to create meaningful learning experiences for students.
“Our teachers are exceptional,” Crossno said. “They push each other to grow, and they work together to create learning experiences that are engaging and meaningful for every Ranger.”
She is equally quick to credit the families and PTO, whose support extends well beyond the classroom.
“Our parents give so generously of their time and talents to support our teachers and help us create memorable experiences for our Rangers throughout the year,” she said.
For Crossno, the future of Brookwood Forest is not about reinvention but, rather, stewardship — honoring traditions while ensuring the school continues to evolve in ways that serve students well.
“I feel honored to work alongside such dedicated teachers, families and staff as we continue building on the traditions and excellence of Brookwood Forest,” Crossno said. “Many Trees, One Forest!”
Photo courtesy of Mountain Brook Schools.
Lars Porter, Mountain Brook High School’s new principal.
Across town, another familiar educator is preparing to take on a new challenge.
Lars Porter will become principal of Mountain Brook High School on July 1, succeeding Carrie Busby, who is retiring after nearly a decade as an administrator at MBHS and a distinguished career in education.
Porter brings a similarly varied background to his new role. During eight years in Mountain Brook Schools, he has served as a classroom teacher, technology coordinator and assistant principal. Prior to arriving in Mountain Brook, he spent six years in Homewood as a teacher and head track coach.
Those experiences, Superintendent Dicky Barlow said, have uniquely prepared Porter for the job.
“Lars’s understanding of instruction and school culture, paired with strong relationships within that community, makes him the best candidate for this position,” Barlow said.
Since becoming assistant principal in 2022, Porter has worked closely with students, teachers and families while gaining an intimate understanding of a school that consistently ranks among Alabama’s best.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with our school community in the role of principal and look forward to continuing to support students, faculty and the entire community,” Porter said.
He also credits Busby for helping shape his approach to leadership.
“I have learned a great deal from Carrie over the past few years and wish her the best in her retirement,” he said. “We all know MBHS is a special place, and I look forward to shepherding our school community into the future.”
Like Crossno, Porter sees his new role through the lens of service.
“I am both excited and humbled to be named the next principal of Mountain Brook High School,” he said. “I deeply appreciate the trust placed in me by such an outstanding school system and community.”
He believes the strength of Mountain Brook Schools has always been its people — from dedicated students and passionate teachers to supportive staff and engaged families. The challenge, he says, is not simply maintaining excellence but continually redefining it.
“How do we continue to make an excellent school even better?” Porter asked.
For him, the answer begins with listening, learning and creating an environment where every member of the school community feels appreciated.
“My goal is to continuously enhance our professional practices and ensure that every voice within our community feels both heard and valued,” he said.
The appointments of Crossno and Porter arrive at a moment when leadership transitions are occurring across schools nationwide. Yet in Mountain Brook, the story is less about change than continuity. Both educators have spent years learning the culture, building trust and investing in the communities they now lead.
In an era when educational leadership can feel increasingly transient, Mountain Brook’s newest principals already know the names, faces, traditions and expectations that define their schools. They have been part of the work for years.
Now they have the opportunity to shape what comes next.
