Staff photo.
Carrie Busby with Mountain Brook High School students in 2023.
Carrie Busby with Mountain Brook High School students in 2023.
Carrie Busby, principal of Mountain Brook High School, has announced her retirement effective July 1, 2026, bringing to a close a distinguished 25-year career in education.
Busby shared the news with faculty and staff on April 6, marking the end of nearly a decade of service at the school. She joined Mountain Brook High School in 2018 as an assistant principal before stepping into the principal role in the summer of 2023, succeeding Philip Holley.
Throughout her tenure, Busby has been recognized for her leadership style and commitment to students, staff and the broader school community. Dicky Barlow, superintendent of Mountain Brook Schools, praised Busby’s contributions and lasting impact.
“I am so thankful for Carrie’s leadership at Mountain Brook High School for nearly a decade,” Barlow said in a statement. “During her time as a school administrator, both as principal and assistant principal, Carrie has led our high school community with a servant’s heart, keen decision-making, a positive attitude and much more.”
Busby reflected on her time at the school with gratitude, emphasizing both the strength of the community and the impact of those around her.
“Serving as MBHS principal has been the greatest honor of my career, and I have so much pride in having had the chance to work with our students, faculty, staff and families,” Busby said. “Watching such brilliance in action here at MBHS has been a daily masterclass in teaching and learning. Although I am excited about the future, leaving MBHS will be bittersweet when for so long I have been surrounded by remarkable people doing exceptional work.”
She also expressed appreciation for the broader Mountain Brook community and the experiences she has had throughout her tenure.
“I am so grateful for my time at Mountain Brook,” she said. “I was fortunate to experience so much during my time here and see thousands of students flourish in and outside of the classroom. Mountain Brook has been a great school and community long before I arrived and will continue to be such because of the wonderful people in and around our school and community.”
Busby’s career in education spans a wide range of roles, including classroom teaching, administration, mentorship and service on numerous state boards. Over the past 25 years, she has built a reputation as a dedicated educator and leader committed to fostering both academic excellence and student growth beyond the classroom.
Her leadership came during a period of transition and continued success for Mountain Brook High School. After serving five years as assistant principal, she took on the top leadership role in 2023, guiding the school while maintaining its strong academic and extracurricular traditions.
With her retirement, Mountain Brook Schools will begin the search for the next principal to lead the high school. District officials have not yet announced a timeline for the selection process.
