Photo courtesy of Mountain Brook Schools.
Kristi Moncrief, left, is the new assistant principal at Mountain Brook Junior High School, while Sammye Davis is the new assistant principal at Brookwood Forest Elementary School.
Two longtime educators with deep ties to Mountain Brook Schools are stepping into new leadership roles after unanimous approval from the Mountain Brook Board of Education. Sammye Davis will serve as assistant principal at Brookwood Forest Elementary, while Kristi Moncrief has been named assistant principal at Mountain Brook Junior High, bringing a combined 41 years of experience in education to their new positions.
The board approved both appointments during its June 10 called meeting, filling key leadership positions with educators already well known throughout the district.
Davis is entering her 20th year at Brookwood Forest, where she has spent the past four years as the school’s literacy coach after teaching kindergarten and first grade for 16 years. She has also served as an adjunct instructor at UAB.
“As I enter my 20th year as a member of the Forest family, I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving our school community in this new role,” Davis said. “I believe that supporting teachers, staff and families requires recognizing and honoring their individual needs, perceptions and growth trajectories. I’m honored to work alongside Ashley Crossno as we continue building on the strong legacy of our past administration, and I look forward to strengthening the connections that make our school so special.”
Brookwood Forest Principal Ashley Crossno said Davis has already established herself as a trusted leader on campus.
“We are so excited to have Sammye move into the role of assistant principal at BWF,” Crossno said. “She has been an important part of our Family in the Forest for many years, and we can’t wait to see all of the ways she will continue to lead our faculty and support our Rangers in her new role.”
Davis earned her bachelor’s degree from Birmingham-Southern College before completing a Master of Education at Lesley University. She also holds National Board Certification and an Instructional Leadership degree from Samford University. She and her husband, Doug, have one daughter and live in the Trussville community.
At Mountain Brook Junior High, Moncrief returns to the district after spending the past year as special education program specialist for Homewood City Schools. Before that, she spent 11 years as Brookwood Forest’s lead special education teacher, making the move to MBJH a homecoming of sorts.
“I am excited to serve alongside the dedicated team at MBJH,” Moncrief said. “Eleven years at Brookwood Forest and opportunities to serve across the district have allowed me to experience the heart of Mountain Brook Schools. Because of those experiences, this move feels like coming home. The opportunity to support students as they come together from all of our elementary schools for the first time as Spartans makes this next chapter especially meaningful.”
Moncrief joins Principal Derek Kennedy and assistant principals Brook Gibbons and Preston Sanford on the junior high’s administrative team. In addition to her work in public education, she owns Dyslexia Therapy Solutions LLC, where she provides educator training, and has 21 years of experience in education.
“Kristi is a veteran educator whose extensive experience and dedication to student success make her a valuable addition to our building,” Kennedy said. “Her genuine love for students and commitment to their growth shine through in everything she does.”
A graduate of Birmingham-Southern College, Moncrief earned her master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University and later completed National Board Certification and an Instructional Leadership degree from Samford University. She is also a Certified Academic Language Therapist Qualified Instructor. She and her husband, Bradley, live in Cahaba Heights with their two sons, Doss and Van.
