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Photo courtesy of Mountain Brook Schools.
Workers have been busy putting the finishing touches on facility upgrades before students return to Mountain Brook Schools for the 2025-26 academic year.
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Photos courtesy of Mountain Brook Schools.
Workers have been busy putting the finishing touches on facility upgrades before students return to Mountain Brook Schools for the 2025-26 academic year.
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Photos courtesy of Mountain Brook Schools.
Brookwood Forest Elementary expands their playground ahead of the 2025-26 school year.
When Mountain Brook students return to class Aug. 11, they’ll step into refreshed spaces, meet new leaders and benefit from a community that continues to invest in its schools. From upgraded facilities and nationally recognized school resource officers to a record-setting $5.5 million foundation campaign fueling innovation, the 2025–26 school year promises to keep Mountain Brook at the head of the class — with Spartan teams like cross country and wrestling looking to defend state titles, and the famous Dorians dance team chasing a third consecutive national championship.
Photos courtesy of Mountain Brook Schools.
Workers have been busy putting the finishing touches on facility upgrades before students return to Mountain Brook Schools for the 2025-26 academic year.
Just months after 316 graduates from the Class of 2025 departed for 46 colleges across 21 states — with Auburn, Alabama and Ole Miss topping the list — the district now turns to another year of academic and extracurricular achievement.
NEW FACILITIES
Over the summer, construction and maintenance crews completed upgrades and renovations across the district:
- The library at Mountain Brook Elementary received a total renovation.
- The playground at Brookwood Forest was expanded.
- Sixth grade classrooms at Brookwood Forest underwent mechanical enhancements.
- The auditoriums at Mountain Brook Elementary and Cherokee Bend were updated with new sound, lighting and finishes.
- HVAC work was completed at Mountain Brook Elementary and Mountain Brook Junior High.
Photos courtesy of Mountain Brook Schools.
Brookwood Forest Elementary expands their playground ahead of the 2025-26 school year.
NEW HONORS
Mountain Brook’s tradition of excellence extends well beyond the classroom — and students and staff are already focused on building on last year’s successes. The district’s school resource officer team enters the year as a Model Agency, recognized by the National Association of School Resource Officers — one of just eight in the nation — while Officer Richard Knecht brings his Safe Schools Leadership Award experience to campus safety efforts.
On the fields and courts, Spartan teams are ready to defend their titles: boys and girls cross-country look to extend their dominance, the Dorians aim for a third straight national championship, and the boys and girls tennis teams will try to stretch their streaks — three consecutive for the boys and eight straight for the girls. Those teams’ performances last year helped Mountain Brook surpass 200 total state titles in AHSAA-sanctioned varsity sports, with more milestones in sight.
NEW LEADERS
The front office at Mountain Brook Junior High will look a little different this school year, with a few personnel moves and new faces.
Photos courtesy of Mountain Brook Schools.
Derek Kennedy is the new principal of Mountain Brook Junior High.
Derek Kennedy took over as the school’s principal last month after former principal Donald Clayton was approved to be the new Director of Administrative Services and Assistant Director of Personnel for Mountain Brook Schools.
“Mountain Brook Junior High is a special place and I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing that here as a classroom teacher, assistant principal and now am excited to further lead as this school’s principal,” Kennedy said. “Donald (Clayton) has done a tremendous job over the past 13 years transforming the junior high culture and experience for all of our stakeholders and I’m eager to continue that work.”
Kennedy takes on this role after having served as assistant principal at MBJH since 2019. Before that, he received several awards in the classroom as a junior high history teacher and on the court as a coach. He holds his education specialist degree in instructional leadership as well as his educational leadership certification, master’s degree in education and bachelor’s degree in social science, all from the University of Montevallo.
“I am confident Derek is the right person to lead our exemplary staff at MBJH to new heights,” MBS Superintendent Dicky Barlow said.
Photos courtesy of Mountain Brook Schools.
Preston Sanford is the new assistant principal at Mountain Brook Junior High School.
Preston Sanford was selected to fill Kennedy’s assistant principal role, coming to the school after spending the last nine years as a teacher and coach in several local high schools.
“I am extremely excited for this opportunity,” Sanford said. “I quickly learned through the interview process that Mountain Brook is filled with great people and I look forward to meeting and working with them at the junior high. My goal is to do everything I can to support the students, the faculty and anyone I encounter on a day-to-day basis.”
He holds his bachelor’s degree from Sacred Heart University and his master’s degree in Educational Leadership from West Alabama.
Photos courtesy of Mountain Brook Schools.
Adam Craiger is the new bookkeeper at Mountain Brook Junior High.
“Preston comes to us highly recommended and his leadership skills paired with his passion for people will elevate our school culture at MBJH,” Kennedy said.
Sanford and his wife, Hannah, live in the Birmingham area with their two daughters, Mae (2) and Lucy (1).
Adam Craiger has also been brought on as the school’s new bookkeeper, and Brook Gibbons serves as the school’s other assistant principal. Connie Porter is the office manager.
Mountain Brook Junior High serves over 1,000 students in 7th-9th grade. The school employs over 170 faculty and staff. Learn more at mbjh.mtnbrook.k12.al.us.
NEW FINANCIAL SUPPORT
The Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation enters the year having already raised more than $5.5 million in its “Fund Our Future: Endowing Student Success” campaign, surpassing its $5 million goal and moving closer to its vision of granting $1 million annually to the schools.
Board president Kristin Ritter said the Foundation’s mission remains urgent. “The sooner we can get the million dollars to the school system, the better,” she said.
Foundation funding this year will support professional development stipends, phonics training for elementary teachers, math coaches at every elementary school and innovative tools like Magic School (artificial intelligence) for teachers and Prisms (virtual reality) software for immersive learning. Funds also helped support the annual summer learning conference in June.
Teachers say the support makes a real difference. “I will shout from the rooftops how grateful I am for the Foundation,” said Mountain Brook High School teacher Morgan Chatham. “To know that they listened to my idea, thought it was valuable, and trusted me to run with it — that is just an incredible indication of support.”
Foundation co-chair Mary Catherine Pritchett said the generosity of the community has been inspiring. “We just live in such a generous community,” she said. “People here understand the value of having the private school standard in a public school.”
NEW CELL PHONE RULES
Gov. Kay Ivey signed a new state law that took effect July 1, requiring students to keep their cellphones and other devices turned off during the school day. The Mountain Brook Board of Education is reviewing the law’s details and will communicate any district-specific policies to families before school begins.
With a new year ahead and a proud tradition behind them, Mountain Brook’s students, staff and families are ready once again to carry the community’s standard of excellence — and to keep raising the bar. But maybe not take quite as many selfies.
