Mary G. Montgomery High School Assistant Principal Brenda Box has been selected as the Alabama Association of Secondary School Principals (AASSP) Assistant Principal of the Year. The MGM Vikings surprised her with the announcement at a special assembly and pep rally in the school gym, with Lonnie Parsons of the Mobile County Board of School Commissioners among the special guests.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime recognition, and we are very excited and proud of her,” said Principal David Diaz.

MGM has played a big role in Box’s life since she was a teenager. She graduated from MGM and attended the University of Mobile on a softball scholarship. She taught and coached at the school and worked her way up to assistant principal. She earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education, a master’s degree in instructional leadership, and an education specialist degree.  She is now in her 21st year on the staff at MGM.

AASSP is an affiliate association of the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS). As the 2025-2026 AASSP High School Assistant Principal of the Year, Box will be recognized in Washington, D.C., as part of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) High School Assistant Principal of the Year program. There, the Alabama winner will join other state winners from across the country and compete for the title of National High School Assistant Principal of the Year, showcasing the exceptional leadership and impact of Alabama’s school administrators on a national stage.

Box is one of four MCPSS administrators to earn district awards from the AASSP and the Alabama Association of Middle School Principals (AAMSP). They include Leroy Jones of Booker T. Washington Middle, the AAMSP Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year; Tiffany Buchanan of Vigor High, the AASSP/AAMSP’s High School Principal of the Year; and Rashad Stallworth of Scarborough Model Middle School, AASSP/AAMSP’s Middle School Principal of the Year.

MCPSS is giving back to the communities it serves this holiday season. Many schools, like Denton Magnet School of Technology, have held food drives to benefit Feeding the Gulf Coast. Others, like Alma Bryant and Davidson, gathered food to benefit their own communities. Alma Bryant's National Honor Society students and members of the school's FCCLA and DECA clubs held food drives to benefit south Mobile County, while Davidson's students and teachers set up a food pantry at school to help classmates with food insecurity.

Our annual Stuff the Bus toy drive is Dec. 10-11! We are asking our participating schools to encourage more donations of gifts suitable for teenagers, since most local toy drives primarily provide gifts for younger children. Our MCPSS social workers will distribute those gifts to our families, bringing smiles to local teenagers this Christmas. We are still collecting new, unwrapped toys for younger students, as well. Those donations will be distributed by MCPSS social workers and the Salvation Army. Thank you for helping us Stuff the Bus again this year!

Christmas came early for a group of "littles" at E.R. Dickson Elementary, as New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson brought gifts for them through a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Gulf Coast. Joining her to greet the students were Saints mascot Sir Saint, Pelicans mascot Pierre T. Pelican, and two members of the Saints Cheer Krewe. Big Brothers Big Sisters has mentoring programs at several Mobile County Public Schools. 

The most recent School Spotlights delve into Spencer-Westlawn's Read Naturally phonics program and Hollinger's Island's annual Turkey Trot, a longstanding tradition that is enjoyed by the whole community. Watch the videos here and here.

MCPSS student-athletes from five high schools signed college football scholarships during the early signing period. They are:

MGM High School
Damarcus Broughton Jr.: Auburn University
Trakarris Collier: University of South Alabama
Shondell Harris: Jacksonville State University
Kaleb Morris: Mississippi State University
Devin Pettway: Jacksonville State University

B.C. Rain High School
Aaron Moore: Georgia State University

Theodore High School
J.J. Bush: Missouri
Jayden McCarroll: Alcorn State
Davon Young: Mississippi State

Vigor High School
Sammy Dunn: Jackson State University
Dylan Jackson: Alabama A&M University

Williamson High School
John Austin: Alabama State University
Dontae Bush: Troy University
Jermaine McCree: Troy University

The Gulf Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council presented a $15,000 grant to the Miracle League of West Mobile: Schmidt Family Park on Dec. 1. The park, which includes a baseball field and playground designed for children with disabilities, is operated by the Mobile County School System.

Donnie Brown, representing the Schmidt-Barton family, was among the officials who attended the presentation. Other community leaders on hand were Charlie Ramsey, executive director of the RC&D Council; Eddie Kerr, chair of the Council; Craig Hall, Renae Barren and Randy Shaneyfelt, who serve on the Council’s board of directors; State Sen. Jack Williams; State Rep. Mark Shirey; Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch; and Brad Lowell, MCPSS Athletic Director.

There will be a Player Service Project Day at the park on Dec. 15, featuring players from the 68 Ventures Bowl joining in games with teams from the Miracle League.

Congratulations to Theodore High teacher Samantha Gray, who received a $1,000 Teacher Classroom Grant from the 68 Ventures Bowl as part of the Nominate a Teacher Classroom Grant Program, in partnership with the College Football Playoff Foundation’s Extra Yard for Teachers initiative.   

Congratulations to Theodore High's Army JROTC battalion, which won first place in both Drill Team and Color Guard Competitions at the MCPSS Varsity Drill Meet. The battalion is trained by SFC Winslow and Mrs. Parker. 

Congratulations to Davidson High's Peyton Williams, who won state championships in the 100 and 200 freestyle at the AHSAA state swim meet. Her Warrior teammates Miles and Mack Morgan also made the finals in several events, while the relay team of the Morgans, Owen Farmer and Dexter Cox made the finals in the 200 and 400 freestyle.

Board Meetings: The Mobile County Board of School Commissioners will hold a work session on December 15 at noon, and its regular board meeting on December 17 at 10 a.m. 

The work sessions are recorded and uploaded to the mcpssTV YouTube channel. The board meetings are live-streamed on mcpssTV.

All meetings are held in the Board Room at MCPSS Central Office, located at 1 Magnum Pass in west Mobile.

Holidays: The school system will be closed from December 22 to January 2 for the Christmas holidays. January 5 is a Teacher Planning / Staff Development Day. The first day of the third quarter is January 6.

New on mcpssTV: Are you ready for some hoops? Watch the mcpssTV High School Basketball Games of the Week on Tuesday nights! The girls tip off at 6 p.m., with the boys' game following at 7:30. Watch live on Comcast 15, Mediacom 85, AT&T U-verse 99, Roku boxes, Facebook or YouTube.

Nominate teachers and student athletes: Want to highlight a top-notch teacher or an outstanding athlete? Use these links to make your nominations for a Golden Apple or a Scholar Athlete award.

Save the Date, Middle School Parents! The MCPSS Signature Academy Showcase is coming up on  January 6 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the USA Mitchell Center. This is a time for eighth-graders and their parents (and ninth-graders from Barton and Clark-Shaw) to explore all the exciting opportunities available at our 12 high schools and career tech centers. Meet administrators, Career Coaches, and Counselors and get answers to all your questions about Signature Academies, pathways, and programs designed to help your child succeed.

Email: communications@mcpss.com
Website: mcpss.com
Location: 1 Magnum Pass, Mobile, AL 36618
Phone: 251-221-4000
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