MADISON – Madison City Schools now has a staff member in the role of Chief Academic Officer. Dr. Heather Donaldson has accepted the position.

Donaldson previously has been working as MCS Coordinator of Secondary Education.

At its Aug. 10 meeting, Madison Board of Education approved hiring Donaldson for the new position on the recommendation of Superintendent Robby Parker.

“Madison City Schools currently has 10,660 students and counting. With growth comes the need for a Chief Academic Officer to help align all the growing programs in curriculum design and other needs,” Public Relations Manager John S. Peck said.

As Chief Academic Officer, Donaldson will oversee the growing school district’s total academic programs, working closely with the elementary and secondary instruction teams, math specialists and other programs.

“It’s important to have a position like Chief Academic Officer to have the entire instructional program aligned,” school board president Ranae Bartlett said.

Parker described Donaldson as “an outstanding educator.”

During her career, Donaldson worked as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. In 2005, the Madison board hired Donaldson as an English teacher and coach for women’s golf at Bob Jones High School.

She served as secondary instructional specialist and assistant principal at Madison elementary, Bob Jones and James Clemens high schools. Donaldson was a key figure in opening James Clemens as Madison’s second high school. Her duties have been involved extensively in curriculum, scheduling, assessment, Career Tech, Advanced Placement offerings and numerous other areas.

Originally from Carrollton, Ill., she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English language arts at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. She received administration certification and education specialist status in instructional leadership at the University of North Alabama.

She and husband Philip have two sons.