MADISON – Madison Elementary School’s new assistant principal is Britt Lovelace, who previously taught fifth-graders at Horizon Elementary School.

This slot opened after Dr. Georgina Nelson accepted the principalship at Heritage Elementary School.

Lovelace started teaching at Horizon in 2007. “I love watching students learn and grow into productive school and community leaders,” she said. “Even though I won’t have my own classroom this year, I will still be able to build relationships with students, parents and teachers. I’m looking forward to this new opportunity.”

As assistant principal, Lovelace will “focus on being a multi-faceted leader within the building.” Her top priority is working as an instructional leader, along with dealing with textbooks, discipline and transportation.

“I’ll be fully involved in curriculum decisions that will continue to make Madison elementary an exemplary school,” she said.

Lovelace doesn’t expect drastic differences at her new school. “Madison City has excellent elementary schools. Both schools have visionary leaders and teachers,” she said.

She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Alabama. For Madison County Schools, she taught for the alternative school and kindergartners at Hazel Green. In Decatur, Lovelace was a fifth-grade teacher at Eastwood Elementary School.

When recalling her former teachers, Lovelace remembers “Mrs. York, my sixth-grade science teacher, who made a huge impact on me as a student and teacher. Her classroom was innovative and challenging. Mrs. York always found a way to motivate each child.”

Following York’s example as a teacher, Lovelace “tried to make sure my classes were interactive, challenging and effective. As a teacher, I wanted my students to walk out my classroom and say, ‘Wow, you mean class has ended?'”

Lovelace is a Decatur native. In community volunteering, she has participated in Junior League of Huntsville and Decatur, Panoply, Hope Place, Parents and Children Together and PTAs, along with serving as a Sunday School teacher.

Her husband Mike works as a sales representative for United Rentals. Their sons are Beau, 15, Sellers, 14, and Andrew, 11.