New Principal Named At Pizitz Middle School

VESTAVIA HILLS, AL - A new principal has been named for the coming school year at Louis Pizitz Middle School. The Vestavia Hills Board of Education this week approved the hiring of Chris Pennington to replace Meredith Hanson, who will become the district’s director of personnel services in July.

Pennington comes to Vestavia from Chickasaw Middle/High School, which serves students in grades 6 through 12 in the Mobile suburb of Chickasaw. He brings 29 years of experience in Alabama schools to Pizitz.

Prior to arriving in Chickasaw, Pennington served as assistant principal of Athens (Ala.) Middle School and went on to become the district’s director of fine arts. He previously served as an administrator at schools in Crenshaw County and Oxford (Ala.). He also spent more than two decades of his career directing high school band programs in Oxford, Madison County and Blount County.

Pennington holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from UAB, a master’s in music education from Auburn University, and an educational specialist degree from Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee.

Pennington said Monday that he was looking forward to maintaining the school’s tradition of excellence through its upcoming move to a new campus.

“It’s important to me that we make sure our students, faculty and staff feel supported by the entire community throughout this transition. We’ll all be working together for the good of our students and helping them to be the best they can be,” Pennington said.