By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Alabaster’s newest School Board member said he is planning to be a “team player” and work to make the city’s schools a destination after he was sworn in during a May 13 ceremony.

Derek Henderson took his seat on the Alabaster School Board a week after he was appointed to the board by a 4-3 vote of the Alabaster City Council. During the ceremony, Henderson, who was joined by his wife, Gloria, was sworn in by Judge Clyde Jones.

“It’s been wonderful. It’s been a very humbling experience,” Henderson said after the ceremony. “A lot of people have called me since last Monday and congratulated me and offered their support. I appreciate everything that’s been said.”

Henderson said he plans to work with his colleagues on the board to help attract new growth in Alabaster.

“Like I’ve said before, I want our schools to be a destination point,” Henderson said. “I want to be a team player on the board to make that happen. You don’t do anything alone on a board.

“We will try to do everything for the kids, they are number one,” Henderson added. “As long as we do that, we’ll be good.”

Henderson’s fellow School Board members displayed confidence in him by electing him the board’s vice president during a meeting following his swearing-in ceremony.

“When someone steps out to serve the public, that is a huge commitment,” said Alabaster Interim School Superintendent Dr. Phillip Hammonds. “We are certainly blessed in this community to have a wonderful school board working together and moving forward.”