By KATIE MCDOWELL/General Manager

COLUMBIANA – Shelby County Board of Education member Peg Hill recently announced she will seek a third term.

Hill, a retired teacher and principal from Shelby County Schools, said she will run for re-election because she loves “being a part of continuing education with children in Shelby County.”

“I didn’t want to give it up after I retried,” she said. “I still love working with principals and educators and students and giving them the best opportunities available.”

Hill said she’s been impressed with Shelby County Schools’ leadership in the central office and the individual schools.

“I just think we’re on the cutting edge of so many things,” she said. “There’s always room for improvement, and that’s what I love about the instructional staff. They won’t settle for mediocre.”

Hill said she and other board members try to visit one community each month, including the city of Chelsea in December. They stop by local schools or meet with principals during the visits.

Hill began her career teaching at Columbiana Middle School and Elvin Hill Elementary School. She left the Shelby County School System to accept a position as assistant principal at B.B. Comer Memorial Elementary in Sylacauga.

“It was good to get out of our system and learn what other systems (were) doing,” she said.

She later served as assistant principal at Winterboro School in Talladega before returning to Shelby County to become assistant principal at Thompson Elementary. She later accepted the position of principal at Elvin Hill Elementary and retired after seven years.

Hill received her bachelor’s, master’s and educational specialist degrees from the University of Montevallo. She is a Leadership Shelby County board member, Columbiana Kiwanis Club member and South Shelby Chamber of Commerce ambassador.

Hill was honored at the Alabama Association of School Boards’ annual convention in December 2013 for advancing to Master Level of the AASB’s School Board Member Academy. To achieve Master Level, Hill had to complete at least 115 training hours including nine core curriculum courses.

Shelby County Board of Education members serve six year terms. Board members serve the entire county and do not represent districts.

The qualifying period for major-party candidates ends Feb. 7, and the general election will be held Nov. 4.