The January meeting of the Shelby County Board of

Education included an oath of office, special recognition,

awards presentations and the hiring of a new assistant principal.

School Superintendent Evan Major was given the oath of office by Shelby County Circuit Judge Hub Harrington. Standing by his side was Major’s wife, Linda, who held the Bible.

School Board President Dr. Lee Doebler was recognized as a 2002 Alabama Association of School Boards All-State School Board member by Dr. Sandra Sims-deGraffenried, executive director of the AASB.

All-State School Board member is the highest distinction a school board member can receive.

Doebler has served on the school board for the past 14 years and as board president for the past 10 years.

Major recognized Barbara Snyder from Riverchase Middle School for winning the Assistant Principal of the Year Award.

He also recognized Superintendent’s Art Show winners.

Among those recognized were Rachel Robbins, grade 11, division 11-12 of Oak Mountain High School, taught by Nicole McKinney; Tam Nguyen, grade 10, division 9-10, Oak Mountain High, taught by Heather Hyatt; Emil Barrow, grade 6, division 3-6, Oak Mountain Middle, taught by Diane Epperson;

Kenji Mau, grade 8, division 7-8, Oak Mountain Middle, taught by Epperson; Jake Holland, grade 5, division 3-5 category II, Valley Intermediate, taught by Kendra Sawyer;

Drew Nolen, grade two, division K-2, Inverness Elementary, taught by Abigail Gorum.

The board also unanimously approved the hiring of Jeff Jordan as assistant principal for Thompson High School.

Jordan has taught in the Shelby County School System for five-and-a-half years and previously taught and coached at Oak Mountain Middle School.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in human relations from Samford University.

He obtained his master’s degree in secondary education with a middle school endorsement from the University of Montevallo