By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

New Creek View Elementary School Principal Brent Byars said his focus is not on the Alabaster schools’ upcoming change in management – it’s on the success of the school’s students.

“I will say I love Shelby County Schools. Shelby County has done a more than adequate job of serving all the students in the county,” said Byars, who was named the CVES principal at a November Shelby County Board of Education meeting.

“I am excited about the opportunities city schools provide, but I’m in it for the kids. It doesn’t matter if it’s Alabaster or Shelby County,” Byars added. “I will do my best to support our students no matter what. I would have taken this job if it was Alabaster or Shelby County.”

The Shelby County Board of Education promoted Byars to the position after former CVES Principal Joyce Dixon announced her retirement a few months ago.

Byars began his Shelby County teaching career in 2003 as a fifth-grade teacher at Thompson Intermediate School. While at TIS, Byars also coached at Thompson Middle and Thompson High School.

In 2008, Byars, a University of Montevallo graduate, became a sixth-grade teacher at Helena Middle School. For the past two-and-a-half years, he has served as the assistant principal at Helena Elementary School.

Because he grew up in Alabaster, Byars said he jumped at the chance to return home.

“It’s great to be back in the community I grew up in. Some of the people I went to church with and graduated high school with now have children in our school,” he said. “Creek View has obviously grown over the years, but it’s neat to be here and still have those relationships.”

Byars said he plans to “take what’s already great and make it even better” at the school.

“I am blessed to work with excellent teachers and to step into a school that is so excellent already.

“When I got here, I told the parents my goal is to provide kids with all the tools they need to be successful,” Byars said. “All of us want to do everything we can to support the students and make them successful. I am excited about the opportunity.”