By LINDA LONG / For the Reporter

ALABASTER—In a word, Chris Tangle calls his first four and half weeks as Thompson High School’s new principal, “awesome.”

“So far, the job has just been a joy,” said Tangle, who said he is now looking ahead to “some things we want to improve on.”

First on Tangle’s agenda is an upgrade to the school’s technology systems.

“We’re really looking forward to that because our technology is outdated and has got to be brought up to speed. Specifically, we’re looking at renewing some technology in our buildings,” he explained. “We’ve got to upgrade with new computers and some smart boards. Hopefully, that project will be completed by the end of the first semester.”

Tangle said he is also looking to bring more students into the school’s Advanced Programs (AP).

“That’s one of our goals,” he explained. “We want to challenge kids that might be right below AP levels. We feel they are untapped potential. These are the kids who can take those classes with good outcome. These are the students who need to be pushed a little. They need to realize, ‘Hey, I can take this class and I can be successful.’”

Tangle said one of the biggest items on his current agenda is breaking ground on the new Thompson High School later this fall.

“The new football field is already complete and it looks like this facility is going to be a treat for the whole community,” he said.

“We also have some athletic goals,” Tangle said. “We want to be successful in all our programs. One thing I’ve learned since I’ve been here is that we’ve got really good support on all our athletic events. We had a pep rally the other day and I was in awe of the support shown our students. We’ve just got to take advantage of it now and win some games.”

Tangle pointed out that Alabaster’s first home football game in the new stadium is against Hoover High School.

“Their record gives us a lot of confidence that we can play and compete with them,” Tangle said. “Plus, we’ve got Warrior on our side. He’s the most popular guy in town.”