Mobile native Curtis Moorer has been named principal of Georgiana School.

Moorer, a graduate of Alabama State University’s elementary education program and later AUM’s instructional leadership graduate program, began his teaching experience in 2005 as a sixth-grade teacher at Tipton Middle School in Selma.

He would later move to E.D. Nixon Elementary School, which was twice awarded national distinction as a Torchbearer school twice during his tenure.

He was eventually promoted to assistant principal at Chisolm Elementary and Vaughn Road Elementary School in Montgomery.

Needless to say, it’s been a busy decade for Moorer. From his perspective, however, each of those experiences these past 12 years have culminated in his arrival at Georgiana.

“Everyone I know who works, or has previously worked, in Butler County say they love it,” Moorer said. “It’s a close-knit family and everyone knows everyone, and that’s what I’m used to. Working my way up in Montgomery and Dallas County, it prepared me for this this position that I’m in today. I was molded by great principals. They push their staff, and the motto was that a principal is only as good as his staff.

“When I got the call for the interview to come down here for the position, I just knew in my heart. I gave them my philosophy, ‘high standards, no excuses.’ That’s something that I push in every class I’ve ever taught and every building I’ve ever worked in. Don’t come halfway—just give everything you have 110 percent every day.”

But the wealth of experiences that the past decade has afforded him is only a percentage of the picture.

Butler County Schools superintendent Dr. John Strycker said that Moorer had other, less tangible qualities that made him stand out.

“He had the energy and passion for children that I’m looking for under my leadership,” Strycker said.

“Under my leadership, we’re going to work hard; we’re going to work smart, but very hard.   And he had that energy that I feel I would want on my team, of someone who would put in the hours needed, go to all of the school functions and then be right back at it the next day with a smile on their face. So really what stood out with Curtis was certainly that he has good experience, but his energy level was outstanding.”

Less than a month remains before Moorer and the Georgiana faculty and staff greet students with open arms for the fall semester, yet the hiring process for Georgiana’s principal began several months ago.

A first-round committee, led by former Georgiana principal Bryant Marlow, whittled down a list of candidates to only three for a second round of interviews, in which Strycker participated alongside Marlow and central office staff.

Marlow was involved in nearly every phase, and Moorer called him an invaluable asset in the process.

“Mr. Marlow made the transition very smooth,” Moorer said.

“We’re just hitting the ground running to make sure we have the right people in place to receive our children on Aug. 8. Dr. Strycker has been nothing but supportive. He’s been a great support system for me, as well as Mr. West, Mrs. McClain, Mrs. Powell and everyone from the central office.”

Strycker said that hiring from outside of the school system is always met with a dose of skepticism. But in this case, excusing the clichéd expression, he added that Moorer “really was the right fit for the job.”

“I’m in my 13^th year as a superintendent, and for all 13 years I’ve always felt that if all conditions are equal—or even close to equal—you always want to promote within because that is your school family,” Strycker said.

“With that said, the bottom line is that I’m going to put the best candidate in there with the kids. Sometimes that’s internal, and sometimes that’s not.”

Moorer said that his hiring has been met with an outpouring of support from the Georgiana community and beyond, including staff, parents, Georgiana mayor Jerome Antone and the Georgiana City Council, as well as Georgiana police chief Carlton Cook.

“I feel like I have the right staff on board to make great things happen,” Moorer said.

“We’re getting all of the support, and everyone is coming in to assist us with having a great year. We’re just trying to move these babies on to higher things, and preparing them to be college or career-ready.”