Photo by Jon Anderson
Melissa Hadder, who was appointed as principal of Shades Mountain Elementary, seen outside the school July 5.
Shades Mountain Elementary School’s new principal, Melissa Hadder, spent most of her career working with high school students, but her new role is a return to where she began her education career.
Hadder spent several months as a K-2 music teacher for three elementary schools in Pike County after finishing her coursework at Troy State University in November 1992.
Since then, she has worked in four other school districts as a band teacher, counselor and assistant principal before coming to Hoover City Schools as an assistant principal at Spain Park High School five years ago.
While she may have limited experience in elementary schools, Hadder said she has learned that, overall, students are still students no matter their age.
“They may be at different developmental levels, but they all have the same interests really — to have people who care about them and have their best interests at heart,” she said. “I don’t think that changes much as students grow.”
At Shades Mountain Elementary, she welcomes the opportunity to help students prepare for what she knows awaits them academically as they grow up, she said.
Hadder is replacing Juli Feltham, who is retiring after 20 years as principal at Shades Mountain and a 38-year career in public schools.
Hadder said she knows she can’t be Feltham. “No one ever fills another person’s shoes completely,” she said. “Mrs. Feltham is an outstanding school administrator who has done a great job there. I can only be myself and learn as much as I can about them and lead the wayI can lead.”
She’s hopeful the Shades Mountain community will embrace her and work with herto continue to move the school forward, she said.
Hadder said she has heard nothing but positive things about Shades Mountain Elementary — that it has a lot of parental support and outstanding teachers. “I feel very blessed to be part of that community now,” she said.
She is already familiar with the community because Shades Mountain is one of three elementary schools that feed into Berry Middle and Spain Park High. “I certainly have a heart for the community. I have a heart for the students,” she said.
She also believes she has a good understanding of the school’s demographics and dynamics and the expectations for the school, she said.
Background
After working briefly as an elementary music teacher, Hadder then spent two years as a band teacher at the K-12 Sweet Water High School in Marengo County. After that, she served five years as a band teacher at Rutledge Middle School and Midfield High School, followed by five years as a guidance counselor at Calera Middle and High School before moving into administration.
She spent two years as an assistant principal at Vincent High School and one year as a ninth-grade assistant principal at Homewood High School before going back into counseling. She worked as a guidance counselor for two years at Vincent High School and one year each at Shelby County High School and Calera High School.
Hadder moved back into administration in 2012, serving one year as an assistant principal at Calera High School before coming to Spain Park in 2013.
She has a bachelor’s degree in musiceducation from Troy State University, a master’s degree in school counseling from the University of West Alabama, and educational leadership certification and an education specialist degree from the University of Montevallo.
She and her husband live in Chelsea with their 9-year-old daughter. She doesn’t have a lot of spare time, but she has recently taken up running, she said.
Hadder is moving from a high school that had about 1,600 students last year to Hoover’s smallest elementary school, which had about 320 students last year.
“Anytime change occurs, there’s an adjustment period,” she said. “I’m somebody who always want to grow professionally and personally. I want to learn new things. … I’m excited to take this next step in my career. I want to lead them in the next step, wherever that takes us.”
