Kari Tibbs
KARI TIBBS
Tibbs recently retired from her role as the eighth grade assistant principal at Berry Middle School.
Q: How long have you been in education?
A: Twenty-four years, all in Hoover City Schools and all of that at Berry Middle School. I student-taught at Berry Middle School and Green Valley Elementary. I was a K-12 special education specialist. After student-teaching, I taught for 13 years and then transitioned to assistant principal. I did that for 11 years.
Q: What inspired you to go into education?
A: My mom worked for a school system. As kids, we played like we were teaching. After high school, I was a history major at first and then was able to better understand some of the other facets of education and change my major to special education. It’s really simple, I guess just the Lord.
Q: Why special education?
A: I worked one summer briefly at a camp that was hosted by another teacher who taught in Midfield City Schools. She was an enrichment teacher, and her camp was geared toward all kids, and she embraced every level of learner and every walk of life. That really just opened my eyes to better understanding the diversity of the world and just the needs of others and how to embrace that, and so I wanted to be a part of something like that.
Q: What has been the best part of being in education?
A: The ability to interact with and grow alongside the kids. They inspire me, and in all levels of learning I’ve been involved in, it’s been such a joy to partner alongside those families and those students.
Q: What has been the most challenging?
A: The intensity of the needs and the intensity of the day-to-day. I could tell it was time for me to step off the merry-go-round.
Q: Why did you decide to retire, and what do you plan to do?
A: I have exactly zero plans right now. I know for sure I’m taking the summer months off. That’s going to be part of my regeneration here — getting myself kind of refocused. I want to just get out and explore and see what’s available and see what the world’s like.
