Principal Britton leaving Belgreen

By Staff
Melissa Cason, Franklin County Times
BELGREEN – After 32 years as an educator, Belgreen School's principal announced that he will retire from Alabama to take another position in Mississippi.
Eddie Britton's retirement will take affect July 1. But instead of going home to tend to his garden or make room for his neglected hobby, Britton will go back to school this fall as the new principal at Tishomingo High School in Iuka, Miss.
"I wasn't looking for another position," Britton said. "I was contacted by the school about becoming their new principal."
Britton said that God lead him to take the new position, and that the decision to move on was sudden to everyone, including him.
"It won't be easy to leave here," Britton said. "It was a little bit surprised myself [with the turn of events]."
Britton, who is a Belgreen High School graduate, has spent his entire career as an educator in the Franklin County School System.
He began his career in 1975 at Red Bay High School before moving to a teaching position at Phil Campbell High School in 1978.
In 1982, Britton took the assistant principal position at Belgreen and moved up to principal in 1987.
"I've got a lot of years here, but just because I am leaving doesn't mean that I won't be concerned about the state of the school," Britton said.
While leaving the school where he has spent so much of his time will be difficult, Britton feels that there has never been a better time to move on with his career.
"If you're ever going to leave a job, you want to leave when it's at it's best," Britton said.
Belgreen School has new facilities, a great faculty, good athletics, and strong community support for the school – all of which make the school great for the students and the community as a whole, Britton said.
"I expect the same community support for the school with whoever becomes the new principal," he added.
Although he will not be employed in Alabama, Britton and his wife, Kathy, plan to continue to reside in Belgreen. Kathy will remain employed at the school.
"I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported me through the years, especially family, friends and the faculty," Britton said.
As for who will become Belgreen's new principal, Britton said there is a long list of good candidates already on campus, including assistant principal Steve Pounders.