Warhurst starts next chapter of her journey as educator

R U S S E L L V I L L E — Jennifer Warhurst, elementary curriculum director for Franklin County Schools, is retiring effective July 1.

After 26 years in education, she’s accepting a new role with Kids First, an educational consulting company that provides customized professional development for school districts across Alabama and the Southeast.

“I’m excited about the future,” she said. “I have an opportunity to take my knowledge, experience and skill set to the next level.”

Known for her collaborative approach, steady leadership and deep love of learning, Warhurst leaves behind a legacy that stretches across classrooms and communities.

“She has been the one instrumental in pulling the elementary schools in the county together,” said Molly King, principal of Tharptown Elementary.

“Before she came on board, everybody was in their individual silos,” she added.

King said Warhurst’s leadership helped forge a culture of collaboration between schools.

“It has benefited each one of us as school leaders, each one of the teachers and all of the kids,” King said. “We’ve seen tremendous growth because we’re all working toward the same goal now.”

Reading specialist Cassie Reed praised Warhurst as an essential support figure in the district.

“She is always right on it,” Reed said. “Anyone can call her, and she helps so much. I don’t know what we’re going to do without her.”

Warhurst’s vision helped bring a unified reading plan to life across schools with a consistent curriculum and high expectations.

“I am always a teacher in every role I’ve held. And I believe in empowering people, helping teachers feel confident in what they’re doing,” Warhurst said.

She emphasized that effective curriculum work can’t happen in isolation.

“It shouldn’t be a competition between schools,” she said. “We have to collaborate.”

Throughout her career, Warhurst has worked to bring people together within schools and across districts.

She participates in Region 1 networking, which includes Franklin County, Russellville City, Muscle Shoals City, Florence City, Colbert County, Lauderdale County, Winston County and Marion County. Curriculum directors from these districts meet quarterly.

“It’s a beautiful relationship,” Warhurst said. “We’re not hiding things from each other. We all share. We talk about what frustrates us, what motivates us, and we move forward.”

She credits much of her own growth to the people she worked with — students, teachers and mentors along the way.

“The students are the reason I’m still here,” she said. “They taught me how to listen, how to adapt, how to keep learning.”

Warhurst fondly remembers playing school in a backyard playhouse as a child, using stuffed animals as students. She said she always knew she was “built to be an elementary teacher.”

Her first-grade teacher, Brenda Oliver, made a lasting impact. So did Russellville teacher and cheer sponsor Susie Malone and principal and mentor Ramona Robinson.

A 1994 graduate of Russellville High School, Warhurst originally plannedtomajorinfashion retail and marketing at the University of Alabama. But her calling shifted.

Warhurst was the first in her family to graduate from college.

She completed her education degree at the University of North Alabama in 1999. She later earned master’s degrees in elementary education and instructional leadership.

She began her career teaching first grade at West Elementary in Russellville. After statewide proration forced her out, she taught at New Bethel Elementary in Colbert County, first in sixth grade, then first grade again.

Eventually she returned to West Elementary, teaching first grade and kindergarten, then serving as a reading specialist.

Warhurst later became assistant principal at Haleyville Middle School and Russellville Middle School, before stepping into the role of principal at Phil Campbell Elementary School in June 2018.

“I was scared, but I knew I was prepared,” she said. “It was the most rewarding thing I’ve done.”

She served roughly 420 students and 50 staff members across four buildings with no assistant principal.

“My goal was to be the heartbeat of the school,” she said. “To be the energy in the hallways, to be the one that made the kids feel welcome. I stood in the same spot and said ‘Good morning’ to every single child every day.”

InJune2021,shestepped into her final role as the county’s first elementary curriculum coordinator. That transition came in the wake of major new legislation like the Alabama Literacy Act. Her job was to help unify a system of elementary schoolsthathadpreviously operated independently of each other.

Warhurst said she’s proud of how far the district has come and confident in the team that will continue the work.

“Franklin County has seen tremendous growth over the past several years,” she said. “We once were a system of schools and now I can proudly say we are an effective school system.”

She said she hopes the people under her care “know that they matter.”

“I consider my educational career a complete blessing,” she said. “I leave with a full heart. My next chapter is going to be amazing.”

Warhurst and her husband, Chad, raised their family locally and she credits them with standing by her through every stage of her career.

Their daughter, Megan Vincent, is an accountant with the Tucker Firm. Daughter Madalyn Seay is a cosmetologist in Haleyville.

Her son, Connor Warhurst, is a junior defensive back on the University of Alabama football team.

She also has three grandchildren — Caelynn, age 2, Rafe, age 1, and Sadie, a newborn.

Warhurst expressed gratitude to Franklin County Superintendent Greg Hamilton for his support and trust during her tenure.

“He took a chance on me,” she said. “I’m forever grateful.”

And what does she hope to be remembered for?

“As an impactful leader with a genuine caring concern and a servant’s heart.”