Grimes becomes newest Golden Tiger

New superintendent Heath Grimes is already settling in to central office.

By Alison James

alison.james@fct.wpengine.com

New superintendent Heath Grimes has been logging 12-16 hour days since the beginning of the month.

“I’m going to be busy,” Grimes said. “That’s just my personality. It’s also the demands of the job.”

Grimes comes to Russellville from Lawrence County, where he served as superintendent. A born and raised Lawrence County person, he earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of North Alabama in 1999 with an aim to teach special education: a desire that first began in high school.

“I was on the Scholars Bowl team, and the sponsor was a special education teacher,” “So I was around, in her classroom, studying … and I feel I love with the special education program and the needs there and what could happen.”

As a football player, he also had the desire to coach, in addition to being involved in education. Leadership was another passion he hoped to pursue.

“I always thought that I wanted to be in a role of leadership,” Grimes said. “For some reason, people seem to like me and be drawn to me.”

He was able to achieve all three of those passions as vice principal of Speake K-12 school (principal of the K-6 grades, in practice). But after several years as Lawrence County superintendent, he said he knew his time was up for effective leadership there, and it was time for a new challenge.

“I’ve gotten to do things I love my whole life,” Grimes said.

Grimes has also earned his master’s degree and is now pursuing his doctoral degree.

Challenges facing Grimes in Russellville include building trust among the faculty and community, dealing with tremendous growth in the school system and also having a focus on greater gains in academics. But he said his wife and three daughters – 12, 8 and 5 – are thrilled to be in the community, and he is blessed to have been chosen as the superintendent.

“These might be the nicest people ever … They have been so welcoming and genuinely good,” Grimes said. “This job is stressful and tough, but this job is rewarding and fun.”