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By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

ALABASTER – Thompson High School Principal Dr. Wesley Hester has been named the Alabaster City Schools Assistant Superintendent for Administration.

ACS Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers announced Hester’s new role as Assistant Superintendent for Administration during an ACS Board of Education on Monday, June 12.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be in this role and to continue to learn from Dr. Vickers and to work with his team and to be a part of his team at the central office,” Hester said. “It’s something that I’ve been a part of, but now I get to be a part of it in a more engaging fashion from this new position.”

Hester will enter his new role on Saturday, July 1  during which he will work closely with Superintendent Vickers and ACS Central Office members across a wide spectrum of district-level administrative duties.

“I’m excited about that opportunity and to work with everyone that I’ve worked with before but in a different capacity in this position as assistant superintendent for administration,” Hester said. “I couldn’t be more thankful for being in a great organization like Alabaster City Schools and this community. I’m ready to get started and start working on all the things that we can accomplish.”

Vickers expressed his enthusiasm for Hester’s upcoming role.

“I’m just so thankful to be able to add Dr. Hester to our central office staff,” Vickers said. “We already have a wonderful administrative cabinet and to have someone that I’ve worked closely with for the past eight years to step in as assistant superintendent for administration—it gives me an opportunity to work even closer with him on system projects. I couldn’t think of a better individual to have on board with us.”

Dr. Hester has served as principal of Thompson High School for the past eight years. He has been an educator for 21 years, including 15 years as an administrator and six years as a teacher and coach.

“Being a principal is great experience, but also having someone at the central office level and giving them experience and exposure to the central office and the school system side of things is very important,” Vickers said. “It’s very important for me to try to share that information and knowledge as best as I can with him and the rest of my cabinet.”

Hester explained that, although he begins his new role on July 1, he will continue to serve as the THS principal during a transitionary period.

“Dr. Vickers has afforded me the opportunity to remain in that transition role because we want to have a successful start to the 2023 school year, “he said. “We’re continuing to form a plan, build our schedules and handle all of that business so that we can be fully prepared to start the new school year.”

Hester explained the process behind finding a new principal for THS when the time comes.

“When we do find and select the new principal for the high school, I will have the opportunity to sit down with that individual, meet and talk about a lot of the items that are on the agenda, talk about the culture of the school, where it’s been, where it’s going and just a lot of transition,” he said. “We want to make sure that our new principal at Thompson High School is fully prepared and is ready and that it’s a seamless transition.”

Dr. Hester earned a bachelor of science in education from Athens State University, a master of arts in educational administration and an educational specialist degree from the University of North Alabama and a doctor of philosophy in instructional leadership from the University of Alabama. He is a proud husband and father. Hester is married to Maridy, and they have two children, Cohen and Mary Ellis.