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Mt Laurel Elementary was buzzing with excitement during the first day of school on Aug. 8. (Reporter photos/Rachel Raiford)

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE | Special to the Reporter

August 8 was the first day of the 2024-2025 school year, and the campus of Mt Laurel Elementary was buzzing with excitement.

There are 500 students enrolled at MLES this year, and four new employees: three teachers and one maintenance technician.

Students had opportunities to meet their teachers the afternoon prior and a kindergarten parent meeting was held on Aug. 6 for parents to meet their child’s teacher, get important information and ask questions.

Principal Tina Neighbors said that the first morning went amazing and was like a well-oiled machine.

“The kids came in smiling and ready to start their day,” Neighbors said. “The car rider line went very smoothly this morning and the students got in their classrooms and got started.”

She said she only saw one child tear up, and that was amazing to have so many kindergarteners coming in and not having any tears.

Neighbors said she is always excited to begin a new school year and loves seeing the excitement on the kids’ and teachers’ faces.

“I do still get nervous about different aspects of things like car rider line, making sure the kids arrive on the buses and get where they need to go at the end of the day,” she said.

“But, it is a great time of year and we look forward to it.”

Neighbors was originally hired to teach fifth grade at Mt Laurel Elementary in 2004. In 2008, she was selected to serve as the assistant principal, during which time the school improved its state report card grade, was recognized as a 2021 National Blue Ribbon School and also received the Legislative School Performance Award. She took over as the principal at MLES in July 2023 after former principal Celita Carmichael became an instructional supervisor for Shelby County Schools.

Mt Laurel Elementary was recently recognized by the Alabama State Department of Education for the second year in a row with a 99 on the state report card. A top 25 school in the state with 1,479 public schools in the state, Mt Laurel is ranked number 18.

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