Columbia welcomes AP Laura Minor

Columbia Elementary School Principal Jamie Hill congratulates Columbia’s new assistant principal, Laura Minor. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Starting with the 2014-2015 school year, Columbia Elementary School’s population has welcomed their new assistant principal, Laura Minor.

Minor’s last teaching assignment was as a gifted specialist at Heritage Elementary School, where she taught since 2008.

“I have taught third grade, served as a gifted education resource teacher and was a principal for eight years in Virginia,” Minor said. “Upon moving to Madison for my husband’s job with the Missile Defense Agency, I went back into the classroom” at Heritage.

From 1999 to 2007, Minor served as an elementary principal at two different schools in Spotsylvania, Va. She also has worked as a university instructor.

While at Heritage, Minor coordinated the Invention Fair, which was a required, culminating project for her gifted students in grades 3-6. As sponsor for the Heritage robotic teams, she led numerous teams to win trophies at the Alabama FIRST LEGO League State Championship.

In addition, Minor assisted with science fairs at Heritage and sponsored Destination Imagination teams. She was student-nominated as a “Hometown Hero” with the “Super Citizen” program, affiliated with Liberty Learning Foundation.

At the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She then received a master’s degree in education from the University of Virginia, where she also received endorsement in gifted education.

This school year, Madison City Schools has several educators serving in new slots for assistant principal. “The openings were created by a revolving door of promotions and reassignments triggered by the naming of new principals at Bob Jones High and Discovery Middle schools,” public relations director John Peck said.

Columbia Principal Jamie Hill said, “Laura has made an immediate impact by building relationships with our faculty, students and parents. She is settling in nicely with school-wide discipline, character education, Watch DOGS, Instructional Walks and after-school programs.”

“She and I work very closely together to foster a positive culture and strong instructional environment,” Hill said. “Laura is very competent in her job and loves kids.”