By By Adrienne McKenzie
Huxford Elementary School has a new leading lady now that Betty Warren has retired as the school's principal.
Donna Lynn Silcox of Uriah was hired as HES principal Monday afternoon at the board of education meeting in Brewton.
Silcox said she has nothing but good things to say about Warren but that she is ready to try to fill her shoes.
"I have all the respect in the world for Betty Warren," she said. "I can only hope that I will be accepted and liked as much as she has been at Huxford Elementary. Her shoes will be big shoes to fill."
The excitement of working close to home for Silcox was enough to make her smile in an interview Tuesday in her new office at HES.
"I'm really excited about being the principal at Huxford Elementary," Silcox said. "Being the principal at Huxford will give me the opportunity to come back home and it will be wonderful to work within seven miles of my home and to be able to work with the teachers, parents and students that I know. I feel like I'm at home."
Silcox has an extensive educational background. She is a high school graduate of J.U. Blacksher, she received her associate's degree at Patrick Henry Junior College in Monroeville, her bachelor's degree at Auburn University at Montgomery in elementary education, her master's degree at Livingston University in Livingston in elementary education and her juris doctor degree at the Jones School of Law in Montgomery in law.
Not only does Silcox have an array of educational background, she also has vast work experience. She worked in the Evergreen school system in Evergreen from 1984-1990, at Repton Junior High School in Repton for one year, at Frisco City Elementary School in Frisco City from 1991-1994, at Flomaton Elementary and Middle schools in Flomaton from 1994-1999 and at the Escambia-Brewton Career Technical Center in Brewton from 1999-present.
She has served on various committees and has earned several accomplishments since 1984 when she began her career path, which eventually landed her a job at Huxford.
Her last job at an elementary school was in Flomaton but Silcox is ready to get back to her roots.
"I cannot wait to be able to work with elementary students again," she said. "But, I'm really going to miss my high school students."
Silcox said she will strive to keep HES at the academic level it is today and that she is eager to meet community members.
"Huxford Elementary School is already a perfect school and I want to continue the academic excellence that has been demonstrated at the school," Silcox said. "I welcome the opportunity to meet and greet the community, parents, teachers, faculty and my students."