Donny Davis, who has been the vice-principal at Russellville High School since 2004, has been hired as the new principal of Deshler High School in Tuscumbia.
The Tuscumbia school board met Monday night and approved Davis to be the replacement for former DHS principal Jennifer Gray, who left earlier this summer to become principal of Cherokee High School.
Davis’ position at the school became effective Tuesday.
Davis has been in education for the past 25 years, 20 of which were spent in the Russellville School System where he worked as a science teacher, a coach and a vice-principal at three different schools. It’s also where he and his wife, Melody, watched their two children receive their education.
“My decision to leave the Russellville School System wasn’t something I took lightly,” Davis said. “When you work with people for that many years, it’s like leaving family behind.
“Over the years we’ve developed relationships, watched our children grow up together, shared experiences together and those things made my decision a difficult one.
“In the end, I felt like this opportunity at Deshler High School is where the Lord was leading me and my family.”
Davis said he is looking forward to the new experiences at Deshler and what the future will hold for him there.
“Deshler and Russellville are very similar in several ways, and that’s something I felt comfortable with before coming here,” he said. “Both schools have high expectations for academics and athletics, both schools have strong community support, and both schools have a sense of pride that can be seen anywhere you go.
“I feel like I learned a lot from the men I worked under in Russellville, like Don Cox, Dr. Bob Clemmons, Dr. Wayne Ray, Rex Mayfield and Dr. Tim Guinn. I just want to take those things I learned and put them into practice in my new position.”
Davis also said he was excited about the quality of the faculty and administration at DHS.
“One thing I’ve learned over the years is that it’s better to be a servant leader and to lead by example,” he said. “There is so much leadership and experience here at Deshler and I’m looking forward to working together with the teachers, the administration, the school board and the superintendent to create a team atmosphere.”
The Russellville city schools website has a position posted for high school assistant principal(s).