Hillcrest assistant principal hired at Elba

“I left a great system,” Averett said. “The people and the faculty are like family and we’ve been together for a lot of years.”

Averett said she’s sad to leave Enterprise, but is excited about her position at Elba because she feels the environments of the two school systems are similar.

“I love the people (of Elba), they are salt of the earth, hard working people and I wanted to be a part of this community,” Averett said.

Averett said she plans to grow the school by making sure EES continues to provide high levels of learning.

“I feel like when people see the high levels of student learning that occurs they are going to want to bring their children here,” Averett said. “The chief priority at Elba Elementary is student learning.”

Averett said that in order to achieve high levels of learning students must be highly engaged.

“Students must be participants not bystanders,” she added.

Averett said that her grandmother taught her the value of hands-on learning as they made dumplings together.

“My grandmother told me how to make her dumpling and I learned a little bit, and then she showed me how to make her dumplings and I learned a little big more,” Averett said. “Finally, I got my hands in the flour and made a few messes, but I learned how to make those dumplings.”

Averett said the students at Elba Elementary need to get their hands in the flour.