Brian Givens is assistant principal at Columbia Elementary School. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Brian Givens has happily joined the Astro family at Columbia Elementary School as new assistant principal.

His family is “excited about the opportunity to serve in such an amazing place,” Givens said.

He first taught at Central High School in Florence for six months, filling in for a teacher on medical leave. In 2008, he accepted a job with Madison County Schools at Hazel Green High School.

During his six years there, Givens taught senior government and economics and freshman world history. He coached junior varsity baseball, varsity football, sponsored Fellowship of Christian Athletes and assisted groups, like STANDUP (Students Taking A New Direction Under Pressure) and the Alabama Reading Initiative team.

Givens was 2012 Teacher of the Year at Hazel Green and a lead teacher for Medal of Honor curriculum. “I’m thankful for my experience at Hazel Green and will always benefit from what I learned while being an educator there,” he said.

At Columbia, Givens will share discipline needs with principal Jamie Hill, along with coordinating textbook inventory, safety plans, Watch DOGS (Dads of Great Students) and “The Morning Show.”

From years in school, Givens recalls Billy Randolph, his baseball and football coach and U.S. history teacher at Wilson High School in Florence. “I’ll never forget how he would motivate me, sometimes resulting in fear, but his passion for the best in everything … made me strive to better in the classroom and on the field.”

Randolph showed Givens that history can be exiting and inspired him to teach and coach.

In addition, Givens “had the privilege of knowing a student at Hazel Green with cerebral palsy. The smile he always showcased, along with his work ethic, always inspired me each day.”

Givens earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of North Alabama and a master’s degree in instructional leadership at Jacksonville State University.

His wife Jana works as a nursing clinical instructor at Calhoun Community College and a critical care nurse at Huntsville Hospital. Their one-year-old son Owen “keeps us very busy himself,” Brian said.