Marchbanks named assistant principal at Discovery Middle
MADISON – As a school leader, Armesha ‘Mesha’ Pennington-Marchbanks wants teachers to feel supported and students to feel seen, valued and challenged. She now is working as Assistant Principal at Discovery Middle School.
Marchbanks replaces Jasmine Simpson, who transferred to Bob Jones High School as Assistant Principal.
“I was attracted to Discovery because of its strong sense of community and commitment to student success,” Marchbanks said. “After spending many years in the classroom, I felt ready to take the next step in my career and use my experiences to support students, teachers and families in a different capacity.”
Marchbanks’ teaching philosophy always has centered around relationships, structure, consistency and high expectations. “I believe students need to know that I care about them while also knowing that I believe that they’re capable of more,” she said. “I also believe that leadership is about listening, being present and doing what is best for the students.”
Most recently, Marchbanks taught sixth-grade history at Sparkman Intermediate School. For 12 years, she taught advanced-placement U.S. History at Grissom High School.
At Grissom, Marchbanks was especially proud of helping her AP U.S. History students achieve a pass rate for the AP exam of 75 percent. “That success represented much more than a number,” she said. “It reflected the hard work of my students, the expectation we established and the belief that they were capable of succeeding at a high level.”
“I’m also proud of directing what I believe was one of the best Black History Month programs produced at Grissom. The experience allowed students to celebrate history, culture and their own voices while creating something meaningful for the entire school community,” Marchbanks said.
She earned a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi University for Women and a master’s degree in instructional leadership from the University of West Alabama.
Her husband Kendric Marchbanks works as an owner operator and hauls oversize freight across the United States for Heavy Haul, located in South Carolina. Their older sons, Cameron and Kadence, graduated from Grissom High School.
Cameron attended Drake State Community and Technical College and earned multiple certifications; he works at Mazda Toyota Manufacturing. Kadence attended Calhoun Community College and University of North Alabama; currently, Kadence works in the operating room at Huntsville Hospital Main.
Kendric and Mesha’s daughter Kensley, 18, will graduate in the Class of 2026 at Grissom and will attend New York Institute of Technology, majoring in engineering. Their youngest son, C.J., is an 11-year-old sixth-grader at Sparkman Intermediate School.
Most people don’t know that Mesha plants a garden every year. “Gardening is something my parents instilled in me, and it has become a tradition that I really enjoy continuing,” she said. “There’s something special about planting something, taking care of it and watching it grow. It’s a relaxing, rewarding hobby that connects me to my family and gives me something to look forward to each year.”
Away from school, Mesha enjoys reading, traveling, gardening and family time. “I especially enjoy watching my youngest son play travel baseball. Those activities give me an opportunity to slow down, recharge and enjoy the people and experiences that are important to me,” she said.”
