Cold Springs High School Assistant Principal Susan Patrick has been named the new principal of Hanceville Middle School. 

The Cullman County School Board approved the transfer during Thursday’s meeting to fill the vacancy left after former HMS Principal Daniel Wakefield was named Hanceville High School Principal last month.

In her career in the county school system, Patrick has worked as a 7-12 math teacher, a K-12 counselor, Secondary Curriculum Coordinator, Fast Track/Virtual Program Coordinator and as a high school assistant principal. 

Patrick thanked the board and system administration and said she was looking forward to returning to Hanceville after she first worked there in the early 2000s. 

“I know the staff is great, the students are great and the community’s great, so I’m just very excited,” she said.

Cullman County Schools Superintendent Shane Barnette said Patrick is an expert in curriculum instruction, and he is looking forward to her at work in Hanceville. 

“I can’t wait to see the great things she’s going to do at Hanceville Middle School,” he said. 

The board also said goodbye to retiring Hanceville Elementary School Principal Susan Melton. 

Melton was also the principal at Good Hope Elementary School and a principal and teacher at Garden City Elementary School during her time in the county, and said she greatly enjoyed her time at each school. 

“The students and the parents and the staff in every situation made my job easy and enjoyable, and I loved every minute of it,” she said. “They had big brains, big hearts and big character in all of those places.”

Barnette said it was a blessing to have Melton in the county school system. 

“Your impact will live on for years,” he said.