Attorney General Troy King Announces "2009 Awards of Excellence" Winners and Nominations for 2010

In 2010, "the Alabama Safe Schools Initiative Awards of Excellence will again recognize schools which have demonstrated outstanding efforts designed to create a safer learning environment for students and staff through on- and off-campus teamwork," King said. "In the light of new safety issues we face as a state and a nation, it is more important than ever to collaborate with those in our schools and community who impact our school safety plans, and to recognize those schools and their communities going beyond the required level in their efforts."

2009 Safe School Awards nomination forms are available HERE.

2009 Award Winners

The Safe Schools 2009 Awards of Excellence provided the Office of the Attorney General with the opportunity to recognize excellence in the safety efforts of eleven schools throughout the state. Some recipients of the Alabama Safe Schools 2009 Awards of Excellence also received awards in previous years and are recognized again for their continued outstanding achievements. The Sustained Performance Award of Excellence was awarded to five schools.

2008 Award Winners

The Safe Schools 2008 Awards of Excellence provided the Office of the Attorney General with the opportunity to recognize excellence in the safety efforts of eleven schools throughout the state. Some recipients of the Alabama Safe Schools 2008 Awards of Excellence also received awards in previous years and are recognized again for their continued outstanding achievements. The newly created Sustained Performance Award of Excellence was awarded to Prattville High School, previous winner of the Safe School Award for 2007; and to Greenville High School, previous winner of the Safe School Awards for 2005, 2006, and 2007.

2007 Award Winners

In 2007, forty-five (45) nominations were received from Alabama public and private schools for the Awards of Excellence. In the month of September, Attorney General Troy King presented awards to the following eight schools:

2006 Award Winners

Mr. Bill Griffin, Principal, and Dr. Kendy Behrends, Superintendent, received the Alabama Safe Schools Initiative Award of Excellence in a ceremony held on October 11, 2006. During a school assembly, Attorney General King honored the faculty and staff of Florence Middle School and the Florence City School System for outstanding accomplishments in keeping the youth of Florence in a safe and secure environment. He also noted that this school has a new mentoring program, Boys to Men, an excellent rapport with the emergency responders, and a dedicated and committed School Resource Officer, Janet Johnson.

Mr. Mike Ward, Principal of Decatur High School and Dr. Sam Houston, Superintendent of Education of the Decatur City School System, received the Alabama Safe Schools Initiative Award of Excellence in a ceremony held on October 18, 2006. Attorney General Troy King presented the award during a school assembly and praised the students, faculty, and staff for the model relationship with the Decatur Police Department, the aerosol drug trace detection program, and the mentoring program at Sommerville Road Elementary School. Pictured above are Dr. Sam Houston, Principal Mike Ward, Attorney General King, Judge David Breland and Judge Shelly Waters.

On October 18, 2006, Attorney General Troy King presented the Alabama Safe Schools Initiative Award of Excellence to Mr. Dwight Satterfield, Principal of Oak Park Middle School and Dr. Sam Houston, Superintendent of Decatur City Schools. General King praised the faculty, staff, and students for the school's anti-bullying campaign, the involvement of the community, and the National PTA School of Excellence Award. Pictured above are Dr. Ed Nichols, Assistant Superintendent; Dr. Sam Houston, Superintendent; Mr. Phil Hastings, School Safety Coordinator; Attorney General King; Principal Dwight Satterfield, and Ms. Rachel Poovey, Assistant Principal.

November 30, 2006 was an exciting day for Principal Don Snow, the faculty, and staff of Austin High School. At 10:00 A.M. Dr. Snow and Dr. Sam Houston, Superintendent of Decatur City Schools, received the Alabama Safe Schools Initiative, Award of Excellence for the fourth time. Attorney General Troy King commended the community and the school system for the excellent record of school safety. In the five-year history of this Safe Schools Award Program, Austin High School has received the honor more than any other school in Alabama. In addition, three schools in the Decatur City School System received the award; no other school system had multiple winners. General King commended the school officials for providing a video monitoring system, maintaining a gang information file that is consistent with the federal Gang Identification Guidelines and for random drug testing for students who participate in competitive sports. Pictured left to right are Judge David Breland, District Court Judge; Attorney General Troy King; Dr. Dan Snow; and Dr. Sam Houston

Spain Park High School in Hoover, Alabama, was honored by Attorney General Troy King on Thursday, November 30, 2006, when he presented the school with the 2006 Safe Schools Initiative Award of Excellence. Commending Principal Billy Broadway for the state of the art camera system, the Safe School Tip Line and the number of CPR-trained faculty, General King recognized Spain Park High School as one of eight schools to receive this award. General King praised the School Resource Officers, Marquis Hargrove and Nina Monoski, for their involvement with the student body and the activities on campus. Pictured are Principal Billy Broadway and Attorney General Troy King.

Nichols-Lawson Middle School in the Sylacauga City School System received the 2006 Safe Schools Initiative, Award of Excellence from Attorney General Troy King in a ceremony on November 29, 2006. General King praised the faculty and staff for the Safe School Tip Line, the Peer Helper Program, and the active involvement of the full-time School Resource Officer. Pictured above are: Front row - Dr. Sue Adams, State Department of Education; Ms. Renee' Riggins, Assistant Superintendent; Dr. Jane Cobia, Superintendent; Dr. Kelly Wesley-Lakey, Student Services Coordinator. Back row - Gary Rivers, Assistant Principal; Officer Willie Kidd, Sylacauga Police Department; Chief Louis Zook, Sylacauga Police Department, Attorney General King; and Mr. Gerald Douglass, Principal.

Image Not Yet Available. Greenville High School received the 2006 Safe Schools Initiative Award of Excellence for the second consecutive year on December 1, 2006, in an assembly held at 10:15 a.m. Receiving the award from Attorney General Troy King is Dr. Kathy L. Murphy, Principal, and Mr. Mike Looney, Superintendent of Butler County Schools. General King commended the school officials for the strong support and involvement of the community and the daily activities of the School Resource Officer, Sergeant Malcolm R. Owens.

Image Not Yet Available. Attorney General Troy King presented the 2006 Safe Schools Initiative Award of Excellence to Huntsville High School in a ceremony held October 18, 2006, on the school campus. General King commended Principal Leslie Esneault and Dr. Ann Ray Moore, Superintendent of Huntsville City Schools, for Hunter's Hotline, anti-drug projects, community involvement, and collaboration in development of the School Safety Plan.

2005 Award Winners

In 2005, thirty-two (32) nominations were received from Alabama public and private schools for the Awards of Excellence. In the months of September, October, and November, Attorney General Troy King presented awards to the following eight schools:

2004 Award Winners

Nineteen (19) nominations were received from Alabama public and private schools for consideration for the 2004 Awards of Excellence.  In September and October of 2004, the following six (6) Alabama schools received the Attorney General's 2004 Awards of Excellence:

2003 Award Winners

Thirty-five (35) nominations were received from Alabama public and private schools for consideration for the 2003 Awards of Excellence.  In October, 2003, the following seven (7) Alabama schools received the Attorney General's 2003 Awards of Excellence:

2002 Award Winners

Twenty-nine (29) nominations were received from Alabama public and private schools for consideration for the 2002 Awards of Excellence.  In September, 2002, the following six (6) Alabama schools received the Attorney General's 2002Awards of Excellence:

Awards Sponsors:

The Alabama Safe Schools Awards were made possible by the generous support of Alfa Insurance and the Alabama Farmers Federation. Additionally, the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools assisted in the administration of funds for these awards. The Office of Attorney General appreciates these organizations that are dedicated to Alabama schools.