The Pell City School Board of Education selects Danny Steele as the new principal of Pell City High School.

Danny Steele is a full time teacher at the University of Montevallo where he is teaching Inspiring School Administrators. He previously served as principal in the Alabaster City School system. Steele was recognized as Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year for the state of Alabama in 2005.

Steele received his undergraduate degree in history from Covenant College in Mountain, Georgia; he received his masters degree in history from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and he has an Educational Specialist degree in Educational Administration and an Educational Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership – both from Samford University.

Steele has presented at numerous state and national conferences and spoken in school districts around the country. He has an educational leadership blog and has recently written two books with Todd Whitaker Essential Truths for Teachers and Essential Truths for Principals.

Steele shared on his twitter, “I am stoked to be joining an awesome team and excited about what we will do together for the students in Pell City.”

Previous principal Dr. Anthony “Tony” Dowdy retired in Sep. 2019. The school board named Williams Intermediate School Principal Holly Costello as the Acting Principal until a decision could be made on who to hire. 

Steele is thankful to the Pell City School Board for trusting him in this position. He said, “I have heard great things about the high school and the support of the community so I am excited to join the team and be part of something great.”

Steele said he does not really have an agenda coming into this position. He plans to do anything and everything he can to help and support. He explained that his first priority is to listen, build relationships and to learn more about the school, community and culture.

“I love kids and I love teachers,” is how Steele described his leadership philosophy. His passion is to connect with kids and support teachers. All educators are there to make a difference for the kids and Steele has never lost his passion for that. He keeps that at the forefront of everything he does for the school.

“We are creating brighter futures for kids everyday and that is an awesome task,” Steele said.

In forms of leadership, Steele believes that collaboration is important and this importance comes from leveraging the strengths and passions of everyone. “The more involved others are in decision making and planning, the more invested they will be in the success of the school,” Steele said.

Educators have a lot on their plate, paperwork, compliance, requirements, accountability, and while all these things are important, this is not why teachers do what they do. Steele believes that staying focused on the students is what is the most important.

“Students want the adults to care, and every time you have a conversation with a student, you have the ability to make their day,” Steele explained. Focusing on the fact he he is there for the kids and adults is a mission and value that has never gotten old to him.

Although Steele felt fortunate he was to be able to impact the next generation of school leaders through teaching at Montevallo, getting back into the school is something that led Steele to apply for the Pell City Principal position. “I enjoy being in the school, in the hallways, going to events and being apart of something special,” Steele explained.

Steele wants those who know nothing about him coming into this position to know it is his goal that everything that is done and every decision that is made at Pell City High School is revolved around the kids and what is best for them.