The Crenshaw County Board of Education has hired 24 new teachers and 10 support staff members for the upcoming 2005-06 school year.

Three teachers were hired at Brantley School. Rena Compton was hired as an elementary teacher and Tammy Simms and Shelia Davis were hired to teach high school.

Highland Home has a new principal in Joseph Eiland. Kathi Wallace, Superintendent, called Eiland an "excellent" hire by the board.

"Mr. Eiland lives in Highland Home, so he will always be available to the parents and teachers," she said. "He has their best interests at heart."

Eiland replaces Mark Head as principal at Highland Home.

The Board also hired Kim Best, Tara Bailey, Carmen Powell, Cathy White, Chad Adams and Marty Balkcom to teach at the elementary level at Highland Home School. Leigh Ann Brown, Rebecca Sims, Christy Norris and Lisa Cox will teach high school.

Luverne School saw the addition of three new elementary teachers in Gerri Corbitt, Emily Ammons and Jill Neeley. Kevin Hancock, Jeffery Cannon, Brad Waggoner, Matthew Pippin, Allison Booker, Rodney Wyrosdick and Rebecca Odom were hired to teach at Luverne High School.

Additionally, Jama Walker and Leah Prescott (Brantley), Shannon McGough (Highland Home) and Robert Brown (Luverne) were employed by the Board as instructional aides.

Lisa Johnson joined Brantley School as bookkeeper. Betty Pruitt and Tammy Butts are new cafeteria workers in Luverne.

Karen Acreman and Billy Moses will be two new additions as bus drivers in Luverne as well.

Wallace also said several current teachers and staff have been named to new positions within the school system.

Among those, Butch Norman was named Director of Operations, Tia Compton is now Brantley High School's Guidance Counselor/System Technology Coordinator, while Chuck Alford was named Assistant Principal at LHS and Sherry Sport takes over the same position at Highland Home.

School starts on Aug. 12.