Dear Alumni,

When I look back over these past seven years, I am very proud of the accomplishments of this school, both our current students and our graduates. I will always respect the mission of this school and the people who work here on a daily basis to carry out that mission. I am very proud to have been a part of this outstanding educational community and have enjoyed working with all of you.

ASMS is still a rather young school and will continue to grow and evolve. This coming school year is the time for the next strategic planning cycle and for reaccreditation by AdvancEd (formerly known as SACS) by 2011. That planning cycle needs to take place in the coming school year, so it seems to be a perfect time to let someone else lead the planning that will take the school through the next five years. I want the transition from one administration to the next to be as smooth as possible and will work toward that end result.

My family in Birmingham is very important to me, and I am at a point in my life where I need to spend more time with them, both for them and for me. I have had a great career in education in this state, one that spans 34 years. After a great deal of reflection, I have decided to retire at the end of this summer, more specifically, at the end of July.

I have always said that it took a great deal of courage for students to leave home at such an early age and commit to completing their education in a residential setting. This place changes lives in so many ways and gives the students a different kind of confidence...one that allows them to accomplish so much. I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to work with those of you who have graduated during my tenure and those alums who I have come to know over the past several years.

Sincerely,

Jane Ellis