Oak Mountain Intermediate School says goodbye to Linda Maxwell

Oak Mountain Intermediate School principal Dr. Linda Maxwell retired at the end of this school year.

Maxwell has been principal of OMIS since October 1998. Prior to working in the Shelby County School system, she was employed by Homewood City Schools for 18 years, first as a teacher at Edgewood Elementary School. She taught third grade her first year and moved to fourth grade for the last 13. In 1994, she became an instructional support specialist for the Homewood system and moved to Hall- Kent Elementary. That position eventually turned into assistant principal.

Maxwell’s plans for retirement include spending more time with her children and four grandchildren, all girls. She also plans to spend time writing, painting and traveling. “My husband and I have a travel bucket list,” Maxwell said. “The first on the list is a 30-day cruise from Hong Kong to Australia.”

Maxwell said she would eventually love to be a docent at the Birmingham Museum of Art.

With nearly 14 years of her career as an educator being spent at OMIS, she said she will miss “everything” about the school. “Specifically, though, I’ll miss pinning ribbons on students during our character education assemblies when they have achieved a goal,” Maxwell said. “I’ll miss seeing their refreshing smiles each day and hearing comments like, ‘Good Morning, Dr. M., you are a great storyteller, and by the way, those are cool shoes.’”

Maxwell said she’ll miss working with her wonderful staff and saluting the flag each day. She’s calculated that she’s done that about 6,000 times in her career.

“I’ll miss partnering with parents to bring good things to OMIS,” she said. “That has been so rewarding. This community is amazing.”

Last but not least, Maxwell said she will miss the social interaction with her teachers: “They are wonderful professionals and great individuals. They have all been a part of my family life for so long, and I will treasure the memories. I will miss working with a faculty and staff that places the needs and well-being of children first.”

PHOTO CAPTION; Dr.Linda Maxwell retired as principal of Oak Mountain Intermediate School this year.