HTHS names Aaron King new principal

In a special session June 26, the Trussville Board of Education officially named Aaron King as the new principal of Hewitt-Trussville High School. 

Trussville City Schools Superintendent Patrick Martin made the announcement to an assembled crowd of parents, faculty and Trussville City Schools officials, following an exhaustive search to replace former principal Tim Salem. 

"We received 33 applications as well as went out and sought who we were told were exceptional principals from around the state," Martin said. "It brings me great pleasure to introduce to you Aaron King, our next principal at Hewitt-Trussville High School."

Accompanied by his wife and three daughters, King spoke passionately about his goals to push Hewitt-Trussville High School to greater heights as well as his desire to foster a secure and transparent environment.

"You have my heart and my word that I will treat each and every student at Hewitt-Trussville High School as if they were my own," King said from the podium. 

King will officially step into the role July 1 on the heels of a tumultuous 2022-23 school year in which Salem and former Trussville City Schools Superintendent Pattie Neill were placed on administrative leave and ultimately did not return due to the mishandling of a series of threats made by a former student beginning in October 2021. Controversy erupted in the fall of 2022 after it became known the threats, commonly referred to as the "death notebook scandal," went unreported to the school board and local police. 

"Dr. Martin has a vision for where he wants to take Trussville City Schools and it's compelling," King said following the board meeting. "When I saw his vision and what he wants to accomplish here in Trussville, I wanted to be a part of it."

See the August edition of the Cahaba Sun for the full story.