Pleasant Grove Middle School their reception in a hotel Principal Jarvis Watkins can after the Mobile Convention mix business with pleasure Center canceled their party anytime he takes a trip to due to flooding concerns. the principal's office at "The only DJ we had was a Lipscomb Elementary School. radio," Jarvis remembers. "A His wife, Angela Watkins, was radio and CDs." named principal at Lipscomb The couple lived and taught Elementary in July, just for one year in Baldwin months after he became County before accepting jobs principal at the newly named in the Jefferson County Pleasant Grove Middle School. system. Angela worked at Nez Calhoun, spokeswoman for McAdory Elementary School Jefferson County Schools, while Jarvis taught at said she can remember only McAdory High School. two other times in her 34 The couple went back to years that a husband and wife school to continue their have overseen two schools in education, taking turns in the district at the same time. order to take care of newborn "It's unusual," Calhoun said. children. Jarvis Watkins said coming Jarvis became assistant home to Helena and talking principal at Pleasant Grove about school and education High School in 2004. Angela issues over dinner has its became an assistant principal benefits when your spouse is at Chalkville Elementary in a fellow principal. 2006. "We get to share ideas," In March of this year, Jarvis Jarvis said. "She'll give me was named principal for the ideas, and I'll give her new Pleasant Grove Middle ideas on better serving our School, which was started in kids." conjunction with the opening Angela said she was able to of a new Pleasant Grove High shadow Jarvis when he was School campus. named principal and watch his "We were so excited for him, interaction with staff and and there were so many things others, something she said he had to do to prepare for helped her in the transition the split," Angela said. "It to principal at Lipscomb. was almost like he was Education brought the couple opening a new school." together, Angela Watkins said. Jarvis said the transition The two met at Alabama A&M was easy because he had University. Jarvis was an worked at the school for education technology major years and knew most of the and Angela an education major. staff. A friendship blossomed. About the same time, the "We were just the best of position at Lipscomb friends," Angela said. Elementary came open, and After graduation, Angela Angela decided to apply. returned home to Mobile to "I said I don't know if I'm teach, and Jarvis took a job going to apply because it's at Birmingham's Center Street on the same side of town," Middle School. Jarvis went to she said. "I'm thinking Mobile for a conference in Jefferson County won't put a the summer of 1996 and asked husband and wife on the same Angela to show him the town. side of town." A long-distance relationship Superintendent Phil Hammonds followed, buoyed by them both said he had no reservations being first-year teachers. about a husband-wife duo in "We had some very high phone the same school system. bills because we talked every "There is a policy we have day," Angela said. "The first regarding family members in a year in the classroom is school, but these are two intense, and we were calling separate schools with two to talk about the classroom." separate feeder patterns," The couple married in July Hammonds said. "These are two 1997 in Mobile even though outstanding young Hurricane Danny was pounding administrators who bring a the city on their wedding day. great deal of enthusiasm. "We had a lot of family who They were both excellent wanted us to hold back and assistant principals before wait, but we decided we becoming principals." needed to (go) ahead," Jarvis News staff writer Marie Leech said. contributed to this article. "You can actually hear the Join the conversation by rain on our videotape," clicking to comment or e-mail Angela said. "That's how hard Norris at tnorris@bhamnews. the rain was coming down." com. The couple ended up holding
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