Michael V. Wilson

Glen Iris Elementary School
Birmingham County Schools
South Birmingham, Alabama
mwilson@bhm.k12.al.us

Dr. Michael Wilson has served Birmingham County Schools (BCS) as a teacher and an administrator for the last 27 years. Since 2006, he has served as principal of Glen Iris Elementary School (GIES), an urban, high-poverty Pre-K through fifth grade school in South Birmingham, where he has taken a community-driven approach to improving instruction. According to Bernard Chandler, instructional superintendent for BCS, Wilson “works tirelessly to assure that his family of students and adults have available resources to meet their needs.” At GIES, this has meant building local partnerships to create the school’s first outdoor classroom and using urban agriculture as a vehicle for standards-based curriculum, a model that has since spread to five other Birmingham schools. Prior to these accomplishments, Wilson achieved turnaround success as principal of Whatley Elementary School, moving from “alert” to “clear” status in just one year. In addition to his service in the school and the classroom, Wilson has collaborated with organizations such as the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools to advocate for better legislation that includes funding for afterschool programming and 21st century learning centers. Wilson has received multiple honors for his leadership and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa; an Ed.S. from the University of Montevallo; an Ed.S. and an M.A. from the University of Alabama, Birmingham; and a B.F.A. from Southern Methodist University.