Myrtlewood Elementary School is located in Fosters, Alabama among the many Crepe Myrtle trees planted over the years by students and school organizations. Opening in 1965, it replaced the old Fosters School in a building more than double its size with a six classroom structure. The nearby communities of Ralph and Romulus joined in forming the new school with an enrollment of about 100 students. Under the leadership of our teaching principal, Mrs. Marine Taylor, there were only five teachers, a part time janitor, lunchroom workers and school bus drivers.
The first full time principal, Mrs. Jessie Freeman arrived as we integrated Dry Creek Elementary with Myrtlewood. A six room addition was added to house the new students including a Chapter I reading teacher, a music teacher, and an art teacher. Mrs. Freeman was later selected to be the first teacher inducted into the Teacher Hall of Fame at Jacksonville State University.
As the school grew, the opportunities at Myrtlewood grew. Myrtlewood expanded from having a librarian one day a week, to a full time librarian. Kindergarten teachers, and six other specialized teachers were added. The support staff has grown to include para-educators to meet the needs of students. The community worked hard to raise money for a multipurpose gym. The newest addition Completed in 2014, includes a beautiful library and two special education classes. The old library is now a computer lab. The faculty, staff, parents, and students continue to work together to meet the needs of the students in our community.
Myrtlewood is rich in the history of the communities that serve our school. Our students continue to show excellence in their academic careers and in service to their community and civic responsibilities. We will continue to work hard to meet challenges and accomplish new goals.