The Covington County Board of Education on Monday named Max Whittaker principal of Florala High School, pending the outcome of routine background checks.

Whittaker currently serves as principal of Geneva County High School in Hartford.

Superintendent Shannon Driver recommended Whittaker to the board.

“We interviewed several applicants,” Driver said. “We had more than 20 applicants for this job, which is a very good response for mid-year.

“We had some good high quality candidates. Mr. Whitaker is experienced as a principal and an administrator,” Driver said. “He had very good recommendations, and was very successful as a high school and middle school principal.”

Whittaker is a New Brockton native and resident.

He attended Enterprise State Junior College and earned a bachelor’s and a master’s in social science education from Troy University, and certification in educational leadership and administration from Alabama State University.

He previously taught at Goshen High School (1990-91), Enterprise City Schools (1991-2002), and has worked in Geneva County Schools since 2002.

He and his wife, Tracy, who also is an educator, have three children, ages 22, 19 and 7.

Whittaker will fill an opening left in January when Driver named Donnie Powell interim principal at FHS and transferred Brent Zessin to the central office. Driver would not comment on the reasons for the moves, but said Zessin had already planned to retire at the end of this year.

Powell said Whittaker will begin work in Florala when the two systems work out a timetable for both systems, but likely in about three weeks.

In other business, the board:

• Recognized Lisa Thomas for being selected the Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce’s elementary teacher of the year. She teaches first grade at Straughn.

• Recognized Jill Maddox for receiving the WSFA Class Act Award. She teaches second grade at Straughn.

• Accepted the retirement resignation of Deborah McNeill Kilpatrick, special education teacher at Pleasant Home, effective March 1.