When students begin school at West Alabama Preparatory this fall, they will be under the guidance of a new headmaster.

Lynn Compton, WAP’s current headmaster, has resigned her position.

“I have three children, two of whom are under the age of three and being headmaster takes a lot of time,” said Compton. “I felt that last year I was called to fill that role and I believe in that school and what it does. After a year of success and now that we are on stable ground, it was time for someone else to take the reigns and for me to focus on my family.”

Compton has been a fixture at West Alabama Prep for the past five years, and plans to still be involved.

“I love that school and the people in that school,” Compton said. “The Board of Directors have been great and very supportive. We accomplished what we set out to do. The time and effort it will take to carry on will require more time and effort than I feel that I can provide. It’s a different season of life for me. But I am not washing my hands of this school.”

In her lone year as headmaster, Compton guided WAP through an accreditation visit from SACS and also helped the senior class acquire more than $70,000 in scholarship money.

“The Board, faculty, staff and family members thank Ms. Compton for her dedicated service to the school this past year,” said Paul Cramer, president of WAP’s Board of Directors.

“She was very instrumental in our success this past year. Her leadership and commitment to the school will be greatly missed. She also provided a solid Christian foundation for our educational programs.”

Compton has agreed to stay on and help the new headmaster make the transition as seamless as possible.

“I wanted to do that,” said Compton. “I am going to stay on until they find someone who they feel is the right person for the job. I had spent countless hours working and through our accreditation process and want to make it as smooth a transition as possible.”

According to Cramer, the WAP Board of Directors have narrowed their search down to three candidates. However, Compton will stay on board as Interim Headmaster until her replacement has been named.

“We’d like to have a new headmaster in place within the next three weeks,” said Cramer. “We will definitely have one in place by the first day of school.”

West Alabama Prep currently has 160 students K-12 and is setting up a daycare program that will house children from infancy through 4-years of age. According to Compton, that program already has 40 children registered and will begin this fall.