10/14/2026
Our Grand Marshal for this year’s parade is Mrs. Ressa Chittam. The parade begins at 5:30 pm on Thursday, Oct. 15.
Ressa is a graduate of East Lawrence High School, Athens State College, and the University of North Alabama. She taught History at Austin High School for ten years and then served as an assistant principal for 9 years before becoming Excel’s principal in 2016. In 2019, she became the administrator of the Career Academies of Decatur, and in 2024, she helped open CAD as Decatur City Schools’ third high school, where she served as principal until her retirement in 2026.
During her time at Austin, Ressa’s involvement was limitless. She served as an assistant volleyball and cheer coach. Some of the activities she sponsored included Austin Ambassadors, Key Club, and prom. For her dedication to education, Ressa was selected as the 2000 Morgan County VFW teacher of the year and was listed as “Who’s Who” among American High School teachers. The following year, she was chosen as Austin High School and Decatur City Schools’ teacher of the year. She went on to serve as the 2002 Decatur City Schools representative for the Daikin Homestay program and a member of the Decatur City Schools Foundation Board.
She is an active member of Central Park Baptist Church and the Decatur Lions Club, serving as a past President. She is married to her husband, Heath, an Austin graduate, and they have one son, John Lawrence, who is a senior at Athens High School.
