Hoover City Schools

01/31/2025

Students at Bluff Park have been hard at work caring for their hydroponic lettuce for months—and yesterday, they got to harvest the fruits (or rather, the leaves) of their labor!

The best part - our amazing Child Nutrition Program staff used their fresh, student-grown lettuce to make the school salads! Huge shoutout to our students and CNP team for making this such a fun and meaningful learning experience!

01/30/2025

The Finley Committee proudly recognized three outstanding educators with the 2025 Robert F. Bumpus Teacher in the Trenches Award for their unwavering dedication and profound impact on students’ lives. These teachers go above and beyond every day to inspire, support, and uplift their school communities.

2025 Teacher in the Trenches Award Winners:
🌟 Elementary: Janie Blackstone, EL Teacher, Gwin Elementary
🌟 Middle: Kimberly Richardson, 8th Grade Science, Berry Middle
🌟 High: Ryan Gibson, Exceptional Education, Crossroads School

Thank you to the Finley Committee for honoring educators who lead with character, passion, and service. HCS was proud to celebrate these incredible teachers alongside their families, city leaders, and school administrators this morning at the Teachers in the Trenches Breakfast at the Hoover-Randle Home.

Join us in celebrating Janie Blackstone, Kimberly Richardson, and Ryan Gibson on this well-deserved recognition!

01/26/2025

Hoover City Schools is thrilled to share the incredible performances of our talented students at the 2025 Alabama Music Educators Association (AMEA) Conference this past week at the BJCC!

🎶 Shades Mountain Singers: Our 4th and 5th-grade choir from Shades Mountain Elementary captivated audiences with their passion for music. As the only elementary choir selected to perform this year, they brought the stage to life with their harmony and love for music.

🎶 Bumpus Middle School Percussion Ensemble and Jazz Band: These outstanding ensembles took the stage, wowing attendees with their musical precision and energy. From earning top honors in state and national competitions to now performing at AMEA, these students continue to set the bar high for middle school music programs across the state.

A huge thank you to the directors, staff, and families who support these students, and to our young musicians for representing Hoover City Schools with such excellence! Your hard work and talent inspire us all.

01/26/2025

01/24/2025

At this month’s HCS Board of Education meeting, we proudly recognized many outstanding individuals and programs that make our school system exceptional.

👥 School Board Member Recognition Month
We kicked off the meeting by expressing our gratitude to our five dedicated school board members. Their leadership and advocacy are vital to the success of our students and schools. Thank you for all you do!

🎓 Gifted Education Month
We celebrated Gifted Education Month by hearing from three exceptional enrichment teachers: Beth Gerrard (Gwin Elementary), Jo Michoudet (Riverchase Elementary), and Brittany Hunt (Gwin Elementary). Our teachers’ dedication to fostering excellence in gifted education is truly inspiring.

🏅 Health Education Awards
We recognized two outstanding educators honored by ASAHPERD:

Melissa Hubauer (Bluff Park Elementary) – Elementary PE Teacher of the Year
Jess Harbison (Bumpus Middle) – Health Educator of the Year
Thank you for promoting health and wellness in our schools!

💉 Nationally Board-Certified Nurses
Julie Kent (District Lead Nurse) and Kelly Rice were (Green Valley Elem Nurse) celebrated for earning the prestigious NCSN credential, reflecting their commitment to excellence in student health and safety.

⚖️ Spain Park Law Academy
We honored the Spain Park Law Academy for winning their 6th consecutive state title and their 12th title in 15 years. We can’t wait to see them represent Alabama at Nationals this May!

🎮 HHS Esports Champions
Congratulations to Hoover High’s Esports team on their first-ever Super Mario Bros State Championship! Your hard work and teamwork paid off in a historic win!

🔐 Enhanced School Safety
Gwin Elementary was recognized as a 2024 Silver Model of Enhanced School Safety by Attorney General Steve Marshall. This honor highlights their exemplary commitment to student and staff safety.

🚔 NASRO Practitioner Recognition
Bluff Park SRO Brett Pace was recognized for achieving NASRO Practitioner status, joining an elite group of school resource officers nationwide.

We are so proud of these achievements and the incredible individuals behind them.

01/23/2025

100 days of excellence and growth 💯 From learning new things to making new friends, crushing goals, and having fun along the way, we’re celebrating all the milestones—big and small—that have made this year unforgettable! Today, Riverchase Elementary kindergarteners held a 100 Days of School Parade, rocking their best 100-year-old outfits and bringing smiles to everyone they passed. Here’s to many more days of learning, laughter, and memories!

01/23/2025

Hoover City Schools Show Choirs kicked off the 2025 competition season with amazing performances at the Hoover Performing Arts Center! The students’ talent, energy, and passion lit up the stage and left the audience in awe.

Here’s to a season filled with music, memories, and ! 🎶

01/22/2025

Looking for an exciting career opportunity? Come to our Career Fair on Monday, February 17, from 4–5:30 pm at Spain Park High School!

✅ Explore career possibilities in one of Alabama’s top-ranked school districts
✅ Meet district leaders and learn about open positions
✅ Discover why we’ve been named one of the Best Employers in Alabama by Forbes!

Don’t wait— click here to register for the Career Fair: https://shorturl.at/wSfjB

We’re hiring passionate, top-tier educators and professionals who want to make a difference. Spread the word—we can’t wait to meet you!

01/20/2025

Due to the threat of winter weather, Tuesday, January 21, will be an e-learning day. Schools and offices will be closed. Teachers will provide students with information regarding e-learning assignments.

Hoover City Schools’ leadership team will continue to closely monitor the weather and communicate with the National Weather Service for Birmingham and the Shelby and Jefferson County Emergency Management Agencies. If any future changes need to be made to the school schedule this week, we will notify you through ParentSquare, our websites, and social media.

01/18/2025

Hoover City Schools will be closed on Monday, January 20, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We hope you have a wonderful weekend!

01/17/2025

Alabama’s Voluntary Pre-K Program: Hoover City Schools First Class Pre-K programs are accepting online pre-registration applications for the 2025-2026 school year.

Pre-registration dates are January 15 to March 19, 2025. Visit our website (hoovercityschools.net) for details, or visit the pre-k pre-registration site: https://prek.alaceed.alabama.gov/.

01/17/2025

Today was an incredible day of innovation, exploration, and hands-on learning as Gwin Elementary celebrated S.T.E.A.M. Day! From drones to weather balloons and even a medical helicopter landing, our students were immersed in the wonders of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

Here are some highlights from the day:
🛸 Drone demonstrations with Hoover Police.
🌩️ Recipe for a Storm presentation by McWane Science Center.
🦅 Interactive bird show with the Alabama Wildlife Center.
🔬 Science exploration with Southern Research experts.
🚁 Up-close Q&A with pilots of a lifesaving medical helicopter.
🎶 Science-themed songs performed by Roger Day.

A huge thank you to our amazing S.T.E.A.M. teacher, Kelley Feagin, and her dedicated planning committee for organizing this unforgettable experience.

Today, our students truly SOARED to new heights and experienced a lineup of activities that sparked their curiosity, creativity, and love for learning.

01/15/2025

Congratulations to Harriette W. Gwin Elementary School for being honored by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall as a 2024 Silver Model of Enhanced School Safety! Gwin was among six schools across Alabama to receive this accolade, following a rigorous application and review process. The Silver Model designation acknowledges schools that not only meet but exceed state standards for safety, mental health, and student learning.

We’re proud of Gwin Elementary for setting the bar high and continuing to create a safe and supportive learning environment where students can thrive!

01/15/2025

HCS is proud to announce Dr. Brian Cocke as the system’s first-ever Fine Arts Specialist, a role created to reflect the district’s commitment to supporting and enhancing fine arts education, ensuring its integration across all grade levels, and providing additional support for the district’s Performing Arts Center, which opened in 2024.

Dr. Cocke brings over 23 years of experience as an educator, leader, and passionate advocate for the arts. His career began in Jefferson County Schools as a music specialist, where he sponsored choir and drama clubs, contributed to district-level committees, and was a Teacher of the Year finalist. Currently, he teaches drama at Trace Crossings and Gwin Elementary, creating curriculum, teaching over 1,200 students across 60 drama classes, and leading school-wide programs.

Please join HCS in welcoming Dr. Cocke to this new role.

01/14/2025

The Transfer Application Window for the 2025-2026 school year is now open.

Student Transfers:
- For students requesting a transfer to a Hoover school outside of their zoned school.
- Includes desegregation and hardship transfers.
📅 Deadline: April 15, 2025.

Employee Transfers:
- Includes Employees Out-of-District and Employee Student Transfers.
📅 Deadline: April 15, 2025.

For more information and to apply, visit the Hoover City Schools website.

01/14/2025

Our elementary and middle school spelling bee champions showcased their incredible talents in the district spelling bee, competing in 24 rounds of challenging words!

🏆 Congratulations to our district winner, Snigdha Pati from Deer Valley Elem, and runner-up, Madison Howze from Bumpus Middle.

Snigdha will now proudly represent Hoover City Schools at the Jefferson County Spelling Bee!

We are so proud of all our participants and their hard work.

Campus Spelling Bee Winners:
📚 Bluff Park: Harper Till
📚 Deer Valley: Snigdha Pati
📚 Green Valley: Prima Pumilia
📚 Greystone: Oliver Li
📚 Gwin: Victoria Duong
📚 Riverchase: Eesha Bandi
📚 Rocky Ridge: Truwyn Robinson
📚 Shades Mountain: Tom Teza
📚 Trace Crossings: Kamel Jordan
📚 Brocks Gap: Carson Schroeder
📚 Berry: Molly Wells
📚 Bumpus: Madison Howze
📚 Simmons: Tyler Cole

Way to go, students!

01/14/2025

Let’s kick off the 2025 competition season with an incredible evening of talent featuring all of our Hoover City Schools Show Choirs! 🎶 This is our favorite way to start the season, and you won’t want to miss it!

📅 Friday, January 17, 2025
🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Hoover Performing Arts Center
🎟️ Admission: $10 – Tickets are on sale now at MySchoolShares or at the door

Don’t miss this unforgettable night in our brand-new venue. See you there!

01/14/2025

After rising up the futsal ranks over the past few years, Auryn Tillette has a chance to represent her country on the international stage.