Jasper City Schools

06/01/2026

Congratulations to Caroline Kamplain ~ Winner of JCS 2025-2026 Institute Challenge!

05/25/2026

05/24/2026

Congratulations to the class of 2026! We are so proud of you! !

05/20/2026

Two T.R. Simmons students celebrated
for high scores on ACCESS testing

Two T.R. Simmons Elementary School students were celebrated last week for achieving something no other student at the school has ever done before.

Jennifer Aguilar De Leon and Connor Woods, both kindergartners, made school history by achieving qualifying scores on ACCESS testing to exit the ESL (English as a Second Language) program.

The ESL program is a specialized program for students whose native language is not English, and it’s aimed at developing their English proficiency.

ACCESS testing measures proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking to help teachers support language development and track progress toward academic English proficiency.

“This is a really big deal,” said T.R. Simmons principal Meagan Fields.

Fields said students are tested every year and rated on a scale of 1 to 5. If they score high enough, they can exit the ESL program. “Normally our students will not score high enough,” she said.

De Leon and Woods each scored high enough to show proficiency across all areas of learning, Fields said.

“Since we’ve been a Pre-K through first grade school we’ve never had a student do that,” she said.

Candace Ochs, an ESL specialist at T.R. Simmons, has worked with both De Leon and Woods throughout the school year.

“As kindergarten students they have both achieved half of the requirements for the bi-literacy field on their high school diploma,” Ochs said. “And they’ve done that before they left kindergarten. This is a phenomenal accomplishment that deserves a celebration.”

De Leon and Brown were recognized for their accomplishment with a celebration parade through the hallways at the school that were lined by students cheering them on and waving posters congratulating them.

Both students had family members on hand to help them celebrate.

“We’re super proud of both of these students,” Fields said.

05/20/2026

Memorial Park students complete
Liberty Learning Foundation program

Second-grade students at Memorial Park Elementary School celebrated their graduation from the Liberty Learning Foundation’s “Hands on Liberty” program last week.

The 10-week program helps students learn about their important roles in America’s future. The “Hands on Liberty” series and accompanying activities and lesson plans teach crucial lessons in civics, character, financial literacy and social studies.

The mission of the program is to motivate students to take an active approach in learning about our country’s history and the responsibilities they have as citizens. They have learned about Civics, character education, financial literacy and career development, which are necessary components of a well-rounded citizen.

Throughout the Super Citizen program, students have learned important concepts about the American flag, the Statue of Liberty, government, voting and elections, and immigration.

“It’s been a great program for our kids,” said Memorial Park Elementary principal Eric Rigsby.

As part of last week's graduation program, students honored three local people with a Helping Hands Hero award. Students chose heroes who embodied the traits of amazing citizens and read essays before presenting them with Liberty Pins. They learned that “when you honor a hero, you become a hero!"

Recognized with Helping Hands Hero awards were Jasper Mayor Josh Gates, Brack Bradley of Brackyard Productions and Ron Harris of Jasper City Schools.

Among the sponsors that helped bring the program to Memorial Park were the City of Jasper, the Walker Area Community Foundation, the Walker County Farmers Federation, Alfa Insurance, Sen. Matt Woods, Walmart, Regions Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, BankFirst, the Malone Family Foundation and the Daniel Foundation of Alabama.

05/19/2026

A number of individuals were recognized during Monday’s Jasper City Board of Education meeting held in the Pam Brown Theater at Jasper High School.
Those recognized were:

• Amanda Hill, who is retiring after 22 years as a teacher.

• Sam Fletcher and Abby Madison (not pictured), the newest members of the ACT 30+ Club.

• FBLA members who performed well at state competition
Mackenzie Kreutz, third place in data science and AI
Sophia Tuck, second place in introduction to FBLA
Ellie Dyer, second place in introduction to Parliamentary Procedures
Prestley Skelton (not pictured), fourth place in public speaking
Ana Esaa, third place in retail management

• Addie Allred, who won a Class 6A state championship in the 100m and 200m ambulatory races in outdoor track and field

• Outdoor track and field team members who qualified for the state competition
Summer Roberts - javelin
Lilly Waldrop (not pictured) - high jump, 60m hurdles, 4x400m relay
Layla Elmore – 200m, 400m, 4x400m relay
Avery Orton – 800m, 1600m 4x400m relay, 4x800m relay
Mattie Harless – 800m, 4x400m relay, 4x800m relay
Cinthia Marquez (not pictured) – 800m, 1600m, 3200m, 4x800m relay
Mackenzie Hatchell – 4x800 relay
Gavin Blackwell – 1600m, 3200m, 4x800m relay
Evan Atkins – 3200m, 4x800m relay
Sam Fletcher – 4x800m relay
Ledger Smothers – 400m, high jump
Brodey Garrett – high jump, javelin
Colton Sanders – javelin
Donovan Wilkerson (not pictured) – discus
Jaylen McCollum (not pictured) – long jump
Anna Gamotis – pole vault

• Boys tennis team members who qualified for the Class 6A tournament
Cole Howell – No. 1 singles, No. 1 doubles
Beckett Ford – No. 2 singles, No. 1 doubles
Ethan Thorne (not pictured) – No. 3 singles, No. 2 doubles
Zeke Tuggle (not pictured) – No. 4 singles, No. 2 doubles
Eli Bailey – No. 5 singles, No. 3 doubles
JR Hagler – No. 6 singles,No. 3 doubles

• Girls golf team members who qualified for the state tournament
Gracen Norris

• Members of the Jasper Junior High Creative Writing Club who completed their first anthology “The Inkwell Adventures.”
Alice Bennett
Paige Butler
Lanie Caldwell
Timothy Caldwell (not pictured)
Kailyn Dreher
James Edwards
Karley Whitlock
sponsor Rachel Kaufman

05/19/2026

Today, voters across Walker County will see the renewal of the school tax on the ballot. This is a renewal of an existing tax that continues to provide critical funding for our local schools and students.
For Jasper City Schools, these funds help support daily operations, instructional resources, technology, school safety, facility improvements, and opportunities that directly impact our students and staff.
This is not a new tax, but a continuation of funding that has helped our schools remain strong and continue providing high-quality educational opportunities for children in our community.
We encourage all eligible voters to make their voices heard today by participating in the election. Thank you for your continued support of Jasper City Schools and the students we serve.

05/06/2026

On May 6, 2026, the Jasper City Board of Education gathered to honor 17 retiring employees from across the district during a special luncheon held at Jasper First Methodist Church.

Each of these individuals have made a meaningful difference through years of dedication, hard work, and commitment to Jasper City Schools. Their influence has touched countless students, coworkers, and members of the community, leaving behind a lasting legacy.

We are truly grateful for their service and proud to celebrate their accomplishments. Congratulations to each retiree, and best wishes as they begin this exciting new chapter.

We would also like to extend sincere thanks to Jasper First Methodist Church and Pinnacle Bank for their support in hosting the luncheon and providing thoughtful gifts for our retirees.

T R Simmons School
Memorial Park Elementary School
Maddox Intermediate School
Jasper High School

05/06/2026

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Due to weather concerns, Jasper City Schools will have an Early Dismissal & buses will run at 1:00 PM TODAY for all schools.

Jasper High School
Jasper Junior High School
Maddox Intermediate School
Memorial Park Elementary School
T R Simmons School

05/01/2026

Incredible job by all who performed during Thursday night's Spring Choral Concert in the Pam Brown Theater at Jasper High School. Those performing included the Jasper Choral Department Combined Choirs, Jasper Kids Korale, Jasper Junior High Concert Choir, Jasper Junior High Combined Choirs, Jasper Junior High Signature Sound Show Choir, Jasper High Concert Choir and Jasper High School Phoenix Show Choir.