|
Vestavia
Hills City Schools Facts
Education
is a top priority in Vestavia Hills. A strategic planning
team recently described the system as the “greatest
asset” of the city. This type of commitment has resulted
in national recognition, numerous awards and prestige.
The
community’s high quality school system consists of
4 elementary schools, one middle school, one alternative
school and one high school with a total of 4560 students.
The system also operates an excellent Extended Day Program
for students in grades K-8th. Dedicated teachers give their
weekends, nights, and summers to travel with students, to
tutor those requiring assistance, to coach academic and
athletic teams, and continue their education in university
programs and professional development opportunities.
Vestavia
Hills is proud of the accomplishments of its students. The
high school’s math and debate teams have been consistently
ranked in the top schools nationally. The VHHS Math Team
has placed first in national competition 11 of the last
13 years. The VHHS Debate Team has won 7 national championships
and was the first school in history to win national championships
in both policy and Lincoln Douglas debate. The high school
athletic teams have won 48 State Titles and the baseball
team has won one national championship. The system has several
schools that are recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools
of Excellence. Redbook, The Wall Street Journal, Fifty Fabulous
Places to Raise Your Family, and others, have recognized
it for the quality of education services.
At
the middle school level, student honors are noteworthy also:
Academic teams -- Math, scholars bowl, Math Olympiad, Knowledge
Master Open teams -- consistently rank among the top in
the state, including a first in the state finish last year
by the sixth grade Thinking Cap Quiz team.
Athletic
teams consistently rank among top finishers in the county
and/or Metro-South League standings, including five consecutive
Golf Team County championships.
Cheerleader
and Dance Teams consistently are winning top honors at summer
camps.
Standardized
Test Scores consistently are among the top three in the
state, including being the second highest test scores in
the state for the past two years among public junior high/middle
schools.
We
are also proud of the faculty's achievements. 16 Faculty
members are involved in the National Board Certification
Process:
-- 9 are already Nationally Board Certified
-- 4 have won the state grant money and are now going through
the certification process
-- 5 have applied for the state grant and are awaiting results
The
Math faculty has the following awards to its credit:
-- One teacher winner of Edith May Sliffe Award for Distinguished
Junior High/Middle School Mathematics Teachers and is also
winner of Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics
and Science Teaching in Secondary Education
-- Another has been named -- for 10 out of the past 11 years
-- Coach of Alabama State Math Counts team as a result of
the Pizitz Math Counts team placing first in statewide Math
Counts competition
The
middle school band director has received the John Philip
Sousa Foundation Award this year -- a nationally prestigious
honor.
The
elementary schools have state and regional primary chess
team championships, State PTA Reflections winners, state
recognized art and photography students. Vestavia Hills
Elementary East and Vestavia Hills Elementary Central are
both Alabama Literacy Demonstration Sites. Vestavia Hills
Elementary West received the International Reading Association
Exemplary Reading Program Award. The state demonstration
sites have become models for reading initiatives on a national
level.
One of the elementary teachers of the gifted was recognized
in the USA Today All USA Teacher Team (third team.) Other
awards include teachers honored by the Disney Channel and
the Alabama Instructional Media Association.
Student
achievement continues to rank in the top three of the systems
in the state of Alabama. The high school ranks among the
best with a yearly average of 19 National Merit Finalists.
The Vestavia Hills High School graduating class of 2001
was awarded more than $7 million in scholarships to a wide
range of national colleges and universities.
|
