By Ingrid Schnader When Vestavia Hills High School biology teacher Mary Busbee got off a plane this past summer, she couldn’t believe the notification that popped up on her phone. She had been in Missouri grading AP biology exams. Before the trip, she had been nominated for the 2018 Outstanding Biology Teacher Award for Alabama. She didn’t think she would win though; she had … [Read more...]
Recognized for Reading: Over the Mountain Schools Awarded Grants for Reading Improvement
By Ingrid Schnader Five Over the Mountain schools are among 50 schools in the state recognized for showing the most improvement in third-grade reading performance. The Alabama State Department of Education announced on Aug. 21 the 50 schools that showed the most improvement in third-grade reading performance in the state. Three of these schools are part of the Hoover City … [Read more...]
Manhattan Melodies: Homewood Band Gears up for 40th Anniversary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Performance
By Ingrid Schnader At 412 members, the largest band in Alabama calls an Over the Mountain community home. It’s the most-seen high school band in the South, and it has performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade more than any other high school band in the country — the Homewood Patriot Band. Band director Ron Pence is gearing up for the band’s ninth performance at the … [Read more...]
Taking the Con: MBJH’s Battle and Lauterbach Earn National Speech and Debate Title
By Emily Williams Carrying on Mountain Brook Schools’ legacy of strong speech and debate participants, two students from Mountain Brook Junior High made their presence known at the National Speech and Debate Middle School Tournament. Rising ninth-graders Jane Grey Battle and Claire Lauterbach won the national championship in public forum debate. They were the only team from … [Read more...]
The Envelope Please: Vestavia Teacher Surprised by Notice She’s up for Grammy Consideration
By Reed Strength When Deanna Bell, music education teacher at Vestavia Hills Elementary East, saw an unopened email from the Grammys in her inbox, she assumed at first it was a T-shirt ad. When she opened it and read it, she was even more puzzled. According to the email, the Grammys had received a nomination packet entering her into the 2019 Grammy Music Educator Award. A few … [Read more...]