HOOVER, Ala.– The first thought most Alabamians–or anyone who watched MTV’s “Two-A-Days”–have of Hoover City Schools is probably not academic excellence. Certainly, awareness of the system’s educational accolades suffers from the oh-so-terrible problem of having dynastic football teams garnering most of the press.
But perception can be deceiving. While Hoover and Spain Park, the system’s two high schools, have dominated the gridiron, their teachers have dominated in the classroom.
19 Alabama Teachers of the Year have come from Hoover City Schools and one out of three graduates from the system has taken a college course before graduation.
The average ACT score for Hoover City Schools is 23 and more than 15 percent of students are scoring above 30. Furthermore, while over 90 percent of students get into one of their top three colleges, half of all college-accepted students receive scholarship offers.
One unique aspect of the city’s two high schools, Hoover and Spain Park, is the academy system. Students have the opportunity to join one of many academies specialized in the fields of law, finance, IT, health science, engineering, TV broadcasting, and family living. The programs span four years and give students a preview of what certain professions are like in the real-world.
While these programs are fantastic, providing a high quality education is not cheap. The Hoover school board on Monday passed a 2016 budget that calls for expenditures to exceed revenues by $10.4 million – the latest in a string of deficit budgets.
That’s where the Hoover City Schools Foundation Comes in.
Originally founded in 1992, the Hoover City Schools Foundation was set up as part of a continuing trend across the country of charitable private foundations that bridge the gap between school funding and the growing needs of school systems. The Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization led by a volunteer board independent from the school system. Funding is provided through tax-deductible donations from individuals and corporations committed to education as well as fundraising events.
In simpler terms, the foundation functions as an academic booster of sorts. But now, the HCSF is taking its game to the next level.
On Wednesday, the group unveiled a new initiative dubbed “Hoover+Ready”. According to Janet Turner, executive director for the foundation, the new program is designed to re-energize the Hoover community so that Hoover schools can continue to provide an exceptional education in challenging economic times.
The program not only emphasizes the need for corporations and community members for financial support, but also the need for networking support. The priority is to put students in contact with the business community to provide more job shadowing and internship opportunities that help with chances of employment in the future.
Mayor Gary Ivey emphasized his appreciation for the many businesses in Hoover that step up to support community efforts like education. Their involvement is what he believes led to Hoover’s number one ranking in Only In Your State‘s Alabama list of best places to raise a family.
There are many in the Hoover political scene that have called for revenue increases since the Education Budget was cut during the throes of the Great Recession in 2009. But the Hoover City Schools Foundation is doing it’s part to maintain one of the best school systems in the state while keeping local taxes down.
In an interview with Yellowhammer News, Janet Turner emphasized the need for the foundation to do more. “My sole goal is to increase the funding opportunities that the foundation can provide and increase community awareness involvement,” Turner said.
So far, Turner is off to a running start. At the launch event held at the Hoover City Central Office, the school-board room was filled with community members invested in making a difference. Local business leaders, parents and teachers all raved about the possibilities of the new, innovative program.
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