Shelby County Schools

The safety of our students and staff and ensuring a solid plan is in place was the main topic of discussion for the district's Safety Team this morning.

Congratulations to these outstanding teachers who recently became National Board Certified Teachers or recently renewed their certification. Several of them were recently honored by the Board of Education. #EmpoweringandInspiringExcellence

Happy Bus Driver Appreciation Day to our amazing drivers! Thank you for the impact you make everyday! #EmpoweringandInspiringExcellence

What a day of celebration at the Showcase of Schools! Thanks to everyone who joined us as we showcased the amazing work happening in Shelby County Schools. Shoutout to our incredible students and teachers for their hard work and dedication! #EmpoweringandInspiringExcellence

Yesterday was a big celebration for our second group of teachers to complete LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) training! This cohort of educators from each elementary school had the opportunity to participate in eight full days of Science of Reading professional development over the past two years. Their dedication and commitment to ongoing professional development to increase student achievement is admirable! #EmpoweringandInspiringExcellence #PreparedForTheJourney

Shelby County students recently created an app for the AL Governor's App Challenge. Two were selected to represent Shelby County and will now compete in the district-level competition. District-level winners will be selected in mid-March to move to the State Showcase and competition. The apps selected as the Shelby County submission to the challenge are: Gina's Jungle Journey from Helena Middle School and Pig Codes from Shelby County High School. Helena Middle School student developers for Gina's Journey are Eleanor Martin and Savannah Vincent and the teacher is Brenna Holmes. Shelby County High's Bruce Godbold is the student developer for the Pig Code app and the teacher is Twyla Fryer.

Providing innovative learning environments that promote technology and engage students in critical thinking, problem-solving, and design thinking is one of the commitments of Shelby County Schools' new strategic plan. All of that was on display at the 3rd Annual Byte of Code competition held on February 13 at the Shelby County Instructional Services Center. The competition recreated a shipping warehouse where students had to code robots to complete the shipping process from picking the correct item off a shelf at the warehouse to delivering it to the correct homes and businesses. #EmpoweringandInspiringExcellence. #PreparedForTheJourney

Preston Green, a senior at Vincent Middle High School, has been awarded the highly coveted Work Ethic Scholarship from the Mike Rowe Works Foundation. Green is one of 124 students nationally to receive the prestigious scholarship that recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional skills and passion in career technical fields. Winners embody the values championed by renowned TV host and skilled trades advocate Mike Rowe from "Dirty Jobs." Preston, an outstanding student at Vincent Middle High School, has not only excelled academically but has also shown remarkable dedication to pursuing a career in welding by attending the Career Technical Educational Center (CTEC.) His commitment has been acknowledged through this scholarship, which will support him in furthering his education at Western Welding Academy in Gillette, Wyoming. Western Welding Academy is renowned for its state-of-the-art facilities and comprehensive welding programs, making it an ideal choice for students like Preston who are eager to embark on a successful career in welding. Green is set to graduate from Vincent Middle High School in May, equipped with the skills and knowledge that will undoubtedly contribute to his success at Western Welding Academy. His achievement serves as an inspiration to fellow students and a testament to both schools' commitment to empowering and inspiring excellence in diverse career paths.

In celebration of National School Counseling Week, we would like to give a shoutout to a group of people who are often unsung heroes in our schools. Our school counselors have such an important role in our buildings, providing essential support and guidance for students. Thank you for being so committed to inspiring positivity and making a real difference daily. 🌟 #NationalSchoolCounselingWeek #EmpoweringandInspiringExcellence

If you would like to propose revisions or changes to the 2024-2025 Shelby County Schools Code of Conduct, please scan the QR Code below and complete this Code of Conduct Suggestions Form by February 23, 2024.

It was a special day for the Public Service Academy at CTEC thanks to the Westover Fire Department's donation of a fire engine that was recently replaced in their fleet. The engine replaces one dating back to the late 1970s that was previously donated to CTEC years ago that is no longer operational.

Tracey Barker will serve as the new Assistant Principal of the Linda Nolen Learning Center. Barker is in her twelth year in education and is currently the Program Area Specialist for Special Education. Prior to coming to Shelby County, Barker worked as a special education teacher for 11 years with the Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills school districts.

Chelsea High School held its second annual White Jacket and Certified Patient Care Technician (CPCT) Pinning Ceremony to honor 26 seniors who will begin their Health Science Internship Program this semester. These students recently passed the CPCT exam and will be starting their internships with Shelby Baptist Medical Center and Heart South Cardiovascular Group.

Congratulations to Chelsea High School and Oak Mountain High School who were both recently honored with the 2023 AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award. They were two of 834 schools from across the country and around the world to be recognized with the award for AP Computer Science Principles. Studying computer science can open doors for students, giving them the tools to excel and setting them up for high-paying careers, but girls have been left behind for far too long. The College Board is honoring schools for expanding young women’s access to AP computer science classes and for the important steps they’re taking to improve gender representation. Schools receiving the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have achieved either 50% or higher female exam taker representation in AP computer science courses or a percentage of female computer science exam takers that meets or exceeds that of the school’s female population.

All Shelby County Schools will resume normal operations on Thursday, January 18. We are excited to welcome our students and staff back!

Shelby County Schools will remain closed on Wednesday, January 17 due to winter weather conditions, including the forecast of a hard freeze overnight. There are still areas of the county experiencing icy road conditions that are not likely to improve until temperatures rise above freezing midday on Wednesday. We anticipate being back to a normal school schedule on Thursday.

Due to the threat of winter weather and extreme temperatures, all Shelby County Schools will be closed on Tuesday, January 16, and students will transition to remote learning. All after-school activities are also canceled. We are also monitoring the weather for Wednesday morning and will announce school delays or closures as we receive more detailed weather information.

Due to the threat of severe weather, specifically straight-line winds causing downed trees and powerlines on Friday, January 12, all Shelby County Schools will be closed and students will transition to remote learning. All after-school activities are also canceled. Schools will be closed on Monday, January 15 for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. We are also monitoring the weather for Tuesday morning and will announce school delays or closures as we receive more detailed weather information.

Author and Certified Financial Planner Dale Alexander spoke to seniors from Montevallo, Vincent, and Shelby County high schools this morning about financial literacy. Alexander shared how making wise financial decisions when they are young and starting their very first jobs can lead to financial freedom when they are older. Alexander will share with seniors from Oak Mountain and Chelsea on January 10, followed by Calera and Helena on January 11.

Shelby County Schools is excited to announce the addition of a new facility dog thanks to a partnership with the Roverchase Foundation. The new dog, which is still in training, will be primarily housed at the Linda Nolen Learning Center, but will also travel to other schools. Realtors Ashley Lemley, a former Shelby County Schools teacher, and Gina Musser have organized the second annual "Fur The Love" gala and silent auction to raise money for the Roverchase Foundation and the Linda Nolen Learning Center. LNLC will use its proceeds for ongoing costs associated with the facility dog such as food, veterinarian care, grooming, etc... The first gala planned by the Realtors, who call their team "The Address Makeover Gals", raised over $15,000 to benefit animal-assisted therapy programs in the Birmingham area.