ACS Index

We now find ourselves neatly settled into the 2024-2025 School Year - and what a smooth start it has been! The incredible beginning can be attributed to our eager-to-learn students, engaged parents, and our talented educators and staff. There are so many others who make Alabaster City Schools such a special place to live, work, and learn including our administrators, Board of Education, city leaders, and others. This school year, just like last, will be a year marked with accolades across all areas. We teach all students, well. Our academic performance reflects that philosophy. Alabaster City Schools has earned a coveted "A" on the Alabama State Report Card and is currently ranked among the Top 10 Best School Districts in Alabama (out of 139) by Niche. We continue to add academic support and extracurricular offerings across elementary, middle, and high. We have record dual enrollment numbers and soon, will open the ACS Champions Craft Academy, a state-of-the-art workforce training facility that will provide new pathways for students. I'm extremely proud of how we serve all students and as a system, enrich our community. Thank you, as always, for what you do. Your support of Alabaster City Schools and our mission means so much!

- Dr. L. Wayne Vickers, Superintendent

The ACS Champions Craft Academy, Alabaster City Schools' upcoming workforce development facility, remains on track for a summer 2025 opening. Interior buildout of the former Restore/Winn-Dixie property is in high gear. The facility will feature Building Construction, HVAC, Welding and Mechatronics—formerly known as Industrial Maintenance—when the 2025-2026 school year begins. Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers has been working closely with architects, construction teams, and ACS personnel to prepare the facility for students. The Craft Academy will offer workforce-ready credentialing to students, enabling them to begin lucrative pathways post-graduation. See a video profile of the ACS Champions Craft Academy.

Ms. Cynithia Booth has joined ACS as the Coordinator of Secondary Exceptional Education. In this Curriculum & Instruction role, Ms. Booth will oversee most all matters related to the exceptional education needs of students at the secondary level (grades 6-12). She will collaborate with teachers and administrators in order to oversee the development/implementation of secondary Individualized Education Plans to ensure all students receive the school support they need to succeed. Ms. Booth is passionate about creating learning environments that maximize educational opportunities for students with disabilities, and advocating for students' needs to be addressed and independence established. Prior to ACS, Ms. Booth served as Director of Special Education for Opelika City Schools. She has also taught in various settings across K12. Ms. Booth is a graduate of Tuskegee University and a native of Michigan.

We know our employees can be our best key communicators - and our parents can be our best employees! If you know someone looking to join our dynamic team at ACS, please share this information. Our employees enjoy fantastic benefits, competitive pay, and the chance to work with amazing students. See all job openings and apply today: View all jobs and please see the two highlighted positions below:

• Teacher at Meadow View Elementary: Apply here
• Special Education Teacher at Creek View Elementary: Apply here

Creek View Elementary School is off to a remarkable start for the 2024-2025 School Year! I look forward to another year of partnership with our parents, students, and teachers!

A heartfelt THANK YOU to our teachers for their hard work in preparing, planning, and participating in various professional development sessions this summer! We also extend our gratitude to Dr. Vickers and the ACS Board of Education for their support in renovating classrooms in the 100 and 200 hallways. The new floor tiles, paint, ceiling tiles, bulletin boards, furniture, cabinets, and sinks have revitalized our learning spaces. Additionally, the resurfacing of the CVES track and basketball court, along with the new floor numbering system in the gym, enhances our facilities for all.

CVES teachers and staff are celebrating and encouraging students who exhibit the "Attributes of a Champion"—Accountability, Commitment, Excellence, Integrity, and Leadership—by awarding them Champion cards, Positive Office Referrals, and featuring them on the Creek View News Network.

Students have completed the beginning of the year Aimsweb Reading and Edmentum Math screeners and CVES will continue the Reader Leaders and Mathletes program which began September 3rd. Our teachers and administration began the year by examining students' data and developing effective teaching strategies to support the needs of all learners. Students are already engaging with Magma Math, MathFactLab, and Lexia Reading programs which are accessible through Clever.

Please review our "24-25 CVES At A Glance" which offers a quick overview of this year's Student- Parent Handbook. Our teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators are eager to work with you to ensure a successful and positive school year. Thank you again for your continuous support of Creek View Elementary School.

It is with great honor and enthusiasm that I welcome you to the 2024-2025 School Year! I am thrilled to partner with our Meadow View families and community to make this a fantastic year for everyone. Our goal is for every student and family to feel welcomed, connected, and part of our MVES family. We know that parents play a vital role in their child’s education. You are your child’s first teacher, and you serve as the primary connection between home and school. We want you to know that we are always here to support you and your child. Our dedicated teachers are lifelong learners who spent many hours over the summer in professional development, preparing to meet the diverse needs of all our students. They have begun the year by carefully analyzing student data and developing the best instructional practices to ensure every learner is supported. Students have completed the beginning of the year Aimsweb Reading and Edmentum Math screeners.

We have already started planning with our Alabama Reading Initiative partner, Jodie Lawley, to prepare for Diane Sweeney’s visit on October 23rd. Diane Sweeney is an educational consultant, author, and founder of the Student-Centered Coaching model, which focuses on improving teaching practices by centering on student outcomes. She will be accompanied by 35 members from ALSDE, and we are excited to have Dr. Vickers welcome them. In other news, all grades have started participating in Tech Tuesday. September is Attendance Awareness Month, and MVES has shared important resources to highlight the importance of regular attendance. We are also promoting the Attributes of a Champion and have been making many positive phone calls home to celebrate student achievements. Additionally, our Kindness Crew—composed of selected second and third-grade students—has been busy creating videos to promote good character, which are being shared on our news broadcasts.

This year, we remain committed to the success of our students through the continued implementation of both the Alabama Literacy Act and the Alabama Numeracy Act. It is a privilege to be part of a community where parents, teachers, and students care for one another and work together to build strong, positive relationships that support academic and social growth.

I look forward to working together to provide a safe, nurturing environment for your children, as well as a curriculum that challenges and inspires them. Thank you for being part of the Meadow View family!

At Thompson Intermediate School (TIS), we're kicking off the 2024-2025 School Year with a new mindset: Action Changes Things (ACT)! We’re thrilled about the endless possibilities ahead and the incredible opportunities we have to shape a brighter future for our students.

Reflecting on my last three years as principal, I couldn’t be prouder of the tremendous progress we’ve made, especially in reading, as well as the continuous growth in math and science. We are committed to building on this success, ensuring that every student receives a high-quality academic experience.

At TIS, collaboration has been at the heart of our success. I’ve seen firsthand how a "We are always better together" mindset fosters an environment where both students and teachers can thrive. This year, we will persist in emphasizing teamwork, recognizing that through collaboration, we can accomplish greater and more sustainable growth

Our mission goes beyond academics. We are advancing our WOW Warrior initiative, which aims to develop not only academic achievers but also students with strong character. This program directly reflects our district’s Attributes of a Champion values: Accountability, Commitment, Excellence, Integrity, and Leadership.

Our goal is to ensure every student feels safe, welcomed, and fully equipped to succeed both here and within our other community of schools. We believe that there is no goal we cannot achieve when we work together.

Our teachers, staff, and administrators are dedicated to TIS Growing Forward on Purpose through ACTion!

We have had such an exciting start to the 2024-2025 School Year at Thompson Middle School. Our students have quickly learned their way through the halls of TMS, adjusting to their class schedule and learning locker combinations. Changing classes several times a day is typically something our students enjoy about middle school, as well as seeing friends and teachers from previous school years. For our 8th graders, to help students with class transition, the ACS School Board and Superintendent Dr. Vickers added a canopy to the breezeway area for 8th graders to utilize while changing classes. In addition, we have a new intercom system and new renovations in the Warrior Center.

Beyond this, we also included training for our teachers throughout the summer. Our teachers were trained on best practices - instructional strategies that could provide a quick and easy turn around for our teachers to use in their classrooms. The planning and trainings help connect our goals for the year. Our goals include maintaining a positive school culture focused on structure and strong instructional strategies. We want to ensure our students are the first priority of TMS, and we are looking forward to helping them grow and learn. In the classroom, students have also been engaged in outstanding classroom instruction. TMS teachers are providing student-centered, engaging, and hands-on learning experiences. Students continue to utilize i-Ready, a computer based program to help students with learning standards in math and reading. Each week, we recognize six I-Ready Students of the Week (nominated by their teachers) and these winners are able to spin the "Warrior Wheel" and receive prizes. Students have enjoyed participating in weekly spirit/dress up days and two pep rallies so far this year. Students at TMS can participate in a variety of clubs and organizations, some of which include Student Council, Book Club, Chess Club, Archery, and First Priority. In addition, we offer a variety of athletic teams, and this year have added an eSports Team. Our volleyball team, cross country team, football teams, dance, cheer, majorettes, and band have been busy this fall season with competition and participating in school activities.

We are so thankful for the support of our ACS Board of Education and ACS Central Office. In addition, we are grateful for the support of our Alabaster community, including our teachers, parents, staff, and students!

We at Thompson High School are excited about the 2024-2025 school year! We have so many wonderful things taking place on our campus and throughout the year. We have a strengthened focus on Academics, and our students will certainly benefit. Our teachers and staff are working extremely hard to engage our students in the best learning environments and to prepare them for higher levels of success than ever before. Our students are and will continue to be engaged in the ever-growing number of curricular and extracurricular activities available at THS. Thompson Warrior Athletics is poised for tremendous success throughout the Fall, Winter, and Spring sports seasons, and we are looking forward to another successful year with our Arts programs, whether it be Performing or Visual Arts. Our students are the best, and they will be leading efforts and accomplishing feats that will make all of ACS and Alabaster proud. Come join us and be a part of our outstanding endeavors this school year, where it’s always a Great Day to Be Warrior Strong!

As Assistant Superintendent, I am equally excited about all of the amazing things occurring throughout Alabaster City Schools during the 2024-2025 School Year! I am so proud of our schools and the level of engagement they bring to our students, parents, and community. Our teachers, staff, and leaders at each of our schools are striving for increasing levels of excellence, each and every day. The opportunities they create for our students are second to none. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work with Dr. Vickers and his outstanding Central Office leadership and staff, and I am ready to work alongside them in our efforts to move Alabaster City Schools higher and forward in ‘24-’25. Go Warriors!

ACS Network Administrator Mr. Carl Allen has been honored as a 2024 certified graduate of the Alabama Chief Technology Officer (ALCTO) Academy Program. The ALCTO program is endorsed by the Alabama State Department of Education and Alabama Leaders in Educational Technology for emerging tech leaders who aspire to become district-level Technology Directors/Chief Technology Officers in Alabama school districts. Allen completed more than 50 professional development hours in categories such as Technology Roles and Responsibilities, Planning, Data Management/Governance, Laws, Ethics, and Policies. Allen was among only 24 technology leaders across Alabama selected for this prestigious certification program.

Meadow View Elementary School (MVES) is one of 36 schools statewide that was awarded a Be Healthy School Grant by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. MVES is the only school in Shelby County to receive this grant this year. Each school selected receives $10,000 and will utilize the funds to support physical education programs, including examples such as physical education equipment, walking tracks and bicycles, school gardens, rock climbing walls and adaptive playground equipment. MVES plans to utilize the funds from its grant to help pay for a project to make its playground more Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant. See more from the Shelby County Reporter.

ACS hosted educators from around Alabama recently for statewide math training specific for EL (English Learners) students. EL administrators, coaches, and specialists met at TIS for a two-day training session on the AIM4S3™ framework. The event, led by dual language ESL Math teachers from New Mexico, focused on equipping educators with strategies to make math instruction comprehensible and accessible to all students, particularly those who are language learners.

Participants engaged in professional learning sessions that emphasized sheltered math content, with a specific focus on the AIM4S3™ Components and Key Instructional Principles. These sessions aimed to strengthen educators' pedagogical approaches to math instruction, ensuring that they are better prepared to support the diverse learning needs of their students. Lori Harris, a 4th-grade math teacher at TIS, modeled strategies from the AIM4S3 Framework that she employs in her classroom. This hands-on observation provided valuable insights into how the framework can be effectively implemented in real-world classroom settings.

The nominations are in and it is now time to vote for which program will win the first-ever School Spirit Showdown! It is up to YOU to decide which Spirit Program has the most electric Game Day environment! Vote now! Thompson High School remains as one of only a handful of high schools from across America - amongst many colleges/universities - as a national finalist for the inaugural Varsity TV School Spirit Showdown! Voting ends soon...cast your vote today via this link!

Thompson High School's Operation: We Remember was a statewide initiative to honor the memory of Alabama veterans who have taken their own lives. In early September, THS JROTC cadets placed 147 flags throughout Alabaster to remember these veterans. The initiative is a partnership with the Alabama Department of Veteran Affairs and Alabaster VFW Post 12185. In addition to the flags, informational signs were placed around campus/town that offered information on resources for veterans who might be facing struggles. See more coverage on this event from WBRC FOX 6 News.

The Thompson High School Wind Ensemble has been selected once again to perform at the Alabama Music Educators Association Conference which will take place in January 2025. The Ensemble will perform at the AMEA Conference at the BJCC Theatre in Birmingham on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2025. This accolade is a rescheduling of sorts; the Ensemble was selected last year to perform at the 2024 AMEA Conference which was planned for Jan. 18 in Huntsville. However, due to bad weather and no way to reschedule at the last minute, the conference was cancelled which led to the band holding its own showcase at Thompson High School. Read more from the Shelby County Reporter.

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