Philanthropy is not an occasional event in Vestavia Hills City Schools — it is a defining characteristic of the school system’s culture. All nine VHCS schools participate in student-led philanthropic activity throughout the year, directing their energy toward causes that span the local community and the greater Birmingham area.

The breadth of that generosity is striking. Students have supported organizations ranging from food banks and homeless shelters to wildlife centers and children’s hospitals. The Lovelady Center in Birmingham — a nonprofit that supports women and children through residential rehabilitation, education, and life-skills training — was a major beneficiary this year, with Vestavia Hills High School’s student-led efforts raising more than $101,000 on its behalf.

That momentum carried into the spring with RISE — Rebels Impact through Service and Engagement. With 1,332 students organized into teams, the annual fundraiser generated $217,332 for the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology and Oncofertility Program at UAB’s O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

This kind of sustained, student-led giving throughout the K-12 experience in VHCS doesn’t just change the organizations our schools support — it shapes the people of character Vestavia Hills City Schools is sending into the world.

The Vestavia Hills Board of Education met for its regular monthly meeting on Monday, April 27. The meeting included recognition of a number of students who earned state honors this year in the arts. The VHHS boys tennis team were recognized as state champions along with individual state tennis champions. Vestavia Hills Elementary West was recognized for recently being named a National School of Character. School bookkeepers Dawn Higginbotham, Sabrina Jackson and Twana Williams, who recently completed state certification in their field, were also honored.

During the meeting, the Board received its annual financial audit report which found no issues. The school system’s 2028-29 academic calendar was approved, along with brand licensing agreements with three vendors. The Board approved several agreements for future purchasing of produce, food supplies, and kitchen supplies for the VHCS Child Nutrition Program. Regular monthly personnel actions, consent items, and financial statements were also approved.

The meeting concluded with a presentation on community partnerships from VHCS athletic director Laura Casey and Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights principal Kim Polson. Watch the full meeting on our YouTube channel here.

Vestavia Hills City Schools is more than the sum of its classrooms — it is a community that invests, shows up, and commits to our mission of Learning Without Limits.

This past year, that investment has been extraordinary. Parent-Teacher Organizations across our district contributed more than $300,000 directly to schools, funding resources, experiences, and opportunities that make a daily difference for students and staff. The VHCS Foundation awarded $162,000 in grants, placing innovative tools and programs into the hands of teachers who use them to enhance student learning. And our booster clubs — the engine behind dozens of extracurricular programs — provided $975,000 to support the success of those programs across Vestavia Hills.

That’s more than $1.4 million poured into this school system by people who believe deeply in what we’re doing and in the students we serve. And behind every dollar is a volunteer hour, a fundraiser, a business that chose to invest locally, and a family that decided this school system was worth their time and resources. 

We are grateful — not just for the dollars, but for the trust and shared ownership they represent. Thank you to all of our family and community partners for your support this school year!

Vestavia Hills City Schools made history this spring when both of its district Teachers of the Year — Katie Smith and Hannah Peterson — were named among the 16 state finalists for the 2026 Alabama Teacher of the Year award. It marked the first time in school system history that both honorees advanced to the state level in the same year.

Smith, the VHCS Elementary Teacher of the Year, teaches fifth grade at Vestavia Hills Elementary East and brings 14 years of classroom experience and a Master’s in Instructional Leadership to her work. Peterson, the VHCS Secondary Teacher of the Year, has taught health sciences at Vestavia Hills High School since 2015, leading a program that includes a clinical internship course placing seniors in real healthcare settings. Peterson has since advanced beyond the top 16, earning a spot among the four remaining finalists in the state competition.

The winner will be announced May 13 during a special ceremony in Montgomery. Congratulations to Ms. Smith and Ms. Peterson on this outstanding recognition!

🎓 May 18: VHHS Graduation / 7 p.m. at Samford University’s Pete Hanna Center

🏖️ May 21: Last Day of School / Students Dismiss 2 Hours Early

📊 May 22: Teacher Workday / Report Card Day

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🖥️ On the Web: Visit www.vhcs.us