Education is a top priority in Vestavia Hills. A strategic planning team recently described the system as the “greatest asset” of the city. This type of commitment has resulted in national recognition, numerous awards and prestige.

The community’s high quality school system consists of 4 elementary schools, one middle school, one alternative school and one high school with a total of 4560 students. The system also operates an excellent Extended Day Program for students in grades K-8th. Dedicated teachers give their weekends, nights, and summers to travel with students, to tutor those requiring assistance, to coach academic and athletic teams, and continue their education in university programs and professional development opportunities.

Vestavia Hills is proud of the accomplishments of its students. The high school’s math and debate teams have been consistently ranked in the top schools nationally. The VHHS Math Team has placed first in national competition 11 of the last 13 years. The VHHS Debate Team has won 7 national championships and was the first school in history to win national championships in both policy and Lincoln Douglas debate. The high school athletic teams have won 48 State Titles and the baseball team has won one national championship. The system has several schools that are recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence. Redbook, The Wall Street Journal, Fifty Fabulous Places to Raise Your Family, and others, have recognized it for the quality of education services.

At the middle school level, student honors are noteworthy also: Academic teams -- Math, scholars bowl, Math Olympiad, Knowledge Master Open teams -- consistently rank among the top in the state, including a first in the state finish last year by the sixth grade Thinking Cap Quiz team.

Athletic teams consistently rank among top finishers in the county and/or Metro-South League standings, including five consecutive Golf Team County championships.

Cheerleader and Dance Teams consistently are winning top honors at summer camps.

Standardized Test Scores consistently are among the top three in the state, including being the second highest test scores in the state for the past two years among public junior high/middle schools.

We are also proud of the faculty's achievements. 16 Faculty members are involved in the National Board Certification Process:

• 9 are already Nationally Board Certified
• 4 have won the state grant money and are now going through the certification process
• 5 have applied for the state grant and are awaiting results

The Math faculty has the following awards to its credit:

• One teacher winner of Edith May Sliffe Award for Distinguished Junior High/Middle School Mathematics Teachers and is also winner of Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in Secondary Education
• Another has been named -- for 10 out of the past 11 years -- Coach of Alabama State Math Counts team as a result of the Pizitz Math Counts team placing first in statewide Math Counts competition

The middle school band director has received the John Philip Sousa Foundation Award this year -- a nationally prestigious honor.

The elementary schools have state and regional primary chess team championships, State PTA Reflections winners, state recognized art and photography students. Vestavia Hills Elementary East and Vestavia Hills Elementary Central are both Alabama Literacy Demonstration Sites. Vestavia Hills Elementary West received the International Reading Association Exemplary Reading Program Award. The state demonstration sites have become models for reading initiatives on a national level.

One of the elementary teachers of the gifted was recognized in the USA Today All USA Teacher Team (third team.) Other awards include teachers honored by the Disney Channel and the Alabama Instructional Media Association.

Student achievement continues to rank in the top three of the systems in the state of Alabama. The high school ranks among the best with a yearly average of 19 National Merit Finalists. The Vestavia Hills High School graduating class of 2001 was awarded more than $7 million in scholarships to a wide range of national colleges and universities.