Alabama State Board of Education honors about 50 schools, names awardees and adopts routine measures
Loading...
Summary
At its Feb. 12 meeting the Alabama State Board of Education unanimously approved routine business and adopted multiple resolutions recognizing roughly 50 high-performing or high-growth schools, student art winners, teacher and counselor awardees, and proclamations for school counseling and arts months.
The Alabama State Board of Education on Feb. 12 unanimously approved its meeting agenda and minutes and adopted a series of resolutions recognizing dozens of schools and several individual awardees.
Board members moved and passed a resolution recognizing the legislative school performance program award and then acknowledged roughly 50 schools across the state — identified by the board as the 25 highest-performing schools on ACAP and the 25 schools with the greatest growth — with photos and a short celebration after the meeting. Doctor Mackey said the recognitions reflect a mix of districts from across Alabama and thanked staff and leaders for the work behind the results.
The board also adopted resolutions naming several schools as nominated 2025 National Blue Ribbon Schools, including Lakewood Elementary (Phenix City), Shades Mountain Elementary (Hoover), Kilby Laboratory School (Florence), Montesano Elementary (Huntsville) and Heritage Elementary (Madison). Each of those resolutions was moved, seconded and carried unanimously.
Individual recognitions included: - Kimberly Jones, Nan Gray Davis Elementary School (Mobile County), named 2026 Alabama School Counselor of the Year (resolution adopted). - Multiple School Counseling Programs of Distinction across several systems (board adopted a group resolution; each program will receive its own resolution as noted by staff). - Mark McGee, named the Barbara Fanning Memorial employee of the quarter (Jan.–Mar. 2026). - Kaylee Tanner, East Elementary (Coleman City), recognized as Elementary Best of Show in the 2026 State Superintendents Visual Art Exhibit; a separate resolution honored the secondary Best of Show winner. - A resolution commending Katie Collins of Bluff Park Elementary (Hoover City) as an Alabama finalist for National Teacher of the Year; Collins addressed the board and thanked colleagues and cafeteria staff.
The board also passed proclamations designating February 2026 as Alabama School Counseling Month and March 2026 as Arts Education Month and National School Breakfast Week in Alabama. All votes recorded on these routine and recognition items were unanimous as called from the dais.
"I have been a teacher in Alabama for 21 years ... the nation is watching Alabama," Katie Collins told the board in brief remarks after the board adopted the resolution honoring her as a state finalist for National Teacher of the Year.
The meeting concluded after brief logistics announcements about photos, a musical performance and a transition to the board’s work session.
Next procedural step: the board will reconvene for its next regular meeting on March 12 at 10 a.m. in the Gordon Persons Building.
