Banner School/Schools of Distinction

Reroute Madison City Schools Principal: Dr. Kerry Donaldson Superintendent: Dr. Ed Nichols Reroute at James Clemens High School is an academic intervention program that occurs during the hour-long lunch period every day. Students are identified for Reroute by examining numerous data such as current grades, past grades, and assessment scores. Reroute students can make up…

Book BuddiesHuntsville City SchoolsPrincipal: Mr. Clifford PorterSuperintendent: Dr. Clarence Sutton Monte Sano Elementary School’s Book Buddies program was a service-learning initiative designed to engage GATE students in a semester-long, concept-based literacy unit. Throughout the program, participants explored literary analysis, studied various authors, and examined different genres and writing styles. A key feature of the program…

Women in STEMHuntsville City SchoolsPrincipal: Mrs. Heather WhiteSuperintendent: Dr. Clarence Sutton The Women in STEM (WiSTEM) program at New Century Technology High School started in 2024 and fosters a passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics among young women and underrepresented students. By providing an inclusive space for exploration and mentorship, WiSTEM empowers students to…

D.O.G.S. – Dads of Great StudentsHuntsville City SchoolsPrincipal: Dr. Bradley ScottSuperintendent: Dr. Clarence Sutton The D.O.G.S. – Dads of Great Students program at Blossomwood Elementary School was created to enhance community involvement and provide male role models for students. By encouraging male volunteers, whether fathers, grandfathers, uncles, or other male guardians, the program fostered a…

Petals of LoveFlorence City SchoolsPrincipal: Mr. Thomas CasteelSuperintendent: Dr. Jimmy Shaw Among the many initiatives led by Harlan Elementary School’s Peer Helpers, the Petals of Love project stood out as a deeply meaningful and transformative experience for students. Created to bring warmth and compassion to the residents of the Mitchell Hollingsworth Nursing and Rehabilitation Center,…

Using Cognitive Interest Cues to Spark Curiosity, Enhance Engagement, and Facilitate Deeper Learning Trussville City Schools Principal: Dr. Lisa Lothspeich Superintendent: Dr. Patrick Martin Paine Elementary School designed and implemented a program where students engaged in cognitive interest cues or hooks prior to new mathematics learning. The hooks were student-centered and established to spark natural…

Write the Right WayMorgan County SchoolsPrincipal: Mr. Jared MinerSuperintendent: Mrs. Tracie Turrentine The Write the Right Way program at Eva School began in the 2023-2024 school year with a strategic focus on improving students’ reading and writing abilities. The program incorporated writing and reading across kindergarten through third grades through collaborative writing projects, sentence expansion…