Vestavia Hills City Schools prepares for 50th birthday

In addition to the city of Vestavia Hills turning 70 years old this year, the city’s school system will celebrate its 50th birthday in August.

The Vestavia Hills Board of Education was formed on April 30, 1970, with the first school opening on Aug. 31 of that same year. Throughout the years, the school system has expanded along with the city, and now has five elementary schools, two middle schools and Vestavia Hills High School.

This August, the school system will celebrate a return to those roots as the new Louis Pizitz Middle School opens at the old Berry High School campus on Columbiana Road, where, 50 years ago, some students “rebelled” and joined the newly created Vestavia school system.

Whit McGhee, the school’s director of public relations, was tasked with creating a plan to celebrate the milestone in the school’s history, and said discussions began taking place in spring 2019 and have included stakeholders from around the community.

The various celebrations that will be held throughout the year will honor the school system’s past, present and future, McGhee said.

“Understanding where we’ve come from gives us a better understanding of what’s going on now,” McGhee said.

McGhee and the rest of the working group found there were a few factors that have continued to mark the school system during its 50-year history: a desire to make life better for the next generation, a commitment to academic success, unparalleled community support and refusing to be complacent.

“This community has never rested on its laurels and said, ‘Now we’re good enough,’” McGhee said. “We’ve always said we want to be better.”

A documentary being created by Vestavia resident Stasi Bara, a professional videographer, will honor that community support and will feature conversations with people throughout the decades who have made the school system what it is today, McGhee said.

Throughout the years, the school system has grown, not just in enrollment and class offerings, but in understanding how to best take care of each student that goes through Vestavia schools, McGhee said.

Similar to how the state of Alabama created special bicentennial logos, McGhee and others have designed an emblem to be used this year commemorating the system’s birthday.

A 50th anniversary celebration is planned for Aug. 18 at the new Pizitz Middle School and will including the grand opening of the campus and campus tours and will feature musical performances by Vestavia students.

The inaugural class of the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame will also be unveiled at the celebration, recognizing the faculty and staff who have made a lasting impact on the school system, McGhee said in a presentation to the Board of Education.

The nomination process and criteria are yet to be determined, but it will be led by the community, McGhee said.

“People give their whole careers to this place,” McGhee said.

Similar to sports halls of fame, the VHCS Hall of Fame will add new members each year, also chosen by the community, McGhee said.

The plan is to have the Hall of Fame physically located somewhere in the community where residents and visitors can see it, but the exact location is not yet known.