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Photo by Jon Anderson
Vestavia Hills schools Superintendent Todd Freeman presents a plaque to former Vestavia Hills High School English and debate teacher Marilee Dukes as she is inducted into the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Marilee Dukes, a former Vestavia Hills High School English and debate teacher , speaks at the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Vestavia Hills schools Superintendent Todd Freeman presents a plaque to Calandra Jones-McDonald, the sister of former Pizitz Middle School social studies teacher Frederick Jones, who was inducted posthumously into the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Calandra Jones-McDonald, the sister of former Pizitz Middle School social studies teacher Frederick Jones, speaks at the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Vestavia Hills schools Superintendent Todd Freeman presents a plaque to Michael Lytle and Allison Powell, the children of former Vestavia HIlls Elementary West teacher Carolyn Lytle at the the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame induction at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Michale Lytle, the son of former Vestavia Hills Elementary West teacher Carolyn Lytle, says a few words at the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. With him is his sister, Allison Powell.
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Vestavia Hills schools Superintendent Todd Freeman, right, presents a plaque to Jeff Williams, the son of former Vestavia Hills teacher Mary Bice Williams at the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Jeff Williams, the son of former Vestavia Hills teacher Mary Bice Williams, speaks at the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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A crowd gathers at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, for the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Vestavia HIlls schools Superintendent Todd Freeman welcomes people to the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Vestavia HIlls schools Superintendent Todd Freeman welcomes people to the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry speaks at the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Vestavia HIlls schools Superintendent Todd Freeman welcomes people to the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame induction at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
The Vestavia Hills school system on Tuesday night inducted four former teachers into the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame.
They were:
- Marilee Dukes, an English teacher and debate team coach at Vestavia Hills High School from 1983 to 2007
- Frederick Jones, a social studies teacher at Pizitz Middle School from 1970 to 1989 who was inducted posthumously
- Carolyn Lytle, a third grade teacher and reading coach at Vestavia Hills Elementary West from 1988 to 2008
- Mary Bice Williams, a fourth grade teacher at Vestavia Hills Elementary East and Vestavia Hills Elementary Central from 1970 to 1997 who was inducted posthumously
Superintendent Todd Freeman said the school district has been blessed over the years with exceptional and elite educators.
They are “teachers who care for students and challenge them in ways that impressionable minds need to be challenged and look to set a very high standard for them,” Freeman said. “That’s always been the legacy of our school district.
“The teachers in our classrooms are committed professionals who love children and more importantly love the idea of our children learning and growing,” Freeman said. “They’re driven by the belief that every child, no matter their ability, should have the opportunity to learn without any limitations in place, and that is a goal that we set. Every student in our classrooms — and I think if you asked any teacher that they would tell you that — they are valued and important. For teachers, that mindset is the invaluable difference and ingredient of our school system.”
School board President Jay Stewart said the common thread among the Hall of Fame inductees is that they have consistently gone above and beyond in making an extraordinary long-term impact on students’ lives, the schools they served and the Vestavia Hills community at large.
“They are responsible for putting the right pieces together in building Vestavia Hills City Schools as the best school system in the state of Alabama,” Stewart said.
He and his family are grateful for allowing them to be enriched by such teachers and making his family’s educational experience so wonderful and making the community so special, he said.
Dukes, Jones, Lytle and Williams together have more than 83 years of teaching experience, Freeman said. Their legacy lives on in the generations of students that they have influenced, he said. “For them, teaching was a calling, not just a profession.”
Freeman also on Tuesday night recognized Vestavia Hills’ Teachers of the Year for the various schools in the system:
- Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights — Lori Pfost, special education teacher
- Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge — Kate Smith, kindergarten teacher
- Vestavia Hills Elementary East — Katie Smith, fifth grade teacher
- Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park — Joy McPherson, third grade teacher
- Vestavia Hills Elementary West — Sarah Woodroof, fifth grade teacher
- Liberty Park Middle School — Stacy Freeman, English teacher
- Pizitz Middle School — Angie Olvey, science teacher
- Vestavia Hills High School Freshman Campus — Peyton James, biology teacher
- Vestavia Hills High School — Hannah Peterson, health science teacher
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Vestavia HIlls schools Superintendent Todd Freeman introduces the system's 2025-26 Teachers of the Year at the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Vestavia HIlls schools Superintendent Todd Freeman talks with Vestavia Hills High School health science teacher Hannah Peterson, the district's 2025-26 Secondary Teacher of the Year, speaks at the induction ceremony for the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Vestavia Hills High School health science teacher Hannah Peterson, the district's 2025-26 Secondary Teacher of the Year, speaks at the induction ceremony for the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Vestavia Hills Elementary East fifth grade teacher Katie Smith, the school district's 2025-26 Elementary Teacher of the Year, speaks at the induction ceremony for the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Vestavia Hills schools Superintendent Todd Freeman introduces the distrit's 2025-26 Teachers of the Year during the Vestavia HIlls City Schools Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. Shown with him are Kate Smith, the Teacher of the Year from Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge, and Vestavia Hills HIgh School health science teacher Hannah Peterson, the district's Secondary Teacher of the Year.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Vestavia Hills High School health science teacher Hannah Peterson, the district's 2025-26 Secondary Teacher of the Year, speaks at the induction ceremony for the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Pizitz Middle School science teacher Angie Olvey, the school's 2025-26 Teacher of the Year, speaks at the induction ceremony for the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Vestavia Hills High School Freshman Campus science teacher Peyton James, the school's 2025-26 Teacher of the Year, speaks at the induction ceremony for the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge kindergarten teacher Kate Smith, the school's 2025-26 Teacher of the Year, speaks at the induction ceremony for the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Liberty Park Middle School English teacher Stacy Freeman the school's 2025-26 Teacher of the Year, speaks at the induction ceremony for the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights special education teacher Lori Pfost, the school's 2025-26 Teacher of the Year, speaks at the induction ceremony for the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Vestavia Hills Elementary West fifth grade teacher Sarah Woodroof, the school's 2025-26 Teacher of the Year, speaks at the induction ceremony for the Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
Look for more about the Class of 2025 Vestavia Hills City Schools Hall of Fame inductees in the March print edition of the Vestavia Voice.
