McEwan, Evans named Hoover’s 2021-22 Teachers of the Year

When Paul McEwan looks back on his childhood, he sees an unlikely candidate to become a teacher.

He was small for his age, had a quiet personality and struggled with a writing disability.

But now McEwan, a biology teacher at Hoover High School, has been chosen as the Secondary Teacher of the Year for one of the largest school districts in Alabama — for the second time.

He won the award for the Hoover school district in the 2016-17 school year and went on to become the 2017-18 Secondary Teacher of the Year for all of Alabama and runner-up for the overall Alabama Teacher of the Year award.

But his colleagues think so much of him and his continued excellence that he was chosen as Teacher of the Year for both Hoover High and all middle and high schools in the district again this year.

Geri Evans, a STEAM teacher for all grades at Bluff Park Elementary, was named Hoover’s 2016-17 Elementary Teacher of the Year.

Paul McEwan

While McEwan struggled with a learning disability as a child, he had an insatiable curiosity for learning.

One of three children in a single-parent home with limited financial means, he moved 800 miles away from home after graduating high school and worked his way through college at Asbury University in Kentucky.

One of his many odd jobs was working as a peer tutor, which ignited his passion for teaching, he said.

Now, he’s in his 38th year of teaching and doing a dynamic job, according to his principal and a colleague.

“When I observe him in the classroom, he is always up and interacting with his students,” Hoover High Principal John Montgomery said in a letter, nominating McEwan for the district Secondary Teacher of the Year award. “His lessons for AP [Advanced Placement] biology and IB [International Baccalaureate] biology are dynamic, and his students are always engaged.”

McEwan uses an “argument-driven inquiry” method of instruction that focuses on students working together to solve problems and requires students to find the answers to questions with evidence to back up the answers. It involves a lot of practical science experiments instead of rote memorization of facts.

Students in his classes may be challenged to solve a crime like a forensic scientist, figuring out where a “murder victim” who was poisoned ate his last meal by analyzing the supposed contents of his stomach.

Susan Norris, a fellow teacher at Hoover High, said in a recommendation letter that McEwan has taught three of her own children and said he is the type of teacher that stretches students, pushing them to think critically and allows them to excel at their own pace.

“What you do not see are boring lectures and multiple-choice memorization,” Norris wrote. “He is making a difference in the classroom as well as making a difference in the lives of individual students.”

McEwan is also the type of teacher who leaves handwritten sticky notes or cards on students’ desks to remind them that they are seen, valued and loved, Norris wrote.

Montgomery said McEwan is one of the most innovative teachers with whom he has worked in his 39-year career.

McEwan also is a leader who shares his best practices, leading in professional development for other teachers and mentoring new teachers and interns from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

He has served as a member of the high school’s Diversity Council and Positive Behavior Intervention and Support Committee. He led a science technology, engineering and math camp for middle school students, was the keynote speaker at the Alabama Education Association Convention in 2017, was appointed to the state school superintendent’s Professional Learning Commission in 2018  and was named the 2021 Outstanding Biology Teacher for Alabama.

McEwan taught nine years in Florida, three years in South Carolina and nine years in Kentucky before coming to Hoover High School in 2006. He has bachelor’s degrees in biology and secondary education and a master’s degree in instructional media technology, both from Asbury University.

McEwan said in his application for the district Teacher of the Year award that he hopes to inspire a love for learning in his students, keeping them actively engaged from the moment they walk in the door until the dismissal bell rings. He wants to be remembered as a teacher who demands a lot from students but fiercely supports them every step of the way, he said.

Geri Evans

Evans, Hoover’s Elementary Teacher of the Year, was described by colleagues and principals as a master teacher who has a dynamic way of reaching students.

Avery Lieske, a fellow teacher who considers Evans a mentor, said in a recommendation letter that Evans is constantly searching for creative ways to captivate students’ attention and make learning magical, yet meaningful.

“Whether it’s using the most up-and-coming STEAM techniques, the incorporation of music into the classroom, or just her calm presence, Geri is extremely skilled in turning an ordinary lesson into extraordinary fun!” Lieske wrote.

She not only teaches the students herself, but has brought in guest presenters such as astronauts, airline pilots, zoologists, cardiologists, meteorologists, scientists and drone operators, said fellow teacher Katie Collins.

Bluff Park Elementary Principal Ami Weems said in a nomination letter that she has only been at the school for three years, but it only took her a few days to realize Evans is a master educator.

Evans is a master of the content, a leader and a reflective and effective teacher, Weems wrote.

Evans has been instrumental in the Girls Engaged in Math and Science organization in Hoover for the past six years, helping organize an annual expo that has grown to include more than 300 girls, Weems said.

Evans also works closely with the Civil Air Patrol, each year delivering lessons with an aerospace emphasis.

“Geri is fearless when it comes to creating rigorous and engaging lessons that connect to the standards, expands the thinking of her students, incorporates technology and leaves her students eager for more,” Weems wrote.

“Mrs. Evans is one of the most passionate teachers that I know, and she is viewed as a mentor teacher to other STEAM teachers in the district,” Weems said. “She is consistently meeting with other teachers in our building, district leaders and other STEAM teachers to collaborate and improve her craft.”

Evans, who has twice been certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, leads professional development for other teachers in the district. She also has been a presenter for the Alabama Science Teachers Association, traveled across the country to present at STEM conferences and been a teacher trainer for NASA and The Birmingham Zoo.

“Geri is extremely passionate about growing learners, but she is equally passionate about helping her colleagues to grow as well,” Weems wrote. “She is the epitome of a person with a growth mindset. She places all of her energy into learning, and she truly possesses the level of influence that leads others to believe they can accomplish anything!”

Evans grew up as one of 11 children and has vivid memories of playing school with all of her sisters. She said in her application for Hoover Elementary Teacher of the Year that she had a fourth grade teacher who ignited a spark within herself to teach.

“I strive to bring unique, creative and meaningful lessons to all of my students that help them to dream big and change the world,” Evans wrote.

Evans received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Minnesota State University and later earned a master’s degree in technology education from Lesley University in Boston. She started her teaching career in a South Dakota classroom and then taught four years at Pinson Elementary.

She is now in her 25th year of teaching and has been with Hoover City Schools for 20 years. She has been at Bluff Park Elementary 17 years and is in her sixth year as the STEAM teacher there.

Several years ago, she was inducted into the Jacksonville State University Teacher Hall of Fame, and in 2020 was named an Alabama finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Collins said three of her four children have had Evans as a teacher, and Evans’ love for science and math is naturally rubbing off on her kids.

“My children go on walks and constantly want to find things to bring in to show Mrs. Evans,” Collins wrote. “My daughter will find bugs, both alive and dead, and want to study their shape and body features.”

Evans is a natural and powerful teacher, Collins said.

“Her impact on students, colleagues and stakeholders within the community could never be replicated because what she does is an art form,” Collins said. “Geri is a strong force, invoking a passion for learning upon everyone she encounters. She lives, breathes and inspires a love for math and science wherever she goes, and for this, our school, community and world will be changed for the better.”

Other Nominees

McEwan and Evans were chosen from among the Teachers of the Year at each school in the Hoover district. Here is the complete list of Teachers of the Year from each school:

Elementary/intermediate schools

► Bluff Park Elementary: Geri Evans

► Brock’s Gap Intermediate: Lisa Sparkman

► Deer Valley Elementary: Samantha Thrasher

► Green Valley Elementary: Melissa Wilcox

► Greystone Elementary: Anna Tow

► Gwin Elementary: Kelley Feagin

► Riverchase Elementary: Courtney Beam

► Rocky Ridge Elementary: Jennifer Manley

► Shades Mountain Elementary: Elizabeth Lochamy

► South Shades Crest Elementary: Karen Pirkle

► Trace Crossings Elementary: Celeste Burton

Middle schools

► Bumpus: Jasmine Jenkins

► Berry: Tory Hixon

► Simmons: Sarah Cox

High schools

► Hoover: Paul McEwan

► Spain Park: Joy Gonzalez

► RC3: Andy Poker