Hogan leaves her mark on Hoover High

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Hoover High School Principal Jennifer Hogan shocked a lot of people with her announcement in late May that she would be retiring July 1.

Hogan has been principal at Hoover High for two years and had planned to stay at least three more years, but with her parents experiencing health challenges, she felt it was more important for her to be there for them than remain at Hoover High, she said. 

She didn’t feel she could do what she needs to do for her parents and still give 100% at Hoover High, and the school deserves someone who can give it 100%, she said.

Even though Hogan had been principal just two years, she had a total of 14 years at the school and made a lasting impact, observers said. Here is what various people had to say about Hogan and her contributions:

AMY TOSNEY

Hoover school board member Amy Tosney said she was one of the people who recruited Hogan to come out of retirement to be principal at Hoover.

Tosney said she was devastated when she heard Hogan was leaving. “She was the perfect administrator for Hoover High School. It is the hardest job that we have in our district, I think by far,” Tosney said. “I’m always nervous, but I have not been nervous for two years … She is a great leader. She handles teachers very well. She’s just a calming person in the building.”

Hogan was an athlete at Berry High School, but she doesn’t give preferential treatment to a certain segment of the student body, Tosney said.

“Kids really like her. She shows up at their stuff,” Tosney said. “She understands the athletes. She understands the fine arts kids. She understands an academic kid.” Even though Hogan was an athlete, “she will show up at a random show choir event, a band event. She just wants to make sure she shows up for every kid.”

When the previous principal, John Montgomery, left many teachers said they wished they could get Hogan to return from her first retirement as an assistant principal in 2021, Tosney said.

Hogan has a deep love for Hoover High, Tosney said.

“She loved everything about it, and she loved being in charge of that school. When I called her the other day, I could tell she was really sad,” Tosney said. “I don’t think this is what she wants, but she’s the kind of person … if she can’t give it 100%, she’s not going to give it 80. She'd rather give it nothing — just clean-cut it and let somebody else step in, which is so admirable. I think she’s fantastic.”

When controversy erupted over Hoover’s new head football coach and the treatment of players by him and another coach in practice in August 2024, Hogan handled it well, Tosney said. Both coaches were placed on administrative leave while the incidents were reviewed and then quickly resigned.

“That was something that none of us knew quite how to handle,” Tosney said. “She doesn’t shy away from getting in the face of things that need to be done. She took the helm, and she handled it how she needed to handle it. That was just a mess.”

Tosney said she has always been impressed with Hogan’s spirit and character. In her first year as principal, Hogan did a book study with parents on raising teenagers. She was interested in the whole child and walking alongside the whole family, Tosney said.

Hogan’s departure has “rattled everybody because they settled into her leadership so quickly,” Tosney said. “This is a big loss. Hoover High School is the biggest beast we own, and she is just so great … It’ll be big shoes to fill.”

JANET ORT

Janet Ort, a science teacher at Hoover High for 27 years, said Hogan sets some of the highest standards that any leader or faculty member at the school has ever had. She not only expects a lot of others; she first expects a lot of herself, and she lives what she preaches, Ort said.

Hogan encourages those around her to dream big, Ort said. She listens to people, gives feedback and works hard at knowing what it will take for everyone to be successful and then works to make it happen, Ort said.

“She always wants people to grow professionally,” Ort said. “In the past two years, she has set this amazing tone of excellence and character and encouragement and knowing students on a lot of different levels and knowing all types of students and knowing a lot of different faculty.”

Hogan stands in the gap for people and removes impediments that are holding them back, Ort said.

“That’s the mark of a very secure and visionary leader — to be able to remove impediments.” Ort said. “She’s a person I respect greatly, and she’s who we needed.”

MARA READ

Mara Read, incoming president of the Hoover High School Parent Teacher Student Organization, said Hogan will be missed greatly.

“Her personality suits her to a tee with a job like that. She is so open and welcoming of thoughts and ideas. I just feel like she just has a really positive presence at the school. Many of us are going to be very sad to see her go,” Read said. “As much as I’m going to miss her being at Hoover High School, I’m so proud of her for this decision that she’s making. I know it was a very difficult decision, but she is doing the right thing. There’s no greater thing than to have your parents long enough to be able to care for them. I’m really proud of her as a human for making this tough decision.”

Hogan has been a really good leader with a no-nonsense approach when dealing with complications, and her communication to the parents has been wonderful,” Read said.

“I admire how she doesn’t jump to communicate with parents until she has all the information,” Read said. “Instead of us receiving early misinformation, she will wait until she has dotted her i’s and crossed her t’s. She’s so, so professional. I think she’s just been a real gift to Hoover High.

She’s going to be missed for sure, but I have complete faith that our school board will find the next right fit for us.”

DAVID BANNISTER

David Bannister, a board member for the Buccaneer Touchdown Club and founder of the Neighborhood Bridges program, said Hogan’s departure is a huge loss, but he understands why she made the decision.

Hogan’s hire as principal probably was the most consequential hire the system has had since Gene Godwin was hired to lead Hoover High in 1998, Bannister said. Hogan got the job because of her past accomplishments and because she was the most qualified person, but it meant a lot that she was the first Hoover principal to be an alumnus of the school system, he said.

“Jennifer has always taken a very technology and student-focused approach to all of her administrative work,” Bannister said. “I think that’s important both pre- and post-COVID because the needs of the students have shifted from when you and I and others have been in school. Today’s administrators certainly have a lot more challenges. Jennifer was really up for that challenge. She was really putting some of the shine back on Hoover and making it the top job in the state again.”

Hogan also was a very hands-on principal, Bannister said. While she delegated some work to her assistants and others and empowered them, she was involved in things herself, too, Bannister said.

“She was at almost everything,” he said. “I don't know how she found the time. I don't know how she was able to cover it all, but she somehow did.”

ALAN PAQUETTE

Hoover school board President Alan Paquette said Hoover High is the largest high school and most diverse school in the state and has remarkable achievements in academics, fine arts and athletics.

“It takes a very special person and a top-of-the-class leader to make all of these great things happen,” Paquette said. “That is who Dr. Jennifer Hogan is, and she will be difficult to replace.”

Editor's note: This story was edited at 3:43 p.m. on July 7 to correct the year that Gene Godwin was hired as principal at Hoover High.