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Photo by Jon Anderson
Krystal Pettit, a seventh grade science teacher at Simmons Middle School in Hoover, Alabama, (right) is congratulated by instructional support teacher Sarah Cox after being named the Hoover City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover schools Superintendent Kevin Maddox talks with Krystal Pettit, a seventh grade science teacher at Simmons Middle School in Hoover, Alabama, after she was named as the Hoover City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Krystal Pettit, a seventh grade science teacher at Simmons Middle School in Hoover, Alabama, learns that she has been named the Hoover City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Krystal Pettit, a seventh grade science teacher at Simmons Middle School in Hoover, Alabama, poses for a photo with one of her classes and Hoover school district leaders on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, after being named the Hoover City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Krystal Pettit, a seventh grade science teacher at Simmons Middle School in Hoover, Alabama, was named the Hoover City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Krystal Pettit, a seventh grade science teacher at Simmons Middle School in Hoover, Alabama, (at right) is congratulated by Assistant Superintendent Desiree Smith for being named the Hoover City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover City Schools Superintendent Kevin Maddox congatulates Krystal Pettit, a seventh grade science teacher at Simmons Middle School in Hoover, Alabama, for being named the Hoover City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Krystal Pettit, a seventh grade science teacher at Simmons Middle School in Hoover, Alabama, (center) is congratulated by school district leaders for being named the Hoover City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.. Others in the photo, from left, are Assistant Superintendent Chris Robbins, Superintendent Kevin Maddox, Simmons Middle School Principal Walter Womack and Assistant Superintendent Desiree Smith.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Krystal Pettit, a seventh grade science teacher at Simmons Middle School in Hoover, Alabama, (center) poses for a photo with fellow science teachers Andrea Caprare and Chris White after being named the Hoover City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Krystal Pettit, a seventh grade science teacher at Simmons Middle School in Hoover, Alabama, (at right) is congratulated by Assistant Superintendent Desiree Smith for being named the Hoover City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Krystal Pettit, a seventh grade science teacher at Simmons Middle School in Hoover, Alabama, (holding the balloon) on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, was congratulated by school district leaders for being named the Hoover City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year. Others in the photo, from left, are Simmons Middle School Principal Walter Womack, Superintendent Kevin Maddox and Assistant Superintendent for Administration Desiree Smith.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Krystal Pettit, a seventh grade science teacher at Simmons Middle School in Hoover, Alabama, is congratulated by fellow teacher Chris White after being named the Hoover City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
Krystal Pettit, a science teacher at Simmons Middle School, today was named the Hoover City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year.
Pettit has been teaching at Simmons for 19 years and is in her 27th year overall of teaching, having previously taught at schools in California and Texas.
Last year, she was nominated for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, and in 2014, she was the Alabama Science Teachers Association Middle School Science Teacher of the Year. She also has received several grants from the Hoover City Schools Foundation for special projects and is a certified science, technology, engineering and math teacher through the National Institute of STEM Education and is a trained NASA lead teacher by the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville.
Pettit serves as Simmons Middle School’s seventh grade science curriculum facilitator and is a sponsor of the Simmons Middle School Scholars Bowl team and assistant cross-country coach.
She was surprised with the Hoover City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year Award today by school district leaders in her classroom with her students present. Pettit also now moves forward to represent Hoover in the Alabama Teacher of the Year competition.
Other Teachers of the Year for individual secondary schools in Hoover are:
- Alisha Slay, Berry Middle School
- Chad James, Bumpus Middle School
- Parker Wade, Hoover High School
- Ki Shin, Spain Park High School
- Amber Friedman, Riverchase Career Connection Center
Editor's note: This post was updated at 4:25 p.m. to correct the total number of years Pettit has been teaching school. This is her 27th year.
