Photo by Jon Anderson
Drew Ellis, at right, is welcomed as the new band director at Spain Park High School during a Hoover school board meeting at the Farr Administration Building in Hoover, Alabama, on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. He is joined by his wife and two daughters.
The Hoover Board of Education on Tuesday night approved Drew Ellis as the new band director at Spain Park High School.
Ellis replaces Craig Cagle, who had been at Spain Park the past three years.
Ellis comes to Spain Park from Saraland High School, where he has served as assistant director of bands for four years and produced the drill and provided all of the visual instruction for Saraland’s halftime show. Prior to that, he was the band director at Samson High School in Geneva County. He also was named Teacher of the Year at Samson Middle School in 2019.
Ellis obtained his bachelor’s degree in music from Auburn University, where he played in all the bands, and then earned a master’s degree in education from Troy University, where he was a member of various band ensembles. Both of Ellis’ parents were band directors as well.
“Mr. Ellis has expertise and experience in conducting concert, jazz and marching bands,” Spain Park Principal Amanda Esslinger said. “I am so excited about the knowledge, innovative ideas and enthusiasm for music that he is bringing to Spain Park.”
Ellis told the Hoover school board Tuesday night that he is excited to be in Hoover and to be named the new band director at Spain Park.
“Never in a million years did I think I would ever be in the Hoover city school system,” he said. “My wife and I are ecstatic that this has become a reality for us. I really do think we’re going to be able to do some really great things with the Spain Park band.”
Ellis said also looks forward to working with Richard Adams, who has been Spain Park’s assistant band director for five years, heading percussion instruction and directing the symphonic band.
Spain Park’s marching band has about 150 students in it. Summer practice is set to begin the last two weeks of July. The music and student leadership team for this year already has been selected.
In other business Tuesday night, the Hoover school board:
- Agreed to pay P&M Mechanical $240,790 to install a new boiler at Trace Crossings Elementary School and $221,240 to install a new boiler at Bluff Park Elementary School, and to pay McAbee Construction $295,420 to install a new boiler at Brock’s Gap Intermediate School.
- Approved a new salary schedule for the 2024-25 school year
- Heard a report from Chief Financial Officer Michele McCay that the school system had almost a full year’s worth of reserves as of April 30, but that number likely will decline throughout the rest of the fiscal year because most of the tax revenues for the year already have been collected. The fiscal year ends Sept. 30.
- Honored Berry Middle School teacher Melody Greene for being selected for a Heart of Education Award by the Drummond Co., an award that came with a $1,000 grant for her sixth grade science classroom.
- Honored Francisco Rojas-Carrillo, a student in the Fire Science Academy at the Riverchase Career Connection Center, for helping pull someone from a burning vehicle along U.S. 31 in October. Rojas-Carrillo was making deliveries for Door Dash at the time but stopped to help.
Photo by Jon Anderson
Francisco Rojas-Carrillo, a student at the Fire Science Academy at the Riverchase Career Connection Center, third from left, is honored for helping pull a person from a burning vehicle in a vehicle crash on U.S. 31 in Hoover, Alabama, in October during a Hoover school board meeting at the Farr Administration Building on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Standing with him, from left are fire Lt. Jeff Otwell, English Language Learner teacher Mollie Applegate and fire Lt. Landon Johnson.
- Heard a report from Chief Talent Officer Desiree Smith that 197 new employees have been hired to fill vacancies since March 20. Just prior to Tuesday’s meeting, the school system still had 38 vacant certified jobs (such as teachers, counselors, librarians or administrators) and 22 vacant classified jobs (such as custodians, child nutrition employees and other support staff).
- Heard a report from Superintendent Craig Maddox and Hoover City Administrator Ken Grimes about a joint training exercise conducted between Hoover public safety personnel and school system personnel to test the two groups’ ability to handle a significant tornado and an active shooter situation. “It was an amazing experience for all of us,” Maddox said. Grimes said public safety workers were impressed with how well prepared the school administrators were, especially considering some of the changes in personnel since the last similar training exercise was conducted several years back.
- Heard concerns from the president of the Riverchase Elementary PTO about the departure of three longtime elementary school principals in the district.
