Hoover City Schools is excited to announce the district’s 2026-2027 Teachers of the Year: Callie Miller of Riverchase Elementary School has been named Elementary Teacher of the Year, and Krystal Pettit of Simmons Middle School has earned the title of Secondary Teacher of the Year. In a surprise announcement, leaders visited both schools to personally celebrate these exceptional educators and their contributions to student success.

Callie Miller is an exceptional education teacher at Riverchase Elementary School who is respected for her commitment to creating a welcoming and engaging learning environment where every child is seen, valued, and challenged to grow.

Her teaching philosophy is grounded in a belief that every child should value their school experience and every school should value each child. She builds her classroom around high expectations, meaningful learning, and an unwavering belief in her students’ abilities. One of her most defining practices is a yearly community lesson centered on the book All Are Welcome, where students work together to create a puzzle representing their connected classroom community. This experience not only challenges all learners but also builds a sense of community, helping shape a school culture where every student feels seen and supported.

Beyond her classroom, Miller works intentionally to ensure her students are active, visible members of the school community. Through collaboration with colleagues, she provides opportunities for students to participate in safety patrol, student-led groups, and weekly community experiences that promote campus-wide inclusion. Her dedication enriches not only her students’ lives but the culture of Riverchase Elementary as a whole.

Miller earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in special education from The University of Alabama and has continued to expand her impact through programs such as HOPE Academy and through service as a teacher mentor, exceptional education lead teacher, and member of the school’s accreditation and leadership teams. She has also been recognized with honors, including Nick Kid’s Teacher of the Year and Drummond Teacher of the Month.

Krystal Pettit, a seventh-grade life science teacher at Simmons Middle School, has served Hoover City Schools for 19 years. Her teaching career began in a Title I school in Southern California, where she discovered that science becomes meaningful when students can touch, test, and observe it unfolding. That belief has shaped her teaching throughout her career. Her classroom is built on trust, belonging, and high expectations, with a focus on connecting learning to real-world experiences. She invests deeply in relationships that last well beyond seventh grade, recognizing each student’s strengths