ACS — Marking the official kickoff of the 2026-2027 School Year, Alabaster City Schools leadership rallied educators and staff during the district’s annual Institute event, which carried a theme this year of "Promises in Action."
The August 10th gathering began with high-energy performances by the Thompson High School Pep Band and THS cheerleaders. Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers and Board of Education President Mr. Adam Moseley welcomed everyone to the district’s 14th year of operation, highlighting academic growth, capital improvements, data trends, and the community's evolution from its founding motto of "Promises Made" to "Promises Kept," and now "Promises in Action."
"In Alabaster City Schools, Promises in Action is not just a slogan," Dr. Vickers said. "It is the living, breathing heart of everything we do. Families trust us with their most precious gifts every day. We honor that trust by making every year extraordinary, rich with discovery, packed with opportunity, and full of purpose."
Institute 2026 welcomed returning educators alongside first-year district personnel, crediting staff members for trading summer downtime for detailed lesson planning, training, and classroom preparation ahead of students' arrival for the new academic year, which began August 13. The entire ACS Board of Education attended the ceremony, along with leaders from the City of Alabaster.
During the presentation, leadership outlined four core challenges for district employees for the upcoming school year:
Commit to continuous learning: Stretch professional boundaries and model lifelong growth.
Deliver daily excellence: Lead with purpose, teach with passion, and create a lasting legacy.
Support colleagues: Serve as extraordinary teammates by lifting up fellow staff members.
Execute Promises in Action: Instill confidence, resilience, and kindness in students, particularly when they face struggles.
District leadership also emphasized the unique milestone of welcoming former Alabaster graduates back into district classrooms as hired professional colleagues.
"As a district, we have achieved extraordinary success together, but we are only getting started," Dr. Vickers noted. "The greatest chapter of Alabaster City Schools is the one we are about to write."