By Anna Grace Moore
Photos Contributed
The power of a mentor lies in his ability to instill in others an unwavering enthusiasm for learning, whether that be in the face of adversity or as the catalyst to pursue a far-fetched dream. Dr. Justin Hefner credits his own role models for the success he has cultivated over his 15-year career in education.
As the superintendent for Homewood City Schools, Justin says he never wanted to be a teacher, much less go into education, until late in the college game. After preparing for a career in sports medicine and coaching youth sports, Justin changed his major to secondary education, specializing in language arts.
Upon graduating from Texas Tech University, Justin spent several years working as a camp director before returning to the classroom and earning his Master’s in Education from Texas State University. During this time, he met his wife and embarked on a cross-country journey that would forever change the trajectory of his career.
“When I moved here as an educator, I did my research on school systems,” Justin says. “The first time that I visited, Homewood just truly felt like home for me. What I love most about Homewood is the community spirit and love for our community and the fact that people care genuinely about one another here.”
Justin began teaching language arts at Montevallo Middle School upon making the move to the Yellowhammer State in 2009. He made the jump to Homewood Middle School in 2012, even earning the school’s coveted Teacher of the Year Award.
Later on, he was recruited to the Pelham City Schools (PCS) district office, where he worked in the curriculum instruction department, focusing on facility planning. Not long after did Dr. Chuck Ledbetter–PCS’ superintendent–ask him to become the first-ever principal of a brand-new school being built, Pelham Park Middle School.
Justin says he absolutely loved working as principal with the best part of his day being supporting the teachers. With encouragement from his peers, he went back to school at Samford University, earning both his Doctorate in Education and his education specialist degree in 2016.
Not only did Justin serve on Samford’s School Leadership Summit Committee, but he was also awarded the Samford Learning for Life Award. This honor recognizes alumni who have made a significant, positive impact in both their students’ and their peers’ lives within their respective communities.
To his surprise, HCS came calling at the end of the 2019-20 school year with his dream job. On Aug. 5, 2020, Justin assumed the role of superintendent.
“Dr. Bill Cleveland was the superintendent before me, and the superintendent before him was Dr. Jodi Newton, both of whom are heroes of mine,” Justin says. “While Homewood was the dream, I think trying to fill those shoes in my mind was an impossible task, and to be the leaders that they were, they were such icons to me that I just didn’t feel worthy of being in their role. Dr. Cleveland is the example of a servant leader and somebody that I hold so dear, and so replacing him was an impossible task.”
While many believe the 2020-21 school year was the hardest due to the pandemic, Justin says reopening fully in 2021-22 was the toughest year he has ever had in his career. At just 37 years old and the youngest superintendent in the state at the time, Justin felt tremendous pressure to succeed in his role, serving the community.
“What a lot of people don’t realize is when schools are open, we have the ability to serve our students in so many ways that are outside of instruction,” he says.
Making public health decisions for thousands of individuals was not something Justin learned in school; yet, he spent months with his staff consulting local physicians, the state health department, infectious disease specialists and others to figure out exactly how to get students back in the classroom. They started in waves, slowly phasing out online learning and making a push to get every student back in-person in a safe time frame.
“You try to take the best advice, and you call one physician at 9 a.m. and a different physician at 10 a.m., and they would tell you two totally opposite things to do,” he says. “They were pretty scattered on what they thought were best practices and how to tackle this, too. We had people who were very passionate on both sides of that issue. It was the first and only time I felt great division in our community.”
At such a politically polarizing time, Justin found himself once again reaching out to his mentors, heeding their counsel on prioritizing student and faculty safety during a community-wide transition out of quarantine.
On a superficial level, students’ in-person instruction yields better results academically. Students who are food-insecure are also guaranteed at least two out of three meals each day they are in school.
Those in need of counseling or behavioral services can receive such resources. Parents rest assured that they can return to work, and this assurance benefits the economy.
Despite some backlash in the community, Justin steered a course to reopen every school within HCS by the 2022-23 school year. Looking back, he is proud of what was the most challenging time in his career.
“We really want to create an environment where people feel really excited to come to school every day and feel safe and ready to learn and are excited to see their peers and their teachers,” he says. “My goal is to give all that I can of myself to do the work in a way that honors our community.”
Four years since the pandemic’s onset, HCS is seeing the fruits of its labors. On Tuesday, April 23, HCS Director of Communications Merrick Wilson announced that the U.S. News and World Report ranked Homewood High School as the best high school in the Birmingham-metro area, the third best high school in the state of Alabama and number 294 in national rankings of more than 24,000 public high schools across the nation.
In addition to these outstanding accolades, 13 Homewood High School students were named National Merit Semifinalists on Thursday, Sept. 12, which ties the record for the most the school has ever had. These students were chosen by their 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test scores, allowing them to compete for more than $26 million in scholarships among other semifinalists nationwide.
While academics remain of the utmost importance, Homewood High School’s athletics and fine arts programs are also some of the most supported in the state. The Homewood High School varsity boys soccer team won the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) Class 6A Boys’ State Soccer Championship on Saturday, May 11, bringing home their seventh state title in program history.
In 2019, 2022 and 2023, the varsity girls’ soccer team won the AHSAA Class 6A Girls’ State Soccer Championships with multiple players going on to play at the collegiate level. Even on an international playing field, Homewood High School, and therefore HCS, has become pivotal in pushing the boundaries of what is possible for its students.
On Sunday, March 17 in both Dublin and Celbridge, Ireland, the Homewood High School Patriot Marching Band performed in the country’s national St. Patrick’s Day parades. Not only was the Patriot Marching Band the largest band out of the 14 in procession, but it was also the second band in the parade–just after a traditional, Irish band.
“Our elementary schools continue to produce outstanding literacy and numeracy growth and achievement,” Justin says. “Our middle school has done an excellent job of creating new experiences and focusing on enhancing student academic skills. Our fine arts, athletic and extracurricular opportunities continue to excel and provide amazing opportunities for students.”
All together, HCS is one of the best school systems in the state of Alabama. Justin says the success is due to the many parents, teachers, faculty and more who are generous with their time and talents, fostering a wholesome experience for each child.
Mentors encourage those looking up to them to challenge what is socially acceptable, in order to help their pupils achieve greatness. While his humility becomes him, Justin Hefner has mentored the lives of countless others, elevating the standard for greatness in Homewood and beyond.
The Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools
Founded in 1969, the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS) recently chose Homewood City Schools Superintendent Dr. Justin Hefner to serve on its board of directors as the President of the Alabama Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Follow @homewoodcityschools and @homewoodlife on Instagram to stay up to date on Justin’s journey and his accomplishments with the CLAS.
