🌱 Hoover Ranked 5th Best School District In AL + Safe Haven Baby Box

Hello, neighbors! It's me, Miranda Fraraccio, your host of the Patch newsletter. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: Brilliant sunshine and warm. High: 89 Low: 64.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny and very warm. High: 90 Low: 64.

Here are the top three stories in Hoover today:

1. On Thursday, Hoover was ranked as the fifth-best school district in Alabama for 2024 by niche.com, a prominent school and community ranking and review website. The ranking criteria pulls key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews from students and parents, including state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, teacher quality, and public school district ratings. Hoover’s overall grade was an A+, receiving high marks in not only academics, but also in extracurricular areas. (Hoover Sun)
2. On Sep. 22 students, teachers, and faculty across Hoover participated in "Give Hope Day," wearing gold to spread awareness about childhood cancer. The event was sponsored by the nonprofit Hope for Autumn Foundation and is the largest childhood cancer awareness day in the state. (WVTM13 Birmingham)
3. Several cities throughout the state, including Hoover, will soon be installing "Safe Haven Baby Boxes" at fire stations. These will allow parents of infants to safely and anonymously surrender their child. These climate-controlled spaces will be monitored by first responders, who will transport the child to a hospital when placed inside. Local nonprofit "Kids to Love Foundation" will install 10 baby boxes throughout the state, which they hope to have completed by November. (WIAT CBS42)

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Today and tomorrow in and around Hoover:

Saturday, September 30

• Oktoberfest At Carrigan's Beer Garden, Birmingham (4:00 PM)
• The Market At Brocks Gap Brewing Co. (8:00 AM)

Sunday, October 1

• Goat Yoga At Hoover Public Library (10:15 AM)

From my notebook:

• The 12th annual "Taste of Hoover" returns to Aldridge Gardens next week, on Oct. 5 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Guests can plan to experience live music and sample food and beverages from at least 41 restaurants. (Hoover Sun)
• Fall is here, and the beautiful foliage is right behind it! Alabama State Parks has compiled a list of some of the best Fall color locations in the Southeast region of the state, all of which have overnight accommodations, activities, and amenities. You can book your next park adventure online. (Alabama State Parks via Instagram)
• This Fall, the Hoover YMCA will be offering free English language classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for residents 18 and older. Classes begin next week, on Oct. 2, and no registration is required. (Hoover YMCA via Facebook)

Alrighty, you're all good for today. I'll be in your inbox soon with another update!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she earned degrees in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or practicing film photography.