By CLARKE STACKHOUSE/ Staff Writer

ALABASTER — Family and students gathered at Thompson High School the night of Oct. 25 for Warrior Family Night.

The night was dedicated toward parents getting to know their children’s teachers and offered college and career information for all the students.

THS principal Wesley Hester welcomed all of the parents and students and said how thankful he was at the large turnout and the things Thompson and the Alabaster City School system was doing to help prepare their students for the future.

“We are strongly focusing on college prep,” Hester said. “We are here to make sure they succeed in college and their lives afterward.”

The night was similar to traditional open house “but with and added twist” Hester said.

The twist was the representatives from different colleges, universities and military institutions filled the gym lobby, giving students information that may otherwise not be readily available to them.

“We want to do everything we can to prepare your children, our students for college and beyond,” Hester said.

Hester gave an update on the school and the programs being implemented to better prepare the students for their post high school lives.

One of the programs is an incentive program for students in advanced placement classes that pass their AP test and receive college credit. Hester said the program awards a gift card for every AP exam a student passed.

THS college & career counselor Pam Vickers said that the gift cards are a part of the A+ College Ready grant and awards students that make qualifying scores of 3, 4 or 5 on AP English, science and math exams.

Hester said Alabaster City schools is taking an additional step and awarding students taking AP courses in art and history.

“It shouldn’t matter the courses the students are taking,” Hester said. “They are challenging themselves and doing well, they should be rewarded too.”

Hester thanked the parents for all they had done and said the school had a record number of A-B honor roll students last year.

“We had 795 A-B honor roll students, more than we have ever had,” he said. “That record is broken because of our outstanding teachers and staff, and because of you the parents for supporting your children’s education.”