HOOVER – Spain Park High School outpaced the Hoover City Schools district as a whole in graduation rate and college and career readiness, Superintendent Kathy Murphy told the HCS Board of Education.

As part of the superintendent’s report to the BOE at its July 11 meeting, Murphy said recently released graduation rates for the 2016-17 academic year were 94 percent for SPHS, 92 percent for Hoover High School and 93 percent for the school district as a whole.

Spain Park received an 84-percent mark for college and career readiness, Murphy said, compared to 82 percent for HHS and 83 percent for the district.

“We’re proud of that, but we have room to grow and get even better,” Murphy said.

Earlier in the meeting, two Spain Park students who worked over the summer to earn their degrees were recognized by Principal Larry Giangrosso.

“I told them, I want you to remember two things: Hoover City Schools does not give up on students, and parents do not give up on their children, so don’t give up on yourselves,” Giangrosso said. “If you don’t think this is a big deal, try going through life without a high school diploma.”

In other business, the board:

-Approved personnel actions including 58 appointments, 45 replacements, 13 new positions, 16 transfers, 11 resignations, 10 leaves of absence, three retirements representing 54 years of service, two requests for supplements and five substitute bus driver requests. “It is that time of the year,” Murphy said. “A lot has been happening in HR.”

-Approved a monthly financial statement and heard from Murphy that the system had received 82 percent of budgeted revenue through May, a positive variance of $4.8 million compared to the same time last year, and also reported $1.3 million less in expenditures compared to 2016.

-Heard from Chris Peters, pastor of Cross Creek Church, which worships at Deer Valley Elementary School. Peters expressed concern after hearing about a possible change in policy related to use of HCS facilities.