Life in St. Clair
Explore the possibilities of living, working and playing in St. Clair County. This hidden gem is rolling hillsides, breathtaking valley views, bountiful lakes, meandering creeks and rivers.
It is history, heritage, small town allure and big city amenities all rolled into one. Recreational activities abound, housing is affordable, and education is top-notch.
Come and see why St. Clair County, Alabama is an ideal place to live, work and raise a family.
Educational opportunities are as plentiful as they are diverse. St. Clair County is home to two accredited public school systems, private schools, technical training and a community college.
Four-year institutions are a short commute, and four-year degrees can be earned right here at home through partnerships with St. Clair County’s community college.
Dual enrollment allows high school students to earn college credits before they graduate, and the iCADEMY enables high school students to earn certification in nursing, manufacturing and other fields at the same time they earn their high school diploma.
Benchmarks in Education
PELL CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM ACCOLADES
Elementary Schools
• Outdoor classrooms
• Art and Music Programs
Williams Intermediate
• Moodle Online Courses
• Field trips to Williamsburg and Washington DC
Junior High
• ACCESS (Online) courses available to 8th grade students
• National Award Winning Beta Club
• Regional Winning Scholars Bowl Team
Pell City High School
• Award Winning JROTC Program
• Award Winning FBLA and FFA Programs
• A+ College Ready Grant Recipient
• AP and Dual Enrollment Courses for Students
• iCademy for Manufacturing Technology and Nursing
• For the past three years, seniors have received an average of over $3 million in scholarship money
Systemwide
• Kuder Galaxy and Navigator Online Career Program for all students in K-12
• Students in grades K-12 participate in many service projects:
• The Love Pantry
• Head Start
• St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department
• The Children’s Place
• Christmas Shoebox Project
• Breast Cancer Awareness
• State of the Art Theater
• Indoor Training Facility for Football and Baseball
• Classrooms with Interactive Technology
• Two teachers recognized as Jacksonville Hall of Fame Finalists
• Baseball, Basketball, Softball, Volleyball, Fishing, Wrestling, Golf, Tennis, Archery, Cross Country, Track, Soccer
• All St. Clair County Schools are SAC’s accredited
• AMSTI Schools (Alabama Math and Science Initiative Schools) – Ashville Middle, Moody Elementary, Moody Middle, Moody High and Springville Middle
• ARI Schools (Alabama Reading Initiative Schools) All the elementary schools
• Twenty one National Board Certified Teachers
• During the 2011-2012 school year St. Clair County Education Foundation awarded grants totaling approximately $15,000 to our schools and staff to improve the quality of education in the St. Clair County Schools
• HP recognized St. Clair County Schools in their national publication as an technological innovative school system
• Championship athletic teams include; Ragland High School- 3 peat state softball champions, Ashville Middle School held the national title in archery for 4 years and finished as state champions this year; St. Clair County High held the state wrestling championship last year and a state finalist this year.
• Springville Elementary is home to the Alabama Association of School Nurses, LPN Nurse of the Year, Billie Bunt
• Eden Career Technical Center is recognized for graduating nationally competitive employees
• Currently there are 3 Jr. ROTC Character Education Partnerships and growing in our school district
• State Yearbook Editor Winner-Teacher Mary Morrow-St. Clair County High School
• Superior Rated Marching Bands
• State Beta Club Winners
• National Honor Societies throughout the county
• Four Federally funded-Office of School Readiness Pre-Kindergarten Classrooms-$400,000 grant money per year
• Thirty year successful Migrant Program
• Four 21st Century Grant Programs
• Safe Schools/Healthy Schools Grant totaling $1.5 million
• PLAY Grant-provided fitness facilities across the school system-$700,000
• St. Clair County is poised to implement a 2 to 1 initiative for laptops for students beginning during the 2012-2013 school year
School Systems
Pell City Schools
The Pell City School System’s mission is to work as partners with the staff and community to provide each student with a strong program of study as well as a comfortable learning and working environment while supporting academic rigor and the development of character.
The system consists of seven schools — four elementary, one intermediate, two junior high and one high school.
Learn more about what Pell City Schools have to offer.
St. Clair County Schools
St. Clair County School System’s mission is to ensure that high expectations are maintained for all students by providing quality instruction and involving parents and community so that all students graduate, become responsible, productive citizens and life-long learners.
Nineteen elementary, middle, intermediate, junior high and high schools, a system-wide technical and alternative school make up the St. Clair County School System.
Learn more about what St. Clair County Schools have to offer.
Post-Secondary
Jefferson State Community College, the largest community college in the state, operates a campus in Pell City.
Jefferson State ranks third in the nation among fastest growing community colleges, offering a full slate of academic courses, nursing, associate degrees, distance education, dual enrollment and specialized training.
Through partnerships with four-year institutions, Jefferson State is able to
provide opportunities to earn four-year degrees through the Pell City campus.
Learn more about what Jefferson State Community College has to offer.
Colleges and Universities near St. Clair County:
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Central Alabama Community College
Living in St. Clair County means more house for your money, low property taxes and plenty of options — from lakeside to mountain views to suburban and downtown neighborhoods to historic homes, farms, lofts, apartments and townhomes.
St. Clair County is a recreational paradise. Two lakes with hundreds of miles of shoreline offer living and playing at its best. Mountain trails, a public hunting preserve, two golf courses and wide open places for horses make St. Clair County one of Alabama’s top recreational destination points.
Municipal parks with baseball, football, softball, walking trails, tennis and soccer round out unparalleled opportunities for recreation at any age.
Local Parks & Rec Departments:
Come home to St. Clair County where the living isn’t just easy, it’s affordable.
From our competitive tax structure, our housing market and everyday purchases made in our local stores, the cost to live in St. Clair is among the most affordable in the region, state and nation.
Attractions and activities abound in and around St. Clair County, making it easy to see why St. Clair County has become the fastest growing county in Alabama. If it’s not here at home, it’s right next door.
Historic sites like the Looney House, Inzer Civil War Museum, Fortson Museum, Ft. Strother, Homestead Hollow and Horsepens 40 draw tourists to St. Clair County each year.
Race fans will enjoy neighboring Talladega Superspeedway for NASCAR or Barber Motorsports for Indy Car and motorcycle racing. Here at home, Steele Raceway features drag racing, and Mill Creek draws motocross to its Pell City park from around the country each year.
Check out the world-class fishing at Logan Martin Lake and Neely Henry Lake, or hunt wild game on thousands of acres of public hunting land at our county’s preserve. Or take advantage of the abundance of private hunting camps available.
Patrons of the arts will be drawn to Artscape Gallery and Pell City Center for Education the Performing Arts in the heart of St. Clair County, and myriad theaters, concert halls, art galleries and museums await within a 40-minute drive.
Shopping in and around St. Clair County ranges from antiques and unique, locally owned specialty shops to strip malls to a high end retail outlet and outdoor and enclosed malls.
Air Service
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport is Alabama’s largest airport serving the Greater Birmingham area and surrounding Southeastern cities. It offers 120 daily flights to 45 airports in 42 cities throughout the United States. It ranks in the country’s top 75 airports for passengers served annually, serving more than 2.9 million passengers in 2010.
It is located on Birmingham’s eastern side, less than a 50-minute drive from St. Clair’s farthest point.
For more, click here.
St. Clair County Airport (PLR) is located three miles southeast of Pell City.
It features:
AWOS: 119.625
Operation 7 Days A Week, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Saturday;
11 a.m.-until 5 p.m. CST, Sundays
Self Serve Fuel 100LL 24 hours
3/21 5002′X80′ runways
103 aircraft based on field
Hangar rental and tie-down rental available.
Flight Training and Aircraft rental available.
For more, click here.
Interstates and Highways
Interstate 20 — west to Birmingham and Mississippi; east to Atlanta, Ga.
Interstate 59 — south to Birmingham and Mississippi; north to Tennessee
U.S. 231 — south to Florida; north to Tennessee
U.S. 411 — south to Florida; north to Tennessee
Rail Service
CSX and Norfolk-Southern provide freight service with railroad spurs connecting various industrial sites with main rail service.