Kaleb Moode with his wife, Erin Williams.
Q: Please tell our readers about yourself.
A: I was born in Center Point before moving to Trussville during my sixth grade year. I am the first from my family to attend college and to leave Birmingham. I spent my first two years at the University of Alabama before transferring to the University of South Florida. My experiences at USF helped to shape me into the person I am today. It was a truly international school with people from all over the world and from countless walks of life. Upon moving back to Birmingham, I found Cristo Rey Birmingham [formerly Holy Family Cristo Rey, or HFCR] by accident. During the summer of 2018, I was trying to find the old Holy Family Hospital, since my great-great-grandmother worked there, when I saw that HFCR was hiring a history teacher. I applied and received the job. I spent five years as a history teacher before transitioning into the assistant principal role. I am now entering my fourth year as assistant principal and ninth year overall. While teaching, I met my now-wife, Erin Williams. We enjoy traveling and attending countless Dave Matthews Band concerts all around the world.
Q: Which Trussville schools did you attend, and when did you graduate from HTHS?
A: I started my time in Trussville City Schools when I moved to Trussville in the sixth grade. I graduated from HTHS in 2012.
Q: What did you love most about growing up in the Trussville community?
A: What I enjoyed most about growing up in Trussville was being able to see it grow as I grew up. Throughout my childhood, Trussville underwent tremendous growth and change for the better. It was awesome getting to see that transformation.
Photos courtesy of Kaleb Moode.
Kaleb Moode, a 2012 graduate of Hewitt-Trussville High School and current assistant principal of Cristo Rey Birmingham.
Q: Is there a certain event or place in Trussville that signifies what you love about that community?
A: The Starbucks on Hwy 11 stands out as a place that exemplifies the Trussville community. I spent a considerable amount of time there to decompress and work on lessons during my first year teaching. I have never met a stranger, so I inevitably started talking to people while I was there. There I met Mr. and Mrs. Richard and Anita Norton, who have been pillars in the Trussville community. The countless conversations with them and with others helped to build a sense of community that endures to this day.
Q: Was there a particular teacher or class growing up in Trussville that led you to decide to pursue a career in education?
A: I cannot narrow it down to one person, so I will give you three. Mr. Bob Haynes was my AP U.S. History teacher and instilled a love of history that has stuck with me my entire life. I also had Mr. Nick Lemonds [Spanish] and Mrs. Simona Herring [Speech]. Both of their classes challenged my perspectives and pushed me out of my comfort zone. That helped me develop into the open-minded and accepting person I am today.
Q: Where did you attend college and what degree did you obtain?
A: I received my bachelor’s degree in criminology from the University of South Florida. I went on to complete two master’s programs. I received my first master’s degree in social science education from Troy University. The second master’s degree was in educational leadership from UAB.
Q: Why did you decide to pursue a career in educational administration?
A: I saw the successes from the unique approach I was able to take in my classroom and wanted to implement that on a schoolwide level. At Cristo Rey Birmingham, we serve over 31 ZIP codes, so our students come to us with various educational experiences. Being able to tailor our curriculum to meet their needs while preparing them for the rigors of college is my constant source of inspiration.
Q: What do you love most about being the assistant principal at Cristo Rey Birmingham?
A: I love the fact that since we are a small school I have a chance to get to know each student. We are able to tailor their schedule to empower them not only to get into college but graduate as well. By the time that they are ready to graduate I hope to have played a role in helping shape their future.
Q: What does a typical day look like for you at Cristo Rey Birmingham?
A: Being present in the hallways and classrooms is very important to me. I typically try to make my way to each classroom at least once a day, whether that is through formal observations or just checking in. I believe it is important to be a presence not only for the faculty but the students as well. When I am not making my way through the halls or classrooms, I am also meeting with Lex Brown and Mrs. Charity Bowen of our amazing college-going team to make sure they have all of the resources they need to prepare our students to find the best fit possible.
Q: Is there a student or event that has been particularly meaningful for you at HFCR?
A: It is hard to narrow down one select group of people or event, but seeing the hard work and dedication that our students put in each and every day to push themselves out of their comfort zone is nothing short of inspiring.
Q: Where do you see yourself personally and professionally five years from now?
A: The founder of the Cristo Rey Network, Father John Foley, stated that, “Our mission is to make the Kingdom of God concrete in the here and now, not merely to make things slightly better, but to effect transformational change at every level.” Five years from now, I see myself continuing to strive towards achieving transformational change at every level for our school community.
Q: Is Cristo Rey Birmingham still accepting student applications?
A: Yes! We are still accepting applications for incoming ninth and tenth grade students.
