Hoover Choral Department Faculty and Staff

JOHN KINCAID (Director) is in his 29th year teaching choral music, his ninth at Hoover High School. After serving at Simmons Middle school for 15 years, he spent 4 years at Mountain Brook High School,  growing the choral program from 160 to 250 students before returning to the Hoover system.

Mr. Kincaid earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Birmingham Southern College and a Masters of Music Education at Mississippi State University.

Mr. Kincaid is an active member of the Alabama Vocal Association (AVA) and American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) where his positions have included President, Treasurer, Men's Choir and Middle School Repertoire and Resources Chair. Mr. Kincaid has also served as an adjudicator and clinician for multiple music camps and festivals throughout the southeast.
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He truly believes that he has the best job in the world, and recognizes that this view is possible because of the support and encouragement of his wife Delle, and children Matthew and Tess.

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AMANDA SLAY (Associate Director) is in her 16th year of teaching choral music in Alabama. This is her ninth year as the Associate Choral Director at Hoover High School. Mrs. Slay also teaches IB Music as part of the Hoover High School International Baccalaureate programme and serves as Fine Arts Academy coordinator. Before coming to Hoover, Mrs. Slay taught at Shades Valley High School in Irondale and Paul W. Bryant High School in Tuscaloosa City.

Mrs. Slay holds a Bachelor’s degree in Choral Music Education from the University of Montevallo, a Masters of Music Education from The Florida State University, and currently is pursuing a DMA in Music Education from Boston University.

Mrs. Slay is President-Elect of the Alabama Vocal Association (AVA) and is an active member of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA).
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Mrs. Slay is very proud to be a BUC and for the daily opportunity to work with the tremendously talented students at Hoover High School! She also recognizes the success she has found would not be possible without the steadfast love, understanding, patience, and support of her spouse (Lauren) and two beautiful children, Thomas and Charli.

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MATTHEW TOONE (Accompanist) has accompanied Simmons Middle School, Mountain Brook High School, and Hoover High School choirs, with John Kincaid as choir director, for 27 years. He is an integral part of the success of our students and program. He is the organist for Saint Mark United Methodist Church, where he has served since 2003. He is also a Senior Tax Specialist in the corporate tax department at PNC Bank.

DELLE KINCAID (Paradigm Co-Director) is currently in her 17th teaching in Hoover and is currently the Director of Theater Arts at Simmons Middle School. As a director and choreographer, she has worked with various groups across the state including Theatre Tuscaloosa, Lee Lyric Theater and the Academy Children’s Theatre (Huntsville), Mountain Brook HS, and Beaux Arts Krewe (Birmingham, AL).  In addition to musical theatre, Mrs. Kincaid has choreographed competitive show choirs around the state including Helena MS and HS, Berry MS, Simmons MS and Hoover HS (Hoover, AL), and the Alabama All-State Choir.

Mrs. Kincaid holds a Masters of Education degree from the University of West Alabama and a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. In addition, she holds a K-12 certification for Theater and became Nationally Board Certified in 2010. She is a member of the National Thespian Society, the Alabama Theater Educators Association, the Alabama Educators Association, and the National Educators Association. Mrs. Kincaid served on the executive board of the State Thespian Chapter and as the state's Thespian Festival Director and was named the Teacher of the Year for Simmons MS in 2016.

Delle is keenly aware of the fact her success would not be possible without her family.  She is incredibly grateful for the love and support of her husband John, and children Matthew and Tess.

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STEPHANIE DAVISTON (Grace Note Co-Director) is in her 4th year of teaching, and her 2nd year as the director of Hoover High School's Grace Note. Teaching choir is her second career, and she graduated with her Master's Degree in Music Education from UAB in December of 2021. Mrs. Daviston was very lucky to get to do her student teaching with the Hoover High School choral department. She meets with Grace Note members to rehearse one evening per week, and teaches full-time at Springville Middle School. She is extremely grateful to have the opportunity to work with such talented students and such a fantastic choral program. She would also like to give special thanks for the love and support of her husband, Ben, and son, Emmett.