City elementary schools to combine into new intermediate facility on west campus

Aug. 18—East and West Elementary schools will soon need to bury the hatchet to their longstanding, friendly rivalry after the unveiling of a planned Intermediate School on Monday, Aug. 14, which would combine all of Cullman City School's students grades 3-5 under one roof.

Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff first mentioned the proposed project to the Cullman City School Board last month as a part of his 2023 Pillars of Commitment and Strategic Plan for the Future. Details at the time were limited due to an ongoing facility study by Lathan and Associates.

President Rick Lathan and Production Manager Paul Callan of Lathan and Associates presented the results of this study, along with concept renderings of the new facility, to the board on Monday. Citing the three key factors looked at throughout the study — available property, future expansion possibilities and traffic flow — the group recommended the current West Elementary campus as the site for the proposed intermediate school.

Early estimates project the intermediate campus being completed sometime during the 2026-2027 school year.

To accommodate the increased number of students the existing campus would receive a robust renovation and expansion which would be the largest portion of what Kallhoff called Phase Two of the district's capital growth plan.

Phase One of the plan consists of the currently ongoing construction at both Cullman City Primary and Cullman Middle schools.

The proposal featured adding a new second-floor, 18-classroom wing to the campus which would also house administrative office space. The existing gymnasium would be converted into a STEM lab which would create an expanded area for robotics, 3D printing and drone operation lessons. A new multipurpose building would be used as a gymnasium while doubling as a storm shelter.

Several areas of the existing campus would also be modified to increase security and provide more common area space. An enclosed concourse spanning the length of the building would allow students access to the entire campus. Removing the school's stage would allow for the expansion of the current cafeteria and library. The Smith Center would then be converted into professional development space.

Once complete, the expanded intermediate campus will feature up-to 14 classrooms per grade level, self-contained special education classrooms, resource special education classrooms, an English language learners and speech room, a music room, art room, gifted room and lab space.

Also included within the Phase Two projects were renovations at the East Elementary and Cullman High School campuses.

Once elementary students relocate to the completed intermediate school renovations would begin to better suit the East Elementary campus as an additional site for the district's Pre-K program. These renovations would allow for nearly double the capacity of the programs three and four year old students currently attending CCPS.

A multi-level wing would be added adjacent to the current CHS agriscience shop and feature 11 new classroom and house six new programs: Cybersecurity, Engineering, Computer Science, Health Science, Marketing and Educators in Training.

Two new STEM and health science labs would also be added to the new buildings upper level leaving the ground floor free to be used as free space and as a temporary indoor archery space.

Some athletic facilities are also set for upgrade at Cullman High School, with plans to install turf on the soccer field. There are also plans to create four turfed practice diamonds for baseball and softball, which will be added west of the soccer field.

McKee and Associates is the lead architect on the soccer turf and baseball/softball practice turf project. Current projections would see the new soccer and baseball practices facilities open in the spring of 2024.

In total, all four projects are currently estimated to cost about $34 million. The board included $4 million as a part of Phase One for the projects at East and West. The additional $30 million would come from allocated and borrowed funds. Chief Financial Officer James Brumley said recent double-digit growth in property and sales tax revenues would allow ample room for the district to budget funding for the projects.

In other business the board:

Approved the following action items:

* Stipend for CPI Training on June 20, 2023 for Abigail Bennett

* Stipend for attending

1/2

* day BIP Training on July 26, 2023 for Lauren Shelton, Madison Crenshaw,Alisha Eaton, Jana Grimes, Brent Hill, and Kristy Liverett

* Stipend for teachers attending CPI Training

* on July 27, 2023 (see attached list)

Stipend

* for attending ALACTE Summer Conference for Tara Richard

Stipend

* for CTE Summer Professional Development-Dual Enrollment Intro with WSCC, Pacing Guides, & Planning for Ben Heatherly

Stipend

* for attending A+ Math Training for Emily Ray and Emily Alexander

Stipend

* for attending AMSTI Training for Emily Alexander

Stipend

* for Math Training for Kylie Bates

Stipend

* for Caroline Lunsford to attend ELA A+ Training

Stipend

* for CTE Teacher Jonathan Haynes to attend Cyber.Org Training

Stipend

* for Planning and Pacing on June 14, 2023 for Joseph McPhillips & Katie Knop

Agreement

* for Head Start forPhysical Examinations with Good Hope Medical Clinic for the 2023-2024 School Year.

Contract with Paige Hanson to provide Physical Education Services for Head Start beginning August 2,2023- May 31, 2024

Approval to award bid to Encore Rehabilitation, Inc. for OT/PT services from October 1, 2023-September 30, 2024

Preliminary TEAMS Contract Request for Cullman High School teacher Claudia Graves for the 2023-2024 school year

Interagency Agreement with Family Support Services, LLC

Stipend for Head Start Auxiliary Teacher, Ginger Wood, for Professional Development on July 24, 2023

Stipend for Head Start Teacher, Jill Wright, for attending Professional Development on July 27, 2023

Approve Cullman City School System CNP Charged Meal Policy

Approval of Summer Work Paid by Alabama Farmers Federation Grant for Lucas McCollum

* Approved the following consent items:

* Approve 23-24 Contract with North Alabama Agriplex

* Approve Salvage of Wit & Wisdom Curriculum Materials

* Cullman City Head Start Fiscal Reports

* Approve Cullman High School Dance Team to travel to Nashville, TN to participate in a regional competition October 28, 2023

* Approve Salvage of old refrigerator from CHS Girls' Basketball Locker Room

* Approve Salvage of the following outdated books/equipment at Cullman High School: 25-Architecture Residential Design & Design, 25-Mechanical Drawing: Board & CAD Techniques, 25-

* Project Based Auto CAD, 25- Architecture: Drafting & Design, 25- Instant Design: Fundamentals of Autodesk, 1- HP Plot Printer, 1- Cube Pro Duo: 3D Printer

* Approve Salvage of 6- deconstructed cabinets at Cullman High School

* Approve Cullman High School Girls Basketball to travel to Sevier County, TN on December 27-29, 2023 for the Sevier Invitational

* Approve Salvage of Kitchen Items from Head Start

Accepted the following resignations:

* Meghan Nelson — Art teacher at Cullman City Primary School

* Casey Harbin — Social Science teacher at Cullman High School

Approved the transfer of Tonya McCravy from 504 specialist/intervention at Cullman City Schools to preschool and referral specialist/SLP at Cullman City Schools.

Approved the conditional employment for the following personnel:

* SaraBeth Harbison — Special education instructional assistant at Cullman City Primary School

* Madelyn Hendrix — Long-term substitute FMLA at Cullman City Primary School

* Jamie Burgess — Driver's Education teacher at Cullman High School

* Patricia Hogland — Special Education teacher at Cullman Middle School

Approved the following miscellaneous items:

* Approve two unpaid leave days for Cullman High School teacher Jessica McBrayer

* Approve 15 unpaid leave days for East Elementary Nurse Amanda Baker

* Increase Luke Hackbarth, Jarrod Helms and Aaron Avery's football supplements from 7 to 10.5 percent

* Remove Jamie Burgess' CMS Girls Basketball Assistant supplement

* Approve a 5 percent CMS Girls Basketball Assistant supplement for Claudia Graves

* Approve a 9 percent CHS Girls JV head coach supplement for Erin Tidwell

* Approve a 6 percent JV and varsity assistant in tennis supplement for Kristen Barnett

* Approve a 5 percent CMS Boys Basketball assistant supplement for Grant Beal

* Approve Arden Crane as a volunteer CMS Boys Basketball community coach

* Accept Casey Harbin's resignation from CHS freshman class and scholar's bowl sponsor

* Approve Erica Ball as freshman class sponsor

Patrick Camp can be reached at 256-734-2131 ext. 238