Priceville schools receive grants from Town Council

Jun. 21—PRICEVILLE — Two schools received $10,000 each from the Priceville Town Council last week and the principals intend to spend the money on computers, an art program and character-building projects.

Shane Hopkins, principal at Priceville High School, and Ashley McCulloch, principal at Priceville Junior High School, accepted the checks from the council during their regular meeting at City Hall.

"We appreciate everything you all do for us," Mayor Sam Heflin said. "You all do so much for the community and the schools; we just appreciate it."

Each year, the city gives money to the three Priceville schools: the elementary, junior high and high school, according to City Clerk Shannon Weissend. The schools send letters of request regarding what the schools need, and the city responds with money from the general fund, the clerk said.

Hopkins said he will be able to upgrade the computers in the school's Access lab.

"It's too early to say how many computers it will buy but we have a lot of students that take Access courses and use our computers here at school, so we just want to make sure we have updated computers," Hopkins said.

Having modern computers is fundamental in the learning process, he said.

"It helps with the courses they are taking," he said. "Having a new and updated computer just makes it more convenient for students when they are taking those Access courses."

Some of the money he received will also be used for the professional development of teachers. The high school, junior high school and the elementary school are all members of Hope Institute, which is an organization that teaches educators to cultivate character in schools. The schools send teachers to Hope workshops and they get guest speakers to talk to students, Hopkins said.

"The money from the Town Council pays for that registration, which pays for the guest speakers and also to train our teachers," he said.

The school, located at 2650 N. Bethel Road, includes students in ninth through twelfth grades.

McCulloch will use the money for the Priceville Junior High art program, speakers and incentives for students.

"Next year our plan for this earmarked money is to support our art program," she said. "We fund that program, and the teacher has done an amazing job. We have been able to build a very good foundation for the art program. The money will also give us the opportunity to bring in some speakers and do some schoolwide incentives and some of the things that we wouldn't be able to do otherwise."

Part of the money will be paid to Hope Institute and will be used for new books, different speakers and some schoolwide incentives for the character-education program, she said.

The school, located at 317 Alabama 67, includes students in fifth through eighth grades.

— jean.cole@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2361