A look ahead: Schools putting on the pressure in plan to address facilities
There were many big moments for Vestavia Hills City Schools in 2017, with multiple athletics teams making an appearance in state tournaments, another school being named a National Blue Ribbon winner and saying goodbye to former Superintendent Sheila Phillips. Facilities, which have been the focus of most conversation over the last 16 months, saw additions such as new classroom space at Vestavia Hills Elementary West and Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park, new turf on the Vestavia Hills High School baseball field and a completed gym at Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights.
But 2017 will most likely be eclipsed by the work coming over the next 18 months.
Restructuring
At its December meeting, the Vestavia Hills Board of Education voted in favor of a new restructuring plan that takes the ninth grade out of VHHS and moves it to the Pizitz campus. Current Pizitz Middle School students move to the Berry campus and the new elementary school going at the Gresham Elementary School campus.
After introducing Interim Superintendent Charles Mason’s recommendation to the public, the district conducted an online survey, where 85 percent of respondents indicated support for the plan.
There were also 400 comments left on the survey, and board members had access to those comments before the meeting.
Board member Lisa Baker said that she read each one, and was struck by the energy of the stakeholders who responded.
“You could really tell the passion that was coming through in a lot of the comments” she said.
She said that in the spring, she wasn’t completely “sold” on the idea of a ninth grade campus, but after discussions with teachers and administrators and hearing the ideas for creating equity of experience and stronger bonds between students, she is confident it will be good for the district.
Mason also emphasized that Vestavia would get it right.
“There is not doubt in my mind that that will be managed and managed well,” he said.
Rezoning
On the forefront of many parents’ minds, particularly along the U.S. 31 corridor, is the need to rezone the three elementary schools that will be on that side of town: VHEW, VHEE and Gresham Elementary School.
Because the process will be narrowly focused, Mason said he doesn’t anticipate the process being as difficult as some neighboring districts have experienced in recent years.
However, because of the impact it will have on some current and all future elementary students, Mason said he and the board want to take a similar approach to rezoning as was taken to the overall restructuring process.
In the first two months of 2018, stakeholders will again have the opportunity to attend public meetings and fill out online surveys to provide feedback on proposed zoning changes.
Berry and Gresham
The first — and likely least-visible — work will be on the former Berry High School property. At its Dec. 13 meeting, the board of education approved funding and plans for demolition of the old gym and doing some preliminary grading and other external work.
Mason said construction and the major work on the campus would likely begin in May, as being an empty campus allows the work to get underway sooner.
Next on the list, Mason said, pending final sale and approval from the U.S. District Court, would be preliminary remodeling and the construction of a new addition at Gresham Elementary School.
Mason said that work would likely begin in early June, and while would be minimally disruptive, would likely be visible to current Gresham students and faculty.
Construction
Continued Elsewhere
In addition to work on the district’s newest campuses, Mason pointed out that work will continue on multiple of the other campuses.
VHECH will see a new media center, classroom addition, the relocation of the playground and changes to carpool, VHEW will move into the next phase of its cafeteria project and other ongoing projects will near completion.