BOE hears construction update, recognizes Teacher Leaders
The boardroom of the Vestavia Hills Board of Education was standing-room only Wednesday evening, but not because of a major vote or controversial issue.
The majority of the crowd was in attendance to either receive recognition, or support someone who did, as the board made note of the accomplishments of both students and educators at its regular April meeting.
The first group recognized was the robotics team from Vestavia Hills Elementary Central, which competed April 7 in Tuscaloosa at the University of Alabama’s robotics competition. The students, who are in fourth and fifth grades, were tasked with navigating an obstacle course with their equipment with no help from any outside sources, and ended up earning the second-highest score of the field, which included students all the way up to the high school level.
The board then noted the accomplishments of four teachers who were recently recognized by the University of Alabama’s Office of Research on Teaching in the Disciplines for implementing unique and inventive ways of teaching and student engagement.
Heather Hurt, a fifth grade teacher at VHEC, received the department’s recognition for excellence in cross-disciplinary teaching for her lesson on dividing decimals using a kinesthetic “dividend chant.”
The other teachers recognized by the university were Kelly Bagby, an exceptional education teacher at VHEC, Haley Frandsen, a Liberty Park Middle School math teacher and VHHS chemistry teacher Jessica Sutherland.
Finally, the board recognized the inaugural class of the district’s new Teacher Leaders program.
The teacher-designed program began in January 2017 and aimed to give teachers the tools needed to collaborate, grow professionally and create better outcomes for students.
Participants were tasked with doing a project in any area they chose, and met regularly to workshop and learn.
The 13 projects developed by the cohort included improved experiences for students transitioning into sixth and ninth grades, the creation of student advocacy panels at Vestavia Hills High School, and educational enhancements to the Extended Day Program at Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights.
“They found ways to solve the problem right where they were,” said Assistant Superintendent Jane-Marie Marlin.
Teacher Leaders “graduates” were: Tracey Barker, Denise Brundege, Mary Busby, Kristin Coppock, Dr. Timarie Fisk, Katie Grace, Elaine Graham, Marla Hines, Heather Hurt, Jennifer Isbell, Amanda Jordan, Ethan Joy, Shannon Kirby, Kristen Kovarik, Bill Mann, Whit McGhee, Sara Means, Erica Michel, Sharon Moon, Shelly Munger, Erika Ponder, Angie Richardson, Kathy Rogers, Linda Rummell, Hayden Sentenn, Kristen Snable, Kelly Sorrell, Linda Spain, Brad Waguespack and Susan Zana.
The board also heard an update from Brennan Bell of Hoar Program Management about two of the districts number of construction projects.
At the Berry campus, Bell said that the demolition and site work at the location is ongoing and should be completed by the end of May. The next steps, he said, are bidding out the phases of projects that will be ongoing for the next year, namely the interior renovations, exterior renovations and paving, and a new band and choir building.
The projects will be bid in the coming weeks, he said, and pending board approval of contracts, should for the most part get underway in July. The projects are 11 and 12-month build outs, he said, which will put finishing the construction within the timeline for faculty and staff to move in in time for the 2019-2020 school year.
Across town at Gresham Elementary School, Bell said, design work has been ongoing, but the project had slightly stalled as the district waited for confirmation from federal court that the sale of the property from Jefferson County would be approved.
On April 10, Federal Judge Madeline Haikala approved the sale, and BOE attorney Patrick Boone said that the closing process should begin as soon as Superintendent Todd Freeman and Jefferson County Superintendent Craig Pouncey can make arrangements.
Boone also said that the next steps will be getting the property annexed into the city and rezoned, and with a vote by the board to allow Freeman to pursue those efforts, the process should be complete within the next month or two.
Bell said that the primary project at Gresham will be a classroom addition similar to that at Liberty Park Middle School. He said that the buildout will also be 11 to 12 months, and won’t interfere with Jefferson County’s operation of the school in the meantime.
Once the county moves out and Vestavia moves in, he said, then there can be movement on improving the exterior of the school.
For a full update, Bell suggested stakeholders seek out the Facilities page of the district’s website.
Other BOE business included:
- Approving a $148,787.88 contract with J.A. Dawson & Company for a new playground at Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights.
- Approving the $25 fee for the eighth grade digital photography course at Pizitz Middle School.
- Approving a job description for a new strength and conditioning coach at Vestavia Hills High School.
- Approving a job description for a extended day program administrator.
- Announcing a schedule for the upcoming rezoning discussion. The BOE will have a work session to hear rezoning options from Cooperative Strategies on May 31, and will open an online public survey about the options June 1-22. On June 12 and 13, Freeman and Cooperative Strategies will host public forums for stakeholders to hear about the options in person, and — tentatively — at its July 10 meeting, the board will vote on the final recommendation.