New Pizitz campus to open August 2020

In a video released on Tuesday, Vestavia Hills City Schools Superintendent Todd Freeman announced the move from the current Pizitz Middle School campus to the old Berry High School campus would take place next summer, with the school opening in August 2020.

“This timeline gives us the opportunity to fully prepare the campus for more than 1,200 students, along with staff, and to celebrate this new addition to the Vestavia Hills City Schools family,” Freeman said.

In February, Freeman announced the move would not be taking place this past summer, as was originally planned, due to multiple factors including above-average rainfall in winter months that delayed major construction projects.

Construction and renovation is ongoing at the site, with work scheduled to wrap up in a few months, Freeman said.

“The project is on schedule for completion prior to the end of this calendar year,” Freeman said in the video.

The project to add turn lanes on Columbiana Road in front of the school and to add baseball and softball fields are both “in their early stages,” Freeman said, and will take “several months” to complete.

When Pizitz moves to the old Berry campus for the 2020-21 school year, the current Pizitz facility is “still on track” to become a ninth-grade campus at the same time, said Whit McGhee, director of public relations for VHCS.

Freeman also announced students would be moving into the new classroom addition at Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge later this week.