Lexi Coon.
Vestavia Hills superintendent Todd Freeman speaks at the School Safety Summit on March 12.
Vestavia Hills City Schools Superintendent Todd Freeman received another extension to his contract, the result of what Vestavia Hills Board of Education members called “fantastic” leadership, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Freeman’s contract was due to end in 2022, but the Board voted to extend it another year at the April 27 meeting, and it will now end June 30, 2023.
Outgoing Board President David Powell said the Board was “super enthusiastic” about Freeman’s leadership and praised the work he’s done during the outbreak of COVID-19.
The Board also approved the hiring of Payton Mansell as the new varsity volleyball coach at Vestavia Hills High School. Mansell comes from Austin High School.
After previously agreeing to pay for protective netting at the Vestavia Hills Elementary East playground, the Board approved the agreement with Vestavia Country Club that formalizes the solution to a problem encountered last fall when school officials began finding golf balls on the East playground.
The school system will pay about $38,500 to install the netting and will be responsible for maintenance, while the country club will allow the high school golf and tennis teams free access to its facilities. While the teams have had some access in the past, the agreement formalizes the club’s responsibility to provide consistent access to the teams, said Director of Public Relations Whit McGhee.
The agreement also states the club will help with Dinner and Diamonds, an annual fundraiser for the Vestavia Hills City Schools Foundation. The foundation will be allowed to use facilities through 2024, with $12,500 rent in 2020 and no more than a 3% increase in rent over the length of the agreement. Any and all proceeds from the sale of donated beer and wine will go to the foundation.
The agreement also states that the school encroaches on part of country club property. While the club has not requested the school give up any property at this time, the agreement reserves the right for the club to ask the school to remove encroachments.
VHHS Principal Tyler Burgess gave an update on the freshman campus, which launches this fall at the current Pizitz Middle School campus, as Pizitz will move to its new home on Columbiana Road.
School leaders have been working to carry over the culture of the high school to the freshman campus, Burgess said, wanting to bring over the “Rebel Edge” to the campus.
Each day, students will have an advisory period in the morning. Depending on the day, students can hone academic skills, have a tutorial day, go to their clubs and on Fridays, they’ll have “Rebel Edge Day,” which will focus on leadership skills and mentoring skills.
Course offerings at the new campus will be no less than what is currently offered at the main campus, Burgess said.
The school also will add a document on its website informing parents of where athletes from both the freshman campus and main campus will be, depending on the sport and season, Burgess said.
For pep rallies, the plan is for freshmen to join the main campus for the homecoming game and one more.
In other business, the Board:
- Approved two change orders at the new Pizitz campus, credits totaling about $7,000.
- Approved members of the textbook committee.
