
Photo Courtesy of Vestavia Hills
Roger Dobnikar was named the principal of Liberty Park Middle School on Feb. 22 after serving as interim principal since August 2020.
Longtime Vestavia Hills educator Roger Dobnikar has been named the principal at Liberty Park Middle School, elevated from his interim status, which he has held since August 2020.
The Vestavia Hills Board of Education approved the hire at the Feb. 22 meeting.
Dobnikar spent 14 years working as an English teacher at Pizitz Middle School before joining LPMS as an assistant principal in 2008, a position he held until he was named interim principal in August, when then-principal Tonya Rozell was named principal at Vestavia Hills High School.
“Liberty Park Middle has a rich history, and I feel very blessed to get to take the helm and continue building on their tradition of excellence,” Dobnikar said in a statement.
Vestavia Hills City Schools Superintendent Todd Freeman praised Dobnikar’s work during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“Mr. Dobnikar has served as the interim principal at Liberty Park Middle School with a steady and consistent vision during this challenging school year. He is committed to providing the very best learning experiences for students and working alongside his team of exceptional educators,” Freeman said in a statement.
Dobnikar holds two bachelor’s degrees in English and specialized ministries from Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma as well as master’s and educational specialist degrees from Samford University.
In addition to hiring Dobnikar, the board approved bids for library renovations at Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge, Vestavia Hills Elementary East and Vestavia Hills Elementary West. Assistant Superintendent Patrick Martin gave the board details on each project:
- Dolly Ridge: A roughly $244,000 low bid from Wyatt General Contractor will pay for the merging of the library with the fine arts center at the campus, as well as other upgrades.
- East: A roughly $196,000 low bid from Duncan and Thompson Construction Services will pay for upgrades and renovations to the library.
- West: Similar to East, a roughly $176,000 low bid from David Acton Building Corporation will pay for upgrades and renovations.
Freeman also gave the board an update on attendance data related to the pandemic. While the number of students who reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 increased from 85 on Jan. 19 to 135 on Feb. 5, numbers have decreased since that day, with 29 students testing positive on Feb. 19. The total percentage of students who have tested positive at some point during the school year is about 7%, with an estimated less than 0.5% of students testing positive after having close contact with a positive case at school.
The school system also began vaccinating teachers, with about 800 vaccinations provided in February by school nurses.
In other business, the board:
- Approved a budget amendment that increases the amount of revenues over expenditures by about $308,000, which should lead to a $7.3 million expected ending fund balance at the end of the fiscal year.
- Approved an update to the job description for the director of assessment and accountability.
- Approved the parent-student handbook for the 2021-22 school year.
- Approved various consent items, including out-of-state trips; however, Freeman said those trips are not overnight trips, as those have not yet been cleared due to the pandemic.