
Photo by Erin Nelson.
Students change classes at the Vestavia Hills High School freshman campus on Sept. 30.
Students at the new freshman campus of Vestavia Hills High School have been growing into leaders as they prepare to join their peers at the main campus next year, school officials said.
A group of students have helped create a leadership team, which has led student initiatives such as creating new clubs, said Assistant Principal Jennifer Brown at the Jan. 25 Vestavia Hills Board of Education meeting.
Assistant Principal David Howard said now, school officials want to encourage these leaders to pass on that example. Later this year, he’ll give coins to the 24 students and encourage them to find students who are “going above and beyond,” whether at school or in the community, and give them a coin.
That kind of leadership helps prepare students for the next level, school officials said.
“I have been amazed at the will and the desire students have to lead,” Brown said.
VHHS Principal Tonya Rozell praised the leadership of Howard and Brown and said the excitement at the campus is palpable when she visits and said everything is going well.
The freshman campus, located at the former Pizitz Middle School, is in its first year.
Superintendent Todd Freeman gave the Board of Education an update on student attendance as it relates to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Freeman said as of Jan. 22, the school system has had 6.2% of students test positive at some point during the school year, though only 0.25% of students have tested positive after close contact at school, which Freeman said continues to be an important indicator of how well the school system is handling the virus.
Since returning from the winter break, the school system has seen a steady decline in the number of daily positive cases, according to data provided to the board.
Fifty-seven students reported being positive on Jan. 6 and 7, and 59 students reported positive cases on Jan. 8. Since then, cases have steadily fallen, with only 10 students, 0.16% of students, reporting positive on Jan. 22.
For employees, Freeman said the school system is monitoring the distribution of vaccinations and is working to make sure there are no misconceptions out there regarding the vaccines while they await the opportunity to protect teachers and other staff.
“As soon as we are able to distribute or allow employees to get the vaccine, we want to do it,” Freeman said.
Freeman said he’s not sure if groups that typically take overnight trips in the spring will be able to so this year. Those trips are currently on hold, he said, and it is unclear if state and national organizations that typically sponsor those events, such as cheer, dance and other competitions, will host normal gatherings.
The board also approved the extension of provisions of the Family Medical Leave Act under the Families First Coronavirus Recovery Act through March 31, allowing employees to use an additional 10 days for COVID-19 related leave, in addition to their regular FMLA leave.
The school’s chief financial officer, Courtney Brown, also announced the school system would be receiving $650,000 in funding from the state to reimburse COVID-related expenses.