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Sydney Cromwell
The Homewood Board of Education meets at Hall-Kent Elementary on Jan. 26, 2018.
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Sydney Cromwell
Students in the Hall-Kent RISE (Risk-Taking Individuals Striving for Excellence) program meet the Homewood Board of Education on Jan. 26, 2018.
Preliminary work on facilities upgrades at all five Homewood City Schools is proceeding on schedule, according to Tommy Alfano, Hoar Program Management's senior program manager.
Alfano addressed the Homewood Board of Education at their January meeting at Hall-Kent Elementary. He said the Alabama Building Commission has approved initial schematics for plans at all of Homewood's schools, and they are getting ready to submit final plans for the renovations to Waldrop Stadium's track and HVAC automation across the school system.
The schools will need the ABC to approve preliminary and final drawings as well before construction can begin.
“We have been busy since we last met," Alfano said.
Most of the school renovation projects will be broken down into two "packages," with the first including smaller security access and interior work projects done over the summer of 2018, with a larger package of additions and significant renovations – such as expanding dining space at Edgewood and replacing the theater with classrooms at Shades Cahaba – constructed over the 2018-2019 school year.
For the first "packages" of construction, Alfano estimated final budget approval in late February, with the council approving the budget in March. Alfano said HPM would receive bids for the work in April for the council to approve in May, so work can begin as soon as the school year ends.
The second round of work would have its approval dates set slightly later, so work can begin at the start of the 2018-2019 school year. Demolition will begin at the high school in June and wrap up in August, and the most significant work – adding a two-story expansion on the north side of the building – will mostly take place in May-September 2019.
Alfano said work to renovate the track at Waldrop Stadium will begin in May 2018, with the new surface being poured by September.
More details about the progress and timelines of the facilities projects, including floorplans, can be found on the Homewood City Schools website.
The board also announced their Teachers of the Year. The overall winners are Hall-Kent kindergarten teacher Kornelia McDaniel for Elementary Teacher of the Year and Homewood Middle School seventh grade language arts teacher Lisa Gaines for Secondary Teacher of the Year.
The school winners are:
- Edgewood Elementary third grade teacher Katherine Moore
- Hall-Kent kindergarten teacher Kornelia McDaniel
- Shades Cahaba first grade teacher Megan Werner
- Homewood Middle School seventh grade language arts teacher Lisa Gaines
- Homewood High School English teacher Amy Marchino
Several teachers have become National Board Certified, as well: Molly Knudsen (Homewood Middle), Brantley Sims (Homewood High), Megan Cole (Homewood High), Mark Hellmers (Homewood High), David Marshall (Homewood Middle) and Erica Halston (Edgewood Elementary).
As part of their certification, these teachers will receive a $5,000 supplement from the state of Alabama. They join a list of about 40 HCS teachers with NBCT certification.
The board also heard from students who were part of Hall-Kent's RISE (Risk-Taking Individuals Striving for Success), a school-year and summer camp program for underprivileged students. The program focuses on literacy and academic skills as well as personal character and growth for the students.
McDaniel, who was also teacher of the year at Hall-Kent, was the initiator of the program, which she put together with the help of other teachers and community volunteers.
Students told the board members about what they liked about the program, from reading games to swimming during summer camp, and recited the RISE creed about success, risk-taking and self-confidence.
The next Board of Education meeting is Feb. 20 at 1 p.m. at Homewood High School.
