davidl@cullmantimes.com



The Cullman County Board of Education took a step toward the creation of a middle school at Holly Pond during Monday’s monthly meeting.

The board voted to restructure the grades at the community’s elementary and high schools to allow for the formulation of a middle school, which Superintendent Hank Allen said will debut in time for the 2008-2009 school year.

“We have to go ahead and do this now so we can restructure in our data base and at the state department as well,” Allen said. “This is the way you have to do it to get started.”

Currently, the elementary school contains grades K-6 and the high school covers grades 7-12. Next year, the middle school will take over grades 6-8.

Allen said the current school will be reconfigured to create a middle school. Also, he said seven new classrooms will be created at Holly Pond.

“It’s not a whole new building, but we do have a front planned for it,” Allen said.

Allen said the new middle school is planned for Holly Pond because the existing schools have more than 250 students.

Holly Pond Middle School, will be the county’s sixth middle school, joining the ranks of Fairview, Good Hope, Hanceville, Vinemont and West Point.

Eventually, Allen said he expects to gain a middle school at Cold Springs. However, he said this won’t happen until the school’s student enrollment figures grow. “They don’t meet the number requirements to do that,” Allen said.

Allen said middle schools benefit students because they are more focused to the grade levels they serve.

The next step for creating Holly Middle School will be to employ a principal. Allen said he expects the hire to be completed before the end of the school year.