Former CHS football coach Mark Britton, center, board member Chris Branham, right, and Board members Cheryl Harrison after the school board meeting renaming the football field at Oliver Woodard Stadium in his honor.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Mayor Woody Jacobs was involved in the traffic discussion.

As a means to honor the legacy left behind by former longtime Cullman High School football coach Mark Britton, the Cullman City School Board officially announced that the football field at Oliver Woodard Stadium would be rebranded Mark Britton Field.

Britton, who coached at Cullman from 2001-2017, amassed a 134-63 record, 14 postseason appearances, three region titles and zero losing seasons. He surpassed Oliver Woodard as the winningest coach in school history during the 2013 season.

“Coach Mark Britton will be remembered as a father figure who exemplified tough love to his players and held his student athletes accountable both in the classrooms and hallways of his former high school,” Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff said during Tuesday’s board meeting.

Britton was quick to credit his support staff.

“I couldn’t do it without the support from our great coaching staff, and a great community,” Britton said. “It was a blessing.”.

Kallhoff also gave updates on what he said was a “really smooth start” to the 2022-2023 school year.

Addressing traffic concerns due to the ongoing construction at both Cullman City Primary School and Cullman Middle School, Kallhoff said that he has been working with Cullman City Police Chief Kenny Culpepper to find the best solution to ease the flow of traffic during drop-off and pick-up times, but that the district’s top priority would remain to be the safety of their students.

“As far as traffic, that’s one area in which we’re working to improve, which is the flow of traffic and something we’ve discussed. There was a time last year when we could stack more cars in the primary school that we simply cannot do right now because of construction…so we’re working on that. But again, student safety will be our number one priority. So if it slows things down because of student safety then we’ll just have to slow down, but we’re certainly working on it,” Kallhoff said.

In other business the board:

• Awarded the bid for consultant services in physical and occupational therapy to Encore Rehabilitation.

• Approved the contracts with Lisa Martin and Yenny Laney to provide hearing and visually impaired services.

• Approved the contract with Arleen Solis-Dominguez to provide translating and interpreting services.

• Approved the Cullman High School Baseball additional seating project, which will be funded by the Cullman High School Baseball Boosters.

• Granted permission for the Cullman High School Choir and Theatre to attend their annual spring break trip to New York City.

• Granted permission for East Elementary students and teachers to attend Space Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center from May 14-May 19 2023.

• Accepted the resignations of Shannon Dutton (first grade teacher at Cullman City Primary School) and Lauren Robbins (Child Nutrition Program Worker).

• Approved the transfers of Leigh Anne Combs (from Instructional Assistant at Cullman City Head Start to Special Education Instructional Assistant at Cullman City Primary School) and Jennifer Helton (from PreK Teacher at Cullman City Head Start to First Grade Teacher at Cullman City Primary School).

• Approved the conditional employment of the following personnel: Meghan Nelson (Part-time Art Teacher at Cullman City Primary School), Bella Carroll (Extended Day Program Assistant at Cullman City Primary School), Mandy Anderson (Temporary Special Education Instructional Assistant at Cullman High School to fill FMLA), Paula Graham (Career Coach at Cullman City Schools), Kelly Barron (Reading Intervention Teacher at East Elementary School) and Julie Ray (Extended Day Program Assistant at West Elementary School).

• Approved the contract with Jonathan Romine as Baseball Varsity Assistant for the 2022-2023 school year.

• Granted Bill Griffith a freshman football supplement.

• Provided the information that Amy Emmert will be on FMLA leave from August 8-19.