After unveiling plans for school expansions and hiring architects for the projects last month, Cullman City Schools’ capital planning teams are preparing to meet with the architects to begin finalizing the projects’ designs.

During Tuesday night’s meeting of the Cullman City School Board, Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff said the Cullman City Primary School and Cullman Middle School capital plan teams should be meeting with the architects next week to work out the designs and let the architects get to work on drafting plans.

The system is looking for around $15 million in additional funding to help pay for the planned $38 million construction projects on each school’s campus, and the city of Cullman has committed to providing an annual $600,000 commitment for the next 10 years, Kallhoff said.

He said there are still a few details to be worked out in the agreement, but he hopes they can be ironed out before the Cullman City Council’s next meeting on Monday so it can be approved. 

At Cullman Middle School, a new building would be constructed that includes 16-18 new classrooms, a new library, an agriscience area, a performing arts area and administrative offices. That construction would also include removing the round building and the ag/FACS building from campus.

At Cullman City Primary School, the plan is to add a 12-classroom wing, a multipurpose building and a new cafeteria to that campus. Additional plans for the campus also include repurposing the current cafeteria to at least four additional classrooms, and eventually moving the library to where the current primary school gym is located, which would also open up more classroom space.

Another major aspect of the plan for improving the safety of students and staff on the primary school’s campus is to add a second entrance and exit from the school onto Oak Street to lighten the load of the school’s current lone entrance and exit onto Stadium Drive.

The plan also includes new multipurpose buildings on East Elementary’s and West Elementary’s campuses that would be used as student and parent gathering places. 

Cullman High School is also getting a few upgrades to some of its athletic facilities, with a new gym floor set to be installed in coming days and projects for new gym bleachers and a new football scoreboard nearly ready to be bid out, Kallhoff said. 

In other business, the board: 

Gave permission to conduct a Head Start and kindergarten camp for the first two days of the 2021-2022 school year (Aug. 11 and 12).

Approved a contract with Jennifer Shugarts for nursing services as needed from June 1 through Aug. 4 (outside of the 198-day Nurse Supervisor salary schedule) (general fund).

Approved contracts for nursing services as needed from June 1 through Aug. 4- Amanda Baker, Dori Potter, Kalysha Whittle, Reeta Morrow and Shan Goodlett (general fund).

Approved contracts for special education services as needed from June 1 through Aug. 4- Cheryl Potter, Danielle Taylor, Lori Andrews, Margaret Baker, Pam Parks, Tiffanie Shaddix (IDEA funds) and Jennifer Entrekin (CARES Act funds).

Approved contracts for special education services as needed from June 1 through Aug. 4- Alice Lindsey, Dori Beach, Savanna Ball and Carol Murphy (IDEA funds).

Approved a contract with Savanna Ponder to provide counseling duties at Cullman Middle School during summer break (Central Office funds).

Approved a contract with Amber Hembree to provide counseling duties during summer break at East Elementary School (Central Office funds).

Rescinded a summer contract with Kristen Gragg for additional days at Cullman Middle School due to employee transfer.

Rescinded a summer contract with Elizabeth Shaddix for additional days at West Elementary School due to employee transfer.

Approved a contract with between Cullman City Head Start and Susan Martin Hauk for Mental Health Consultation Services from Sept. 1 through May 31, 2022 (Head Start funds).

Approved a partnership agreement between Cullman City Head Start and Tammy Cornelius, CRNP of Cullman Primary Care.

Approved stipends for Head Start professional development during the summer of 2021 (Head Start/OSR funds): 

Teachers- Jessica Brooks, Fran Brown, Brittney Calvert, Jade Fitsgerald and Marcia Stringer ($125/day). 

Assistants- Kayla Aaron, Deborah Gardner, Summer Hampton, Lucy Michaus, Kayla Rogers and Ginger Woods ($100/day).

Managers- Holly Abbott, Heather Battles, Erika Lee and Kalysha Whittle ($125/day).

Support staff- Lois Bice, Karla Rodriguez and Marci Watts ($100/day).

Approved contracts with Head Start teachers to prepare/teach Kindergarten Readiness summer program (Head Start funds): Holly Abbott, Fran Brown, Brittney Calvert (June 21 through July 1); Jessie Brooks (June 28 through July 1).

Approved contracts with Head Start instructional assistants to prepare/assist with Kindergarten Readiness summer program (Head Start funds): Kayla Aaron, Deborah Garner, Lucero Michaus-Lejarazo and Karla Rodriguez (June 21 through July 1).

Approved contracts with Lois Bice, Head Start Family Services Worker, to prepare/assist with Kindergarten Readiness summer program (June 28 through July 1) (Head Start funds).

Approved a contract with Kalysha Whittle to work up to five days during the 2021-2022 school year to complete the duties/requirements associated with Head Start Health/Nutrition/Safety Manager (Head Start funds).

Approved an agreement with Baggett and Wilson, LLC, Attorneys at Law.

Approved a stipend to Diane Law, Project Assistant to the Cullman City Schools Foundation, March 1 through Feb. 28, 2022 (Funded by CCSF).

Approved a stipend to Aimee Bates, Webmaster for the Cullman City Schools Foundation, March 1 through Feb. 28, 2022 (Funded by CCSF).

Approved the salvage of one Dell Desktop from Head Start.

Approved an out of state/overnight trip to Cleveland, Tennessee for the Cullman High School female athletic teams on June 7.

The Cullman City School Board will have a called meeting on May 27 at 8 a.m. in the Central Office Board Room, and its next regular meeting on June 15 at 8 a.m. in the Central Office Board Room.