One of the most highly anticipated projects in recent Cullman City Schools’ history is officially underway after local officials broke ground on the district’s new Cullman Intermediate School Thursday, Jan. 9.

The event marked the beginning of a massive overhaul of the current West Elementary campus announced by the school board last year. Once completed the expanded campus will serve all of the district’s 3rd through 5th-grade students and  include a new two-story wing with 18 new classrooms and administrative spaces.

The new facility will also bring classroom upgrades and increased security to West Elementary’s existing spaces. The existing gym will be converted into a STEM lab for students and the library and cafeteria will also be expanded to accommodate the increased number of students.

The completed project will eature up-to 14 classrooms per grade level, self-contained special education classrooms, resource special education classrooms, an English language learners and speech room, a music room, art room, gifted room and lab space.

“This moment is 20 years in the making,” superintendent Kyle Kallhoff said during the groundbreaking ceremony. “There are so many people to thank, including the school board, mayor and city council, and all the parties involved in getting this project off the ground. I also want to thank West Elementary and principal Jay Page in advance for their patience and flexibility to come over the next two years.”

Current predictions estimate the campus will be open in time for the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year.

The school board secured funding for the $24 million dollar project in November 2024 after the city of Cullman pledged a portion of its half-cent sale tax to the school system for the duration of the board’s bond. During the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, Mayor Woody Jacobs said he preferred to think of the project more as “an investment” rather than an “expense.”

“I’m thankful for the work the city council has done in recent years to grow the economy and make a project like this more viable,” Jacobs said. “We are very excited.”

The school board held a brief meeting following the event in order to square away several personnel matters.

During the meeting the board:

Accepted the following resignations:

• Brianna Gaiters – Long-term substitute at East Elementary.
• Hali McDonald – Child Nutrition Program worker at Cullman City Primary School.
• Samantha Patterson – Instructional assistant at Cullman Middle School and East Elementary.
• Anna Shelton – Cullman City Primary School teacher.

Approved the following transfers:

• Alice Lindsey – Special Education teacher at Cullman High School to instructional assistant at Cullman High School.
• Alyssa Lindsey – Instructional assistant at Cullman High School to instructional assistant at Cullman City Primary School.
• Vickie Stewart – Instructional assistant at Cullman City Primary School to instructional assistant at Cullman Middle School and East Elementary.

Approved the conditional employment of:

• Abbi Smallwood – Head Start instructional assistant at Cullman City Primary School.
• Emily Speegle – Cullman City Primary School teacher.

Approved Catherine Blackmon as a long-term substitute for East Elementary.

Approved an Extended Day Program assistant contract with Linley Hughes through May 23, 2025.

Approved an as-needed bookkeeping services contract with Janey Ray through Dec. 31, 2025.