The Times is counting down its top stories of 2022. Here’s No. 7:

In February, the Cullman City Board of Education has finalized several land acquisition purchases that paved the way for planned expansions to begin at Cullman Primary and Cullman Middle Schools.

Construction began almost immediately following the purchase of the Ray, Leonardi and Warnke properties, and is set to continue until January of next year.

CCPS will be receiving a new 12-classroom wing, multipurpose building and cafeteria. The existing cafeteria will be converted in additional classroom space and a second access point is being added to Oak Avenue to service the school.

The expansion to CMS includes a new 16-classroom wing, library, agriscience area, performing arts area and administration offices.

The project also includes the destruction of the iconic “round building” and the future addition of interior upgrades to the existing main building and cafeteria.

Theses expansions are, in part, an effort to address any concerns of the overcrowding of the district’s classrooms and will result in the reconfiguring of which grade levels will attend each school.

Second grade students will soon remain at CCPS and will not be transferred to East and West Elementary until their third grade year. In contrast, sixth grade students will be attending CMS, rather than waiting until their seventh grade year.

Combined these two projects total nearly $37.5 million, and came in $2.7 million over the boards projected budget. The City of Cullman is offering $6 million toward the projects. Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff said that the benefits of the projects outweighed the unforeseen overtures.

“It was imperative to the board that we address the issues of safety and overcrowding in our schools, and make them the priority here. We plan to close that $2.7 million gap through our general funds over the course of the three years it will take to complete these projects,” said Kalhoff.

Campuses across the Cullman County School district also welcomed their own improvement projects from the Cullman County Board of Education.

New roofs, HVAC upgrades and LED light fixtures were commonplace at each of the districts schools, but the biggest projects from the CCBOE were the addition of several new facilities.

A new Family/Consumer Science building at Fairview High School, a new welding shop at Holly Pond High School and the expansion of West Point Elementary/High School’s lunchroom were all approved for construction this year.

Construction on new classroom and lunchroom additions are currently underway at Hanceville Elementary and Cold Springs High School will be soon enjoying a new gymnasium after having made use of the county’s oldest gym since 1966.

The combined improvement projects from the CCBOE total over $15 million and plans are also in the works for several new facilities at the district’s other high school campuses.

“These are exciting times for our school system,” said Dr. Shane Barnette, Cullman County Schools superintendent. “Some of these repairs and upgrades have been needed since I was an elementary student here in Cullman County and that’s been a long time ago.”