CULLMAN, Ala. – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall on Monday, April 6, visited Cullman City Primary School (CCPS) to present the 2025 Safe School Award and applaud the school’s ongoing commitment to safety and preparedness. CCPS is one of just nine schools to win the award, chosen from over 1,500 public and private schools in Alabama. It’s also the second year in a row the school received the award.
“It takes remarkable leadership to receive this honor, with the principal, staff, school board and superintendent all making school safety a real priority,” Marshall said. “The data is clear that when students feel safe and are safe, they succeed.”
Marshall also commended the school resource officers (SROs) who work and keep CCPS safe. CCPS SROs are Bill Fisher and Daniel Palisay.
CCPS Principal Elizabeth Shaddix added her appreciation for the SROs and school leaders who work together to make up the campus safety team, saying, “Thanks so much to everyone who works so hard to make safety a priority.”
Marshall pointed out several reasons the school was chosen for the award, such as the centralized incident command center in the main office, which helps administrators and first responders work together during emergencies. The campus also has security gates at entry points to keep the school safe and accessible. These gates open automatically for emergency vehicles when sirens are heard, but stay closed during regular school hours.
The school’s partnership with local law enforcement was another reason for the award. SROs, faculty and staff work together to keep students and teachers safe.
Said Marshall, “When kids feel safe, when they feel secure, they thrive.”
Shaddix said the award shows the school’s ongoing focus on safety. “This is our second year to win this award, and it is very exciting for us because we believe that safety is the most important thing,” she said. “We feel like if our students feel safe, then that’s the first thing we have to accomplish before we can teach them anything.”
The selection process to receive a Safe School Award includes a comprehensive four-phase application and review process by judges who have skill and knowledge in school safety trends.
Nine schools from across the state of Alabama were selected to receive the Safe School Award, the highest achievement. In addition to CCPS, the other winners include ACCEL Academy in Mobile, Orange Beach Middle and High School in Orange Beach, Northside High School in Northport, Beauregard Elementary School in Opelika, the Allen Thornton Career Technical Center in Killen, Eastwood Elementary School in Decatur, Elvin Hill Elementary School in Columbiana and Harriette W. Gwin Elementary School in Hoover.
