CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman County Schools officials marked the district’s ongoing growth on Thursday, April 16, holding two ribbon-cutting ceremonies for new and planned facility expansions. Alabama State Superintendent of Education Dr. Eric Mackey was also on-hand for both events.
At the Cullman County Child Development Center, school leaders gave an update on a $2.4 million building addition, scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2026. The project will add eight classrooms, a storm shelter and better traffic flow and will replace mobile units with permanent classrooms.
District officials said these improvements aim to make the school safer and more functional, while also meeting the needs of a growing student population. Superintendent Dr. Shane Barnette said the expansion shows the district’s growth and its commitment to updating school facilities.
“We’ve been growing by leaps and bounds and it’s about time that we got to add several new classrooms so we can expand our school and give our kids more learning environments that are up to date and modern,” Barnette said.
Besides adding classrooms, the CDC project will help solve traffic problems by creating almost 40 new parking spaces and separating parent and bus traffic to make things safer.
At Hanceville Middle School, officials talked about a separate $3.3 million expansion project approved by the Cullman County Board of Education. The new addition will have several classrooms, a library, meeting space and a tornado shelter. It will replace Edmondson Hall, which is one of the district’s oldest buildings.
District leaders said the project will use a mix of state and grant funding, so construction can move forward without the district taking on debt. Hanceville Middle School Principal Elizabeth Watwood said the expansion will make daily life much better for students, faculty and staff.
“This gives us the ability to all be kind of contained in one area instead of spread out,” Watwood said. “The library is between the high school and the elementary, so this gives us our own dedicated space, helps us with safety and then also gives us room to spread out and add units.”
Watwood also said the new facilities will offer updated learning spaces, including dedicated classrooms with better resources that the school has needed for a long time.
