CULLMAN, Ala. – The new school year is quickly approaching, and with it, major updates are happening for Cullman Middle School, Cullman High School and West Elementary School. Cullman City Schools Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff said the district has remained focused on communication, safety and minimal disruption as students prepare to return to campus on Aug. 6.
At Cullman Middle School, ongoing projects include landscaping, elevator installation and sidewalk repairs. Although the contractor missed the original deadline, Kallhoff said the district is maintaining pressure.
“Our team questions and pushes them a little harder than the rest, who are seemingly on target for their completion dates,” he said. “We are excited about the landscaping phase…partnering with Rachael Dawsey and the North Alabama Agriplex to lean on their expertise,” he said.
To avoid disruption, planned outages and other work are scheduled during summer hours or weekends.
“We generally know at least a month in advance,” he added, “to make sure no programs are impacted.
Cullman High School is expected to see construction continue into the school year; therefore, student safety is the top priority.
“Contractors and/or subcontractors are not to interact with any students or employees,” Kallhoff said, adding that work in sensitive areas like locker rooms is scheduled to avoid student contact. Contractor traffic is also tightly managed and will be adjusted around major events. “No deliveries between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. and again between 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.” he said.
At West Elementary School, essential services, including water and HVAC, will be operational at the start of school.
“We installed some temporary water lines…to ensure the construction between the existing buildings and Highway 278 is not impacted,” said Kallhoff, who explained that temporary fencing will be used to separate construction zones from areas with students. Once school starts, ongoing work will focus solely on new buildings. All interior renovations, he said, will be completed during the summer to minimize disruptions to classes and academic activities.
Kallhoff praised faculty, staff and students for their flexibility during the construction process, noting that even with the distractions, high test scores have been achieved.
“Our teachers and students are resilient,” he said. “Despite the construction and heavy equipment on campus, our test scores have not been impacted.”
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