MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Attorney General Steve Marshall today announced winners of the 2019 Safe Schools Initiative Awards. This year, the program was expanded to include three awards for highest excellence in school safety as well as certificates of special recognition for schools building a culture for school safety. These new categories are in addition to the traditional safe school awards for each public school district and for a private school.
“The safety of our schoolchildren is a vital matter foremost in all of our minds and hearts, and this year we have enhanced the Safe Schools Initiative Awards to encourage and honor more of those who have implemented strong programs to protect our students, teachers and other staff,” said Marshall. “These schools have developed innovative programs and taken practical, effective steps to combat the threat of violence that has become a terrible part of our modern society. Their dedication and resolve to provide a safe haven for learning is an inspiration to us all.”
On Nov. 26, 2019, a panel of independent judges reviewed submissions from a total of 124 schools from throughout Alabama and selected the following winners.
For the Attorney General’s 2019 Safe Schools Award of Excellence, one public school with the top overall score was selected from the North, Central and South regions of Alabama. Attorney General Marshall will visit each school to present the award in person. The winners are North Region: Decatur Middle School, Decatur; Central Region: Westlawn Middle School, Tuscaloosa; and South Region: Orange Beach Elementary School, Orange Beach.
For the Attorney General’s 2019 Safe Schools Award, one public school with the top score was selected for each of the eight state public school districts and one private school statewide. The winners are District 1: Pleasant Home School, Andalusia; District 2: Loachapoka High School, Loachapoka; District 3: Shades Mountain Elementary School, Hoover; District 4: Northridge Middle School, Tuscaloosa; District 5; Prattville Junior High School, Prattville; District 6: Austin High School, Decatur; District 7: Forest Hills Elementary, Florence; District 8: Discovery Middle School, Madison; and private school: Lee-Scott Academy, Auburn. Attorney General Marshall will visit these schools to present the awards in person.
The following schools will receive the Attorney General’s 2019 Certificate of Building a Culture for School Safety:
District 1:
Foley Intermediate School, Foley
Peter F. Alba Middle School, Bayou La Batre
W.J. Carroll Intermediate School, Daphne
District 2:
Creekside Elementary School, Auburn
Opelika High School, Opelika
Opelika Middle School, Opelika
Wrights Mill Road Elementary School, Auburn
District 3:
Chelsea Middle School, Chelsea
Chilton County High School, Clanton
Clanton Elementary School, Clanton
Clanton Intermediate School, Clanton
Clanton Middle School, Clanton
Creek View Elementary School, Alabaster
Jemison Elementary School, Jemison
Jemison High School, Jemison
Jemison Intermediate School, Jemison
Jemison Middle School, Jemison
Mt. Laurel Elementary School, Birmingham
Oak Mountain Middle School, Birmingham
Pelham Oaks Elementary School, Pelham
Pinecrest Elementary School, Sylacauga
R.F. Bumpus Middle School, Hoover
Sylacauga High School, Sylacauga
Thompson High School, Alabaster
Thompson Intermediate School, Alabaster
Trace Crossings Elementary School, Hoover
Verbena High School, Verbena
District 4:
Central High School, Tuscaloosa
The Alberta School of Performing Arts, Tuscaloosa
Woodland Forrest Elementary School, Tuscaloosa
District 6:
Austin Junior High School, Decatur
Austin Middle School, Decatur
Banks-Caddell Elementary School, Decatur
Benjamin Davis Elementary School, Decatur
Chestnut Grove Elementary School, Decatur
Cullman High School, Cullman
Decatur High School, Decatur
Fairview Middle School, Cullman
Frances Nungester Elementary School, Decatur
Hayden High School, Hayden
Moody Middle School, Moody
West Point High School, Cullman
District 7:
Cherokee Elementary School, Cherokee
Cherokee High School, Cherokee
Colbert County High School, Leighton
Colbert Heights Elementary School, Tuscumbia
Deshler High School, Tuscumbia
Russellville Elementary School, Russellville
District 8:
Chaffee Elementary School, Huntsville
Challenger Elementary School, Huntsville
Chapman Elementary School, Huntsville
Chapman Middle School, Huntsville
Columbia High School, Huntsville
Farley Elementary School, Huntsville
Goldsmith Schiffman Elementary School, Owens Crossroads
Hampton Cove Middle School, Owens Crossroads
Highlands Elementary School, Huntsville
Huntsville Junior High School, Huntsville
Rainbow Elementary School, Madison
Private:
Coosa Valley Academy, Harpersville
UMS-Wright Preparatory School, Mobile
