CULLMAN, Ala. – At the January meeting of the Cullman City School Board, several items of interest were discussed, including notable progress in the district’s strategic plan, including a reduction in chronic absenteeism from 14.51% in 2018 to 8.33% in 2024 and a significant investment of almost $750,000 in security upgrades.
Cullman City Primary School received the Alabama Attorney General’s 2024 Safe Schools Initiative Award, becoming one of six schools in the state to receive the 2024 award.
The district has upheld its one-to-one technology program for nearly 20 years, allocating $335,000 every three years to refresh students’ Chromebooks.
Curriculum enhancements include Career Tech program expansion and increased dual enrollment participation, boosting AP success rates to nearly 80% and increasing the number of dual enrollment students to 401 students in the past year.
The board noted how central administration has been restructured for better efficiency and what it called the competitive nature of teacher salaries. It also stated that administrative costs have been kept at 2.65% of the budget, which is below the state average.
Investments have been made in the system’s extracurricular student bus fleet, including the purchase of five buses since 2020, with three more on order, expected to arrive this May.
More projects include the resurfacing of the soccer field and track as well as Cullman High School’s STEM Project, which is set to kick off soon.
The recent PowerSchool data breach was discussed; the board said no Social Security numbers were compromised. PowerSchool has assumed all responsibilities for the data breach.
The board reported at the time about the breach:
“Cullman City School system was notified on January 7, 2025, of a recent cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool, a widely used education software provider that provides our district’s student information system.
“On December 28, 2024, PowerSchool identified unauthorized access to certain customer information through its PowerSource portal. The company has assured us that the incident is contained, and there is no evidence of ongoing unauthorized activity or operational disruptions.
“Affected data may include sensitive personal information such as names, addresses, and email addresses. Social security numbers were not impacted, as the Cullman City School system does not collect this information.
“PowerSchool has implemented enhanced security measures, deactivated the compromised credentials, and is offering credit monitoring and identity protection services for certain impacted individuals. The Cullman City School system is working closely with PowerSchool to communicate with families, educators, and stakeholders. Additional information will be provided to families and stakeholders of the Cullman City School system per the guidance of PowerSchool and the Alabama State Department of Education.”
The calendar for the 2025-2026 school year was approved, with employees returning on Aug. 4, and students set to return on Aug. 6. There will be full weeks off for Thanksgiving and spring break, and two full weeks for Christmas break.
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