Cullman City School Board: March meeting notes

CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman City School Board at its meeting on Tuesday, March 18, began with awards and recognitions.  

Jonathan Hayes was recognized as the AmFirst Teacher of the Month for serving the city school system as a teacher and coach for 20 years. Hayes comes from a family with a combined 106 years in education. He also established Cullman’s Special Olympics and teaches PE at East Elementary.

Emily Smith is a special education paraprofessional and after-school teacher at East Elementary. She was recognized as the AmFirst Staff Member of the Month for her willingness to work as a team member and dedication to helping each student succeed.

Several students were recognized for their character and accomplishments. A sixth-grade student at East Elementary was recognized for her kind character and respectfulness. Two West Elementary students were recognized for winning in the Governor’s App Challenge, a statewide computer programming competition. According to Cullman City Schools Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff at the previous night’s meeting of the Cullman City Council, “The goal of the challenge is to allow more students to gain recognition for their mastery and application of computer programming and design.” 

• Elementary division winner Lauren Hughes, fourth grader from West Elementary, for her app “Presidential Brain Busters” 
• Middle School division winner Kinslee Barnett, sixth grader from West Elementary, for her app “Daily Devotions” 

Both won at the District 6 competition, and will represent Cullman on April 15, 2025, at the Alabama Computer Science Summit in Montgomery. 

The January 2025 financial report was presented. According to the board, this fiscal year the system has received 44% of its revenues due to early property tax payments, with only motor vehicle taxes remaining. It said the system is currently under budget, with expenditures at 31%. Total operations for the year come to $4.3 million, with a fund balance of $18.2 million and reserves arriving in five months. Sales tax revenues are up 9% compared to last year, contributing to a 6% increase in overall revenue.

Updates on current construction projects were provided on subjects like the new STEM expansion at CHS. At the intermediate school, the replacement and removal of unsuitable soil with the storm shelter and gym foundation are set to begin soon. The middle school now has third-floor windows in place, and the decision was made to postpone moving the sixth grade to join the middle school due to constructions delays.

Renovations at the central office will replace the outdated elevator and repair the roof. Both projects are expected to be completed in six months with a combined cost of over $700,000, approximately $100,000 under budget.

Additional updates include information on the upcoming accreditation progress with Cognia and the reminder that the district was to host its second annual job fair at Cullman City Primary School on Thursday, March 20. Spring break is scheduled for March 24-28, and there is no school on Friday, April 18, due to a weather make-up day and Friday, May 2, for the State Track Meet.

The next Cullman City School Board meeting will be Tuesday, April 15, at 5 p.m. at the central office.

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