Updates on school renovations, class rank and GPA feedback presented
Mountain Brook Schools will open with a new look next week.
The Mountain Brook Board of Education heard a report on PTO-funded summer projects from Facilities Director Tommy Prewitt at its Aug. 10 meeting.
The Brookwood Forest Lunch Room has been renovated to feature garage-style doors and a porch outside. The playground has new mulch, and the front office has been renovated.
Cherokee Bend’s new collaborative space, “The Bend’s Den,” has a new entrance, carpeting, paint and furniture.
The Crestline Elementary library was gutted and has new shelves, carpet, paint, lighting and furniture. It also features a new glass room and a computer lab with new cabinetry. Some classrooms got new cabinetry and flooring, and a roofing project is ongoing.
The high school mall has new furniture with charging stations and work surfaces.
Later in the meeting, the meeting the board a report from the committee researching the impact of class rank on college admissions and effect of the GPA system. The initial report was opened it up for comments until Aug. 9, and 63 comments were received. The committee will look at comments and make sure all issues brought up are addressed. From there they will make a recommendation to Superintendent Dicky Barlow that will be discussed by the board.
Also at the meeting the board:
- Approved financial statements following a presentation from Karen Lusk.
- Heard a report on orientation for the school system’s 47 new teachers. They focused on getting to know the system’s purpose statement and had a superhero theme. “It was very effective,” said George Mange, new MBHS Spanish teacher. “The week went more like an ongoing conversation… I love that my free period in common with everyone in the foreign language department so we can bounce ideas of each other.”
- Tabled discussion of a set of policy updates.
- Approved personnel recommendations.
- Approved removing surplus items from MBHS and Mountain Brook Elementary from the system’s inventory.
- Approved amending the policy for J-12 absences and excuses to be consistent with state law. The original policy was passed in 1979.