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Welcome!

Welcome to the new website for Homewood City Schools! This updated space was designed with you in mind—making it easier than ever to stay connected, find important information, and celebrate all the amazing things happening in our schools. We hope you’ll visit often and find it a helpful hub for all the great things happening in HCS!

3 days ago

Homewood City Schools

Educating and Empowering All Students to Maximize Their Unique Potential

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  2. Long Range Facilities Planning

Long Range Facilities Planning

Long-Range Facilities Planning

 

As our school community continues to grow and evolve, we are dedicated to ensuring that our facilities keep pace with the changing needs of our students, staff, and families. We understand that the environment in which our students learn plays a significant role in their overall educational experience, and we are committed to making thoughtful, well-considered decisions as we move forward.

In the coming months, we are engaging in a comprehensive review of our current facilities, considering both immediate needs and future demands. This process will involve input from staff, students, families, and experts in the field, as we strive to create a long-term facilities plan that supports our educational goals and reflects the values of our community.

Hoar Program Management (HPM) will be assisting HCS with coordinating a planning process that approaches facilities decisions from an educational programming foundation, supported by demographic data, current facilities condition and utilization data, and financial parameters. We believe this comprehensive approach will allow us to create a 10-15 year facilities plan structured around reliable data, while integrating the community during the development of the plan.

As we enter this process we have no preconceived ideas of what the outcomes will be. Our primary goal in this process is to create safe, welcoming, and effective spaces that enhance learning, foster creativity, and support the diverse needs of our students.

 

 

 

Community Task Force

About the Community Task Force

Our district leadership have identified representatives from our school community to join the Community Task Force. These representatives have already been selected. The task force includes individuals of varying backgrounds, demographics, and professions including: teachers, school and district leadership, parents, community members, city leadership, Samford University, PTO, Homewood City Schools Foundation, and the Homewood Board of Education. The Task Force has representation from across our schools and the greater community.

Task Force members will provide valuable community oversight during the planning process by:

  1. Reviewing and providing feedback on data,

  2. Offering insight on effective communication strategies for Homewood City Schools residents,

  3. Serving as a facilitator during community meetings, and

  4. Advising the School Board, District, and consultants.

Our Community Task Force Members are given the following parameters of service:

  1. Attend ALL Task Force Meetings

  2. Review data and be prepared for each meeting

  3. Be objective and maintain a District-level perspective

  4. Be open to all possibilities

  5. Members do not use the media or social media as a platform for personal agendas

  6. Communicate work and outcomes to the Community

  7. Actively recruit citizens to attend community meetings

  8. Serve as a facilitator for small group discussions at community meetings

Summary:

The second meeting of the Homewood City Schools (HCS) Community Task Force comprised reviewing data and findings from the HPM team, including enrollment projections and an assessment of the condition of current HCS buildings. The task force evaluated possible long range plan pathways and critiqued the benefits and challenges.

Facility Master Planning Task Force #1 Presentation

Summary:

Hoar Project Management (HPM) recently hosted a community meeting to discuss the ongoing facilities assessment. During the meeting, HPM presented their research and findings on several key topics, including:

  • Current enrollment and school capacity: This included data on current student numbers and the capacity of each school building as related to its programming needs.
  • Current and projected system repairs: HPM outlined necessary repairs and upgrades to school facilities, both in the near future and long term.
  • Community task force considerations: Initial feedback and ideas from the community task force were shared and discussed.

Community members actively participated in the meeting, asking questions and providing valuable input about HCS facilities and student needs.

HCS and HPM are still in the middle of the planning process. At this time, there are no proposed changes or specific plans for any of the schools. As the process moves forward and more information becomes available, HCS may hold another town hall meeting. We will communicate any future meetings on the website and through ParentSquare.

Supporting Document(s): HCS Community Meeting

The Task Force has reached a general consensus on several ideas informed by the Town Hall, previous meetings, and HCS leadership. A few of these are: 

  • Rezoning or redrawing boundary lines is not a sufficiently impactful solution at this time.
  • There are significant upcoming expenses for our elementary schools, the most urgent being the Shades Cahaba roof.
  • With a current $3 million annual capital projects budget, we must forecast major projects for the next eight years. Decisions are needed regarding whether to prioritize repairs of existing buildings or pursue major construction projects at Shades Cahaba and Edgewood.

HPM's next step is to lead a School Board Workshop on March 18th to talk more specifically about financial constraints and options, along with what solutions are best for the future of the district.

  • Summary:

    The second meeting of the Homewood City Schools (HCS) Community Task Force comprised reviewing data and findings from the HPM team, including enrollment projections and an assessment of the condition of current HCS buildings. The task force evaluated possible long range plan pathways and critiqued the benefits and challenges.

    Facility Master Planning Task Force #1 Presentation

  • Summary:

    Hoar Project Management (HPM) recently hosted a community meeting to discuss the ongoing facilities assessment. During the meeting, HPM presented their research and findings on several key topics, including:

    • Current enrollment and school capacity: This included data on current student numbers and the capacity of each school building as related to its programming needs.
    • Current and projected system repairs: HPM outlined necessary repairs and upgrades to school facilities, both in the near future and long term.
    • Community task force considerations: Initial feedback and ideas from the community task force were shared and discussed.

    Community members actively participated in the meeting, asking questions and providing valuable input about HCS facilities and student needs.

    HCS and HPM are still in the middle of the planning process. At this time, there are no proposed changes or specific plans for any of the schools. As the process moves forward and more information becomes available, HCS may hold another town hall meeting. We will communicate any future meetings on the website and through ParentSquare.

    Supporting Document(s): HCS Community Meeting

  • The Task Force has reached a general consensus on several ideas informed by the Town Hall, previous meetings, and HCS leadership. A few of these are: 

    • Rezoning or redrawing boundary lines is not a sufficiently impactful solution at this time.
    • There are significant upcoming expenses for our elementary schools, the most urgent being the Shades Cahaba roof.
    • With a current $3 million annual capital projects budget, we must forecast major projects for the next eight years. Decisions are needed regarding whether to prioritize repairs of existing buildings or pursue major construction projects at Shades Cahaba and Edgewood.

    HPM's next step is to lead a School Board Workshop on March 18th to talk more specifically about financial constraints and options, along with what solutions are best for the future of the district.