• 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.

    Important Dates

    January 14- Community Town Hall Meeting at HMS at 6:00

     

    Community Task Force Meeting #1 (November 18, 2024)

    Supporting Document(s):

    Facility Master Planning Task Force #1 Presentation 

    Summary:

    At the first meeting of the Homewood City Schools (HCS) Community Task Force for long-range facilities planning, Tracy Richter presented key information on historical enrollment, demographics, and survey results. Dr. Hefner, in introducing the initiative, emphasized the task force's role as a "think-tank" – generating ideas and assessing findings, but not making final decisions on the plan. Richter also outlined evaluation tools for the task force, including the use of educational and operational frameworks. 

     

    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