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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The Alabaster City Schools Board of Education approved several purchases for the school system’s upcoming ACS Champions Craft Academy which is set to officially open this fall.

During an ACS Board of Education meeting on Monday, Feb. 10, the Alabaster City Schools BOE approved a construction contract authorization, welding equipment purchase, a sub grade plumbing package and TRANE mechanical equipment for the ACS Champions Craft Academy.

According to Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers, these items will allow the school system to go ahead and address several needs for the facility while the school system waits on the main bid for the project.

“It will help us get a head start on that,” Vickers said to the board. “Once the bid is out, these will knock some things out that the contractor will not have to do.”

Vickers expressed his gratitude to the board for their efforts in making the ACS Champions Craft Academy possible.

“We work as a team, and it takes everyone,” Vickers said. “I appreciate the patience and the vision that you all put forth.”

During his recognition of the board, Vickers highlighted the efforts of Board member Misty Johnson who had a special interest in seeing the project come to fruition.

“When I applied for the board nine years ago, this is one of the things that I said I wanted to accomplish,” Johnson said. “We’ve had our starts and stops many times, and so I just appreciate everything that you all are doing to make it happen. It’s really important for our community.”

The ACS Champions Craft Academy will be housed in the former Winn-Dixie/Restore building on Highway 119 which was acquired by the school system and has seen significant interior renovations since its purchase.

The new facility will allow approximately 190 students to participate in the school system’s new workforce development program and will be located approximately six minutes away from Thompson High School. Students in grades 10 through 12 will be provided the opportunity to train in fields such as construction, welding and electrical with the hope of employment opportunities as soon as they graduate.

ACS recently celebrated the first wave of students to be selected as members of the new workforce development program during a special ceremony on Jan. 28 at Thompson High School.

In other business, the ACS Board of Education approved the following items during its meeting:

•  Audio visual equipment
• Replacement warranty upgrades
• Recreation playground replacement for Meadow View Elementary School
• Inventory deletions
• Personnel actions

Before the meeting concluded, Vickers highlighted a variety of recent successes in the school system, including the THS dance team and band securing a championship win at Game Day Live, the Thompson Middle School dance team earning first place in Junior High Kick at the Universal Dance Association National Dance Team Championship, the THS girls bowling team winning its first bowling state championship and more.

“There’s a lot of positive things going on,” Vickers said. “Everywhere I go people ask what we’re doing, how we’re doing and I just tell them that we believe in hard work. We’ve got great parents, we’ve got great students, we’ve got great teachers, great administrators and a great city.”

The next regularly scheduled Alabaster City Schools BOE meeting will take place on Monday, March 10 at 5 p.m. at City Hall.