Board of Education Unveils Options For Gresham Campus Use

VESTAVIA HILLS, AL – As the Vestavia Hills Board of Education decides what to do with the potential acquisition of Gresham Elementary from Jefferson County, the board opened up some of its options to the community in the first of a string of public forums on the matter. On Tuesday, Nov. 7, Interim Superintendent Charles Mason gave attendees a rundown of the three plans the board is currently weighing.

The first plan, "Plan A," is the board's approved plan, which entails all elementary schools becoming K-5 and Vestavia Hills High School becoming 10-12.

The first alternative, "Option S," calls for a split between Pizitz and Berry, with Pizitz becoming 6-7 and Berry becoming 8-9. Liberty Park Middle would become 6-9. Gresham would fill in as the new elementary school that would have been at Pizitz.

The second alternative, "Option 9," would mean the creation of a Pizitz 9th grade campus, taking its students from Liberty Park and U.S. 31 and diverting some of the crowding at the high school. Both middle schools would be 6-8, and Gresham would become a new elementary school.

The meeting gave residents an opportunity to debate the pros and cons of each plan in three separate groups. The board will release a list of the ideas gathered at the meeting online by Thursday, Nov. 9.

The next community engagement meetings will be on Tuesday, Nov. 14, one at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Cahaba Heights at 10 a.m. and another at Liberty Park Middle School at 6 p.m.