The Andalusia City School Board is one step closer to closing the current Andalusia Middle School campus.
Superintendent Ted Watson said this week that they have plans ready for the additional wings at Andalusia Elementary School and Andalusia High School that will house sixth through eighth graders.
The board announced in July 2011 that it would close Andalusia Middle School and place sixth grade students at AES and seventh and eighth graders at the high school – a move that would require additional space at both schools.
In August, the board selected Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood as the architect for the projects.
Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood architects estimated the two projects would cost $5.39 million. They first proposed a two-story structure reminiscent of AHS be built on the campus for AMS, an idea that so resonated with board members that they had other firms submit new proposals with two-story facilities.
The new Andalusia Junior High School building will face Fourth Avenue, Watson said.
Watson said since the architecture of the new wing looks a lot like the front façade of AHS, some who have seen the drawing asked if the board was putting a drive in front of the school.
“I’d like to say that we are not going to build a driveway in front of the high school,” he said. “It will be a dual drive for parent and bus pick-up.”
Watson said on Thursday that plans are to advertise for bids for the projects by the end of January.
“We will also have a prebid meeting for questions and answers in early February and let the bids in mid-February,” he said.
Watson said this is an exciting time for the system.
“We’re excited to be moving ahead,” he said. “We’re extremely excited to put together a building that will be with us for the next 100 years.”
Watson said the target date to open the facilities is still fall 2014.
The project is being paid for by a $5.5 million bond issue, in which the City of Andalusia of Andalusia has pledged 2.5 mills per year of property taxes for the duration.
- Andalusia Star News
The Covington Arts Council’s production of the Baby Boomer Comedy Show originally set for this weekend has been postponed until April 20.
Season tickets and those already sold for the January event will be honored, executive director Paula Harr said.
- Andalusia Star News
Need help feeding your pet?
Then, the Andalusia Animal Shelter and the Andalusia Area Humane Society can help, said Debra Evans with the AAHS.
“We’re offering free pet food to those in need in observance of the National Day of Service on Jan. 19,” Evans said. “The pet food pantry will provide temporary assistance to local senior citizens, low-income families, and those who have fallen on tough times.
“When people are struggling, a few bags of free dog or cat food and a little time can be all that’s needed to keep someone from giving up their beloved pet,” Evans said. “We hope to provide that bridge for them to hang on until things get better.”
Supplies are limited and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis beginning at 10 a.m. on Jan. 19 at the Andalusia Area Humane Society building located at 411 Pearl Street.
Additional distribution dates to be determined, Evans said.
–Stephanie Nelson
To get a “head start” in the education process, student recruitment is now beginning for the program is a federally funded child development program that provides services to 3-to-5-year-old children of low-income families.
Known as Head Start, the program has locations in Andalusia, Opp and Florala. Enrollment priority is given to children from families meeting the federal poverty guidelines. Head Start also actively recruits and enrolls children with disabilities.
“Head Start is a great program because it combines all aspects of an early childhood program,” Andalusia’s center director, Denise Davis, said. “It covers their education, their physical well-being with dental and health screenings, and even parental support.”
Davis said only 20 slots will be available for the next school year.
“I have a lot of returning children and transfers from our early Head Start program,” she said. “What we teach in this program prepares students for kindergarten. Nowadays, the skills we think of like teaching letters, numbers and colors, students are expected to know. What they teach in kindergarten sounds like what we learned in second grade.”
In total, there are 60 students enrolled in the Andalusia program, and an additional 16 in the early head start program.
Enrollment recruitment is ongoing in all three locations; however, space is limited, Davis said.
EHS coordinator Melanie Hunt said recruitment for the 0-36-month program is also ongoing.
“These classes fill up fast, so if you’re interested in having your child attend the program, you should get your application and information in as soon as possible,” Davis said. “
At the time of making an application, one must also provide:
• a certified birth certificate;
• proof of income (taxes);
• Medicaid Card and proof of disability (if applicable); and,
• an up-to-date immunization record (Blue Card).
Additionally, a parent or a legal guardian is the only person who can make an application for the prospective student.
There is no charge for the program and students attend classes Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on a calendar that follows the local school system. Breakfast, lunch and snack are served each day.
For more information, call Florala Head Start at 334-858-3060, Opp Head Start at 334-493-4451 or Andalusia Head Start at 334-881-0181.
For information on early Head Start, call Hunt at 222-1879.
V an Gogh. Da Vinci. Escher. They are all famous names in art history, and they all started with sketches before stepping out into the artistic media for which they are known.
And that’s why Andalusia Adult Activity Center art instructor Kathy Grantham hopes to instill drawing basics in minds of students taking her newest class – sketch art.
“Drawing is really a prerequisite to painting,” she said.
Thursday was the first day of the twice-monthly class, and students got right to work learning to sketch a sphere, while learning about lines, dots and positive and negative spaces.
Students also learned how to blend with stumps and how to utilize the stump tool in drawing.
“In the next class, we’ll work with cans and boxes,” Grantham said. “And then we’ll learn about vanishing points and perspective, and things like buildings and houses – geometric and organic.”
Grantham said eventually, students will learn to use color, oils and soft pastels.
“This class should lead them into oils,” she said.
The class meets on the second and fourth Thursdays from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. Cost is $10, and students are responsible for supplies, which include items such as a sketch board, newspaper print, drawing sketch pad, charcoal, color charcoal, erasers, a drawing pencil set, conte pencils, soft pastel set and oil pastel set.
Grantham said there are seven or eight people signed up and she has room for two more students.