Saraland Middle School To Get Portables

Alabama Mobile New superintendent speaks about plans for the future.

by Steve Alexander

Published: Fri, June 26, 2009 - 7:03 pm CST Last Updated: Fri, June 26, 2009 - 8:33 pm CST

The new superintendent of the Saraland Public School System told News Five he's ready for the challenges ahead, including getting a new high school open in January.
Dr. Wayne Vickers visited Saraland Friday afternoon.
He takes over Saraland schools July 16.
Vickers said he's "just very excited about the opportunity of building a school system from the start."
Saraland School Board President Bill Silver said, "I think his biggest challenge will simply be trying to fit all the students that we're going to have next year into the proper schools."
From August 2009 until January 2010, fourth through tenth graders will go to Saraland Middle School, Nelson Adams Campus.
In January, ninth and tenth graders will go to the new Saraland High School.
But, in the meantime, five new portables will be added at the middle school to accommodate the extra students.
Vickers said, "They'll be nice and have air conditioning and heating and it will be outstanding temporary facilities."
Vickers will be paid $132,000 a year.
But since the Saraland School System has worked out a separation agreement with the Mobile County School System, Saraland now owns the elementary and middle school, as well as 80 acres of land.
Saraland School Board Attorney Bob Campbell said, "I think we got 16, 17, maybe $22 million of property, and we didn't pay for it."
And school officials say the system will have full sports programs at the middle school and high school next year.
Saraland Interim Superintendent Paul Sousa said, "There'll be a Saraland Spartan team. We'll run the JV schedule next year then, the following year, we'll probably have a varsity schedule with just eleventh grade, so we might lose a few games there because we're not going to have a full school, but we're going to play anyway."
Sousa also said the school system plans to build a football stadium in the future.
The first day of school in Saraland is August 10.

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