HUNTSVILLE, Madison County — Big changes are underway with the Madison County School System. It's just ahead of students heading back to the classroom. FOX54 spoke with the superintendent about what parents and students need to know this year.
Madison County School System Superintendent Kenneth Kubik said they face a lot of challenges with the area's growth and so many additional students. The district is also taking steps towards handling some of that growth. "We're building a new school. we just went through the bid process and was just awarded. And so we are going to be building a new school out in the Toney area and it's going to serve the Harvest and Madison Crossroads, toney and Sparkman Middle School areas and it's going to be an intermediate school."
The school system also plans to reinvent their Career Tech programs. "We're in the process of securing a an additional location so that we can grow it into a more modern workforce development. And so we're really excited about that, that still there'll be more of that to come shortly."
This 2024-2025 school year also brings a few changes in the area of technology limiting campus connectivity and cellphone usage. "You know, we have options for them to use electronic devices as far as computers and laptops and Chromebooks. So they have access to those things. But as far as a need for their cell phones, there isn't. So we are going to limit the wi-fi usage and not allow them to be on the network there."
As far as the school district's plan on implementing the new Teachers' Bill of Rights this school year, Superintendent Kubik said they are already on it. "You know, we do follow the due process rights for both the teachers and for students. So this to us isn't as much of a imposition or a is more of it's just a way for our legislators to strengthen that. And we're already following those. So we don't see it as a critical implementation like other districts may or may not."