The Cullman County School Board approved a bid at its meeting Thursday night for construction of a new Holly Pond Middle School.

Chorba Contracting Corp. from Guntersville was awarded the bid at $1,525,985.

Cullman County Schools Superintendent Hank Allen said the company will build seven additional classrooms and a new facade as part of Holly Pond Elementary School to house students in grades 6-8.

“We expect construction to begin sometime in the summer and it’s going to be about a 10-11 month project, give or take a month,” Allen said. “It should be complete sometime in 2009 and we believe it will be ready for the 2009-2010 school year.”

The school board also awarded a bid to Acme Roofing and Sheet Metal Company in Dothan to rebuild the roof of Parkside School. Allen said though the school is only 10-12 years old, there have been problems with its asphalt shingles due to a design error.

“We had a design problem out there that caused damage to the asphalt shingles,” he said. “We are going to replace them with a metal roof so we don’t have to continue to repair the shingle roof.”

Allen said the asphalt roof should have lasted through 20 years but was only covered by the manufacturers with a 5-year warranty. Since the roofing problems were caused by a design flaw and not a poor product, Allen said the school system is responsible for fixing it.

The project, which is slated to cost more than $650,000, should begin in June and be completed before school starts in the fall. Allen said if the project is not fully complete by the time students return, it should be near enough to completion that it will not disrupt classes.

Allen said summer activities, such as athletic practice, will which would normally take place at the school, should also not be interrupted.

“We don’t foresee it being a problem. Either they (students) can use Fairview’s facility or it won’t be a problem,” he said.

In other business:

‰ The board recognized Victoria Cupps, student at Cold Springs Elementary School, for winning the Cullman Utilities Board Water Conservation Poster Contest.

‰ The board recognized Dual Mayfield as the Alabama Community Education Association State Volunteer of the Year.

‰ The board recognized Allen as the recipient of the Alabama Community Education Association Northern Region Superintendent of the Year.

‰ The board accepted the resignation of Phillip Key, custodian at West Point Elementary; Stevie Mullins, middle school boys basketball coach, Cold Springs High School; Dorothy Falkner, testing coordinator at the Child Development Center; Tasha Hines, teacher at Hanceville High School; Larry Creel, teacher at Hanceville High School; William Schaffer, math teacher at Vinemont Middle School; and Paul Anderson, principal of Hanceville Middle School.

‰ The board approved the leaves of absence for Amy Payne, teacher at Vinemont Elementary; Tiffany Davis, teacher at Cold Springs Elementary; Christal Mosley, teacher at Good Hope High School.

‰ The board approved transfers of Danna Powell from special education aide at Hanceville Elementary to special education aide at Good Hope Elementary; Mitch Duke from assistant maintenance foreman at the maintenance shop to maintenance foreman at the maintenance shop.

‰ The board approved temporary appointments for Jessica Turner as special education teacher at the Child Development Center; An’Drea Mathis Huff as kindergarten teacher at Cold Springs Elementary; Leslie Ball as first-grade teacher at Vinemont Elementary.

‰ The board approved part-time appointments for Robert Burgess as book room helper; Sandra A. Waters as Drop in for Success program facilitator, at C.A.R.E.; Kerry Henderson as teacher for after-school detention and Saturday School.

‰ The board approved the temporary part-time appointment of Rodney Henderson as adult night school teacher in electrical technology at the career center.

‰ The board approved hiring Richie Penn and Derrick Waddell as High Hopes Tutors at West Point High School.

‰ The board approved hiring Camille Christenberry as a substitute nurse, and Katrina James as substitute teacher.

‰ The board approved hiring Brian Smith, Brenda Parrish, Denise Manord and Marilyn Rice for after-school substitutes.

‰ The board approved upgrading Johnny Whaley’s salary to Master’s level.

‰ The board approved out-of-state field trips for the Career Center’s culinary arts class to go to Nashville and for Fairview High School Explorer’s Club to go to New York City.

‰ The board approved a request by the transportation director to surplus nine school buses and one van.

‰ The board approved bids for materials for the maintenance department.