Out with the old school and in with the new

By: Kayla Guillot

In the past few years the city of Alabaster has been no stranger to change. The Colonial Promenade is booming and new stores are opening in record time. A new municipal complex opened and the senior center saw a major make over as well. However, past Highway 31 and 'tween the hills of old Siluria' nothing has changed in years. That is about to change with the help of $100 million.

New Alabaster Municipal Complex

Thompson High School opened it's doors in 1921 originally on Highway 31 in what is now the Shelby County Instructional Services Center. In the 1980's the 'Champions of the future' moved to their current location on Warrior Drive. Although it has not been long since a new school was built, Alabaster has grown at such an astounding rate the students are outgrowing the building.

In the past six years, an addition was added on at the end of the existing school, as well as a two story 'freshman building', a football locker room converted to class rooms and two trailers now litter the outskirts of the school. To say it has grown is an understatement and Alabaster Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers is making it change.

On August 16 2013, Vickers made the announcement to thousands of residents and students that Alabaster was now a city school system. Since July 2013 the district has spent over $600,000 on greatly needed maintenance and renovation issues. With the turn of a new year brought even better news for the district. A new high school.

"The school is really run down and the kids have outgrown it," says Alabaster resident Alan Holmes.

Vickers' previous project at Saraland High School

Alabaster City Schools are seeking $100 million to make renovations to Thompson Intermediate and Thompson High School, fund construction on a 330,000 square foot new high school and athletic facilities. The board voted to hire Jim Birchall with the Jones Walker law office, Frazier Lanier investment company, Volkert engineering firm, Keller Williams realty and McKee and Associates architecture firm.

"There are three locations the district is looking at but no official decision has been made," said Keller Williams real estate agent Marsha Bates.

Dr. Wayne Vickers was named the school superintendent in May 2013. This is not his first time to take on a project of this size he has also worked with Demopolis City Schools for two years, and Saraland School System in Mobile, Alabama. He has also been principal in various schools in Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Coffee County and Kentucky.