Growing Paines: 4th Trussville elementary school on the ‘fast track’

Cahaba and Magnolia elementary schools were constructed to alleviate overcrowding at Paine Elementary School, and it now appears that a fourth Trussville elementary school is needed.

Trussville City Schools Superintendent Pattie Neill said at the August Board of Education meeting that Paine Elementary has “ample room, but we are running out quickly.” Neill said that Paine currently has 1,325 students, but she’d like to keep the school at a maximum of 1,000 students. Neill said the difference on the first day of school this year versus the first day of school last year is an additional 150 students at Paine Elementary.

“This is a result of families moving into the new subdivisions,” Neill said of Stockton, Longmeadow, Winslow Parc and Carrington subdivisions.

The city’s population grew from 19,933 in 2010 to 26,123 in 2020, according to the recently released Census numbers, a 31%  increase.

Cahaba and Magnolia elementary schools opened for the 2016-2017 school year. Cahaba Elementary was renovated by Blalock Building Company and Magnolia Elementary was constructed by Argo Building Company. Both schools accommodate up to 500 students.

Neill said she has met regularly with Trussville Mayor Buddy Choat about a potential location for a fourth elementary school, likely to be located north of Paine Elementary School. It would be the city’s northernmost elementary school, the location due in large part to the residential growth in that area of the city. She said 15 to 20 acres would be needed for the school. Neill said a new school in this area would reduce the number of students at Paine. Zones would be worked on with City of Trussville officials.

“We want to put that on the fast track, if possible,” Neill said, noting that the school system would need to look into refinancing general obligation warrants to help pay for any future construction.

The construction of a fourth elementary school and an addition to Hewitt-Trussville High School were added to the school system’s capital projects list. According to Trussville City Schools data, the student population is up 15% from 2010 to 2020. The grade levels that have increased the most are 12th and kindergarten. Currently, the largest classes, Neill said, are seventh and ninth grades.

The Hewitt-Trussville High School addition, Neill said, will include another wing. The high school, currently at 1,592 students, was built for 2,000 in common areas. Principal Tim Salem said 74 new students enrolled at the high school this year. Hewitt-Trussville Middle School Principal Jennifer Abney said her school is at 1,136 students, 59 of which are new to the school this year.

“Our students are so excited to be in the building,” Abney said. “There is nothing more invigorating than to hear middle school kids in the morning. Like, they’re chattering, they’re in the hall. They’re excited to be there and it’s made all of our hearts happy, too.”