HOOVER – When students return to Berry Middle School on Monday, Jan. 6, they will be greeted by construction and resulting changes in the end-of-school day procedures.

Work began Dec. 21, 2019, on a project to add 18 classrooms to the school that are needed to keep pace with enrollment.

“As with any school (or home) building project, adjustments to our daily lives will need to take place in order to maintain student and community safety, as well as make the most efficient use of available space,” Berry Principal Chris Robbins said.

About one-third of the school’s west parking lot will be fenced off for construction, meaning the loss of about 32 parking spaces.

Also, the road connecting the side and front driveway in that area will be closed.

Though the morning carpool and bus procedures will not be affected, afternoon procedures will be adjusted for the remainder of the school year and the entire 2020-2021 school year, as construction is anticipated to last for 18 months.

Changes include:

• Buses will no longer load on the west side of the building (excluding four special education buses).
• Buses will load at the front and east side of the building.
• At 3:15 p.m. each day, students who ride buses will be released from classes to load buses, and buses will be released from campus when loaded and ready (at about 3:22 p.m.)—the same schedule as previously used.
• At 3:20 p.m. each day, students who are riding carpool, walking or staying after school for activities will be released from their classrooms.
• As soon as buses are released, cars in the carpool line will be moved up to the front of the line, and carpool students will report to the covered area.
• Carpool should be completed by about 3:43 p.m., but the school will be prepared for carpool to extend seven to 10 minutes later.

For more information about the project and changes to procedures, visit HooverCitySchools.net/Berry and click on “The Berry Build-Out.”