Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By TYLER RALEY | Staff Writer

NORTH SHELBY – The local schools in the Oak Mountain area have been gifted a huge boost towards enhancing educational experiences thanks to the recent support of Indian Springs Village.

Over the course of the last three years, all four Oak Mountain Schools have received more than $1.5 million worth of funding, all going toward purchasing new equipment or renovations to school structures that will affect the students on a daily basis.

The relationship between Indian Springs Village and the Oak Mountain area schools has been a highly positive one between both parties, and Indian Springs Village mayor Brenda Bell-Guercio expressed her gratitude for what the schools have done, knowing this funding will do wonders for the future of education.

“We are extremely proud of our Oak Mountain Schools and delighted to be able to support them financially to enhance students’ educational experience and development,” Bell-Guercio said. “We are fully aware that these children are our future, and will do whatever we can to help make their journey successful.”

Oak Mountain High School has received a bulk of the money that has been donated, receiving more than $800,000 from the town council.

The high school has allocated that toward many projects within the school’s athletics and fine arts program, the largest portion of which was putting more than $500,000 toward athletic renovations inside the high school, turning the old fine arts wing into multi-purpose rooms for multiple teams. The investment also went toward a new hitting facility for the softball team, new bleachers in the basketball gym and equipment and uniform purchases for the football and baseball teams.

Among other investments, the high school was able to put $30,000 toward grant requests from teachers, $153,000 for brand new marching band uniforms, $42,000 for new mirrors and risers in the new choir room, $40,000 for technological updates in the band and choir rooms, $10,000 for a new performing arts center stage floor, $30,000 for new seating in the library and $10,000 toward the construction of a new baseball press box.

Oak Mountain High School principal Andrew Gunn expressed his thanks to Indian Springs Village, saying these funds and allocations are going to constantly make a difference in aspects of the school’s operation.

“This partnership has enhanced every aspect of the high school experience from academics to fine arts to athletics,” Gunn said. “We are extremely grateful for the council’s support and look forward to a continued partnership for many years to come.”

Oak Mountain Middle School’s donated funds totaled out to $350,118.14. The money has been allocated toward a multitude of improvements, which include new gym bleachers, floor covering for the gym floor, a full renovation of the broadcast room, new messaging boards, new band instruments and a hallway system.

A total of $181,000 was handed to Oak Mountain Intermediate School, going toward a new gym floor, new whiteboards for teachers, playground upgrades, an outdoor sensory playground and a cafeteria projector system.

Principal Dr. Laura Junkin discussed how the improvements will help enhance the students in a crucial developmental stage of their lives, making the learning experience just that much better.

“Each project has been able to reach every student in our school community and make an immediate impact on student development,” Junkin said. “Since OMIS is the blending school, providing students with the opportunity to build social problem-solving skills along with academic growth is imperative. Each of these projects allows our faculty and staff opportunities to better grow the entire child.”

Finally, Oak Mountain Elementary School received $251,479, which has been used for new turf installation for an interior courtyard, a renovation of the turtle pond and the courtyard that it is in, a new gym floor, new playground equipment, library renovations and new conference room furniture.

As these renovations continue on in the Oak Mountain area schools, Indian Springs Village looks to continually support the educational potential of its local institutions and provide more funding in years to come.