Fultondale High School

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Fultondale High School
Fultondale HS aerial.jpg
Established 1972
School type Public
District Jefferson County Schools
Grades 7-12
Principal Stephanie Robinson
Enrollment 429 (2022)
Colors Navy blue & orange
Mascot Wildcats
Location 2023 Wildcat Parkway, Fultondale
Fultondale
Website jefcoed.com/FultondaleHS

Fultondale High School (originally New Castle High School) is a public high school located at 2023 Wildcat Parkway, off North Pine Hill Road in eastern Fultondale. The school, which belongs to the Jefferson County Schools system, has an enrollment of approximately 429 students in grades 7 through 12 who feed in from Fultondale Elementary School. The student body is 42% Black, 35% Hispanic, and 21% White. The principal is Stephanie Robinson.

The school was originally constructed in 1965, near the present high school at 1450 Carson Road. It enrolled students in grades 1 through 12 who would previously have attended Gardendale Elementary School or Gardendale High School. A vocational building was added in 1967.

In 1972 students from Fultondale Elementary School and the Smithfield area began feeding into the school and it was given its current name. At the same time, the mascot was changed from the Knights to the Wildcats.

The band, formerly known as the "Fultondale Wildcat Marching Band," later adopted the name "Rainbow Regiment". The school's yearbook is entitled the Lodestar.

In early 2007, plans were announced for a Gardendale High School to be built with new sales tax revenues for school construction. A proposal to merge Fultondale High School with the new school was rejected during planning.

Beginning in the 2013-2014 academic year, 6th grade classes from Fultondale Elementary School began meeting at Fultondale High due to overcrowding.

In March 2018, after the City of Gardendale announced that it was no longer seeking to break away from the county system, the Jefferson County Board of Education announced that it would construct a new high school for grades 7-12 in Fultondale. The former school was renovated as the new home for the Jefferson County International Baccalaureate's "Middle Years Programme", previously housed at the former Pleasant Grove Middle School.

The new 160,000 square-foot Fultondale High School was budgeted at $38.5 million, but later increased to $49.4 million, and then to $60 million. It was designed by McKee & Associates of Montgomery for 650 students in grades 7 through 12. Construction was initially set to be completed in January 2021, but was delayed along with cost increases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the existing high school building was severely damaged by an F-3 tornado on January 25. Students continued to attend virtual classes through March, and then attended in-person classes at the Warrior Elementary School campus.

The new Fultondale High School opened for classes on August 14, 2023, with the gymnasiums and music rooms expected to open by the end of the fall semester.

Principals

Athletics

The Fultondale Wildcats compete in the AHSAA Class 4A, Region 6. The football team has won nine regional championships since 1976

The school won state championships in wrestling in 1992, 1994 and 1995. The girls' basketball team won the Area 13 tournament in 2014 and advanced to the AHSAA sub-region championship.

Notable alumni

References

  • Leech, Marie (March 30, 2007) "Jeffco high schools won't merge". The Birmingham News
  • "Fultondale High School (September 25, 2015) Wikipedia - accessed September 25, 2015
  • Edgemon, Erin (March 21, 2018) "Jefferson County to build new high school in Fultondale." The Birmingham News
  • Hildreth, Randi (November 11, 2020) "New Fultondale High School." WBRC.com
  • "Superintendent: Students will not return to damaged Fultondale HS; new school to open in 2023." (January 27, 2021) WBRC.com
  • Pollock, Taylor (August 13, 2023) "Fultondale High School holds open house in new building." WBRC.com

External links