What To Know About Northport Intermediate School Ahead Of Opening

NORTHPORT, AL — A major new addition for the Tuscaloosa County School System is expected to open for students this August at the new Northport Intermediate School.

Tuscaloosa Patch took a quick look at the project to provide an overview as the construction phase winds down ahead of the summer months.

NORTHPORT INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

About the school: Plans were approved for the new school by the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education in October 2017. The new school was initially set to open in August 2020, but construction was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Capacity: Approximately 700 fifth- and sixth-grade students.

Set opening date for students: Aug. 12.

Total cost: $24 million.

Administration: Myrtlewood Elementary School Principal Michael Tilford was hired by the school board to be the school's first principal in February. Tilford also previously served as assistant principal at Duncanville Middle School and has taught both fifth and sixth grades.

Watch a video interview with Tilford here, posted by the Tuscaloosa County School System.

Affiliated elementary schools: Flatwoods Elementary and Huntington Place Elementary. Collins-Riverside Middle will continue to receive students from Crestmont, Faucett-Vestavia, and Matthews Elementary.

PATCH ANALYSIS

Expressed positives: The intention behind the new school focused on addressing overcrowding at other schools in the county system. The school is also being built near the TCHS campus and Northport Elementary, representing the center of an area of the city experiencing rapid growth. As the City of Northport also pushes for its own school system, the massive new school could prove a crown jewel in a fledging new city school system if the effort proves successful.

Expressed concerns: The proposed intermediate school was met with protest when talks first began, primarily because of the new school being built while older schools, such as Collins-Riverside Middle School, continued to age and fall behind in its standards compared to other schools in the district and area. Traffic, primarily for residents of the Grand Pointe subdivision, has also been a focus for detractors and a recent source of debate, as a new access road has been proposed from Highway 43 to the new school. A public forum will be held Tuesday for those with questions or concerns about the access road.

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