SPECIAL TO THE LEADER
Workers were busy at Aggie Stadium last week, getting the latest technological advancement — a new scoreboard — in place for the Albertville-Florence contest Friday night.
“We’re really excited about the upgrades happening across Albertville City Schools, and the new scoreboard at the stadium is just one piece of that. It’s exciting for our community, but more importantly it represents an investment in technology that will serve our students, families and fans for years to come,” said Albertville Superintendent Bart Reeves.
The new scoreboard is a major step forward compared to the previous one. It allows for better video quality, instant replays, live updates and more interactive features that enhance the game-day experience for students and families, he said. It also provides new opportunities for student learning, giving the school’s media and broadcasting students in AggieVision access to real-world technology they can use to gain skills for future careers.
The funding for this project came from state-allocated Advancement and Technology funds. Each year, the state determines how much each system receives, and that amount can change. In fiscal year 2024, Albertville City Schools received $5.7 million. In fiscal year 2025, the district received $6.3 million, Reeves said.
Because the funding is not guaranteed from year to year, the state sets clear parameters on how it can be used. These dollars can only be spent on capital projects, including facilities, transportation and security needs. It cannot be used for things like personnel or classroom salaries.
“With this year’s A&T funds, we’ve been able to make improvements across the district that touch nearly every area of our schools,” he said. “At the stadium, we installed new LED lighting, upgraded seats for season ticket holders, new signage, turf and the new scoreboard. Beyond athletics, these funds also supported student safety through additional school resource officers and new security vestibules at Albertville Primary and Albertville Elementary, as well as at other campuses.
“We’ve purchased new buses, renovated classrooms and restrooms, provided all new student computers and computers for new staff members, upgraded video technology at the Fine Arts Center, installed a drainage system at the AIS (Albertville Intermediate School) gym and completed renovations at the APS gym.
“We’re also resurfacing the high school track, replacing multiple gym roofs, adding new scoreboards at the high school gym, a box truck for band and choir to use while traveling, covering property insurance, updating maintenance vehicles and more. These projects are a great example of how A&T funds allow us to make lasting investments that benefit students, families and our community.
“We’re grateful to our state legislators, including Sen. Wes Kitchens and Rep. Brock Colvin, for allocating these funds, which allow us to make valuable improvements not just for athletics, but across every part of our system.
“These updates benefit our students directly, and they also create better experiences for their families and the entire Albertville community.
“Looking ahead, we will be selling ads and sponsorships on the new scoreboard, with all proceeds going back to support programs at AHS. Please reach out to [email protected] if you are interested,” the superintendent said.
The new Albertville High School scoreboard debuted Friday night at Vernon Wells Stadium. Albertville City Schools has received $12 million in state Advancement and Technology funds the last two fiscal years, which has gone to security enhancements and improvements at the stadium, among other projects across the city district.TAYLOR BECK | THE LEADER
