School of Discovery reopens $17M new building with open house ceremony

Selma City Schools celebrated a new chapter Friday with the grand reopening of the $17 million School of Discovery, welcoming community leaders, former educators, students and families into the district's newest campus.

The ribbon cutting that was organized by the Selma Chamber of Commerce, marked the completion of the new fifth- and sixth-grade school, which will officially welcome students when classes begin Aug. 10. An open house Friday followed the ribbon cutting ceremony, giving families their first opportunity to tour the new facility.

The celebration also honored the educators who opened the original School of Discovery in the mid-1990s. Many of the former teachers and staff members had not seen one another in nearly 30 years, turning the morning into both a school dedication and a reunion.

Selma City Schools Superintendent Dr. David Scott called the opening a milestone for the district.

"It's a great day for Selma City Schools," Scott said. "It's exciting to see all of the hard work come to fruition."

Among those returning was Carol Cleveland, the school's first counselor, who traveled from Fairhope carrying a large binder filled with photographs from the school's early years beginning in 1994.

As she flipped through the pages with former colleagues, Cleveland pointed out memories of the school's butterfly garden, field trips and highlights of the magnet school program that introduced students to eight different electives each year, including dance, choir, art and other enrichment opportunities.

"It is marvelous to see each other again," Cleveland said.

State Board of Education member Tonya Chestnut said the investment in the new school will have a lasting impact on students for generations.

"I'm really excited that they will have the arts and the science labs, all of those things that should be in every school," Chestnut said. "We're really, really excited to have this new facility, and I know that it is going to impact not only this generation, but generations to come."

A longtime educator, Chestnut said it was especially meaningful to reconnect with many of the original School of Discovery employees.

"I think the legacy that has been established here will continue and even go beyond what has already taken place," she said.

Chestnut also noted that the campus represents the first newly constructed school building in Selma in at least a decade.

"It's a blessing in disguise in as much as we've experienced a decline in population, which also impacts school enrollment," she said. "Hats off to the leadership, the board, the superintendents and the community of Selma for their insight in gathering the funds to make this a reality."

Following the ribbon cutting, more than 40 community organizations and vendors set up displays throughout the first-floor classrooms for students and parents to explore. The University of West Alabama's robotics program demonstrated STEM activities, while families also enjoyed a school supply giveaway and raffle drawings.

During an assembly, Principal Dr. Mashika Tempero-Culliver introduced the school's teachers to students and parents ahead of the new school year.

Selma City Schools broke ground on the new School of Discovery in February 2024. The campus was constructed beside portions of the former Washington Street school that remain, including historic Pickard Auditorium, which is scheduled to undergo a complete renovation.