Community
Pike Road Schools believe community members are valuable partners and must be involved in their schools. PRS greatly appreciates the support of our community in looking for ways to support our school system. Our strong community relationships are a vital component of our success.
Our Community
The Town of Pike Road had an amazing experience of growth and development. The Town has categorized its development into four basic categories that are supported by a strong administrative system, conservative fiscal policy and a dedication to communication. The Four Pillars of the town are Planning, Education, Quality of Life and Services. As the Four Pillars are integrated into the daily activity, it becomes clear that they are a part of each and every decision that the town undertakes.
Over the time from 2010 to 2015, the town has experienced phenomenal growth. The development of property and the annexation of parcels within neighborhoods has made the town one of Alabama’s fastest growing communities. Yet at the same time, the town has been careful to not force annexation. Every individual property owner has been given the opportunity to enter the town at an casual pace. In 2010, the town was just over 5000 people. By 2015 the growth had surpassed 8000.
Accompanying the growth, the town has had the chance to host three major comprehensive planning activities. These consisted of engaging citizens in a process of planning. Individual ideas from every landowner were considered and implemented into the zoning, sub-division regulatory and construction standards. With these planning exercises the town has developed a model of growth to utilize with individual landowners. This plan for advancing the town engages all of the seven traditional communities within Pike Road area. By protecting the historic town centers and keeping open space a priority, the town anticipates continued growth. The planning and development was so successful that the town hired a full-time planning director to oversee these activities in 2015.
The educational growth of the town may be the most phenomenal story. As the town advanced, the growth continued to bring new people with great ideas and a dedication to investing in future citizens. Parents and individuals, that have chosen to make the Town of Pike Road their home, committed thousands of hours to study curriculum, take field trips to other cities to meet and learn from educational experts, etc. These leaders in the community divided into committees and actively engaged in the effort to define a new way of learning. Their efforts were focused on connecting the Pike Road School with universities and making sure that all children were treated as lifelong learners. The goal centered around building a challenging system that will bring confidence in the school. The citizens played a vital role in providing the school because they adopted a 16 mil property tax to make it possible. In 2014, a school board was created and a superintendent was hired. In 2015, the town experienced the popularity of the school as over 500 individuals seeking the 50 different initial teaching positions. Later in 2015, the school opened in a phenomenal new building and welcomed over 1000 new students. Also, in 2015 the town was able to purchase the historic school that was closed in 1970.This will serve as the second campus of the school.
The quality of life undertaking of the town has been driven by the effort to maintain the special nature of the area. Known as a place with hospitable people, Pike Road has always had a spirit of engaging people. Through the establishment of the Enhance Initiative, the town developed series of volunteer driven committees that were focused on keeping agriculture a part of the lifestyle, maintaining the recreational options and providing artistic opportunities for people. The ENHANCE Initiative also provided people the means to assist others through the PRICE Foundation and to support those in need through the P.R.A.Y.E.R. Team. The town has a full-time economic and community development director and she is continuously working with the business community to create new ways to add value to the community while creating jobs for the citizens. Results of the ENHANCE Initiative include a donation of land for an Athletic and Performing Arts Center.
