COTTONWOOD, Ala. (WDHN) — Since its founding, Cottonwood School has always been kindergarten through 12th grade.

That isn’t changing now, however, the administrative staff will be split up, to help ease the stress of administrators.

“They have split the school starting this school year,” said Cottonwood High School Principal, Darren Stewart. “We use to be a K-12 campus but now we are K-6 and 7-12 and we will have a principal for the elementary school and a principal for the high school. It was a good financial move. It allowed us to secure more resources to put more administrators in place.”

School officials say this shouldn’t have a large impact on the student body, however it will help ease the burden of administrative staff.

“I think it is a great idea, I don’t think our students will recognize anything,” Stewart said. “We have always been on one campus. For them it will not be any different, it is just from our standpoint, from our point of view.”

With the COVID-19 Delta variant a factor, the school officials are keeping their options open until they get official guidance from Houston County Board of Education.

“I think we are just like everybody else, we are waiting to see,” Stewart said. “Were hopeful we will go into a more normal year, but we are waiting to hear just like everybody else.”

The school year starts August 6 for elementary and high school students in Cottonwood, teachers will return three days before that, on August 3.