Growth driving new high school Hugh G. Willett news-herald.net
As the
plan for a new high school in north Loudon County moves
forward, some taxpayers and elected officials want to
understand why the school is needed.
“I still have more questions than answers,” Rosemary Quillen, county commissioner from district 2, said.
A full
understanding of the plan requires an examination of the
strong growth in students and lack of available space at
schools across the district, Mike Garren, director of Loudon
County Schools, said.
Loudon County Board of Education reviews a five-year strategic plan every year and determines needs across the district relative to academics, fiscal priorities and facilities, Garren said.
“We have been
monitoring our physical capacity for several years and
in the 2021-22 school year the district saw an increase
of 106 students, which is an increase of 2.2%,” he said.
The increase is
significant because under new TISA funding that goes
into place next year, districts that grow more than 2%
are considered fast-growing districts, Garren said.
The growth trend
is gathering momentum, he said.
In the 2022-23
school year, the district added 196 students, which is
an increase of 4.1%. The current enrollment of the
district is 4,989 students compared to 4,687 a couple of
years ago.
Loudon Elementary
School has seen the most dramatic growth with a current
enrollment of 650 students, an increase of 76 students
or 13.1%, over the last two years.
In 2013-14, the
new Fort Loudoun Middle School was built and the current
Loudon Elementary and old Fort Loudoun Middle School
combined to accommodate future growth. Two to six
available classrooms remain in those facilities.
Loudon High School
currently has 734 students, which is an increase of 72
students or 10.8%, over the last two years. The district
still has three open classrooms for growth at LHS thanks
to an addition in 2017.
Increased demand
for career and technical classes is driving the need for
additional space at LHS, Garren said.
Greenback School
began using a new facility in 2013 and current
enrollment is 669 students, which is an increase of 36
students or 5.7%. The Greenback facility still has four
classrooms to accommodate future growth.
“Considering this
data in conjunction with projected development in the
north end of the county, there will be a significant
need for growing capacity in the schools,” Garren said.
He said the
BOE has been proactive and thoughtful in planning
for growth.
“These
discussions have increased in frequency of late due
to the actual increases realized at various schools
across the district compared to our capacity and
anticipated growth within the community due to
increased housing availability,” he said.
Garren said
the district doesn’t want to get into the position
of having to place less-secure portable buildings on
campuses already overcrowded and experiencing
traffic issues, so they are acting upon the
information available.
“Based upon
this actual increase in students and the significant
increase in proposed housing developments in our
area, last fall the board directed the district to
look at options for expanding our facilities at
Philadelphia, Eaton, North Middle and CTE
programming at Loudon High,” he said.
Although growth is happening across the entire county, the situation in the north seems to be the most critical where growth is combined with a shortage of classroom space. Eaton Elementary School currently has 674 students and no open classrooms available. North Middle School has 780 students, which is an increase of 52 students, or 7.1%, over the last two years, and no open classrooms. As part of an expansion plan at Eaton and North, Garren said the team analyzing growth determined the best solution would be a new school on the north end of the county. Restructuring grade levels at Eaton and North would also be needed.
The plan would
be to change Eaton from a K-4 school to a K-3
school, freeing up seven or eight classrooms for
160-200 students. North would be restructured from a
5-8 school to a 4-6 school, freeing up seven or
eight classrooms for growth of 200-240 students.
Highland
Park Elementary School has 397 students, which
is an increase of 28 students, or 7%, over the
last two years, and one open classroom available
since a building addition in 2017.
In addition to crunching numbers, Garren said the district solicited parental input. “During board discussions last fall, it was proposed to gauge interest from parents of North Middle students in attending a county-operated high school since we were going to have to build some type of facility on that end of the county,” he said.
BOE
Chairman Bobby Johnson Jr. said there has been
interest for years from parents in districts 5
and 6 to have a county high school option on the
north end. A survey was administered a year ago,
and 70% of parents were interested in sending
their kids to a county-operated high school.
“That
percentage shows the support for opportunities
this school could bring to students,” Melissa
Browder, BOE member for district 5, said.
Because
the site costs would be about the same for a
middle or middle/high school, it was
economically feasible to add an upper floor to
the building to be able to accommodate grades
7-12.
Browder
said she has spoken with parents in her district
and they seem excited about a new 7-12 school.
Zack
Cusick, BOE member from district 6, said he has
received positive feedback from parents. He said
it was necessary to take action soon to
eliminate the overcrowding already experienced
in elementary and middle schools.
Feedback
from parents gave impetus to the BOE’s desire to
build on the north end of the county, Garren
said.
“The
board then asked the director to locate
suitable property on the north end of the
county to accommodate a 7-12 school,” Garren
said. “This would accommodate growth for our
elementary and middle grades on the north
end of the county and also give county
parents a high school option for their
students.”
Garren
said he evaluated several properties either
purchased too quickly for the BOE to pursue
or not viable options for a school.
Several sites were considered until the
district approached First Baptist Church in
Lenoir City, which is located between
Simpson Road and Highway 11. The
church-owned property is near the feeder
schools of Highland Park, Eaton and North,
has utilities in close proximity and is
accessible by major roadways.
The
BOE determined last month to pursue purchase
of the FBC property. Buying land and
building a new school is a lengthy process,
Garren said.
“The
land acquisition is nearing a year and
half,” he said. “Once the land is acquired,
then the design phase could take up to a
year and construction up to two years.”
Growth
on the south end of the county is also being
addressed.
The
BOE requested Cope Architecture determine
the feasibility of an expansion of
Philadelphia Elementary School on the
current site. The school has 511 students,
which is an increase of 34 students or 7.1%
over the last two years, and no open
classrooms to accommodate growth. Cope
presented a schematic plan to show an
expansion on the current site is a viable
option.
The
architect also presented a plan for
expansion of the CTE building at LHS to
accommodate increasing student participation
in automotive and welding classes. Garren
said the new high school will also offer CTE
programs.
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11/9/22