Information regarding New Schools and Station Camp area zoning changes
Zone Changes 鈥� new school campus
Dr. Phillips and the School Board discussed a preliminary timeline for building a new elementary school and a new middle school/high school during their October 23, 2018 Board Retreat.
The School Board is considering a zoning change in the Station Camp area in two phases to prepare for the new campus.
Students impacted by Stage 1 zoning will attend either Beech Elementary, T.W. Hunter Middle or Beech High school starting with the 2019-2020 school year. The School Board will vote on the Stage 1 zoning plan during their February 2019 regular meeting.
The Stage 2 zoning will occur prior to the new campus opening in 2021. Stage 2 zoning will not be finalized or approved by the Board until February 2021.
Below are a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the new school campus and the proposed zoning plan:
Why do we need new schools?
We began the current plan to manage growth within our schools in 2014. The 2014 building program added 82 classrooms, eliminated 60 portables used as permanent classrooms, and renovated the oldest campuses within the school district. You can access the 2014 building program here.
The next step in our plan is to develop a new campus that will serve future growth in the southern portion of our county for the next 12 to 15 years; similar to the Station Camp campus that was built between 2002 to 2008. Sumner County purchased property in 2015 to complete this step of the plan.
Follow this link to access our Sumner County School Facility Planning Guide.
Follow this link to view a development map of the area.
Where can I find out if the zoning change affects my child?
You can access the map here for the Stage 1 and Stage 2 zoning. Stage 1 will begin in August, 2019. Stage 2 will begin in August, 2021. A quick reference for Stage 1 would be to determine if you are currently zoned for Station Camp and live north of Long Hollow Pike. If the answer is yes, your zoning will change in Stage 1. The school district will also send an official notice to your home address to notifiy that you are in the affected area.
Why does my school zone have to change?
Zoning changes are common in growing school districts to manage student enrollment. Our Board tries to limit the number of zoning changes to be sensitive to the disruption it causes families, but our School Board also realize it鈥檚 a necessity. Our policies allow us to change zoning yearly.
When will the School Board take action on the Stage 1 zoning plan?
The School Board will vote on the Stage 1 zoning plan at their February 2019 regular meeting.
The School Board will review, discuss and vote on the proposed Stage 2 plan no later than the spring of 2021. Students impacted by the Stage 1 zoning will automatically be included into Stage 2.
When will the zoning changes take affect?
Students impacted by Stage 1 zoning will attend their new zoned school starting with the 2019-2020 school year. Stage 2 zoning will occur when the new campus is opened in 2021.
If my child is in one of the upper grades at their school, can they stay?
Unfortunately, based on the projected growth for the Station Camp Schools, Stage 1 students impacted by Stage 1 zone changes will be required to attend their new zoned school starting with the 2019-2020 school year.
I have students at Beech Elementary and/or T.W. Hunter Middle. How will this affect my child鈥檚 school?
The Stage 1 zoning change will not create overcrowding at either school. We have capacity at both Beech Elementary and Hunter Middle to accommodate students until the new school campus opens. The current enrollment at Beech is 418 with a classroom capacity of 608. Beech had 605 students the year prior to Burrus Elementary opening. Hunter has a current enrollment of 654 students with a classroom capacity of 990.
When will the new schools be open?
Our proposed timeline will have construction beginning on a new middle school/high school and a new elementary school in the summer of 2019. We plan on the new campus being open in the 2021-22 school year.
What is the process for building the new schools?
The Director of Schools will present the project to the School Board and the County Commission for approval and funding. The School Board will work with an architectural firm to design the new schools. Once the design process is complete, the project as designed will be bid. The construction bids will then be presented to the School Board and County Commission for approval. If approved, construction will begin on the campus.
Where will the new schools be located?
Sumner County purchased 265 acres in 2015 for a new school campus. Both new schools will be constructed on this property, which is located at 475 Upper Station Camp Creek Road. The long-range plan is for the property to be home to an elementary, middle and high school, similar to the Station Camp and Beech campuses.
The School Board is proposing a middle/high school? What does that mean?
The School Board is proposing initially to build an elementary and a high school on the new campus. The high school will be designed to house the middle school students in a separate area that will eventually become a freshman wing, similar to the freshman annexes at Beech High and White House High. A middle school will be proposed on the new campus at a later date, after the completion of the elementary and high school.
What will the new schools be named?
The School Board will discuss naming the new schools after the projects are approved. School Board policy dictates a preference for geographic or community names. School Board policy also requires the School Board to propose the naming of a school during a regular meeting and then place that name on a Study Session for review and community input prior to voting during a regularly scheduled public meeting.
How much will the new schools cost?
Our preliminary construction cost estimates can be found by following the links below.
How did the School District spend the 2014 building program funds?
What is core capacity? What is classroom utilization?
Core capacity is based on the maximum number of students that can occupy non-classroom spaces such as the cafeteria, auditorium and gym.
Classroom utilization is the classroom space that will accommodate maximum student enrollment.