School board members share their personal school priority list

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — At the last school board meeting, each member was tasked with filling out their priority list for changes coming to schools in their districts.

Here is how the changes were ranked ahead of Thursday’s school board meeting.

Soddy Daisy:

The original plan was to renovate the current high school into a 6-12 campus.

Yet all school board members thought building a new middle school was the better option.

Rhonda Thurman with district 1 agreed.

She also put the new middle school as the top priority on her list.

Elementary School in Red Bank or Hixson:

Another major point of back and forth has been about the consolidation of Dupont, Rivermont and Alpine Crest.

A plan came forward about building an elementary school on the current high and middle campus, but that became an unviable option.

Ben Connor who represents that district placed the new Hixson or Red bank school third to last on his list.

Clifton Hills:

The plan is to build a new Clifton Hills on the current site and renovate some of the existing spaces.

Jill Black had Clifton Hills as her top priority.

She represents that district.

Another board member Faye Robinson put Clifton Hills 5th on her list.

Yet, she recognized the need to get teachers and students out of portables.

Brainerd High and Dalewood Middle:

The plan is to combine the two communities into a 6-12 campus.

Karista Jones who represents those two schools had that as her number two priority behind Clifton Hills.

Final Tally:

All board members filled out this priority list.

The Gateway renovation and Clifton Hills tied for first

The new Redbank or Hixson school was second.

And the Brainerd 6 – 12 campus was third.

The Thrasher expansion and Cigna building renovation tied for last.

The school board will vote Thursday on their final facilities plan.