Breaking Ground On School Growth

SODDY DAISY, Tenn. (WDEF) – Hamilton County leaders officially broke ground Wednesday on a major renovation and expansion project at Soddy Daisy Middle School, marking the first major groundbreaking under the district’s broader school facilities improvement plan.

County Mayor Weston Wamp, Schools Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson, District 1 Commissioner Gene-O Shipley, School Board Representative Steve Slater, and community leaders gathered for the ceremony celebrating what officials called a long-awaited investment in students and families.

The approximately 35-million-dollar project is funded through Hamilton County’s 260-million-dollar bond issue approved in 2024 as part of a countywide effort to modernize aging school facilities.

Planned upgrades include all-new classrooms and learning spaces, a new gymnasium, and renovations to cafeteria and administrative spaces. 

Once completed, the campus is expected to accommodate up to 650 students, about 200 more than it currently serves, helping address both current enrollment needs and future growth.

County leaders say the Soddy Daisy Middle expansion is the first school project to break ground under a facilities strategy developed to address both immediate building needs and long-term capital improvements across Hamilton County Schools. 

The project follows years of discussion around the future of the school and continued investment in district facilities.

Construction is expected to happen in phases to minimize disruptions for students, staff, and daily school operations while classes continue on campus. 

The project is expected to be completed in December 2028.