Hamilton County School Board passes school facilities plan

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Hamilton County School Board had their final vote on the facilities plan. The talk of renovations, closings and new schools has been a point of discussion for many months. Thursday night, it came to an end.

The school board unanimously passed the new facilities plan. The new plan had the Gateway renovation as the top priority. Although the plan passed, board members had some concerns.

“Is there a way to put some sort of provision there that says, ‘if it becomes cost prohibitive to replicate an arts school, would we revisit it and keep CCA where they are instead of putting them in a facility that doesn’t meet the standard they already have?'” District 11’s Jill Black asked.

The consolidation of Dupont, Rivermont and Alpine Crest is in the number four slot. Ben Connor hoped that options could remain open.

“The final recommendation says to build a new elementary school in Red Bank. If that comes available. If there is something else that pops up, I would love for anything to always be on the table if something is better,” Ben Connor of District 6 said.

Connor also acknowledged he had to vote on what was in front of him. He voted yes.

“I recognize that we have talked through many options. I recognize that this board has deliberated, and I recognize that we have this in front of us that we need to vote on tonight. At the end of the day, this will put the children of District 6 into a brand-new school, which is a good thing,” Connor added.

Phasing out Howard Connect is the last thing to be done.

“Then the magnet option basically disappears in 2024. If I’m a student at Battle and I wanted to exercise my option of having the last few years to go to Howard, that doesn’t exist anymore,” Tiffanie Robinson of District 4 said. “Now I have to go to my zone school or find an alternative path.”

For now, the School Board’s work is done. Yet the work isn’t over yet.

“You remember, part of the process is this is so we can take it to the county commission, and they can approve it,” said HCS Superintendent Justin Robertson. “Eventually, you’ll have to vote on architects… You see what I’m saying?”

If county commission agrees with the school board and passes the facility plan, then these changes will happen.