County Mayor Tim Stribling and members of the County Commission’s Education and Library Committee will meet Monday night in a work session with Director of Schools Patrick Cripps and the Board of Education to review plans for a school building program.

The informal meeting will take place at 6:00 p.m. at the Ernest Ray Education Center and all DeKalb County Commissioners are invited to attend. No action can be taken.

Following an evaluation of current school facilities and projected future needs, the DeKalb County Board of Education has been presented a variety of construction plans at a cost ranging from $17 million to $45 million for new or renovated facilities.

Members of the local board of education met in a workshop in December for their first look at results of a School Facilities Study prepared by the Upland Design Group of Crossville.

The study concluded that Smithville Elementary School, the oldest core building in the district, should be replaced and repurposed for other uses.

The board hired the architectural firm last September to conduct a county-wide facilities study in planning for future building needs. Upland Design was paid $19,500 for its services.

The school board plans are to narrow the number of options but wants input from the county commission’s education committee before any plan is formally presented to the county commission for consideration.

The facilities study by Upland Design concluded that DeKalb West School was in the best condition and should remain as is; that Smithville Elementary needs to be replaced and repurposed; and that issues exist at Northside Elementary, DCHS, and DeKalb Middle Schools which need to be addressed.

Derrick Clemow and Brian Templeton of Upland Design Group met with the school board during the December workshop to review the findings and to offer options for addressing them.

Upland Design presented six (construction) options (schemes) for the board to consider along with the pros and cons of each option or scheme.

A summary of those options is as follows: (CLICK PDF LINK BELOW EACH OPTION TO VIEW SPECIFICS)

A-OPTION (SCHEME): (2) Pre-K to 5th grade elementary schools; middle and high schools expanded for increased lifespan (CLICK LINK TO VIEW OPTION)
Scheme A

B-OPTION (SCHEME): Replace Smithville Elementary School; middle and high schools expanded for increased lifespan (CLICK LINK TO VIEW OPTION)
Scheme B

C-OPTION (SCHEME): All schools Pre-K to 8th grade; high school expanded for increased lifespan (CLICK LINK TO VIEW OPTION)
Scheme C

D-OPTION (SCHEME) Pre-K to 8 grade options; high school takes over middle school campus(CLICK LINK TO VIEW OPTION)
Scheme D

E-OPTION (SCHEME) All schools Pre-K to 8th grade; high school takes over middle school campus(CLICK LINK TO VIEW OPTION)
Scheme E

F-OPTION (SCHEME) New high school; middle school takes over high school campus; elementary school takes over middle school campus (CLICK LINK TO VIEW OPTION)
Scheme F

Upland Design was asked to come up with another option involving the middle school and to report back to the school board.

Following is a synopsis of each school:

*SMITHVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL:

Smithville Elementary School, originally built in 1958, now is 70,557 square feet in size, and has a current enrollment of 575 students.

“For the purpose of this study, Smithville Elementary is to be obsolesced,” said Clemow. Basically, we evaluated and started with a premise that this is a site (Smithville Elementary) that should be repurposed for some other purpose. We looked at maybe moving the central office there. Maybe maintenance could move there. Maybe an alternative school could be located there.”

The facilities study concluded that “as the oldest campus facility, condition is a major concern. In consideration of the following providing an alternative location for the students is a consensus:

A. Campus location is undesirable
B. Traffic flow is poor
C. Cafeteria/Kitchen is undersized
D. Oldest portion is over a crawl space and mold is potential
E. Security is difficult to maintain when multiple buildings are present
F. Spaces are not functionally ideal
G. Three of the second-grade classes are currently at Northside Elementary

Upland Design gave options how Smithville Elementary School could be used for other purposes:
A. Move central office staff to Smithville Elementary
B. Move maintenance storage and staff to area in and around kitchen/cafeteria
C. Relocate Adult Education or Alternative School Classrooms in the eastern wing
D. Make the site available for other county programs.

*NORTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL:

Northside Elementary School, built in 2000, is 85,000 square feet in size with an enrollment of 655 students.

Upland Design concluded that Northside is at capacity.

“It (Northside) was originally planned for 650 students in grades 3-5. It is at capacity today based on the fact that there are second graders over there that fill it out all the way,” Clemow said. “If you were to pull the second graders out of there it would be back to a fair-sized school and would have a little bit of expansion in it as a grade 3, 4, 5 facility. But as a grade 3,4,5 it doesn’t have the lower grade toilet facilities that are normally connected to existing classrooms. Little kids really need to have a toilet handy. So if this school should become a Pre-K through 8 or whatever, there would have to be some modifications toilet wise. Also for the size kids there and the numbers who are run through there, the cafeteria is just about maxed out in terms of its usage. It takes a few hours to feed the kids. It basically is functioning as intended and conditionally is in fairly good shape. The school was also built during the pre-security days. A parent can walk in and make it to the back of the school without anyone knowing. That is a fairly easy correction in this case because you do have a central entrance and you could make a vestibule there” he added.

The facilities study found that “this site now accepts 3 classes of second graders due to overcrowding at Smithville Elementary. Northside was originally planned for grades 3-5 and 650 pupils. The campus is at capacity. This is quite evident in the afternoon rush. Lower grade in-classroom toilets were not provided. The cafeteria is at capacity.

The site is large enough to consider expansion, although traffic circulation is a challenge. There needs to be a security vestibule created at the entry.

The cafeteria space is limited as is other core spaces encouraging a 625 pupil population.”

*DEKALB MIDDLE SCHOOL:

DeKalb Middle School, built in 1971, is now 86,990 square feet in size with an enrollment of 550 students.

According to the facilities study, “the school was originally designed as a modified open plan and as a result acoustic problems and circulation create an interruptive classroom arrangement. Dining and library spaces lack acoustical isolation. The newer gymnasium provides needed P.E. space although it is not cooled (no air conditioning). Security is a challenge since the administrative space is a central space and students go outside to get to the gymnasium. Toilet accommodations are marginally sufficient for the student population. All spaces are currently utilized. The auditorium is too small for assemblies. The site does not provide for several sports and lacks space for addition without site drainage developments.”

*DEKALB COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL:

DeKalb County High School, constructed in 1963, is now 127,317 square feet in size with an enrollment of 860 students.

“There are portable classrooms. The high school has six to eight floating teachers. What that means is while they have other things they do in their capacity, they don’t have a home room,” Clemow said. “When they go to work they have to use a room that is shared with somebody else. What happens with high schools is that the curriculum changes all the time and with this school it is clear that with the 860 kids who are there now, they are pretty much falling out the doors (overcrowded). The first thing we always hear there (DCHS) is that the corridors are ridiculously tight and when there is a class change, it’s a zoo. That’s a difficult one to treat because it falls right at the core of the building. Security is also really difficult to handle. The only way to handle security at a campus situation like this is to gate it but once you gate it, you have to man the gate but in this case you not only have a high school but a junior high school so there is no telling how difficult it would be to create a security situation for this facility.
It is one of those things that is definitely on the radar as needing repair, update, potential replacement,” he continued. “We looked at all of it. It is not something that we found in particularly great shape and you all know it,” said Clemow

The facilities study found that “the high school has grown on this site for many years. Over the years there have been four major additions and many other renovations. The primary circulation spaces are as original and are woefully undersized. Although well maintained, the original structure shows signs of aging. Campus security is inadequate as many buildings require exterior access. Pedestrian and vehicular flow intersects. Playing field spaces are marginal and do not accommodate all organized team activities. Some P.E. programs are held outside of designated school facilities. Three or four temporary portable classrooms house educational functions. Many spaces have been repurposed for more contemporary curriculum, but many program offerings would require spaces with specific features”.

DEKALB WEST SCHOOL:

The facility study found DeKalb West School to be in the best condition of all the five schools.

DeKalb West School, built in 1974, is now 76,044 square feet in size with an enrollment of 405 students.

According to the facilities study, “this school has adequate facilities for the current population and programs for the near future. Some students are brought by parents from out of the bus routes. Uniquely, the county-wide Middle School baseball program is at this site. Class sizes vary from 40-48 with a downsized 4th grade at 30.

Administrators note that moving on to the high school is a social adjustment when compared to DeKalb Middle School entrants.

For this study, this campus is to remain as is.”

Director of Schools Patrick Cripps updated the Board of Education on personnel moves during Thursday night’s monthly meeting held at DeKalb West School.

Since last month, Laura Patterson has been employed as an educational assistant at DeKalb Middle School to replace Josh Melton.

Ginda Kilgore, an educational assistant at Northside Elementary School has been transferred to DeKalb Middle School.

Hunter Collins has resigned

Tena Edwards, Janet England, Sonja House, and Carol Sampley have all been granted a leave of absence as requested.

The DeKalb County School district has set the state assessment testing dates at each school for April.

The following testing dates are specific for each school.

DeKalb County High School:
* April 16th-26th-Grades 9-12
* April 30th-May 4th-Grades 9-12
* Make-up dates for TNReady: April 20th, May 4th

DeKalb Middle School- Grades 6-8
* April 17th-April 27th
* Make up dates: April 18th, April 26th

DeKalb West School:
*Grade 2 and Grades 3-8
* 2nd Grade Assessment -April 23rd-April 26th
* Make-up date: April 27th, April 30th

* 3rd-4th-April 17th-April 25th
* Make-up dates: April 26th, April 27th

5th-April 17th -April 26th
* Make-up dates: April 27th, April 30th

6th-8th -April 17th -April 27th
* Make-up dates: April 30th, May 1st

Northside Elementary School:
*Grade 2 and Grades 3-8
* April 18th
* April 23rd-May 1st
* Make-up dates: April 27th Grades 3-4; April 30th-May 1st-Grade 2-5

* 2nd Grade Assessment -April 24th-April 26th
*Make up date: April 26th, April 30th, May 1st

DCHS Principal Randy Jennings briefly addressed the board to mention that Raiden Martin has been elected as FBLA State Treasurer and that Ashley Reynolds was recently elected FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) state vice president of STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) Events for the upcoming year. Nicholas Birmingham has been accepted to the Tennessee Governors School for the Arts and FBLA Advisor Marilyn Roberts named State Advisor of the year. The prom will be Friday, April 27.

In her brief report to the board, Smithville Elementary Principal Julie Vincent announced that May 4 is the date for DeKalb West School and Smithville Elementary to have Pre-K and kindergarten registration (subject to pre-k funding) from 8 until 1:30 p.m. for incoming students.

Sabrina Farler, Principal at DeKalb West School announced that DeKalb Middle and DeKalb West School’s top math students attended the Tennessee Tech Math Contest Thursday and Alex Antoniak, a 6th grade student at DeKalb West finished 1st out of 107 students in the contest.

Karen Knowles, Principal at Northside Elementary School, announced testing dates for students (as noted above).

The Center for Search & Investigations (CFSI) will be having a postering event Sunday at noon for 16 year old Hannah Grisham of Liberty who went missing from her home in February. The event will be held at Mapco Express located at 128 East Broad Street in Smithville.

Hannah is 5’ 2” tall and weighs 125 pounds. She has hazel eyes and light brown hair.

No one has seen or heard from her and police have no leads as to her whereabouts.

If you should see or speak to Hannah or know where she is please contact Central Dispatch at 615-215-3000 or her mother at 615-318-3040 or 615-580-9064

The CFSI assists & trains families and communities in facilitating the search and location of missing children worldwide in order to safeguard children from abduction, child trafficking & exploitation. The Center for Search & Investigations is an approved 501(c)(3) Non-profit organization. CFSI has a STRICT NO-CONTACT policy concerning children. All current and future members of CFSI Leadership are subject to a criminal background check.

Why We Do It:
The United States Department of Justice reports over 2,100 children go missing a day equaling approximately 800,000 reported missing every year. Many missing children are in danger of child trafficking. The truth is no missing child should be labeled as a “runaway”, as they are in as much danger as those abducted. CFSI refuses to ignore these facts. They dedicate their services to help find missing and endangered children. When families have felt abandoned and hopeless CFSI has been there to extend their resources. CFSI treats every missing child case with the utmost importance and is committed to getting the cooperation of Law Enforcement while demanding local as well as national media attention. CFSI is devoted to locating & returning children home SAFE in a fast, efficient, and caring manner. CFSI’s services are always offered free of charge to the parents of missing children whom meet the non-profit’s criteria.

Our Goal:
With 3,000 + volunteers, our ultimate goal is to continue to build a Worldwide network of Advocates & Professional Investigators to provide services to families of missing children. We are confident that in accomplishing this goal we will be able to put an end to the child trafficking epidemic. For CFSI it’s all about hearing these 2 words… FOUND SAFE!