West Valley Middle School celebrates milestone of 25 years as a home base for students

West Valley Middle School opened its doors 25 years ago and those who were at the groundbreaking way back when got together to celebrate the milestone.

Opening a new school meant the obvious tasks like hiring teachers and staff, furnishing the classrooms and rallying community engagement. It also meant picking the school's colors and deciding on a mascot. Those are all the memories worth recounting, founding principal William Wilson told Knox News at the celebration May 14.

When Wilson first opened the school, some of the construction was still going on, he said. On top of regular principal's meetings, he would also attend construction meetings, too. His faith helped him navigate the challenges, he said.

"We were trying to figure out everything to get ready to go," Wilson said.

"We had to decide what we were to be called," he said. The students chose a wolf. On the first day, the school revealed the mascot to students with wolf sounds playing in the background.

The school's colors reflect a mix of schools from which it pulls students - maroon from Bearden and blue from Farragut.

On the first day, Wilson recalled wondering if he had forgotten anything. "You have to create a lot of forms, too. We just had to put everything in place. It was hard work but it was so satisfying to see everything fall into place."

Scrapbooks given to West Valley Middle School's founding principal William Wilson are on display at a celebration for the school's 25th anniversary.
Scrapbooks given to West Valley Middle School's founding principal William Wilson are on display at a celebration for the school's 25th anniversary.

The school was built on a 200,000 square-foot campus and it cost $17.9 million, according to records archived at the school. The school was built to alleviate overcrowding at Farragut and Cedar Bluff middle schools.

Wilson was the assistant principal at Farragut Middle School before taking charge of West Valley. He retired in 2006.

The school's inaugural enrollment was 955 students which has now grown to a little over 1,100 students.

Areena Arora, data and investigative reporter for Knox News, can be reached by email at areena.arora@knoxnews.com. Follow her on X @AreenaArora.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: West Valley Middle School in Knoxville celebrates 25th anniversary