5 high school expansion plans will improve campus safety in Rutherford County

Correction: The Rutherford County Board of Education earlier in 2022 approved a five-year $413.3 million school building plan. A previous post had the incorrect total cost.

Oakland High Principal John Marshall hopes his school will be expanded as soon as possible to improve safety.

"Any opportunity to put ourselves under one roof and connect most of our buildings together would be a tremendous opportunity for our school and community," Marshall said after a joint meeting with Rutherford County Board of Education and County Commission officials.

The comment came on an evening when the nation was in shock earlier that day following a school shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.

The Rutherford County Board of Education plans to expand Oakland, Riverdale, Smyrna, La Vergne and Blackman high schools. The projects are estimated to cost $137.2 million, enable each campus to serve about 2,500 to 2,600 students and relieve overcrowding in a fast-growing district with 154 portable classrooms.

The board in response to Rutherford County Commission members' concerns about the  projects requiring a property tax increase identified the top three expansion priorities to be completed by August 2024: Riverdale, Smyrna and Oakland. The next two priorities to be completed later are La Vergne and Blackman.

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School officials expect to award bids in the fall for the Riverdale, Smyrna and Oakland projects, and have funding in place from the county commission to pay for the work by December, said Trey Lee, assistant superintendent for engineering and construction.

The commission in April did provide $5.7 million in funding for the design work for the five high school expansions.

The five projects are among the $413.3 million in school board building plans over the next five years to serve a fast-growing district that usually adds over 1,000 children a year. The district this past school year served 49,300 students at 50 schools and depended on 154 portable classrooms.

In addition to the five high school projects, the board has plans expansions within a few years to add 16 classrooms each at Stewarts Creek Elementary and Stewarts Creek Middle, and 20 to 25 classrooms to Blackman Elementary.

Riverdale will gain students after rezoning

The board ranked Riverdale as the top priority because the school will be gaining students in neighborhoods being rezoned back to the campus from overcrowded Rockvale High.

The $72 million Rockvale High opened in 2019 to serve around 2,300 students on state Route 99 (Salem Pike) to the southwest of Murfreesboro. Enrollment climbed to over 2,400 this past school year at a campus that depended on 10 portable classrooms.

The rezoned rising ninth-graders will be going to Riverdale while the rezoned sophomores, juniors and seniors will have the option to remain at Rockvale High.

District officials expect continued growth at schools with expansion plans from the existing enrollments counted Dec. 7:

• Riverdale High: 1,788 students (six portable classrooms)

• Smyrna High: 2,138 students (15 portable classrooms)

• Oakland High: 1,958 students (10 portable classrooms)

• La Vergne High: 2,036 students (seven portable classrooms)

• Blackman High: 1,999 students (four portable classrooms)

• Stewarts Creek Elementary: 1,186 students (six portable classrooms)

• Stewarts Creek Middle: 1,029 students (zero portable classrooms)

• Blackman Elementary: 1,131 students (nine portable classrooms)

Commissioner wants to fund all 5 high school expansions soon

Although Commissioner Jeff Phillips initially asked the board in February set priorities on the school projects and complete them in two to three years, he now wants district officials to ask for funding to expand all five high schools as soon as possible.

Phillips said he has concerns about security issues at Oakland High, which along with Riverdale opened in 1972, and other older schools.

"It's extremely important to me," said Phillips, adding he wants to see the board build larger schools that are farther apart to keep up with growth and reduce traffic congestion.

Phillips also mentioned that he'd like to get the $137.2 million in project funding approved by experienced commissioners before at least eight newly elected commissioners win seats on Aug. 4 to start four-year terms in September.

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At least five members of the commission's seven-member Health and Safety Committee, for example, will not be returning to the commission after retiring by the end of their term by Aug. 31 or losing in the May 3 Republican primary.

Phillips and Commissioner Carol Cook are the only two committee members who may return in September if they win reelection Aug. 4.

"I've got a tough race," said Phillips, and who faces Democrat Mariah Phillips (no relation).

Cook is running against independent Laura Davidson.

Health and Education Committee will lose experienced commissioners

The five committee members not returning include retiring commissioners Rhonda Allen, the chairwoman; Wayne Blair, the vice chairman, and Virgil Gammon.

Commissioners Joe Gourley and Rod Key lost in the GOP primary.

Gourley lost to Republican Joshua James, who faces Democrat Mark A. Linville in the Aug. 4 election.

Key lost to Republican Wayne Irvin, who has no competition Aug. 4.

Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips and questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden.

School expansion project costs

• Riverdale High: $26.4 million

• Oakland High: $29.1 million

• Smyrna High: $26.4 million

• La Vergne High: $26.4 million

• Blackman High: $29.1 million

• Total of projects: $137.2 million

Source: Rutherford County Schools staff

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Rutherford school board plans to complete 3 of 5 HS expansions by 2024