Cheatham school board weighs South Cheatham schools’ future

The Cheatham County School Board is beginning a community-wide effort to examine the future of Pegram and Kingston Springs elementary schools, following a presentation from newly elected County Mayor Bill Anderson.

During an Oct. 29 work session, Anderson outlined a possible plan for repurposing Pegram Elementary School if the district votes to consolidate the two schools. Board members also discussed ways to improve enrollment, the potential costs of maintaining the schools and how much time the community should have to explore alternatives.

No decision has been made to merge the schools or close either building. Board members generally supported gathering more information and seeking community input before considering any action.

Anderson’s presentation included a possible South Cheatham Community and Cultural Center with a library, satellite county offices, a voting location, a senior gathering space, a commercial kitchen, an emergency shelter and potentially an EMS station.

The proposal prompted questions from board members about how renovations and ongoing operations would be funded, as well as how the county and school district would handle ownership of the property. Anderson said he did not yet know what the County Commission would approve.

Studying the options

The district is proposing two community advisory committees: a South Cheatham Recruitment and Retention Committee and a South Cheatham Future Planning Committee.

One committee would focus on ways to attract and retain students, while the other would examine possible long-term solutions, including their benefits, costs, challenges and potential timelines. District officials said the committees should consider ideas for keeping the schools open as well as other options.

The proposed committees could include parents, students, teachers, school staff, alumni, business owners, community members and local government representatives. The district said it would review applications and select members using a rubric.

Director of Schools Stacy Brown reported that Pegram Elementary currently has 165 students in kindergarten through fourth grade, compared with 236 in the 2016-17 school year. Kingston Springs Elementary has 286 students, down from 374 during that same period.

Brown also described a broader districtwide enrollment decline, from more than 6,000 students in 2016 to about 5,007 this school year. She discussed open enrollment as one way to support enrollment and state funding, saying she would recommend continuing the practice.

She noted that county-wide, there are nearly 1,300 students who are in a homeschool program.

Board members raised concerns about the financial challenge of maintaining school buildings and staffing as enrollment declines. They also discussed the responsibility to consider how spending decisions could affect students and programs throughout the county.

Timeline remains uncertain

The timing of any potential consolidation was a concern during the discussion. Board members questioned whether the process was moving too quickly and whether a longer planning period would give the schools and community more time to address enrollment challenges and develop alternatives.

District 3 representative Dale McCarver urged the board to give the community an opportunity to work toward keeping the schools open. His comments drew applause from audience members.

“A school board should be to save a school, not let's see if we could dismantle them,” McCarver said.

He suggested allowing time for families and school supporters to develop ideas for attracting students back to the schools and for Anderson to work through the county budget process.

The discussion also included possible timelines, beginning as early as next school year. No timeline was adopted, and officials did not guarantee that either school would remain open through a particular year.

Board members also discussed what would happen to students if the schools were combined. Brown said Kingston Springs Elementary would need additional space to accommodate the students. Rather than use portable classrooms, she discussed temporarily moving fourth-graders to Harpeth Middle School while Kingston Springs Elementary was expanded, then returning those students once additional space was available. Brown said she did not support placing students in portable classrooms at Kingston Springs.

Board Chair Amber Locke said the work session was intended to begin gathering information and determine whether the board wanted to pursue further study. She emphasized that support for collecting information did not mean a decision had been made to consolidate the schools.

How families can participate

People interested in serving on one of the advisory committees can complete the district's online interest form at https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/HmcdAc0HMg. Applications are due by 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6.

The district is also inviting community members to submit suggestions and ideas for improving enrollment and the future of the schools. Additional information is available at https://bit.ly/4kqC4Wk.

The school board’s next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at Pegram Elementary School’s gym. The meeting location was moved to give South Cheatham families an opportunity to attend and speak during the public forum. The published agenda does not list a merger or consolidation item, and no vote on the schools’ future is scheduled.

Anyone wishing to speak during the public forum must complete the required form and submit it to the board secretary on Monday, Nov. 2.