Rockvale High funding up for vote – The Daily News Journal

Scott Broden , USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee Published 12:17 p.m. CT Feb. 14, 2017 | Updated 10 hours ago

Will Jordan(Photo: Submitted)

The Rutherford County Commission will consider appropriating $57 millionthis week to build Rockvale High School by Summer 2019.

The commission meeting begins at 6 p.m. Thursday in the second-floor courtroom of the County Courthouse on the center of the Square in Murfreesboro.

The commission's Budget, Finance & Investment Committee that's led by Chairman Will Jordan voted the previous week to recommend funding a Rockvale High that will open next to Rockvale Middle and across the street from Rockvale Elementary on New Salem Highway, southwest of Murfreesboro.

"The growth is there," Commissioner Jordan said. "Were growing over 400 high school students a year, I think a high school is our next priority. I agree withthe school board on that. We dont have much choice."

The budget committee did not address $30.2 million in funding for the Rutherford County Board of Education plan to also build Rocky ForkElementary. That school is scheduledto open by summer 2018, next to a Rocky Fork Middle that isscheduled to open this summer on Rocky Fork Road in Smyrna near a bypass over Interstate 24.

"I think we're going to wait and see," said Jordan, who noted the districtmay get relief in serving younger grades if Murfreesboro City Schools pursue a plan to open another elementary school within the next couple of years on the west side.

The city is pursuing 160 acres for a possible school, park and firefighter station on Franklin Road a couple of miles west of Murfreesboro's boundary near Veterans Parkway. A school there could mean relief for Blackman Elementary, and school zone boundaries could be adjusted to provide relief to other schools, including Stewarts Creek Elementary in Smyrna, Jordan said.

Part of the reason Rockvale High is a greater need is because the district is getting an influx of home-school students in the upper grades who want to pursue sports and take foreign language classes that many parents are unable to teach, Jordan said.

"We have a very successful school system, and a lot of people see that," said Jordan, noting that the county's high schools also offer advanced placement credits, ways to earn college credits and many social activities.

When counting $2 million for architecture services, the Rockvale High project will cost an estimated $59 million, according to the five-year school board plan.

County leaders are also talking about the possibility of moving forward on school expansions, including an Oakland Middle Annex buildingfor $13.5 million and an addition at Siegel High for $6.1 million, Jordan added.

In addition to expansions at Oakland Middle and Siegel High, Board of Education Chairman Jeff Jordan said school officials are examining a possible addition at La Vergne Middle, which according to the existing district plan would cost nearly $8.1 million.

"Those are just three areas we're looking at," said Jeff Jordan. "We have a lot of places that need attention because of our growth. We are just growing so fast. What we need are classrooms and desks. That's what we're desperate for in many areas."

The district has 46 schools at this timeand depends on 141 classrooms to serve about 44,000 children from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade.

"We're re-evaluating our five-year plan," Jeff Jordan said. "We're looking at possibly putting some additions to other schools in front of Rocky Fork Elementary. We are really doing that at (the commissionbudget committee's) request."

Additions cost less because they don't require cafeterias, gyms, libraries and in the case of middle schools, parking lots, Jeff Jordan said.

"It's so much cheaper than having to build a whole new school," said Jeff Jordan, noting how challenging it is to fund the building of a new school every year. "It makes it cheaper for the taxpayer."

Reach Scott Broden at 615-278-5158. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden.

Number of students: 2,168

Percentage increase from previous year: 1.8%

Number of portable classrooms: 4

Number of students: 2,038

Percentage increase from previous year: 4.9%

Number of portable classrooms:12

Number of students: 2,090

Percentage increase from previous year: 6.6%

Number of portable classrooms: 0

Number of students: 2,163

Percentage increase from previous year: 6.7%

Number of portable classrooms: 10

Source: Rutherford County Schools

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Rockvale High funding up for vote - The Daily News Journal