Centertown Elementary School ready to open
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School architect Derrick Clemow is so satisfied with the finished product, he says he’s going to enter the design in an upcoming state competition.
‘It’s a successful project with a bright future,’ said Clemow of Crossville-based Upland Design Group, which has designed 51 schools since 1979. ‘The gym came out looking real nice and I think they will get a lot of use out of the multi-purpose room. There’s also growth potential as either wing can be expanded rather easily. It was completed on time and within budget. The base building is a bargain for Warren County.’
The final price tag is $8.3 million, according to Director of Schools Dr. Jerry Hale. Of that amount, the county took out a $6.5 million bond and the school system paid the difference.
Hale says he was flooded with positive comments during the open house.
‘The thing I heard the most comments about was the setting, how pretty it looks, the scenic value,’ said Hale. ‘The school has all the newest features technology wise in the classroom.’
A new school in Centertown has been a topic of discussion for years. The core of the old Centertown school was built in the late 1940s.
Warren County Middle School is now the oldest school in the county, according to Hale. It was built in 1957 to serve as McMinnville City High.
It’s been over a decade since the county last opened a new school, that being the Hickory Creek and Warren County High School campuses. Hickory Creek opened in January 1993, and WCHS opened in September 1994.
Janie Moore, who has been principal at Centertown for 22 years, described the new school as ‘fantastic.’ She said, ‘It’s much more safe, more conducive to learning.’
Centertown was forced to use six portable classrooms last year when enrollment was between 370 and 380 students. In previous years, it has been as high as 450 students.
Milton Arledge is a proud 1967 Centertown graduate who toured the new school with his granddaughter, Samantha Palmer. He said over half of his 21-person graduating class went on to earn a college degree, including one PhD.
‘The main thing you notice when you walk into this school is it’s air conditioned,’ said Arledge. ‘Back in 1967, we didn’t have air conditioning. It’s one of the reasons we started school later.’
The school has three main halls ‘ one leading to the gym and cafeteria, and the other two leading to classrooms. The gym bleachers are capable of seating 700, and there’s 100-seat bleacher capacity in the multi-purpose room. The cafeteria kitchen features two fully equipped serving lines.
‘I love the way the school is laid out,’ said librarian Creta Slatton, who has been at Centertown 19 years. ‘You can stand in the foyer and see down all three halls.’
The new school is ready for the first day of classes this Monday. Road crews are putting the finishing touches on adding a turn lane on Nashville Highway so traffic won’t get backed up when the school opens and closes.
Other aspects to be addressed in the future are playground equipment and landscaping work.