Building Our Future
June 21, 2011
Clarksville-Montgomery County is a growing and thriving community. The School System is addressing this growth with a responsible and progressive approach to building and renovating facilities in order to serve the 30,400 students.
With a $20 million interest-free bond to renovate Montgomery Central High School, students at the 41-year-old facility will experience a safer and updated learning environment when the project is completed in 2012.
Next on the renovation agenda is Northwest High School. The Board of Education has selected Violette Architecture for the project design which will include improved safety and security, a complete renovation of the 1968 portion of the building, bringing the building up to current building code, ADA code and fire and safety code; a connection to the “400 building”; theatre; new administrative offices; and a new traffic flow plan. Also, included as alternate bids is a new kitchen and roof replacement for the 1978 section of the building.
The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System remains one of the fastestgrowing school districts in the state of Tennessee. Ranking in the top six school districts in size statewide, the student growth rate is currently exceeded only by Williamson and Rutherford Counties in Middle Tennessee. Here are some facts about growth in CMCSS: The district grew by more than 700 students last year alone, nearly the size of an entire elementary school. More than 50% of this number live in elementary Planning Region II. At this rate, enrollment in this region will exceed the capacity of all elementary schools by 2012-13.
Six elementary schools exceeded 100% capacity last school year. The two new schools on the horizon for 2012 and 2013 are Carmel Elementary in southeastern Montgomery County and Pisgah Elementary in the northeastern area of the county. The two newest elementary schools will be built on a slightly modified design of Rossview Elementary.
These schools are located in Planning Region 2, the fastest growing area of the community, according to the City-County Planning Commission.
• Region 2 has 5,909 lots for houses approved by the County Commission
• Region 2 has 607 permits already issued for home construction
• This translates to an estimated 2,600 additional students in Region 2 alone. This is 1 1/2 elementary schools, 1/2 middle school, and 1/2 high school in Region 2. Heavy growth has been experienced in Regions 1 & 4, especially at Rossview and Sango: New lots approved – 2,922. Permits approved – 377.
The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System has developed a 20-year facilities plan that is updated every year based on changing demographics.