Andy Humbles|Nashville Tennessean
Wilson County Schools will begin classes on Thursday, Aug. 5. The Lebanon Special School District starts school on Monday, Aug. 2.
Here's what to know about the start of the school year.
Wilson County Schools
2021-22 Calendar
The district will have 12 days available for inclement weather cancellations. The calendar also includes:
- Fall break – Oct. 11-15.
- Thanksgiving break – Nov. 22-26.
- Fall semester final exams – Dec. 16-17.
- Winter break – Dec. 20-Jan. 3.
- Students return for spring semester – Jan. 4.
- Spring break – March 7-11.
- Spring semester final exams – May 24-25 (May 25 is last day of school).
Tornado rebuild
Stoner Creek Elementary will begin the school year using a portion of West Wilson Middle.
Both the Stoner Creek Elementary and West Wilson Middle buildings, which are near each other in Mt. Juliet, were heavily damaged from the March 2020 tornado.
Stoner Creek students were housed at Mt. Juliet Middle last school year.
The school board approved moving Stoner Creek back to campus in temporary classrooms. But the temporary classrooms won’t be ready at the start of the school year and Stoner Creek students will use a wing at West Wilson Middle that had minimal tornado damage.
It's uncertain when Stoner Creek's temporary campus will be ready, but officials are hoping as soon as possible in the fall semester.
Mt. Juliet Middle will house sixth- and seventh-graders from West Wilson Middle and Mt. Juliet Middle schools.
Eighth-graders from Mt. Juliet Middle will attend Green Hill High. Eighth-graders from West Wilson Middle will attend Mt. Juliet High.
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By the numbers
- 19,600 students are enrolled according to the latest numbers available, whichdistrict officials expect to go up.
- 1,929 new K-12 students.
- 1,309 new families.
- 138 bus drivers with 15 still needed.
- 160 new teacher hires. The district has about1,375 teachers in the district.
COVID-19 protocols
Face coverings are optional for students and staff this school year, according to the most recent school board action.
Symptom checks will be conducted once a week with questions recommended by the Tennessee Department of Health. Temperature checks will be implemented when Wilson County’s seven-day case rate exceeds 25 new cases per 100,000 residents.
However, face coverings could be brought up again at Monday’s school board meeting based on recent COVID-19 numbers and trends, Chairman Larry Tomlinson said.
Director of Schools Jeff Luttrell informed the board at a work session that the district will monitor local, state and federal information.
“We see the data, we see a trend line that appears it’s kind of following last year’s,” Luttrell said to the board.
Blockschedule
High school students will return to the 4-by-4 block schedule which has four classes per day in longer periods, usually around 90 minutes.
Students take four classes in the fall semester and four different courses in the springsemester.
New principals
Gladeville Elementary: Rachel Cook was named new principal, replacing Monica Fox who retired. Cook is a former teacher at Gladeville Elementary who most recently was an assistant principal at West Elementary.
Southside: Chareda Sims is the new principal at Southside School for K-8 students. Sims was previously an assistant principal for four years at Mt. Juliet Middle. Sims replaces Carmen Bouldin, who will work as an instructional coach at West Wilson Middle.
Lebanon Special School District
COVID-19 protocols
Face coverings areoptional for students and teachers. Precautions include:
- Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting.
- Limiting visitors to school business.
- Practicing healthy hygiene expectations.
- Isolating sick students and staff.
Calendar
- School starts – Aug. 2.
- Fall break – Oct. 4-15.
- Winter break – Dec. 20-31.
- Spring semester starts – Jan. 4.
- Spring break – March 7-11.
- Final day of school – May 26 (abbreviated day and report cards issued).
- The district has eight days for inclement weather.
New school
Jones Brummett Elementary School on Hartmann Drive will be home to about 500-550 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The school is built for a capacity of about 800.
Becky Siever is the principal. Siever was principal at Byars Dowdy Elementary.
Jones Brummett Elementary was named for Steve Jones, a board member for more than 30 years, and Andy Brummett, a former teacher, principal, superintendent and board member for the district. Jones is still on the board.
The school’s mascot is the Hawks for Gaye Hawks, a teacher and instructional supervisor in the Lebanon Special School District for a combined 32 years until 2006.
New Principals
Castle Heights Elementary: Shelley Armstrong replaces Michael Pigg who went to Cumberland University. Armstrong was the assistant principal at Castle Heights Elementary.
Byars Dowdy Elementary: Cherrye Robertson replaces Siever. Robertson was most recently principal of Reeves-Rogers Elementary in the Murfreesboro City Schools system.
Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or615-726-5939 and on Twitter @ AndyHumbles.