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Sumner County Board of Education Del R. Phillips III, Ph.D. Director of Schools 695 East Main Street Gallatin, TN 37066-2472 Phone: (615) 451-5200 Fax: (615) 451-5216 Board of Education Members Alice Bachman - Tim Brewer - David A. Brown - Patricia Brown - Jeff Cordell - Beth Cox - Andy Daniels - Dr. Nancy Glover - Glen Gregory - Tammy Hayes - Ted Wise Dr. William Burrus Elementary at Drakes Creek Elementary Delayed Opening Questions and Answers 1. Why will the school not be ready to open in August? The biggest reason for the delay is weather. 2. Is it unusual for a new school not to open on schedule? While it is not ideal, it is not unusual or out-of-the-ordinary. 3. Why start the year off at Knox Doss Middle School at Drakes Creek (KDDC)? There are several reasons. KDDC is on the same campus as WBE. Of all the possible locations, this is the most convenient for parents. Parents can drop off their children without visiting multiple school campuses. KDDC is the easiest location for transportation. Bus routes are already in place for WBE students. The buses can use the same planned routes and simply drop off the students next door to the developing elementary site. KDDC is also the easiest location for cafeteria staff. The cafeteria staff for WBE and KDDC can work together to prepare meals for the combined student populations. This location and its kitchen prevents the cafeteria staff from transporting lunches and breakfasts from offDsite to a location without a commercial kitchen. 4. Why not just leave the WBEKzoned students in their current schools until the new school is opened? First of all, although not ideal, this situation lends itself to strong team building and a sense of community. By placing the students with the teachers that they will have for a full year, the students may begin the bonding and newDschool acclamation process. Because KDDC and WBE are in need of sharing the same building, it is hoped that the Drakes Creek community will become a stronger campus family and will do so at a much faster pace than it normally takes for other sameDcampus schools. Because students do not come in neat packages of 20D25, there is no mathematical way to divide up the students among the feeder schools and ensure that they are with their WBE peers and with the teacher who will be teaching them the rest of the year. If there existed a way to do this, parents may have found themselves dropping off their WBE elementary children at multiple locations. Multiple locations would have made it impossible for bus transportation.

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  • Sumner County Board of Education Del R. Phillips III, Ph.D.

    Director of Schools 695 East Main Street Gallatin, TN 37066-2472 Phone: (615) 451-5200 Fax: (615) 451-5216

    Board of Education Members Alice Bachman - Tim Brewer - David A. Brown - Patricia Brown - Jeff Cordell - Beth Cox - Andy Daniels - Dr. Nancy Glover - Glen Gregory - Tammy Hayes - Ted Wise

    Dr. William Burrus Elementary at Drakes Creek Elementary Delayed Opening

    Questions and Answers

    1. Why&will&the&school&not&be&ready&to&open&in&August?&The$biggest$reason$for$the$delay$is$weather.$$$

    2. Is&it&unusual&for&a&new&school&not&to&open&on&schedule?$While it is not ideal, it is not unusual or out-of-the-ordinary. $

    3. Why&start&the&year&off&at&Knox&Doss&Middle&School&at&Drakes&Creek&(KDDC)?$There$are$several$reasons.$

    KDDC$is$on$the$same$campus$as$WBE.$Of$all$the$possible$locations,$this$is$the$most$convenient$for$parents.$Parents$can$drop$off$their$children$without$visiting$multiple$school$campuses.$

    KDDC$is$the$easiest$location$for$transportation.$Bus$routes$are$already$in$place$for$WBE$students.$The$buses$can$use$the$same$planned$routes$and$simply$drop$off$the$students$next$door$to$the$developing$elementary$site.$

    KDDC$is$also$the$easiest$location$for$cafeteria$staff.$The$cafeteria$staff$for$WBE$and$KDDC$can$work$together$to$prepare$meals$for$the$combined$student$populations.$This$location$and$its$kitchen$prevents$the$cafeteria$staff$from$transporting$lunches$and$breakfasts$from$offDsite$to$a$location$without$a$commercial$kitchen.$$

    $4. Why&not&just&leave&the&WBEKzoned&students&in&their&current&schools&until&the&new&school&is&

    opened?& First$of$all,$although$not$ideal,$this$situation$lends$itself$to$strong$team$building$and$a$

    sense$of$community.$By$placing$the$students$with$the$teachers$that$they$will$have$for$a$full$year,$the$students$may$begin$the$bonding$and$newDschool$acclamation$process.$

    Because$KDDC$and$WBE$are$in$need$of$sharing$the$same$building,$it$is$hoped$that$the$Drakes$Creek$community$will$become$a$stronger$campus$family$and$will$do$so$at$a$much$faster$pace$than$it$normally$takes$for$other$sameDcampus$schools.$

    Because$students$do$not$come$in$neat$packages$of$20D25,$there$is$no$mathematical$way$to$divide$up$the$students$among$the$feeder$schools$and$ensure$that$they$are$with$their$WBE$peers$and$with$the$teacher$who$will$be$teaching$them$the$rest$of$the$year.$If$there$existed$a$way$to$do$this,$parents$may$have$found$themselves$dropping$off$their$WBE$elementary$children$at$multiple$locations.$Multiple$locations$would$have$made$it$impossible$for$bus$transportation.$

  • $5. Does&KDDC&have&the&capacity&to&do&this?&

    Yes.$KDDC$has$the$capacity$to$serve$approximately$875$students.$The$district$will$be$moving$onto$the$KDDC$site$six$portable$classrooms,$adding$another$180$student$capacity.$This$brings$the$capacity$level$to$1,055$students.$KDDC$currently$serves$just$over$600$students,$and$WBE$is$expecting$445$students.$$Although$this$will$make$for$a$tight$situation,$it$is$the$best$situation.$$

    6. Will&WBE&still&offer&related&arts&classes?&WBE$will$offer$the$same$related$arts$classes$as$originally$planned.$$Music,$art,$physical$education,$library,$and$guidance$will$be$offered.$$

    7. Will&computer&class&be&offered?&Yes.$Computer$classes$for$WBE$students$will$be$offered$while$school$is$held$at$KDDC.$$

    8. What&about&library&resources/books?&The$library$books$have$been$ordered$and$are$ready$for$delivery.$However,$due$to$limited$library$space$at$KDDC,$the$new$library$resources$will$not$be$unboxed$until$the$new$school$is$ready.$WBEs$and$KDDCs$librarians$will$work$together$and$creatively$to$ensure$the$delivery$of$sound$and$ageDappropriate$instruction$to$the$WBE$students.$$

    9. What&about&technology?&&Will&the&new&technology&be&used&by&WBE&teachers&and&students&while&they&are&at&KDDC?&WBE teachers and students will have access to the currently in-place technology at KDDC. However, WBEs classroom technology will not be set up until the school is completed and ready for occupancy. In order for them to conduct school business, the WBE office staff will have access to its planned technology.

    10. Is&the&same&true&for&the&new&playground&equipment&and&classroom&furniture?&Yes.$The$new$playground$equipment$and$classroom$furniture$will$not$be$unpackaged$or$used$until$the$new$school$is$ready$to$open.$$

    11. Will&all&WBEKzoned&students&attend&school&at&KDDC?&&Will&all&special&education&programs&attend&WBE&at&KDDC?&Due$to$the$limitations$of$space,$most,$but$not$all$special$education$programs$will$move$to$the$WBE$at$KDDC$location.$The$BLAST$class,$resource$intervention,$and$speech/language$services$will$all$be$provided$at$WBE$at$KDDC.$The$CDC$class$will$remain$at$its$current$location$at$Beech$Elementary$until$the$WBE$building$is$completed.$The$two$WBE$PreK$classes$will$remain$at$TW$Hunter$Middle$until$WBEs$building$is$completed.$$

    12. Will&WBE&have&textbooks&while&at&KDDC?&Yes.$WBE$will$have$the$exact$same$textbooks$as$the$other$elementary$schools.$$

    13. &Will&my&WBE&kindergarten&student&attend&school&in&a&portable?&No.$Older$students$(fourth$and$fifth$grade$students)$will$be$located$in$the$portables.$$$$

  • 14. &Will&the&grade&levels&be&grouped&together&inside&KDDC&or&will&the&elementary&classes&be&scattered&throughout&the&school?D$Every attempt will be made to keep grade levels together. Most likely, one entire wing will contain KDDC classes; one entire wing will contain WBE classes, and one wing will be divided between KDDC and WBE.

    15. Will&the&WBE&office&staff&occupy&the&same&office&space&as&the&KDDC&staff?&Most$likely,$one$of$the$WBE$office$staff$will$work$alongside$the$KDDC$staff$at$the$front$office$desk.$This$person$will$direct$all$WBE$visitors$and$business$to$a$separate$location$adjacent$to$the$KDDC$office.$Dr.$Mary$Day$Reynoldss$office$will$be$located$near$the$WBE$classroom$wings$and$the$WBE$office.$$

    16. What&will&WBEs&school&hours&be?&$The$hours$will$be$the$same$as$originally$planned$D$8:30$am$D$3:30$pm.$$

    17. Will&KDDC&school&hours&change?&No. KDDCs hours will remain the same 7:30 am 2:30 pm. &

    18. Will&there&be&beforeK&and&afterKschool&care&for&WBE&students?&Yes.$There$will$be$beforeD$and$afterDschool$care.$$$

    19. How&will&I&know&where&to&drop&off&and&pick&up&my&child&on&the&first&day&of&school?&There will be signs designating the drop off and pick up lines. All this, as well as other important school information, will be shared on registration night prior to school beginning.

    20. Will&WBE&have&different&registration&nights&as&KDDC?&Yes.$WBE$will$conduct$its$registration$night$on$a$different$night$than$does$KDDC.$WBEs$registration$night$will$be$Monday,$August$3rd$from$5:00$$8:00$pm.$KDDC$will$hold$registration$on$Tuesday,$August$4th$and$Thursday,$August$5th$from$5:00$$8:00$pm.&$

    21. How&will&this&affect&my&KDDC&student?&Your$KDDC$student$may$attend$his/her$sixth$grade$classes$in$one$part$of$the$building$at$the$beginning$of$the$school$and$another$after$WBE$opens.$$

    22. Will&the&KDDC&students&still&be&able&to&use&their&lockers,&given&their&lockers&may&be&located&on&a&designatedKWBE&hallway?$Lockers$are$a$big$part$of$the$middle$school$experience,$and$every$attempt$will$be$made$to$provide$the$ultimate$middle$school$experience$for$KDDC$students.$Mr.$Hayes$and$Dr.$Reynolds$will$coordinate$locker$time$for$KDDC$students$so$that$the$elementary$classrooms$are$not$disrupted.$$

    23. What&number&do&I&call&if&I&need&to&speak&to&someone&in&the&WBE&office?&That$information$will$be$available$soon.$Please$check$back$at$the$WBE$school$website$for$this$information$and$other$pertinent$information.$$

    24. Will&the&WBE&PTO&be&on&hold&until&the&new&school&opens?$

  • No. The WBE PTO is fully functioning and operational. The school will lean heavily on its parents and teachers to ensure a successful and smooth transition from now until the last day of school in May 2016. $

    25. What&about&lunch&times?&How&will&lunches&be&scheduled?&Both principals and the cafeteria staff will work together to come up with a schedule that ensures all students are served within the lunch period.

    26. What&about&PE?&Will&both&schools&be&sharing&the&same&gym?&What&about&recess&for&the&elementary&students?$The$PE$teachers,$with$Mr.$Hayess$and$Dr.$Reynoldss$guidance,$will$work$out$a$schedule$that$will$satisfy$both$schools$physical$education$needs$and$requirements.$There$is$plenty$of$open$space$on$the$KDDC$campus$to$provide$recess$for$elementary$students.$$

    27. If&I&have&additional&questions&about&WBE,&who&should&I&contact?&Feel$free$to$contact$Dr.$Mary$Day$Reynolds$at$maryday.reynolds@sumnerschools.org.$$You$may$also$visit$the$schools$website$for$additional$information,$wbe.sumnerschools.org.$&

    $