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.$&

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