Parkview Teachers, Parents Hopeful for New School

Parents and teachers at Parkview Elementary School in Cookeville are hopeful for a new elementary school in the city.

The Putnam County School System recently purchased 45 acres off Lee Seminary Road on the southwest side of town for a new elementary school.

“We are well overdue and I can’t wait to see,” Parkview Family Engagement Coordinator Todd Brim said. “I hope the construction process goes quickly and smoothly, and we can be in in three years instead of five.”

Brim said faculty and staff are past their limits regarding the current conditions of the school.

“Our building is way past due. We are cramped, we are wall-to-wall with teachers, we struggle having adequate rooms for our teachers to teach the kids,” Brim said. “Like I said, it’s past due. Parkview is past due and hurry up with the construction.”

One mother of two Parkview students said she was glad to hear the district was purchasing new land for an elementary school.

“I’m excited to hear that because I think these teachers here are wonderful, and loving, and caring, and to have a school that matches that would be great,” she said.

Brim said several issues the Parkview staff faces can be solved if a new school is constructed.

“We don’t have enough classrooms, we are cramped, we are having to make makeshift classrooms in some of our hallways, and we definitely need some storage space,” Brim said. “Our closets are just over capacity and we just don’t have enough storage in this building.”

Superintendent Jerry Boyd said the future of Parkview Elementary will be discussed by the school board and school officials.

“What best suits the needs of the community and the long-term needs of the school system… we’ll make that decision when the time comes,” Boyd said.

Currently, the land purchased by the district falls within the Parkview Elementary enrollment zone.