News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The approval of a bond for the old Park View School will expedite the planning for the proposed pre-K center.
The center would house pre-K students from all the schools in both Cookeville and Algood, freeing up classroom space that can be used to handle several years of growth. Putnam County Director Of Schools Corby King said planning will include how to best structure the school and how to get students to and from the facility.
“Those are all things we still have to work out,” King said. “We’ve not solidified any of those plans. There’ll be a lot that the pre-K staff will go into. The teachers will be involved. Our pre-K director, Allison Painter, and our PK-4 supervisor, Diana Wood, they’ll all be involved in this process over the next few months.”
King said with a year to finish planning and share information with families, a lot of decisions need to be made. King said discussions have included a staggered schedule for drop-off and pickup as well as bussing students from existing elementary schools.
“So if you’ve got an older sibling that’s in one of our current elementary schools, the parent could take the pre-K child in and sign in,” King said.
King said no firm plans have been made.
Putnam County Commissioners approved $13 million in bond money Monday for the school system, including between $6.5 and 8.5 million for Park View. King said the next step will be finalizing an agreement with a Nashville-based engineering/consulting firm to coordinate the remodel.
“We’ll do the formal contract with them,” King said. “They’ll start getting bids, quotes, and hard numbers. Hard prices so we we know exactly what we’re spending on that renovation project, and they can start immediately with this bond.”
The school system replaced the roof of the facility with COVID money this year. Among other renovations, King said additional parking is being discussed. Renovations will also include fixing the plumbing.
“We have major plumbing issues at Park View,” King said, “And I know that’s been reported off and on at times. That’s primary, but the entire building, it’s just giving it a facelift.”
Other projects include modernizing classrooms and furniture. King said some of the fixtures date back fifty years. Doors and windows, original to the building, also need to be replaced.
Park View School will close this week as students end the school year. The new Park View school will open this fall in the southern portion of the county.
As for the other maintenance money funded by the bond, King said school staff will look at all options. Some of the major projects include updating the lighting and sound in school auditoriums, replacing floor tile at Cookeville High School, and installing a softball field at Avery Trace Middle School.
