Middle School Greenhouse Set For August Opening

Framing underway and the White County Middle School Greenhouse is on track to be completed before school starts.

White County Director of Schools Kurt Dronebarger said the facility is more extensive than what people might imagine when thinking of a backyard greenhouse. He said the building will have running utilities, electricity, ventilation, and a full irrigation system. He said the greenhouse will be used for the school’s FFA class.

“Just excited for our students to be able to go out and do projects and do research and to grow some plants and learn about growing different kinds of crops and things in that building,” Dronebarger said. “And eventually, do some similar things that the high school is doing as far as selling plants and doing some fundraising through that endeavor as well.”

Dronebarger said the concrete pad is poured right out the back door of the school for easy access in a secure area of campus. He said he hopes the greenhouse helps the middle school FFA class work as an extension of the high school program.

“Getting students interested early in those programs so when they go to the high school, they can continue that learning in that program at the high school level,” Dronebarger said.

He said the high school will share some equipment used in its greenhouse program with the new facility across the street. He said the new building will be paid for by the $1 million Innovative Schools Model Grant that has funded some 28 different programs across the district.

“We have an FFA class that’s being taught as part of our curriculum and students can participate in that,” Dronebarger said. “So this is just going to be an extension of that and just trying to bring some of the programs that we already have at our high school.”