Board Takes Next Step In Overton Elementary Expansions

Overton County School Board approved topographic survey work Tuesday night as the next step in expanding the elementary schools in Allons and Hilham.

The board approved topographic survey proposals totaling around $28,000. Architect Brian Templeton said the surveys will take about sixty days to complete. The two additions, along with Rickman upgrades, should start next summer.

“And the idea would be that the projects take place for that year cycle and then they finish up that following summer,” Templeton said. “So there will be some overlapping work where we’ll need to have students offsite to get everything connected in.”

Director of Schools Donnie Holman said most of the survey work has already been done but the district recently decided to add more ground so there are more options for the expansions. Holman said the board is adding onto these schools to combat the overcrowding they have been experiencing in recent years.

“It’s mainly classrooms at each one of those,” Holman said. “And the number of classrooms is kind of iffy right now, just depends on the numbers. But we would like to add enough classrooms to ease the overcrowding right now and actually have one or two rooms to spare for future growth.”

Holman said the plans for Rickman Elementary also include an expanded cafeteria with more seating and an all-new playroom. Templeton said utilities will be a challenge for that school to account for the playroom.

“We’ve talked to the fire marshal and the current codes will require us to sprinkle because of the large assembly space,” Templeton said. “So we’ve got water at the tank, we’ve already talked to the fire chief about what we need to do. So I think it will involve a new fire line, probably have to do a hydrant and then have a fire protection sprinkler system just in the addition.”

Templeton said part of the extra survey work for Allons Elementary is to connect the school to Celina Highway. Templeton said he is working to set up a meeting with T-DOT to see whether or not a traffic study will be required for that aspect of the project.

“On Hilham, trying to deal with stack as well,” Templeton said. “When (Board Member Mike Hayes) and I first scoped it and when we developed the survey that really wasn’t something that was mentioned. But when we all sat down together, realized that that is a big problem at Hilham just because they’re close to the highway and with buses and all cars it gets very congested there. So there might be an opportunity to create a new drive kind of behind the playground area.”

Templeton said he plans to meet with the relevant principals and school officials after the holidays to share ideas for each project.

In other business, the board granted tenure to eleven district employees from six different schools and the district office. Holman said teachers must have worked in the district for the past five years and received a four or five on their annual evaluation for the past two years.