The recommendation is expected to be for property on North Lee Highway.
On the site committee are board members Dr. Murl Dirksen (chairman), Tom Cloud and Steve Morgan.
September’s City School Board meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Blythe-Bower Elementary School, due to Monday’s Labor Day holiday.
New teachers will be recognized at a 5 p.m. reception.
A new school construction project is contingent on the availability of funding.
The committee emphasizes the new school should be constructed in the city’s growth area, designated as an area from Arnold and Mayfield schools north.
Mayfield’s enrollment increased by 85 students this year, increasing the school’s enrollment to a capacity-plus 507 students.
Ringstaff recently told the board the City School System cannot serve another 85 students at Mayfield.
School administrators at Mayfield have been forced to utilized three specialty rooms for classroom space.
Bradley County Schools has requested $26 million to rebuild Blue Springs Elementary (after the April 27 tornado), and fund capital projects at other county schools.
If the county’s funding is approved, which would probably require a county tax increase, it would provide funding of approximately $13 million to the City Schools system which could be used for the new elementary school.
The city receives approximately one-third of capital projects school funding provided to the county school system.
Regardless of how the funding issue is determined, Ringstaff has emphasized a potential building site needs to be decided by the city board.
The committee has narrowed locations to its top two options. Ringstaff and the board have visited both sites. The committee will recommend its top choice to the board Tuesday.
Other school issues:
n Another topic expected to be discussed by the board is the future of the Betsy Vines Theater at Cleveland High School.
The school’s principals would like to see the theater used for class meetings, but Paul Ramsey, supervisor of maintenance and transportation, says the space is not adequate for class sessions.
Others have recommended the space be used as a lecture hall, while choir director Shirley Pace has been collecting potential costs of upgrading the theater’s seating, lights, audio and aesthetics. Another suggestion was to use the theater for additional classroom space.
The board is expected to determine its priority for the theater space.
