White County Public School System broke ground on the new state-of-the-art Findlay Elementary School Wednesday, April 11th in Sparta, Tennessee. The new facility will replace the existing school and help to facilitate new and innovative educational goals established by White County Schools. The concept for the 600 student school focuses on new types of learning spaces – in particular project based learning and maker spaces. The Pre-K – 5th grade school is designed in two main wings surrounding a courtyard with grades organized into neighborhoods of classrooms. The design purposefully makes all spaces potential learning areas, such as corridors and outdoor spaces, and makes deliberate playful places indoors and outdoors as well.
“LGA is extremely excited for the citizens of White County and particularly, the students, staff and administration of Findlay Elementary School. This groundbreaking is a momentous event that shows White County Schools’ commitment to its students. LGA is honored to be part of the team and to have had the opportunity to assist the Board of Education and Administration as they strive to provide the very best for the students and faculty of White County,” said Douglas B. Shover, Vice-President Lewis Group Architects.
Director of Schools, Kurt Dronebarger, presented the school system’s plan to build a new facility to the White County Board of Commissioners. This new facility will significantly impact the school system in a positive way and allows room for growth. The new facility will be built on property adjacent to the existing facility.
“The White County Board of Education is very excited to be bringing a new elementary school to our community. The new Findlay Elementary School will be a beautiful, modern facility of which our students, staff, and citizens will be proud. This project will not only provide a new, state-of-the-art school, but it will also allow us to utilize the old facility as a central office and alternative school. The Findlay project addresses many needs in our district and will serve our community for decades to come,” said Dronebarger.
March 26th marked the first day that construction crews and equipment were officially on site to begin the building of the new Findlay Elementary School. The Christman Company of Knoxville was selected as the general contractor and will be responsible for construction of the facility. Completion is anticipated summer of 2019.