For more than two years a proposal to replace the aging Smithville Elementary School has slowly emerged. The need for a new school has always been on the mind of School Board members and school officials, and land was even purchased in anticipation for the project. Then came COVID.

The DeKalb School Board voted to allocate a total of $441,000 for 24.5 acres of property on North Congress Boulevard next to Northside Elementary School for construction of a new pre-K through 2nd grade school. The property was purchase following a core drill assessment and TDOT approval of a traffic plan of Highway 56 (Cookeville Highway).

Not long after, the COVID pandemic struck, and as a result the cost of building materials skyrocketed, with the estimated cost of this project rising from $30 to $46 million. According to DeKalb Director of Schools Patrick Cripps, the need for the new school is still very much real and with no sign of construction prices coming down, the board has no choice but to attempt to move forward. 

During a workshop meeting of the School Board on Tuesday, September 13, Director Cripps unveiled architectural designs for the project. The schematic, designed by Upland Design Group, shows that new elementary school at 124,207 square feet in size, and would accommodate 800 students, with room for future expansion to house an additional 300 additional students.

The school would have 11 classrooms for each grade level (33 classrooms with 20 students each) along with seven Pre-K classrooms with 20 students each. The school would also have four CDC/SPED classrooms as needed. Any future expansion could accommodate 15 new classrooms at 20 students each.

The plan calls for the new Smithville Elementary School and Northside Elementary each having its own entrance for car traffic off of Highway 56, with a lane connecting the two schools for parents that have children at both schools.

Buses would enter Northside from Smith Road for student pickup/drop off, then follow a bus lane to the new elementary school for pickup/drop off. The bus lanes would be located at the rear of both schools. No construction or alterations will be needed on Highway 56 to accommodate the school traffic plan.

Director Cripps said he will be asking County Mayor Matt Adcock to arrange a meeting between the new county commission and school board discuss the plans and how it might be funded.