Education

The Shelby County Board of Education heard its first update on the new Southside Elementary School project during Thursday’s meeting.

Architects from K. Norman Berry outlined the school’s early footprint but noted that they will be back in the next few weeks with a more detailed development plan.

Superintendent James Neihof was quick to remind the board that the proposals were just a start. “This is a beginning plan, not a final plan,” he said.

Shelby County Public Schools will get the ball rolling with the new building project at the site of Southside Elementary at Thursday's regular meeting at Wright Elementary at 7 p.m.

K. Norman Berry Architects will be on hand to provide the board with an early look at some floor plan possibilities.

"These are very, very, very preliminary ideas because nothing is finalized yet," said Kerry Whitehouse, the district assistant superintendent for operations. "The board had asked to see where we are, so we've put together some early looks."

The turnout for the new Accelerated Academy at both Collins and Shelby County high schools has been somewhat staggering.
The administrative staff of both high schools and Shelby County Public Schools sat down Thursday with members of the Board of Education for an informal roundtable discussion to explain the new program.
More than 115 students have met the criteria for the academy and 71 – 44 at Collins and 27 at SCHS – will take on the rigorous schedule starting in two weeks.

Shelby County Public Schools' expanded summer school program has had a big turnout this year.

In reports to the Board of Education at Thursday's meeting, it was reported that almost 350 students are attending the district's summer reading academy.

The program, which the district started last year for students in grades 1 and 3, expanded this year to add grades 5, 7 and 9.