Cheatham County board sets February deadline for elementary school consolidation plan
Officials will study the merger of Pegram and Kingston Springs schools after enrollment drops forced a review of district resources.
By Camila Herrera ·
Cheatham County School Board members agreed on Thursday night to study a plan that would merge two local elementary schools. The district is considering combining Kingston Springs Elementary and Pegram Elementary Fine Arts Magnet School. This decision stems from a decade of declining student attendance at both campuses.
The board voted to create a committee to analyze the potential consolidation. This group will examine how a merger would affect students and operations. The committee aims to present its findings to the full board in February. This timeline follows a workshop session where board members debated the urgency of the issue.
Enrollment data shows a sharp decline at both schools over the last ten years. In 2016, Pegram served 236 students in kindergarten through fourth grade. This school year, that number has dropped to 165. Kingston Springs had 374 students in 2016 but currently serves 286. Director of Schools Stacy Brown cited these numbers as the primary reason for the review.
Parents have expressed concern that the district is moving too quickly. Brittany Smith, a parent who transfers her children to Pegram from another community, said the decision feels rushed. She noted that the district often grants open capacity for out-of-county enrollment at the end of the year. Smith argued that Pegram needs more time to attract students before any merger is considered.
"There should have been a community meeting to say, 'Hey, we want to give you every opportunity to think of ways to keep Pegram alive,'" Smith said. "This is a very, very big, quick decision. There has to be more time." She added that the fine arts program is not widely advertised as an option for families outside the immediate area.
Amy Sigmon, a parent at Kingston Springs, supported the board members who questioned the initial timeline. Sigmon said stakeholders have not been fully consulted on the process. She asked the board to clarify the composition of the new committee. "We want to know if we are going to have all the stakeholder voices that we need be heard," Sigmon said. "And do we have time to listen to them?"
Board chair Amber Locke emphasized that the district has not committed to a specific date for the merger. The district initially suggested the change could happen as soon as next school year. Locke clarified that this was not a final decision. "The earliest it could happen is next school year, but it was not a commitment because we are not in a position to make a commitment," Locke said. "We don't have enough information. We're at the very beginning of this, and there's a lot of work to be done."
Board member David Risner stated that the analysis will focus primarily on student needs. He explained that the goal is to determine what offers the best education for the available funding. "The whole part of this analysis is student-centric," Risner said. "What is best for the students of the county. Not the parents necessarily, not our community partners, etc." The committee will begin its work immediately to meet the February reporting goal.
