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Amphitheater, stadium lights planned for Siegel




Blackman High School student Jake Arning presents his research paper on student discipline to the Rutherford County School Board on Thursday, Oct. 19. JASON M. REYNOLDS

Blackman High School student Jake Arning presents his research paper on student discipline to the Rutherford County School Board on Thursday, Oct. 19. JASON M. REYNOLDS

Could Siegel High School receive an additional $1.6 million in construction?

The Rutherford County School Board voted 5-1 on Thursday, Oct. 19 in favor of moving forward with a lecture amphitheater and additional classrooms worth $1.44 million, and new baseball field LED lights worth $194,000.

The request will be made to the Rutherford County Commission, which must approve the school board dipping into its $30.2 million General Purpose School Unassigned Fund Balance (similar to a savings account). The funds would be replenished once the county government borrows through the bond market.

Thursday’s request comes on top of last month’s approval of a $5.1 million classroom expansion for Siegel.

Board members Lisa Moore and Aaron B. Holladay questioned the projects’ need. The athletic lights, which date to the school’s 2003 opening, are too dim and could pose a liability issue, Chairman Jeff Jordan told the board.

“It’s a lot of money,” Moore said.

Jordan floated the idea of closing the field if the lights are not approved.

Holladay questioned an assumption made about the amphitheater since last month’s meeting: that Siegel is the only high school in the county without one. Central Magnet, Smyrna and La Vergne do not have that feature either, he said.

“If our goal is equity, we still have a lot of work to do,” he said.

Two high schools have athletic field lights mounted on wooden poles, which are a safety concern, Moore said, while Siegel’s lights are mounted on metal. Also, the board as long as about seven years ago asked the County Commission for money to replace concession stands and restrooms at La Vergne and Smyrna High Schools; that idea was shot down.

“We were all in agreement that needed to be done,” she said. “We did everything but beg to get that to happen. But we haven’t shut down those football fields.”

In other business, the board approved an emergency cleaning and demolition of Riverdale High School’s concession stand that was damaged by fire Sept. 18. Belfor USA Group submitted the winning bid. Demolition, haul-off and disposal will cost $28,145.50. Cleaning smoke damage will cost $4,238.19. Work should start immediately.

Nissan donated the fleet of cars it was providing and maintaining for driver’s education classes, Director of Schools Don Odom said. But the maintenance will become a line item in the budget moving forward.

Jake Arning, a Blackman High School student, shared his class research on school discipline policy reform. His data suggest making changes to policy to provide discipline in incremental steps and give students a chance for self-reflection. Odom said the system has a committee looking at making similar changes.

“Maybe that’s something we should take a look at,” Holladay said.

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