Coffee County board backs new Hickerson school, approves larger East Coffee renovation plan

The Coffee County Board of Education voted to ask county officials to finance a replacement for Hickerson Elementary and to pursue an expanded renovation plan for East Coffee Elementary, moving both projects forward for further design and budgeting.

Board members authorized staff to pursue county funding for a new four‑section Hickerson Elementary to be built behind the existing school. Facilities staff estimated the replacement at approximately $35 million to $40 million and said the Hickerson site includes about 11.53 acres of land, most of it behind the current building. The board’s motion directs staff to take that recommendation to the county in order to begin financing and design conversations.

The board also voted to revise the East Coffee Elementary scope. Staff had recommended infrastructure improvements — a new gym, cafeteria and office areas — at an estimated $18 million. After discussion about future growth and classroom capacity, board members amended the motion to seek a renovation that would result in a three‑section elementary (adding classroom capacity). Board members and staff said preliminary estimates put the incremental cost to expand from a two‑section to a three‑section plan at about $4 million, making a rough combined estimate in the low‑to‑mid‑$20 million range if done now rather than added later.

During debate, board members pressed staff on siting and capacity questions. Board members asked whether the Hickerson parcel had enough room for a four‑section building (staff said 11.53 acres, mostly to the rear) and whether rezoning or shifting students would be required; staff said rezoning is possible but not preferred and would be considered if enrollment patterns require it. For East Coffee, staff and board members discussed how some program changes in the renovation (for example, an expanded library or relocated music room) could reduce classroom counts on the existing footprint even as the project improves common spaces.

Facilities director updates and capital projects were presented after the votes. Staff reported recent work including window laminate shatter protection (phase 2), completed bleacher modifications and handrails at the high school, sidewalks near practice facilities, locker room concrete work and planned door and garage‑door replacements at the high school CTE area. Staff said some vinyl/window treatments and other small items remain scheduled for a later phase. Members also noted upcoming restroom and stadium repairs to be done after completion of the football season.

Board members raised a separate site‑safety concern at New Union Elementary: traffic conflicts at the intersection near the school. Several board members urged staff to seek a formal study or a resolution to send to the county mayor or the Tennessee Department of Transportation to evaluate signalization or other traffic controls at the site.

The board emphasized the next steps are directional: these actions authorize staff to develop the projects further, refine cost estimates and present financing requests to the county commission and to move forward into the design and bidding processes. Exact project budgets will be determined by architects’ final designs and competitive bids.

Staff and board members repeatedly cautioned that the dollar amounts discussed were preliminary architectural estimates and that final costs will be set through the formal bidding process.