Wilson County Schools Stoner Creek Elementary ready to implement 'Bobcat Village' after tornado

Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean
·3 min read

Portable classrooms for Wilson County’s Stoner Creek Elementary School are expected to be ready when students return after the winter break in an evolving plan needed after the March 2020 tornado.

The Wilson County School Board approved “Bobcat Village” as a temporary campus last April for Stoner Creek, which lost its main building in the storm.

The district will instead implement a downsized Bobcat Village after delays targeting when students return to classes on Jan. 4.

“The Stoner Creek school and community is strong, even without our building,” said Jamie Dunn, a parent of two Stoner Creek students. “The administration is working on details of security, and I feel like they put out information quickly.”

Stoner Creek Elementary will utilize portable classrooms set up in front of West Wilson Middle School in Mt. Juliet. Stoner Creek used a wing of West Wilson Middle since the fall semester. Stoner Creek and West Wilson both had major damage from the March 2020 tornado.
Stoner Creek Elementary will utilize portable classrooms set up in front of West Wilson Middle School in Mt. Juliet. Stoner Creek used a wing of West Wilson Middle since the fall semester. Stoner Creek and West Wilson both had major damage from the March 2020 tornado.

Bobcat Village was initially approved under a plan to set up a temporary campus at Stoner Creek with 20 portable units and 40 classrooms.

But the portable units being leased by the district weren’t ready at the start of the school year, nor were they used the entire first semester.

Stoner Creek was able to start 2021-22 with classes in a West Wilson Middle School wing that had minimal damage from the tornado and was deemed usable.

West Wilson Middle on North Mt. Juliet Road is essentially in front of the Stoner Creek campus. Both schools were heavily damaged in the tornado and will be rebuilt.

Stoner Creek will continue to utilize the wing at West Wilson Middle during the upcoming spring semester along with 10 of the portable units that can be used for 20 classrooms.

“The use of portables, the West wing and the (Stoner Creek) gym will now accommodate every teacher to have their own personal space for teaching and learning,” Stoner Creek Principal Amanda Smith said. “Up until this point the majority of teachers have had to share space. This plan is exciting and will definitely allow for more space for learning, as well as more restrooms.”

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Moving in furniture and assembling ramps were expected to happen after Christmas and be ready to start the spring semester, Wilson County Schools Public Information Officer Bart Barker said.

The portable units will include utilities, ramps, walkways, furniture and technology.

Wilson County Director of Schools Jeff Luttrell, left and Chief Financial Officer Michael Smith, right, in a hallway of a wing at West Wilson Middle School just before the school year began. Stoner Creek Elementary has been using the wing of West Wilson Middle and now will have 10 portable units added to the temporary campus.
Wilson County Director of Schools Jeff Luttrell, left and Chief Financial Officer Michael Smith, right, in a hallway of a wing at West Wilson Middle School just before the school year began. Stoner Creek Elementary has been using the wing of West Wilson Middle and now will have 10 portable units added to the temporary campus.

Why Bobcat Village is needed

Stoner Creek had 638 K-5 students near the end of the fall semester. The school shared space at Mt. Juliet Middle during the 2020-2021 school year.

Wilson County Schools also had to shift students displaced from West Wilson Middle.

Stoner Creek’s return to West Wilson Middle and the portable village campus opens up space needed at Mt. Juliet Middle to house sixth and seventh graders from West Wilson Middle and Mt. Juliet Middle schools.

The evolving plan for the spring semester includes:

  • Students will ride a shuttle to the Stoner Creek gym for lunch each day. Students will also use shuttles on days they have music and physical education.

  • The library will be in a portable unit.

One of the remaining portable units is at Mt. Juliet Middle and three are at Gladeville Elementary because of space needs, Barker said.

Six portable units can be available for other schools as necessary, Barker said.

Stoner Creek Elementary will utilize portable classrooms set up in front of West Wilson Middle School in Mt. Juliet. Stoner Creek used a wing of West Wilson Middle since the fall semester. Stoner Creek and West Wilson both had major damage from the March 2020 tornado.
Stoner Creek Elementary will utilize portable classrooms set up in front of West Wilson Middle School in Mt. Juliet. Stoner Creek used a wing of West Wilson Middle since the fall semester. Stoner Creek and West Wilson both had major damage from the March 2020 tornado.

“Luckily, with the portables now being placed at the West wing, we’ll get to keep our same routines and procedures that we’ve worked so hard to develop these first weeks at the West wing,” Stoner Creek kindergarten teacher and webmaster Hailey Lavender said. “It seems like this plan will allow things to stay consistent for the staff and kids, which will be great. The West wing has quickly felt like home, and I’m excited to see what the rest of the year holds as we transition to the portable classrooms.”

Stoner Creek’s permanent new school is estimated to cost $30.2 million. Completion is being targeted for the end of September 2022, Barker said.

Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @ AndyHumbles.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Mt. Juliet's Stoner Creek Elementary ready for downsized 'Bobcat Village'