Busy summer schedules have aspirations for the upcoming academic year soaring high for Elizabethton City Schools.
After getting their feet wet Friday with a half-day, students within the district got into the groove of things Monday as each of the five schools held their first full day of school.
Each school breeds new excitement, according to Director of Schools Dr. Corey Gardenhour, and the trend doesn’t look to stall for 2017-18.
“We’re extremely excited about what the new school year has to offer,” Gardenhour stated Monday afternoon. “Over the summer, staff spent around 10-1/2 weeks preparing for this academic year. We’re so proud of what our students and staff accomplished this year and we’re hoping to see that momentum continue.”
Various projects took place to get ready for 2017-18. Gardenhour discussed the district’s contract with Trane Air Conditioning, which saw extensive work go on at each of the schools to address HVAC concerns.
Other notable projects included the demolition of the home grandstands at T.A. Dugger Junior High to prepare for expansion for STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) classes. Traffic on Cedar Avenue during school hours will see some assistance in the future with work being performed at Harold McCormick.
The director stated the district has talked a civil engineer to about work behind the school for new drive to mitigate traffic and help with safety concerns for students and families.
Setting the groundwork to benefit students is the goal, according to Gardenhour, who noted the recent momentum is already carrying over with students.
2016-17 saw ECS receive national acclaim with Elizabethton High students receiving awards from the XQ America Super School Project for their “Bartleby School” project. ECS will unveil the fruits of the students’, and teachers’, labor this year with Community Involvement and Entrepreneurship receiving a green light.
The EHS Betsy Band is also defending their state championship this year and will be making the trip down to Knoxville September 23 to perform with the Pride of the Southland Band during the University of Tennessee’s football game against UMass.
“We’re so proud of what our students have been able to accomplish,” Gardenhour said. “Their work, at all of our schools, is beyond appreciative and we’re so thankful for them. We’re hoping to make this year the best the school system has seen.”
Along with new students, ECS also recently welcomed in a new batch of teachers for the school year.
“They bring so much to the table,” Gardenhour said. “From the work in the summer to now, they all hit the ground running. We were able to pair them with a mentor and we know they’ll bring a lot to the district. We’re excited about welcoming them to the district and can’t wait to see the impact they’ll make on our students.”