448 TIME TO BE POSITIVE, MOVE FORWARD, FOCUS ON PROGRAM NEEDS OF CAMPUS SCHOOL

May 23, 2006

CONTACT: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919

MURFREESBORO—MTSU planning and facilities officials will meet with Rutherford County Schools engineering and construction staff this month to determine the next steps in moving forward with the renovating of Homer Pittard Campus School. At the same time, faculty and administrators of both institutions will begin formulating a timetable to address the lab school’s programmatic needs.
Harry Gill Jr., director of Rutherford County Schools, and Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, MTSU president, met last month and agreed to work together to extend the agreement between the university and the county in order to continue the mission of Campus School, which is to model the best practices in teacher education and to educate children.
“We value this building and all that it represents,” McPhee said. “We place a high premium on the quality education that takes place through the administration of the County Schools and the MTSU teacher-training program.
“I am pleased with the cooperative spirit between the two entities, and I believe our goals are the same,” McPhee continued. “It’s time to move forward and focus on the needs of our children. We will work together to discover how best to meet those goals.”
“Campus School has a long history with Rutherford County, and I’m eager to see this partnership move forward, as are many parents and community members,” added Director of Schools Harry Gill Jr. “I appreciate Dr. McPhee’s willingness to work with our school system to ensure that Campus School leads the way in Tennessee.”
While matters regarding the physical renovation of Campus School have received much of the attention, there also are academic program issues that need to be addressed. One item that will be on the discussion agenda for Campus School and MTSU educators will be to consider expanding the program to include pre-K children, which is part of Governor Bredesen’s new initiative.
Dr. Stan Baskin, principal of Campus School, agreed that while the structural needs of the facility needs have garnered most of the attention, program needs are just as important.
“The needs of the facility have been presented for years, and it is of immediate importance that we begin to get on a schedule to solve those needs,” Baskin said. “I expect that to be a multi-year process. When we look at programmatic needs, that’s something we were doing but certainly should have been doing more over the decade. We’re all realizing that the building is going to have to be fixed. Let’s also maintain an ongoing dialogue about what services the school can provide to elementary and university students on a long-term basis.”

In a recent meeting, administrators concluded that Campus School should not provide 7th- and 8th-grades at this time, but pre-K education should be addressed.
“Our county isn’t moving very fast in pre-K because of our explosive growth, and I understand the problem,” Baskin said. “But at the same time, we’re training educators to go out beyond Rutherford County to systems that are doing more in pre-K because of available space. … Personally, I do think there’s a need there.” Baskin noted that the pre-K program is the first major elementary education initiative in decades where Campus School has not been at the forefront.
“Seventh and eighth-grades have been tabled because we have an outstanding relationship with Central Middle School that delivers that program,” added MTSU’s Dr. Gloria Bonner, dean, College of Education and Behavioral Science. Bonner agreed that the needs for a pre-K program fall right in line with the university’s commitment to early childhood development. “That’s one of our strongest and fastest-growing programs and needs to be a priority.”
“We really are focusing on the program needs of Campus School,” John Cothern, MTSU senior vice president, echoed, “because once we determine how to meet those program needs, the blueprint for renovating the facility will naturally follow.
“We’ll be working together to identify programmatic, life-safety and ADA-compliance needs,” Cothern explained. “Our task is to put it all together and seek approval from the state. Once approval is obtained, the county will go through its bid process to get the work done.”
Bonner said she would like to see a programmatic plan in place for Campus School by next fall, which will require beginning the preliminary discussions of defining and clarifying program issues this summer.
“The process will be participatory, inclusive and strategic,” the dean said. “While there will be a task force, we will value parental and community input. We’re going to be really sensitive to those kinds of issues that … will help promote inclusiveness.” Bonner added that the open-dialogue process will be continuous.
“Campus School is a crown jewel,” McPhee emphasized. “It’s because all of us are passionate about remaining true to the school’s original mission that we should move forward. If we keep the children at the center of our focus, then what we need to do to ensure a quality program and a safe learning environment will fall into place. I appreciate our partnership with the county and look forward to positive results.”
MTSU officials are reviewing the current agreement between MTSU and Rutherford County Schools regarding Campus School.
“We’re looking forward to crafting an agreement with the Rutherford County Board of Education and should have an agreement by the end of this summer,” said James Floyd, MTSU university counsel. “Revisions to the agreement will accommodate the facilities and programmatic needs of the school.”
Cothern noted that project designs and specifications prepared by the County School Board designer will be submitted to the Tennessee Board of Regents, Tennessee Higher Education Commission and the State Building Commission for review and approval. The initial focus will be on life-safety and ADA needs, he said.

“It is hoped that at least those will be started this summer,” Cothern said. “It will take a couple of years or more to do all of the needed projects. Some projects will have to work around school calendars.”
The University and the County have met and are working to submit the general scope of the projects to State Building Commission for approval as a state project in August, Cothern added. All projects will be subject to review and approvals by the state fire marshal's office and the Tennessee Historical Commission. The initial focus will be on an elevator, life-safety items and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act subject to those being determined as the most critical. Every effort will be made to plan and complete all projects over the next two years, Cothern said.