Ooltewah Elementary School landHamilton County education officials will ask the County Commission to spend $875,000 on acquiring land where a new Ooltewah Elementary School eventually could be built.
School board members are interested in 30 vacant acres just west of Interstate 75 off Ooltewah-Georgetown Road. A new school at that location ultimately could house up to 1,000 students and replace the undersized and aging Ooltewah Elementary, currently at 9232 Lee Highway.
More importantly, the new school could help alleviate overcrowding at several schools on the county's east side. A $23 million school at the site could relieve crowding at Snow Hill and Wallace A. Smith elementary schools, according to a list of staff recommendations for new school facilities.
The board voted 5-0 to take the request to the County Commission's meeting next week. Board members Chip Baker, Joe Galloway, Linda Mosley and Everett Fairchild were absent.