While construction continues to wrap up on the $10 million Park View Elementary, the school’s students are slated to begin classes Aug. 9 at North Cleveland Church of God.
Bradley County Commissioner Howard Thompson said the new school likely will not be ready until the end of September.
“Every day it rains real hard, that throws them a day behind,” he said.
“I don’t think starting in the church is going to be a big hindrance for the kids’ education,” said Courtney Buck, a fifth-grade teacher at Park View. “I know it’s a big concern for the parents.”
Mrs. Buck said parents are anxious that students may feel displaced and might not receive an education in the interim between church and school. She said there was no need to worry, however.
Bradley County school board member Troy Weathers said the goal is to make the transition as smooth as possible.
“Staff members are going to see it as a game and make it fun for the kids,” he said. “How we perceive it is how the kids perceive it.”
Park View principal Deb Bailey said that, because students don’t have access to a library at the church, a bookmobile will make frequent visits. Some classes also will take field trips to the nearby Cleveland Public Library, she said, where teachers have been granted special permission to check out 50 books at a time.
Mrs. Bailey said that, because of limited kitchen resources, children will receive lunches from local restaurants such as Fazoli’s, Chick-fil-A and Papa John’s.
The whole experience should be a fun and positive one, she said.
“My goal is that two buddies will meet in the mall one day and say, ‘Remember the year we had to start school in the church? How cool was that?'”
Harrison – Parkview elementary
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