Rockford Elementary School officials, city leaders and area businesses have partnered to convert an underutilized central courtyard into an outdoor center focused on giving students a place to read, gain hands-on gardening experience and gather for small events.
“We’re calling it our Reading and Exploration Center,” explained Principal Chad Tipton.
The idea for the project began last year when school staff applied for grants to improve the courtyard. They were unable to secure funding, Tipton said, so the school organized a fundraiser in December and raised $18,000 for the project. The City of Rockford agreed to match those funds dollar for dollar up to $20,000.
The concept includes an outdoor amphitheater, a reading area with hanging chairs, raised garden beds and a picnic area where Rockford’s 430 students can participate in science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning opportunities, Tipton said.
“We’re gonna have raised flower beds and raised gardens so kids from pre-K all the way through fifth grade will have an opportunity to literally get their hands dirty in their STEM classes,” Tipton explained.
The list of area businesses providing money, time, materials and labor for the project is long, Tipton said, and includes Vulcan Materials, Al Blankenship Enterprises & Concrete, Specmat Technologies, Rockford Masonic Lodge, 2 Girls & a Cricket, Aubrey’s, Massey Electric, CBBC/Meagan Byrd, Championship Karate, Bailey Landscaping, Foothills Church, Blount Community Church, Stock Creek Baptist Church, Food Lion, Texas Roadhouse, Artistic Bean, Alpha Phi Alpha, Clayton, New Providence Church, Art of Cakes, Legends of Tennessee Reading and Leadership Program, Crumbl Cookie of Maryville, Kid Konnections, Daughters of the American Revolution, Blount County Eye Center and Junior Service League.
“There’s a real sense of community at that school,” Rockford Mayor Carl Koella said. “And, you know, the business leaders and everyone else in town are behind it and support Principal Chad Tipton’s efforts to improve the quality of life for all of the students.”
While proposals and total project costs are still being calculated, Tipton said they hope to begin construction this summer while students are on break. Planners agree the project may need to be completed in phases to achieve the desired results.
“If we need to go a little slower to get a little bit higher quality,” Tipton explained, “I’d rather take our time to do it right.”
Once construction is completed, city and community leaders plan to organize a maintenance and improvement endowment to ensure the courtyard is consistently cared for in the future, Koella said.
