Kirkwood Elementary School is ready for students: A look inside the new school

Amid the heat of the summer in the blink of an eye, the 2024-25 academic year is here, and in Montgomery County some teachers and students will be going back to mark the inaugural year of a new school.

With gleaming new floors and well-equipped classrooms, Kirkwood Elementary teachers and administrators are only a week out from welcoming students into the new school for the first time.

Kirkwood Elementary School is the third school CMCSS has opened in the past three years. The elementary school comes as CMCSS continues to find way to relieve the overcrowding in many of the schools.

“Recently, we had the privilege of touring our newest school, Kirkwood Elementary," said CMCSS Director of Schools Jean Luna-Vedder. "Our 25 ^th elementary school is over 95-percent complete, with final touches being added. Furniture is being assembled, and pending successful last inspections, we are optimistic that administrators and teachers will begin moving in this week. We are so excited to show off the culminating building of the Kirkwood Complex and to welcome all the baby Cobras on the first half day of school August 7!”

What to know about Kirkwood Elementary School

Located at 2706 Rossview Rd., Clarksville, Kirkwood Elementary sits on the same 117 acres the county purchased in 2019 for the middle and high school that have opened in the past couple of year.

The home of the cuter Cobra mascot will have more 60 classrooms and flexible learning spaces on about 15 acres of land.

With about 90 faculty, staff and administration, the school is built to serve 1,056 students.

On a normal day, school hours are 8:50 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. and will let out at 12:25 p.m. on half day.

Meet the principal

Frances Ann Camp will be the principal of Kirkwood Elementary School.

“I am so excited and blessed to kick off a new school year at a brand-new school," Camp told The Leaf-Chronicle. "Welcoming students and families with open hearts and eager minds fills me with joy beyond words!   This year is more than just a new chapter; it’s an opportunity for all of us to grow, learn, and create unforgettable memories together. As we step into our new school, let’s embrace every moment with enthusiasm and commitment to excellence.”

Camp has more than 18 years of administration experience, including serving as an assistant principal at Rossview Elementary and Barkers Mill Elementary, and 10 years of experience as a teacher at Hazelwood Elementary School.

She completed the CMCSS Leadership Series and the CMCSS Aspiring Administrators Academy. She earned her bachelor's in Elementary Education from APSU and her master's in Administration and Supervision from Trevecca Nazarene University.

Zoning

With a new school comes school zone changes. CMCSS announced that Phase 1 of the rezoning plans went into effect this year.

You can visit the CMCSS website to find out if your zoning has changed.

Next year Phase 2 of the zoning plan will go into effect as CMCSS continues to build schools to address the overcrowding in many of the district's schools.

According to CMCSS chief communication officer Anthony Johnson, the district has had an annual growth of 600 students a year, and had nearly 39,600 students during the 2023-24 school year.

Kenya Anderson is a reporter for The Leaf-Chronicle. She can be contacted at kanderson@gannett.com or on X at kenyaanderson32 . Sign up for the Leaf-Chronicle to support local journalism at www.theleafchronicle.com.

This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Kirkwood Elementary School is ready for students: A look inside the new school