The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports that the building plans mark the first major capital project for the young district.
Superintendent Tammy Mason says the town of Arlington has signed over about three acres of land to the school district. The project will likely consist of two structures—one about 15,000 feet for office space and meeting rooms, including a new board room, and the other a 3,000-square-foot operations building.
Construction could start in February in hopes of opening in September.
Space for administrative offices has been difficult to find. Until now, administrators have been running the district from a handful of high school classrooms and a janitor's closet.
About 15 administrative employees work in a 800-square-foot classroom with dividers that do little to shield conversations with parents that should be more private. The office is largely inaccessible during the high school's dismissal time because of traffic.
"With new programs that we’re putting in place at the high school, the high school really needs those classrooms back," Mason says.
The town was one of six Memphis suburbs that opted in 2013 to form their own school systems rather than stay in the newly merged Memphis-Shelby County district.
