Bartlett City Schools will use the summer months with students away from classes to make more than $1.6 million in improvements at several campuses.

BCS Superintendent David Stephens outlined the summer work during the Thursday, March 23, Board of Education meeting. The school system leader also updated the board on the controversial third-grade reading retention bill.

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“The latest I’ve heard is they are wanting with that retention bill to add if a student scores in the 50th percentile or better on the state-approved benchmark test. Then (the students) would be able to move on even if they were not proficient on the TCAP,” Stephens said.

He and board members expressed concerns because there is no state-approved benchmark test, something Stephens has heard promised for three years.

Stephens and Brad Ratliff, the board’s legislative liaison, will be in Nashville separately next week to learn more about several pieces of legislation.

Last June, the board approved a five-year capital improvements plan estimated at about $40 million. The district anticipated spending $12.5 million on CIP projects this year, including several that receive board approvals Thursday night. 

“It’s all of our summer work that we’re trying to get in,” Stephens said. “Bartlett’s buildings are pretty old, so we have a lot of capital needs. We really try to stay on top and maintain and not let things get away from us.”

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One of the district’s oldest schools, Ellendale Elementary, built in 1976, will see the most work.

Crews will remove old tile and asbestos-laden material underneath the center section of the school. New tile and furniture will go into the school’s 23,800-square-foot original building.

“We’ve already done the gym and the cafeteria, so now we’re getting like 30 classrooms in the center of the original building,” Jeff Waller, BCS operations manager, said. “As far as I know that should (take care of) all of the asbestos at Ellendale.”

The cost of that project is approximately $475,000.

Milling and paving projects costing more than $418,000 will also take place at Bon Lin Elementary, Bon Lin Middle and Rivercrest Elementary.

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“Bon Lin has been problematic. I think it was even before (the campuses) were Bartlett City Schools. Those parking lots have been terrible,” Stephens said.

Bartlett Elementary will get a much-needed drainage upgrade.

“All of the drainage in the front of the school goes down the parking lot, and on heavy rains, it comes in the front door because it can’t drain out the sides,” Waller said.

Over the years, school officials have tried unsuccessfully to remedy the issue, and this $109,000 project is expected to finally resolve it.

A new rooftop and new RTUs (totaling more than $465,000) were also approved for Farley Gym at Bartlett High.

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Board chairman Bryan Woodruff noted that money the district receives from Shelby County helps fund school improvement projects.

“You have to be a little opportunistic in scheduling these projects because of that,” Woodruff said.

The Bartlett district stands to receive 6% of the county funds proposed for a new school in Cordova, so officials are keeping a close eye to see which direction the county goes in funding it.

“The county commission capital dollars are so needed in our district, and they’re so helpful,” Stephens said. “We have more projects than we have time or money.”