McKENZIE, Tenn. — McKenzie Special School District’s Board of Education gave approval to move forward with bid processes for two facility improvement projects at their meeting Tuesday, May 5. The board also bid farewell to student board representative Gracie Aird, who finishes her senior year this week.
Elementary School Drainage Project
The board approved moving forward with a drainage improvement project for the bus loop area at McKenzie Elementary School, a longstanding problem that has caused water pooling and concrete damage.
Director of Schools Dr. Justin Barden explained that architects from TLM surveyed the area and identified the core issue: the school sits in a depression, with the playground higher than the bus loop area, causing water to flow down and collect.
The proposed solution involves installing drainage culverts on both sides of the bus loop to catch water and redirect it to the front of the school, where a large drain pipe already carries water across the road.
The project would also replace broken concrete in the concave area where bus drivers enter, creating a smoother, safer surface for students getting off buses and staff entering the building.
TLM provided a projected budget, though Barden cautioned it’s not a guaranteed maximum price.
“I don’t know they can guarantee it, but they feel like the plan that they’re looking at would be a pretty good solution to the problem we’re having,” Barden said.
Board member Bobby Young said, “It’s been going on for a long time. It’s not getting any better.”
Last year, the district completed drainage work on the back of the elementary school with positive results. The new project would address the remaining problem areas.
With board approval, the project will move to Lashlee Rich to develop official bid specifications before being released for formal bidding.
Middle School Restroom Upgrades
The board also approved putting out bids for restroom upgrades at McKenzie Middle School, including new partitions, flooring, and painting.
The project includes updating partitions in all middle school restrooms, including eighth grade facilities, at a combined cost of approximately $25,000 for materials and installation.
The largest expense involves new flooring. The district is considering granulated flooring with a textured topcoat and seal coat, similar to what was installed in the high school locker rooms.
“Part of the reason we like that is it can go over the current tile floor, so you don’t have to incur the cost of ripping all that out,” Barden explained.
Fuller Industries, the company that completed the locker room floors, provided a quote of $37,800 for the restroom flooring work. The project would also include fresh paint throughout the restrooms.
Because the flooring portion exceeds the district’s bidding threshold, it will require a formal bid process.
Student Board Representative’s Final Meeting
Student board representative Gracie Aird attended her final meeting before graduating from McKenzie High School this week.
Aird updated the board on her recent trip to the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Atlanta, where she and five other McKenzie students competed against participants from 10 countries and 49 states.
“There were 27,000 kids all there to compete,” Aird said. “So it was a lot of fun.”
Barden congratulated Aird on receiving a scholarship to attend East Tennessee State University’s Honors College.
“That’s a wonderful thing,” Barden said.
The board presented Aird with a gift in recognition of her service as student representative. Madeline Morris will serve as the incoming student board representative for the 2026-2027 school year.
“Another great selection, and we’ll be excited to have her, and we’ll officially welcome her in August,” Barden said.
Other Updates
The board unanimously approved a request for the McKenzie High School girls basketball team to attend a camp at Murray State University on June 16.
In his director’s report, Barden shared several highlights from across the district:
McKenzie Elementary School will host a carnival day on Monday, May 18, as an end-of-year celebration. The school expects to learn Friday whether it received an Uplift Grant, potentially worth up to $25,000.
McKenzie Middle School achieved 100% participation on TCAP testing and recognized 90 students at its honors banquet. The baseball team won the conference championship.
“That was a lot of fun this year,” Barden noted.
Budget Meetings Scheduled
The board confirmed budget planning dates. A workshop session is scheduled for June 30 at 5:30 p.m., where the board will formally discuss final budget amendments and review policy updates.
The formal budget adoption meeting for the 2026-2027 fiscal year is set for July 7 at 5:30 p.m.
The board’s next regular meeting will be the June 30 budget workshop.
