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New Rosemont Elementary 04.2022

At the Troup County School Board’s Tuesday work session, Southern A&E, the engineering firm behind the new Rosemont Elementary School project, unveiled its most recent renditions for the new school, including site plans and proposed amenities.

The new school will be directly adjacent to the existing Rosemont Elementary School on Hamilton Road and will have the capacity to incorporate at least 855 students, well above the  570 capacity of the current school. The media center and cafeteria will be centrally-located, according to information shared at Tuesday’s meeting. The plans additionally include an outdoor courtyard, green space access, a special education playground and a proposed amphitheater that can be used for in-school functions and community-related events.

Assistant Superintendent Chip Medders said the current groundbreaking timeframe is set for January 2023, a date that could fluctuate depending on the cost of materials and other factors.

Martie Hornsby, the principal of Rosemont Elementary School, explained she has been acting as a liaison between the developers of the new school and her staff, creating an essential list of what her staff and teachers need to conduct their time at school more comfortably.

“I really feel like the ideas that came together are representative of the things our staff, students, and community as a whole felt were important,” Hornsby said.

Hornsby said her staff wanted collaborative spaces, something that is unavailable at the current school. Her staff additionally requested available restrooms on each wing and more green space.

“We wanted the new building to be reflective of the community and reflecting an opportunity for growth in programs like our GreenPower program, our ag program and [STEM-related] activities,” she said

Stephen McCune, CEO of Southern A&E, said one of the main aspects of the design includes the parent pick-up lane, which would be located off Bergess Road. McCune said developers are looking to keep the lane from stretching out to Highway 27 and creating potential traffic backup. Developers are also negotiating with a property owner within close proximity to the construction site. 

McCune added that A&E was still trying to work out a septic system location for the new school. The septic area consists of underground field lines, McCune explained. Another hold-up in the plans includes a wetland area located directly behind the school that is not incorporated in the school plans.

“We’re trying to work around it,” McCune said. “It has an effect of where the building will go. We have to stay out of it.”