BLACKMAN, Tenn. (WTVF) — Rutherford County Schools opened a new nearly $60 million middle school Sunday in the Blackman community near Murfreesboro, right by the intersection of Interstate 24 and 840.
Poplar Hill Middle School is the district's 53rd campus. The 169,000-square-foot facility cost $59.9 million and will welcome about 850 6th through 8th graders when classes begin in the coming weeks.
The school sits in the heart of the Blackman community's Beatty Farms area, where population growth has strained existing middle schools. The new facility is part of a district-wide rezoning effort designed to move students out of portable trailer classrooms and into permanent brick-and-mortar buildings.
James Evans, chief communications officer for Rutherford County Schools, said the new campus offers more than just additional space.
"First off, they're gonna be a state of the art facility, all the newest technology, those kinds of things. It's a beautiful school, but it also will help get them out of portable classrooms, those trailer-style classrooms, get them into brick and mortar classrooms where it's more secure, just better environment," Evans said.
The school serves both longtime residents and new families moving into the area. Rutherford County is one of Tennessee's fastest-growing school districts, and the new campus reflects the rapid pace of development along the I-24 and 840 corridors.
Evans said that growth shows no signs of slowing.
"This school sits in the area that we're seeing a lot of growth. We have a ton of growth down the I-24 corridor and 840 corridor. That just seems to be the real hotspots right now," Evans said.
The rezoning effort is meant to redistribute students from overcrowded campuses across the county. With continued population growth expected, the district may need to build additional schools in the area.
Poplar Hill Middle School shares its campus with Poplar Hill Elementary, which opened last year. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Sunday afternoon.
Want to see inside Rutherford County's newest school? Watch our video for an exclusive look of Poplar Hill Middle School's state-of-the-art classrooms and facilities. Are portable classrooms still a problem at a school near you? We want to hear from you — reach out to reporter Eric Pointer at Eric.Pointer@NewsChannel5.com
This story was reported by Eric Pointer and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Eric Pointer and our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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