By John R. Schirmer
News-Leader staff
The Nashville School District’s facilities master plan was updated during the Dec. 15 meeting of the Nashville School Board.
Superintendent Doug Graham recommended that two items be removed from the list. “We need to take off [constructing] tennis courts” after the new tennis facility opened early in the fall semester at Nashville High School.
The two new courts were used throughout the season.
Graham also recommended the removal of plans for additional seating and a new press box at the Nashville City Park softball field where the Scrapperettes play.
“There’s now discussion of building our own softball field,” Graham said.
The updated facilities plan includes a new softball field, replacing the 10-year old artificial turf at Scrapper Stadium, re-surfacing the track, replacing the turf at the Scrapper Dome, a new auditorium, new administration building, rest-rooms on the visitors side at the stadium.
No action was taken Monday on any of the individual projects. They will be discussed at future board meetings.
Graham was scheduled to meet later Monday with a representative of the Department of Education’s facilities division to finalize the list.
The board approved the plan on a 4-0 vote.
Updated facilities master plans are required by the state.
Later in the meeting, Graham updated the board on new turf at the stadium.
In November, Graham said the turf has seen 10 seasons and has outlived its warranty.
“New turf is like everything else. It’s gone up since the last time,” he said.
The district has received a pre-
liminary rendering of a new surface from Hellas out of Austin, Texas.
Geo-Surfaces and Shaw Turf have also been contacted.
New installations include a pad underneath the turf that “makes it softer” in an effort to reduce injuries, Graham said.
New fields don’t use the black rubber under the turf, Graham said, lowering temperatures on the field by about 40 degrees during the summer and into the early part of the season.
“I’m excited about the cooler infield,” Graham said.
The district will look at color schemes and other parts of the project as well before a decision is made.
The turf on the practice field at the Scrapper Dome was installed in 2003, Graham said. “Of course, there’s no sun on it, but it’s past due to replace.”
The stadium track is “breaking down,” Graham said.
He discussed doing the stadium turf, practice turf and track separately if needed to control costs, but Hellas said the project would be “cheaper if all done at once.”
The current stadium turf was paid for by donations. Graham said he hasn’t contacted donors yet while waiting for information on the project’s cost.
In other business, Graham said the district soon will begin planning the 2026-27 school calendar. “Do we stay with the hybrid calendar or go back to a traditional one? Are you happy with our calendar?”
Board members said they have not heard any negative comments about the current calendar.
In the academic update, Curriculum Coordinator Kim Slayton discussed college/career ready assessments for the state’s public and open enrollment schools.
At Nashville High School, 124 juniors will take the free ACT to be offered by the state in February.
None of the juniors chose to take the SAT or College Learning Test.
A group of juniors took the PSAT during the fall for practice only. “It doesn’t qualify for the National Merit Test,” she said. “They have to take the National Merit” later.
In the financial report, Graham said the district has an operating balance of about $6.93 million.
The building fund has a balance of $7 million.
Food services reported $522,000.
The board accepted the resignation of elementary science teacher Valerie Erby. “We hate to see this resignation,” Graham said.
Kaylynn Sharp was transferred from a half-day to Erby’s position full-time.
The next board meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026.
