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That's one of the pithy, inspirational sayings posted on the walls of KIPP Academy, a Metro charter school housed in a small portion of a building that, in its heyday, was the focal point of an East Nashville neighborhood.
Mayor Karl Dean takes that statement to heart. He wants to renovate the Highland Heights School building, turning it back into that neighborhood's center. Not only would it house KIPP and its proposed expansion, but it also would be a place neighbors of all ages could use every day. Ball fields, two gymnasiums, walking trails, a library, after-school care, community classes and a tutorial center to keep children heading for college are all in his plan.
The old way was that city hall created buildings for one use, and Metro Schools built only schools. Dean thinks this is a better way: Work together to build a place that everyone in this geographically isolated neighborhood can use. Highland Heights School is on Douglas Avenue, just off Dickerson Pike.
"One half of the building is in decent shape," Dean said, as he walked around it early Thursday morning. "The other part is starting to fall apart."
He's right about that. Even the area that was cleaned up for the KIPP kids has faulty air conditioning, decrepit light fixtures and a leaky roof. An elevator stopped recently, trapping someone.
One teacher keeps a toolbox behind her desk, because "the teachers fix the bathrooms," said Randy Dowell, head of KIPP, which hopes to expand by adding an elementary school down the road.
The rest of the building is so bad, it's sealed off by large sheets of plastic in what is known as the "vapor barrier."
"Like Star Wars," Dean said.
The former band room was inaccessible to the mayor's tour because it is so moldy. Gang graffiti are painted on one classroom wall. Both gymnasiums, which still have the Highland Heights hornet mascot, have spongy floors from leaks.
The school was built in 1939 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Federal Works Agency.
Mayor makes a promise
Dean's idea is to pay for the schools' renovation out of the city's capital funds, not from the schools' budget. It works like an annual mortgage. The city borrows a hunk of money to spend on brick-and-mortar projects annually, like renovating fire halls.
"It's just not in the school budget to spend $10 (million) to $12 million to renovate it," he said. "Our guarantee is that we are going to always use it for education."
That's the assurance that school board member Gracie Porter needed to hear. She said there is no room to build new schools in East Nashville, and she wants a guarantee that Highland Heights will always be a school of some sort before asking the board for approval.
"I'm very much interested in the school being refurbished," she said. She was there when the mayor presented his plan at a neighborhood meeting.
"I want to do it as fast as possible," he said.
Because this is a better way.
Gail Kerr's column runs on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Find out more about her and contact her through her reporter page.
This building in right around the corner from our home in Nashville. We attended the meeting Mayor Dean spoke at and we're eager to see some positive development.
