Cheatham County school officials are weighing a plan that would combine Pegram Elementary and Kingston Springs Elementary into a single school, a move that could send roughly 200 Pegram students to the Kingston Springs campus as soon as the 2027-28 school year. No final decision has been made, but the proposal is already drawing concern from families tied to Pegram's decades-old campus.
District spokesperson Tim Adkins confirmed the plans to WSMV on Tuesday afternoon, saying the proposal is designed to bring together the two South Cheatham County schools while strengthening educational opportunities and support services for students. The district has not offered further reasoning behind the proposal beyond that statement, according to the outlet's reporting.
Under the plan, about 200 students would move from Pegram Elementary to Kingston Springs Elementary, which currently enrolls roughly 300 kids, per multiple sources who spoke with the station. Kingston Springs Elementary has capacity for 480 students, the report notes, though the proposed transfer could eventually require the district to build an addition or bring in portable classrooms. The Cheatham County School Board is set to discuss the proposal at a work session Thursday at 6 p.m.
A Magnet School and a Growth Leader
The two schools carry very different academic identities. Pegram Elementary has operated as a fine arts magnet school since the 2019-20 school year, after the Cheatham County School Board unanimously approved the conversion, according to The Tennessean. The program was designed to integrate music, art, drama and dance into the school's academic standards.
Kingston Springs, meanwhile, has built a reputation for academic growth. The school earned a Level 5 designation from the Tennessee Department of Education for the 2024-25 school year, the highest rating available under the state's Value-Added Assessment System, according to the Kingston Springs Gazette. The designation indicates Kingston Springs students made more academic progress than their peers statewide, and the school has been named a Reward School every year since at least 2017. Pegram Elementary Fine Arts Magnet School, by comparison, received a Level 4 designation for the same school year, per the same report.
Pegram's Future Building Could Become a Library
While the school consolidation remains undecided, Cheatham County Mayor Bill Anderson is separately considering turning the Pegram Elementary building into a public library, according to a letter to parents obtained by the station's reporting. The idea surfaced alongside news of the proposed school merger, though no further detail on its status has been shared publicly.
For Richard Mitchell, a Pegram Elementary parent and alum, the prospect of losing the school is personal. Mitchell said he would be heartbroken to see the school close, noting that Pegram Elementary has served the community for decades. He also voiced concern about how the move would affect Pegram staff, pointing to employees like the school's janitor, who has worked there since he was a student.
Staff Impact and Next Steps Remain Unclear
The district has not shared how the proposed move would affect staff, leaving open questions for employees at both schools as the board prepares to take up the issue. If the proposal moves forward, Adkins said community forums will be scheduled at both schools to give families more information and a chance to ask questions.
Thursday's work session marks the first scheduled public discussion of the proposal by the full school board. Families in both Pegram and Kingston Springs are expected to be watching closely for any indication of where the plan heads next.
