Germantown school zone changing

Sixth-grade is typically a time when students go through some growing pains, and so it will be for those who had planned to attend sixth grade at Germantown Middle School.

Beginning in 2023, sixth-graders will no longer attend Germantown Middle School and sixth-graders in the Madison County School District’s other schools also will be affected as well.

Plans had called for the district to build a new zone-wide sixth-grade school adjacent to the Germantown Middle School, but complications prevented that plan from occurring, officials said.

“Due to property zoning complications and the prohibitive expense of purchasing land at an alternate site, creating a zone-wide sixth grade school was not feasible,” wrote Charlotte A. Seals, Madison County Schools superintendent in an October letter to parents of affected students.

“Thanks to innovative thinking, a better long-term strategy was adopted: Madison Crossing students will remain at that campus for sixth grade and Mannsdale students will attend sixth grade in a new building on

the Mannsdale site. 

“Students from these two schools will join together for seventh and eighth grades at Germantown Middle School. The implementation of this new plan will likely impact students currently in the fourth grade and younger.”

The new Mannsdale sixth-grade building will not be open until January or August 2023, Seals wrote.

“The new plan will enable Madison Crossing Elementary students to remain at that campus for sixth grade,” Seals wrote.

“Fortunately, Madison Crossing was originally built to house a K-8 elementary and middle school. The building has ample classroom space and exceptional resources. We will continue to study the facilities to determine what additions or modifications can be made to enhance the sixth grade experience there.”

Seals said the new sixth-grade building at Mannsdale will be built on the same property as the current Mannsdale Upper Elementary.

“Studies of the land, including soil and traffic analysis, will determine exactly where the school will be built on that site,” Seals wrote.

“We are excited about the possibilities that this unique setup for sixth grade in the Germantown Zone will provide for students and teachers. Sixth grade is a pivotal year for development both academically and socially, and we are optimistic about the numerous advantages of the new plan. Of course, students at both Germantown Zone sixth grade locations will be afforded the same academic and co-curricular opportunities as all other MCS sixth graders.”