The district actually put it on the capital plan and they are building the middle school right here in Gibbs where it belongs. I am feeling so many things right now because those kids will finally get their three hours back instead of being stuck on a bus all day …
March 25, 2014
Final supporters
The lack of a community middle school has a high cost to the children and their families in terms of their learning, development, personal growth and finances. Many of the Gibbs children are on overcrowded school buses for well over an hour each way to get to school, and some ride the bus for 3 hours a day! This is 3 hours out of a child's life where they cannot study, sleep, participate in extra-curricular activities, or have time for family life. Having a middle school so far away from the other schools in the community means that children have a hard time participating in sports and after school activities since it is too far and takes too long for parents to travel to pick them up after school and get them to activities in the community.
A feeder middle school in the same community as the high school is important for community cohesiveness, sports programs, and even childhood friendships and relationships throughout school. Our children start out as Gibbs Eagles in elementary school, become Holston Hurricanes in middle school, then Gibbs Eagles again in high school.
Many parents in the Gibbs community choose to homeschool their children or send them to private school during the middle school years. That translates into state and federal dollars that are not being awarded to Knox County Schools. Property values in the Gibbs community are depressed because of the busing situation.
The Gibbs community has increased awareness of this problem and gained support throughout Knox County for building a new Gibbs Middle School. During the recent strategic plan input sessions held by the school system in different parts of the county, building a new Gibbs Middle School was identified as a top priority in every session. People in other areas of Knox County are sympathetic to the problem and supportive of a new school.
We are asking you to please place a new Gibbs Middle School on the capital plan for Knox County Schools.
Thank you, County-wide Supporters for a New Gibbs Middle School
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
January 20, 2014
January 14, 2014
I spent the entire morning staring at the empty lot they bought years ago just wondering how many more hours our kids have to waste on those buses before someone pays attention. People keep emailing me their own stories about the commute and honestly it is just exhausting to read about how much time these families are losing every single day.
Reached 100 supporters
November 11, 2013
November 9, 2013
I was just looking at the count and we are almost at one hundred signatures which is honestly kind of amazing considering how fast this all started. If everyone here could just ping a few neighbors who are tired of those long bus rides we might actually hit that mark by tonight. It would be huge for us to have that kind of momentum when we finally get in front of the board.
98 Comments
My children are no longer in school but had to make that long trip to Holston each day before it was remodeled and saw bugs and mice crawling around all the time. Our children deserve to be in a school in their community! We have had to drive so far for many years and it is our turn for a school!
My kids are now 30 and 32 and attended Holston Middle School. It is a shame that there is still no Gibbs Middle School. They are the 3rd generation to attend school at Gibbs. Please build a middle school so the 4th generation can go to school in their own community.
I am homeschooling my daughter through middle school until she can go back to Gibbs High School. I wouldn't have thought twice to send her if Gibbs had a middle school. Our kids needs to stay in our community!!!
after countless issues with our daughter riding the bus to and from school we now take her and even with taking her in the am it should only take 20 minutes and often takes 40+ minutes between traffic...accidents...construction. I am not a fan of Holston AT ALL.
I was bused like this in school. It is horrible. You miss a lot of the day just from being bused so far. I was never part of my schools community because I did not live in the community I went to school in.
We need the middle school to be in our community for the children now and the ones to come. My husband and children went to Gibbs and now my grandchildred.
We need the middle school to be in our community for the children now and the ones to come. My husband and children went to Gibbs and now my grandchildred.
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The district actually put it on the capital plan and they are building the middle school right here in Gibbs where it belongs. I am feeling so many things right now because those kids will finally get their three hours back instead of being stuck on a bus all day …
March 25, 2014
Final supporters
The lack of a community middle school has a high cost to the children and their families in terms of their learning, development, personal growth and finances. Many of the Gibbs children are on overcrowded school buses for well over an hour each way to get to school, and some ride the bus for 3 hours a day! This is 3 hours out of a child's life where they cannot study, sleep, participate in extra-curricular activities, or have time for family life. Having a middle school so far away from the other schools in the community means that children have a hard time participating in sports and after school activities since it is too far and takes too long for parents to travel to pick them up after school and get them to activities in the community.
A feeder middle school in the same community as the high school is important for community cohesiveness, sports programs, and even childhood friendships and relationships throughout school. Our children start out as Gibbs Eagles in elementary school, become Holston Hurricanes in middle school, then Gibbs Eagles again in high school.
Many parents in the Gibbs community choose to homeschool their children or send them to private school during the middle school years. That translates into state and federal dollars that are not being awarded to Knox County Schools. Property values in the Gibbs community are depressed because of the busing situation.
The Gibbs community has increased awareness of this problem and gained support throughout Knox County for building a new Gibbs Middle School. During the recent strategic plan input sessions held by the school system in different parts of the county, building a new Gibbs Middle School was identified as a top priority in every session. People in other areas of Knox County are sympathetic to the problem and supportive of a new school.
We are asking you to please place a new Gibbs Middle School on the capital plan for Knox County Schools.
Thank you, County-wide Supporters for a New Gibbs Middle School
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
January 20, 2014
January 14, 2014
I spent the entire morning staring at the empty lot they bought years ago just wondering how many more hours our kids have to waste on those buses before someone pays attention. People keep emailing me their own stories about the commute and honestly it is just exhausting to read about how much time these families are losing every single day.
Reached 100 supporters
November 11, 2013
November 9, 2013
I was just looking at the count and we are almost at one hundred signatures which is honestly kind of amazing considering how fast this all started. If everyone here could just ping a few neighbors who are tired of those long bus rides we might actually hit that mark by tonight. It would be huge for us to have that kind of momentum when we finally get in front of the board.
98 Comments
I have had one child start at Holsten and finish at Halls. I have a second at Holsten right now who dreads the 45 minute bus ride to school twice a day. I have a 3rd starting Kindergarden this year. Please do something about our middle school situation.
My children are no longer in school but had to make that long trip to Holston each day before it was remodeled and saw bugs and mice crawling around all the time. Our children deserve to be in a school in their community! We have had to drive so far for many years and it is our turn for a school!
My kids are now 30 and 32 and attended Holston Middle School. It is a shame that there is still no Gibbs Middle School. They are the 3rd generation to attend school at Gibbs. Please build a middle school so the 4th generation can go to school in their own community.
I am homeschooling my daughter through middle school until she can go back to Gibbs High School. I wouldn't have thought twice to send her if Gibbs had a middle school. Our kids needs to stay in our community!!!
after countless issues with our daughter riding the bus to and from school we now take her and even with taking her in the am it should only take 20 minutes and often takes 40+ minutes between traffic...accidents...construction. I am not a fan of Holston AT ALL.
I was bused like this in school. It is horrible. You miss a lot of the day just from being bused so far. I was never part of my schools community because I did not live in the community I went to school in.
We need the middle school to be in our community for the children now and the ones to come. My husband and children went to Gibbs and now my grandchildred.
We need the middle school to be in our community for the children now and the ones to come. My husband and children went to Gibbs and now my grandchildred.
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I have had one child start at Holsten and finish at Halls. I have a second at Holsten right now who dreads the 45 minute bus ride to school twice a day. I have a 3rd starting Kindergarden this year. Please do something about our middle school situation.