Paris Special School District unveils new W.G. Rhea Elementary

PARIS, Tenn. — The administration at the Paris Special School District is giving the public a special preview of their new elementary school that will open its doors to students on Aug. 4.

The new W.G. Rhea Elementary School in Paris will feature 22 brand new classrooms, touch screen boards for teachers, alternative seating for students, a new reading center, and more as this eight-year project develops.

“It was going to cost almost as much to refurbish a building as it was to, in phases, tear down and replace,” now retired PSSD Superintendent Mike Brown said.

Funding for the $10.8 million project was made possible by local property taxes, an ADA share of county money, the PSSD setting their own tax rate legislature, and working with a representative and state senator to get approval to borrow the money.

“The students are getting excited about coming,” new Superintendent Dr. Norma Gerrell said. “We’ve had everyone around the same table looking at each other in the eyeballs to make sure we are ready to go on Aug. 4.”

The project has been split up into phases over the course of development. The next phase will begin construction right away and should be open by spring of next year.