Chattanooga, Tenn. (Feb. 28, 2023) – In front of a vocal crowd of Tyner Academy middle and high school students, dignitaries gathered on the field at Bob Evans Stadium today to break ground on a long-awaited new Tyner Middle High Academy.
Funded jointly by the Board of Education and the County Commission, the new 1,400-student school will replace two aging facilities that have been identified as the schools most in need of replacement in the district. The existing schools will remain open during construction of the new facility, which is scheduled to open to students in the fall of 2024.
“We are excited to begin work on the new Tyner Middle High Academy,” said HCS Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson. “This community has been waiting a long time for this new facility, and the students and staff at Tyner deserve a place to feel safe and continue their innovative learning. Thank you to everyone who has helped make this project a reality, especially those students who got involved and made sure that community leaders made their future a priority. I look forward to seeing what’s next for Tyner.”
In the fall of 2021, students at Tyner Academy began petitioning county leaders for a new and improved learning facility. These students went before County Commission and the Hamilton County Board of Education to impress the importance of safe and inclusive learning environment for all students. These students were an integral part in jumpstarting this project.
The new Tyner Middle High Academy will be built on the grounds of Bob Evans Stadium, home to the 2022 TSSAA Class 2A Football State Champion Tyner Rams. The new facility will combine both the middle and high schools into a two story building separating middle and high students, but will include shared spaces such as the cafeteria, library, band room, media room, and other seating areas. When the new building is completed, the old facility will be demolished for construction of a new football stadium.
Speakers at the groundbreaking included Superintendent of Schools Dr. Justin Robertson; Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp; Board of Education District 5 Representative Karista Mosley-Jones; Hamilton County Commissioner Greg Beck; Tyner Academy Principal Dr. Tiffany Earvin; Tyner Middle Academy Principal Dr. Aleisha McCallie; Tyner Academy Senior Josh Jackson; and representatives from architect MBI Companies, Inc., and project contractor The Christman Company.