New school on target for August 2019 opening

City Schools Decatur appears on target for opening its new 3-5 Talley Street school by next August, according to Noel Maloof, the district’s executive director of operations.

Demolition of several old commercial buildings and homes didn’t begin until last June, but the last couple of weeks have seen the school’s first steel beams sprouting from the landscape like exclamation marks.

“We have a very tight schedule,” Maloof said, “but despite the rain we had this summer we’re still on point.”

Talley Street is Decatur’s first new school built on a new site since Renfroe Middle School in the early 1970s. The 6.38acre property will include the 85,000-square-foot school featuring a pair of two-story classroom wings and a courtyard between the west wing and the gymnasium / cafeteria on the campus’ south side.

Other highlights include a 40,000-square-foot play field, roughly the size of a soccer field, a smaller playground, and areas for future permanent classroom expansion and modular classrooms if needed.

CSD is accepting proposals from the public for the school’s name through Nov. 9, with the school board likely choosing from a list of finalists at its Dec. 11 meeting.

It’s uncertain how many students will attend the new school on opening day, although the building will accommodate up to 750.

Maloof added the school is planned to capacity through the 2020-21 school year.