School systems in Athens and Limestone County faced a number of issues in 2019, including growth challenges, new principals and even tragedy.

Schools celebrated together, mourned together and proved time and again how important community can be. As families and faculty prepare for school to return next week, here’s a look at the highs and lows of 2019.

New schools

In the game of musical school buildings, the campus at the corner of Clinton and Forrest streets has been the center of every round. After Athens High School moved out in the 1970s, Athens Middle School moved in.

In 2018, they swapped campuses, with Athens Middle taking over the old Athens High campus on U.S. 31 and Athens High planning to stay on Clinton Street only a little while. Unfortunately, a little while became half a school year, and it wasn’t until Jan. 23, 2019, that the new U.S. 31 campus opened its doors to students — and the surrounding streets to a ton of traffic.

Meanwhile, officials nixed plans to demolish the Clinton Street campus so students at iAcademy at Athens Elementary could move in until their new school is completed. Current plans call for demolition of its old campus and a new $15-million facility built in its place.

Athens Renaissance also moved some students to the Clinton Street campus, and Athens City Schools Superintendent Trey Holladay said it could be home to Athens Intermediate students, too, if the district grows as expected.

It isn’t just ACS growing and moving, either. Across the street from the new high school is the new Athens Bible School. At double the size and with a variety of features not found at its old campus, Athens Bible was able to offer prekindergarten this year when the new building opened to students Aug. 8.

New management

Buildings weren’t the only big change in 2019. Many schools and even the central offices saw a lot of longtime administrators leave for retirement or out-of-district opportunities. They also welcomed new faces — or in the case of the county superintendent, a familiar face while they search for a new one.

Chris Hamilton, who had worked for ACS since 1997, retired from her role as the city school system’s public information officer in May.

Mike Owens accepted the role of interim Limestone County Schools superintendent in October after previous superintendent Tom Sisk announced in September he was leaving. Owens, a former principal and assistant superintendent in the county, will serve until May 1 or whenever a new LCS superintendent is chosen.

However, it was school principals who moved around the most in 2019. Brad Newton was announced as the new Clements High School principal Jan. 15. Kelly Lewter retired effective June 1 as assistant principal at Cedar Hill Elementary School but served as interim principal of Tanner Elementary School briefly. Sylvia Haslam accepted the role permanently Nov. 12.

In the city, Travis Schrimsher resigned from Athens High in March, and then-Athens Middle principal Rick Carter moved up to take his place. Graham Aderholt took over as principal at Athens Middle.

Parent vs. police

As if the change in building and administration wasn’t enough, Athens High made national headlines when a fight broke out between students, police and a parent. The April 10 incident was caught on several cameras, including student cellphones, school security cameras and police body cameras.

Articles about the event were among The News Courier’s most-read in 2019. Footage shared by ACS and Athens Police Department showed school resource officers asking students to clear the school lobby, then arresting then-18-year-old Makaleb Boykin when he began cursing at the officers.

While one officer escorted the student outside, then-39-year-old Amanda Loggins began chanting “Black Lives Matter” to students. She refused to leave, and when other students joined her in refusing to move, a student pushed the second officer.

By the time the ensuing fight ended, the school was on lockdown and four people — Loggins, Boykin, then-18-year-old Gabrielle Kirby, and a juvenile — had been arrested. Kirby and Boykin, who attended Athens High, were banned from graduation.

The Limestone County NAACP held protests, community forums and a special graduation ceremony on the students’ behalf. Southern Poverty Law Center helped gain representation for court cases related to the ordeal.

Records show no charges for Boykin, though The News Courier could not confirm if the case had been moved to juvenile court or if the charges were dismissed. Loggins and Kirby had their initial cases dismissed but were later rearrested on the same charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Loggins is set for arraignment Jan. 9, while Kirby is set for arraignment Jan. 1 on the disorderly conduct charge and Jan. 9 for the resisting arrest charge.

Issues in Elkmont

Elkmont High School also made appearances on the top 100 most-read list and in national headlines. Weeks before the 2018-2019 school year ended, a student was caught trying to use counterfeit cash on campus. Though no charges were filed, the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office confiscated 21 fake $100 bills from students at the school.

However, charges were filed in November when a 15-year-old male student threatened the school in a social media post. The post was brought to the principal’s attention, who alerted authorities and placed the school on modified lockdown. The student, who was absent that day, was arrested at his home and charged with making a terrorist threat.

The arrest came just two months after a 14-year-old student gunned down his family, including a 6-month-old infant brother. According to LCSO, the student shot and killed his family, disposed of the weapon, then called 911 to report the sound of gunfire. He later confessed to the killings and helped authorities find the weapon.

“It’s an absolutely terrible thing,” Elkmont Mayor Tracy Compton said at the time. “… It’s just unimaginable.”

Unfortunately, the student arrests were not the only sad news at the school. Days before the 2019-2020 school year began, rising sophomore Maria Holt died in a single-vehicle accident. She was 16 and relatively new to Elkmont, having transferred from Clements during her freshman year.

It was the second classmate lost in the week before school for Clements students. Addie Baker, a 14-year-old rising freshman, died in a rollover ATV wreck July 31.

Advertising controversy

An ad by the East Limestone High School football field scoreboard triggered a flurry of discussion about advertising policies and rights in the county school system this year. Skip Van Pamel purchased space for a business ad that included the words “GO TRUMP” and “#MAGA” after a previous ad for his company, Veep Electric Service, was damaged in a 2018 storm.

Though Van Pamel heard some complaints during the 2018 football season, it wasn’t until this year that someone brought it before the school board. Limestone County resident Jim Hickman said the sign was political speech that should not be allowed on public school property and proof that board members needed a better, clearer advertising policy in place.

Board members did not vote to take the sign down, but the issue sparked discussions about clarifying the advertising rules and how matters are brought before the board by the public.