Much to the delight of students and parents, Elkmont and Tanner Elementary schools now have fully staffed front offices.

In the spring of 2017, the Limestone County school board decided to divide the last remaining K-12 schools in the county into elementary schools (grades Pre-K-5) and high schools (grades 6-12). This allowed the board to hire two additional principals to staff the elementary programs. They did not, however, take into account that the new schools would need their own front offices.

Brad Lewis, executive director of curriculum and instruction, said dividing the programs has allowed principals to focus better on the individual needs of the students.

“In the past, K-12 principals had a very difficult job,” Lewis said. “One minute you might be talking to a parent about their senior student’s college plans and the next you may be dealing with a kindergartner. It takes a lot of mental energy and agility to make that switch.”

Although separating the K-12 schools into two entities has proven to be successful at both Tanner and Elkmont, not having a front office or full-time secretary has been difficult.

Last year, Tanner Elementary Principal Angie Barnes said parents of elementary students would have to go through the high school office if they needed to check out their child or even leave a message for their child’s teacher. Because the entrance to the elementary wing had to remain locked, the high school secretary would have to walk elementary students to their classrooms if they arrived late or returned from an appointment. Barnes said she also wasn’t able to immediately return parent’s phone calls because she did not have a secretary to accept messages.

Haley James, principal at Elkmont Elementary, experienced similar problems last year because all students had to go through the main office at the high school entrance. Oftentimes, the secretary there would become backlogged, and there was limited parking at the front of the school.

“The board was aware that not having a front office was an issue for us,” Barnes said. “It was a need that both I and the community expressed to them.”

About the same time the board started seriously discussing plans to install front offices at the newly created elementary schools, the system’s budget woes came to light.

“When we were looking at budget and staffing cuts, the board wanted to look at cutting staff at Central Office,” Lewis said. “Instead, we decided to transfer existing staff (secretaries Judy Justin and Kim Wells) to Tanner and Elkmont (respectively) where there was a need. That way, we didn’t have to cut or hire anyone.”

James said it is important for parents and guests to be greeted by someone when they enter her school.

“Having a front office makes the school more secure,” James said. “We have more eyes on those who enter the building now that we have another secretary and now that visitors know exactly where to go to sign in and get a visitor’s sticker.”

Since school started Wednesday, Barnes has noticed a tremendous improvement at Tanner Elementary.

“It’s a welcoming school now when our parents drop their children off,” Barnes said. “Everyday things are running so much smoother and parents are thankful for the changes.”

Converted classrooms serve as the front offices at both of the elementary schools. At Tanner, Justin shares her new office with a counselor assistant who now splits her time between the elementary and high school. At Elkmont Elementary, they converted an old computer lab into a functioning front office space.

Also this year, Rogers Group Inc., one of Tanner’s partners in education, gave the school two brand new school signs. One marks the entrance of the elementary school wing, the other stands at the road.

Before the signs appeared, people often could not find the entrance to the elementary wing, she said.

“Now, we have these great new sign that our families can be proud of,” Barnes said. “Tanner is truly a hidden secret.”