The chart above is a key takeaway from the meeting on February 19, 2026, to arrive at “The Powell Solution.”
Two assistant superintendents – Kori Lautner, policy and impact, and Garfield Adams, operations – led the meeting which actually still might be going on. (I left after 2-1/2 hours). Adams said the Knox County Schools officials would stay as long as attendees had questions.
Lautner began with a question: “What problem are we trying to solve?”
- Powell Elementary School is currently 200 kids over capacity
- We all want to eliminate the portable classrooms
Three rezoning scenarios were offered but bad lighting made the maps hard to see. Lautner promised that a video of the meeting along with all the graphics would be posted to the KCS website (knoxschools.org). “Staff recommendation will publish (on the website) next Wednesday.”
Key takeaways: KCS staff want to make Clinton Highway the dividing line between the Powell and Karns zones – for elementary, middle and high schools. Staff will review comments and make one recommendation to the school board for an up or down vote.
A dad on the front row said, “You are giving us three scenarios for one option (rezoning). We want more options.”
Adams said, “We start with the community first,” as he showed a checklist of criteria for rezoning, renovating or rebuilding a school. This was challenged during Q&A by Kathy Fitzgerald Ph.D. “Why is the community just hearing about this with a school board vote set for two weeks out (Thursday, March 5)?
Adams said “Belltown is a pressure point;” and we need to act quickly.
One scenario suggests zoning Broadacres subdivision to Karns and Cherrybrook subdivision with just 16 kids (Clinton Highway behind Metro Diner strip center) to Brickey-McCloud.
Another parent asked why KCS could not remove the portables and build a two-story addition on that site? Officials walked us through the five-year-plan for capital improvements, which actually takes six years or longer and is already full. Powell would have to step behind schools already on the list.
There’s more to watch online, but it’s not posted yet (3 a.m. on Feb. 20). Doesn’t everybody work all night?
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