Hamilton County, TN — Hamilton County Schools, in partnership with the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga and Hamilton County Mayor’s Office broke ground today on the new elementary school in North River, marking a major milestone in a first-of-its-kind partnership in Tennessee.
The new school will serve families in the current Alpine Crest, DuPont, and Rivermont school zones and will be built alongside the North River Family YMCA, with the two facilities sharing a gymnasium. Together, the school and YMCA will create a community-centered campus designed to serve students and families during and beyond the school day.
“I’m excited to explore what’s possible when a school is designed to be a true community hub from the first step,” said Dr. Justin Robertson, Hamilton County Schools Superintendent.
“This partnership gives us a unique opportunity to connect learning, family engagement, health, and enrichment in one place with an on-site community partner. We believe this model has the potential to transform the North River community, and I’m looking forward to seeing the lasting impact it will have on students and families.”
The groundbreaking comes one year after Hamilton County Schools, the Mayor’s Office, and the YMCA unveiled the vision and conceptual renderings for the project. Through the partnership, students and families will have access to swim lessons, after-school activities, summer camps, and other YMCA programming.
“North River gives us an opportunity to set a new standard for what our schools can be,” said Mayor Wamp. “In a groundbreaking partnership with the YMCA, we’re bringing academic excellence and physical health together to create a campus that expands opportunities for students and serves as a community hub for families seven days a week.”
Funded through the county’s $260 million bond issue approved in 2024, the project is part of a broader effort to modernize aging school facilities and create high-quality learning environments for students and educators across Hamilton County. Major facilities projects highlight the importance of the partnership and shared responsibility between Hamilton County, which provides capital funding for new school facilities, and Hamilton County Schools, which works to identify and prioritize facility needs based on the needs of students and school communities. North River is the second project to break ground under the district’s long-term school facilities improvement plan, following the expansion and renovation of Soddy Daisy Middle School, which began in June.
“Partnerships like this one with Hamilton County are an opportunity for our YMCA to have even more impact in our community,” said Baron Herdelin-Doherty, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga. “As we celebrate the Y’s 175th anniversary, this partnership exemplifies our decades of service to children and families. The new North River Elementary will help advance our goal to serve 75,000 people by 2028.”
Construction is expected to begin in September, with the new elementary school slated to open in fall 2028.
“I’ve seen firsthand how important opportunities for connection, activity, and mentorship are for young people,” said Joe Smith, Hamilton Board of Education Chairman. “As I leave my position on the board, I am confident that this community is in good hands with a district that is invested in intentionally creating community. I look forward to staying involved, watching this partnership grow, and seeing the impact this campus will have on our families.”
