Parent Phoebe Smith’s oldest child was forced to take two classes in a portable classroom during sixth and seventh grade, but that’s no longer the case now that a new middle school wing has been completed at Eagleville School.

“They would have to come in to go to the restroom and that kind of thing, and so I think it’s nice to be able to have all of that right here,” Smith said.

Smith was one of approximately 300 Eagleville parents who toured the new wing after a PTO dinner and open house at the school this week. Parents were fed a barbecue dinner, given a short presentation and then walked the halls so their children could show them their classrooms.

“It’s the community spirit. It’s always been like this. I can’t take credit for it,” Principal Bill Tollett said about the high turnout for the event. “Traditionally we have a lot of people come out for open house. We try to have a very approachable attitude with teachers and the administration. It’s our school — it’s not my school or their school — it’s everybody’s school together. Of course, when you feed them barbecue that always helps too.”

Rutherford County Schools spent approximately $2.9 million to construct the new addition. The 15,000 square-foot wing features nine new classrooms including a science lab, computer lab and teacher workroom area. The wing also includes a 14,000 square-foot basement, which is unfinished for now for future expansion. The district also constructed a new concession stand with men’s and women’s restrooms to replace the one that was demolished because of the new construction.

The new addition allowed for the school to get rid of four doublewide portables — which amounts to eight classrooms, Tollett said.

“They can’t believe how nice it is — all the technology is state of the art,” Tollett said. “The response from the parents has been very, very positive.”

Smith agreed and said the students and teachers both appreciate having a nicer facility.

“I think it’s wonderful and I think it’s been a long time coming,” Smith said. “I have two children, actually, a sixth-grader and an eighth-grader who are both in the middle school wing. They both started kindergarten here and so we’ve been here since the beginning. It’s just amazing. I think for what it’s done for the morale of the kids to make them feel like they’ve gotten something new.

“The teachers got to move in from the portables this year and I think that’s been great for the morale of the teachers, as well. Overall, I can’t say enough nice things about it.

The district also plans to complete a second phase addition that will include a new auditorium and rehearsal rooms for band and choir, but an exact timeline has not yet been established for that project.