NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Next fall, a new elementary school dedicated to bringing music to the forefront of education will be opening in Metro Nashville.
Rocketship Public Schools broke ground on the new campus in Antioch on Wednesday morning. Rocketship Public Schools, a nonprofit network of public elementary charter schools, currently operates two schools in Metro Nashville.
"We are overcrowded in our education system, particularly in the southeast," said Metro Councilmember Joy Styles. "This school is going to help alleviate that for us and provide an opportunity for many of our students that they never had before."
Music classes will be offered as part of the school's enrichment program. Rocketship Public Schools said music will also be incorporated into daily classroom instruction.
"Music is a form of communication that brings together people from different races, different cultures and backgrounds," said founding principal Jessica Alexander. "Music prepares students to think critically, take risks and persevere through challenges. Therefore, we are committed to ensuring has access to music across disciplines. We are equipping our students with an additional language to utilize in a multicultural world."
Plans for the school were delayed due to COVID-19, but the school is now set to open to all Davidson County students from kindergarten through fourth grade.
"When we open our doors next August we will welcome 420 founding Rocketeers. I am driven by the belief that a child's educational outcomes should not be determined by ZIP codes or family income. Every child at Rocketship Antioch will receive an education that will equip them with the skills, knowledge and confidence to dictate their own paths in life," Alexander said.
Founding families will select the name of the school, which will temporarily be called Rocketship Antioch.
The school will also feature a mural wall painted by local artists.
