News Summary
Metro Nashville Public Schools is gearing up for the new school year, starting on August 5. The district will host back-to-school events from July 24, offering essential supplies and fostering community engagement, while also addressing a bus driver shortage. Several clusters will hold events on different dates, ensuring students have the necessary support as classes resume.
Nashville — Metro Nashville Public Schools is preparing for the upcoming school year, with classes set to resume on August 5, 2025. In an effort to support families and students, the district will host a series of back-to-school events beginning on Thursday, July 24, offering essential school supplies and backpacks.
Makeda Watson, the Director of Family and Community Partnerships, has highlighted the importance of these bashes as crucial opportunities for families—both new and returning—to engage with their local schools. The events aim to foster connections within the community while also equipping students with necessary items for the upcoming academic year.
The back-to-school bashes will take place across various clusters in the district on different days. The Hillsboro cluster is first up, holding its event at Hillsboro High School from 4-6 p.m. on July 24. The Hunters Lane cluster will host its bash at Hunters Lane High School from 10 a.m. to noon on the same day, followed by the Stratford cluster at Stratford STEM Upper from 9 a.m. to noon. The Nashville Fire Department will also take part, providing a backpack giveaway at their headquarters on 63 Hermitage Avenue, from 1-4 p.m., with students required to be present to receive a backpack.
On July 31, the Glencliff cluster will hold a bash at Glencliff High School from 4:30-7 p.m. The McGavock cluster follows with its event at McGavock High School from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on August 2. Other cluster events include the Maplewood cluster at Maplewood High School from 9-11:30 a.m., the Pearl-Cohn cluster at Hadley Park from 9 a.m. to noon, and a take-away backpack giveaway sponsored by Metro Councilmember Jeff Eslick at Temple Baptist Church in Ole Hickory on a first-come, first-served basis from 10 a.m. to noon. The Overton cluster’s bash will occur at the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere from 6-8 p.m., while the final cluster event for James Lawson High School will take place from 5-7:30 p.m. on the same day.
In addition to the welcoming of students, the district is actively addressing a continuous issue—bus driver shortages. Metro Nashville schools, along with other districts in Middle Tennessee, have faced challenges in this area in recent years. However, improvements have been noted. Nicholas Anderson from Metro Nashville’s Talent Acquisition department stated that enhanced compensation and guaranteed 40-hour work weeks have contributed to an increase in bus driver hires. Currently, the district employs 360 drivers and is seeking to hire 70 more at a starting pay of $24.79 per hour.
Other school districts in Middle Tennessee also report their staffing statuses. Wilson County Schools has 160 drivers and is looking to recruit 10 more drivers, offering a starting pay of $22. Sumner County Schools are fully staffed but still aim to hire two additional drivers at a starting wage of $21.85. Clarksville-Montgomery County School System has 280 drivers and seeks 50 more, starting at $21.92. Maury County Public Schools lists 142 active drivers, with 22 positions open and 13 drivers currently in training. Williamson County Schools intend to maintain a stable number of drivers as they continue recruiting. Cheatham County Schools has 56 drivers and is also looking to hire eight additional drivers.
Improved hiring statistics show that the bus driver workforce has increased from just 50% in 2021 to 85% today. This progress reflects ongoing efforts to address staffing shortages and ensure reliable transportation for students as the new school year approaches.
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Additional Resources
- WKRN: Back to School Giveaways
- Wikipedia: Back to School
- WSMV: Improvement in Bus Driver Shortage
- Google Search: Middle Tennessee Schools
- AOL: Back to School Giveaways Around Nashville
- Google News: Nashville Back to School Events
- NewsChannel 5: Stuff the Bus Initiative
- Encyclopedia Britannica: School
- WKRN: Back to School Bash for Families
- Google Scholar: Back to School Giveaways
Author: HERE Nashville
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