White Bluff Elementary School
377 School Road - PO Box A
White Bluff, TN  37187  •  (615)740-5775

      
    

        In the 1800’s, educational offerings for the White Bluff area included subscription and boarding schools.  Several were as near, or as far at that time, as the Charlotte area.  In addition to students from White Bluff, scholars from over the country attended these schools.

            In 1923, William James High School was organized in the White Bluff community, thanks much to the effort of Mr. Bud Henry.  Colonel William James, one of White Bluff’s oldest citizens, in whose honor the school was named, gave the land for the school.  The county gave $6,000, and the town issued bonds for an equal amount in order to build.  This school included grades one through ten and began with an enrollment of 190 students.  In 1928, William James became a four-year high school with 250 students attending.

            For the next forty years, our community school contained grades one through twelve.  In 1968, kindergarten was added to the curriculum with aid from the federal government.  Attendance was voluntary, and students only attended one-half day.  For the first two years, kindergarten was held at the White Bluff Community Center due to lace of space at William James.

            The next big change in the educational system was countywide in 1972.  The three community high schools in Dickson, Charlotte, and White Bluff were consolidated into Dickson County Senior High School.  Grades ten through twelve were moved to a new setting in the town of Dickson.  The former community high schools became seventh, eighth, and ninth grade junior high schools.  The elementary schools became K-6.

            At that time, White Bluff Elementary School was built on fourteen acres of land north of White Bluff.  This beautiful green pastureland was purchased from Gale Larkins.  Other farmland and several personal residences surrounded it.

            The original building contained a core area of a principal’s office, library, a cafeteria, and a playroom.  There were four pod areas at each corner of the building.  Each pod consisted of five classrooms, a small commons area, and restrooms.  Only three pods were completed at first; however, the fourth had to be quickly finished due to lack of space.

            Initially, there were sixteen classes with approximately 520 students.  Each class averaged thirty students with some reaching as many as forth students.  Kindergarten was still not required and was held with half-day morning and afternoon sessions utilizing the same classroom.

            Mr. Jimmy Brown was the first principal at WBES.  He held this position for six years, and his efforts provided a smooth transition for a community long used to having its own self-contained school, K-12.  In the fall of 1978, Mr. Kenneth Kerns took over that position and had a very positive effect on the community.  In 2006, with the retirement of Mr. Kerns, Miss Gail Mosley assumed the duties of principal.

            Around 1980, kindergarten became required by the state of Tennessee, and we went to full-day sessions.  The state also began reducing pupil-teacher ratios.  Hence, more classrooms were needed at WBES.  In the late 1980’s, one pod area was restructured to add four classrooms, and, in 1990, six more classrooms were added to another of the pod areas.  These additions were in hallway fashion.

            In 1998, the educational structure of Dickson County underwent another major change.  Divided into six building phases to be completed by 2020, Dickson County is scheduled to have three high schools containing grades nine through twelve, middle schools with grades six through eight, and all elementary schools will be kindergarten through five.  White Bluff Elementary School will continue to be the feeder school to William James Middle School and then Creek Wood High School, which opened in fall 2002. 

            In Phase I, White Bluff Elementary received an additional five beautiful classrooms, a new updated kitchen, and a wonderful new gymnasium.  The original library was converted to administrative office space including a guidance office and nurse’s clinic.  The cafeteria was remodeled, and the playroom area became a new and delightful library.  We now have a music room, an art room, a resource room, and CDC classroom, a speech classroom, and extended daycare area, a Title I portable, and a physical therapy room in addition to twenty-six self-contained classrooms.  The large, spacious outdoor facilities include three age-appropriate play areas and a covered area for parent pick-up.

            In 1994, the position of assistant principal was added to the administrative team.  Donna Hale held this position for six years, followed by Gail Mosley in 2000, and Lisa Cooper, in 2004. Greg Breese is the current Assistant Principal, appointed in 2007.