Kenny Smith

After three decades of teaching — 15 years in the same kindergarten classroom at 21st Century Academy — Beverly Jordan has accumulated a whole lot of stuff.

On Monday, as she boxed up piles of markers, flashcards, paper and Play-Doh, she reflected on how much she still had to do before moving her things down the road to her new classroom at Barger Academy.

“I’ve been teaching 31 years, and I’m a pack rat anyway,” she said, laughing.

Ms. Jordan is one of the few teachers at 21st Century still packing up their classrooms. Most already have moved out, since the Hamilton County Board of Education voted in March to close the school along with Howard Middle School.

Hamilton County Schools administrators have said little about their plans for the two buildings, but Ms. Jordan said rumors have circulated around the school for weeks.

She’s heard that Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts or Barger Academy might move in, or that the building could be converted into a German school for children of Volkswagen employees.

“But they’re rumors, all of them rumors,” she said.

Gary Waters, the school system’s assistant superintendent for auxiliary services, called both buildings’ futures “still very much up in the air.” When the board voted to close Howard Middle, administrators suggested putting the district’s offices on 40th Street into the facility, which is attached to Howard High School.

Mr. Waters said he expected the school board in the next month or so to have a work session to discuss plans for the two schools.

Once all teachers are out of the building, Mr. Waters said, his staff would shut off utilities at 21st Century, reduce utility usage at Howard and close up both buildings to try and prevent vandalism.

The school system now has seven pieces of surplus property, which during the 2008 school year cost about $68,000. Neither 21st Century nor Howard Middle has been declared surplus property yet, Mr. Waters said.

Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Jim Scales has said often that school systems don’t make good landlords, and that he is in favor of getting rid of surplus property as quickly as possible.

A deal selling the former Franklin Middle School to environmental consultants and general contractors Helton and Associates recently closed. The sale of Signal Mountain Middle School to Tom Poteet, owner of the Signal Mountain Athletic Club, will close in July, Mr. Waters said.

The school board has not decided whether to give the former Hixson Middle School to the city of Chattanooga, but East Lake Elementary and the old Bakewell Center soon will be going out for proposals, Mr. Waters said.

School board Chairman Kenny Smith said if there is any cost associated with making Howard Middle into office spaces, it needed to be minimal, otherwise the board likely would consider other options.

“My goal as a board member would be to get rid of these buildings ASAP,” he said.

Teachers Cindy Campbell and Phyllis Copeland moved into a first-grade suite last summer. Ms. Campbell now must pack up for Hillcrest Elementary next year, and Ms. Copeland for Barger.

“We just moved in here last summer and got organized,” Ms. Copeland said. “We never imagined we’d have to move again.”