UPDATED: Murfreesboro, TN - Poplar Hill Elementary, the district's 52nd campus, will officially open its doors Friday (tonight, August 1, 2025) to serve the Blackman community. A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m., followed by refreshments and an open house tour for families and community members. The school, designed to serve grades Pre-K to 5th, spans over 146,000 square feet and is anticipated to welcome approximately 900 students on its first day.

Dr. Jason Eaton, who was appointed as the founding principal of Poplar Hill Elementary in February, oversaw the extensive preparations leading up to the school's opening. One major focus was hiring a full team of teachers through a rigorous interview process, where standout candidates were carefully selected... This staffing effort was just one of several key steps taken to ensure a successful launch for the new Rutherford County School.

On a side note, after the first school year is in the books, the school that sits on a portion of land that was once owned by Batey Farms, will begin to grow. The expected student population will likely hit about 1,200 students in the years to come. The address of the new school is 5100 Baker Road. 

Right now, the Rutherford County School district is one of Tennessee’s highest-ranking districts. The overall county-wide student population adds up to about 53,000 students. The next academic year kicks off on Wednesday, August 6, with a two-hour day. The first full day of classes will be on Friday, August 8, 2025.

Poplar Hill Elementary adds another milestone to the district’s legacy of academic excellence, forward-thinking planning, and robust safety measures, continuing its commitment to serve the growing student population across Rutherford County.