CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – It’s been 71 years since Burt School first opened its doors as a segregated high school for Black students. It had a second life as an elementary school for all students from the surrounding community. Now, the Burt Innovation Center is receiving head-to-toe renovations to meet the needs of student entrepreneurship and more.
The Burt Innovation Center, a facility for innovative high school models, including being the new home of Middle College at Austin Peay State University, is making building improvements for new classrooms, conference rooms, offices and even an esports room.
“This is a renovation of 21,336 square feet of space at a cost of $3.681 million,” said Norm Brumblay, CMCSS chief operations officer, during the Nov. 4 board meeting. “The best part? This project is being funded through a Tennessee Innovative Schools grant. So, not local dollars.”
Dr. Robert Burt opens Burt High School
Named after Dr. Robert Tecumseh Burt, what was then Burt High School opened in 1952 as a segregated school for Black students. In 1970, it was changed to an integrated 7th grade school and became an elementary school in 1980.
As CMCSS began school rezoning efforts toward the end of 2023 and going into 2024, it was revealed that Burt and St. Bethlehem would be repurposed to serve the community in different ways.
Burt Innovation Center opens, renovations begin
In May 2024, Burt Elementary closed its doors, and just months later, at the start of the 2024-25 school year, it reopened as the Burt Innovation Center.
In January 2025, the CMCSS Operations Team proposed a $2 million renovation and expansion project to be paid for with Innovative School Model grant funds and using Lyle-Cook-Martin Architects for design services. The board voted and approved the design services at the Feb. 18 meeting.
This project involves renovating areas of the Burt Innovation Center such window replacement, ballistic film, a new fire alarm system, a new parking lot, and new HVAC systems, according to CMCSS spokesman Anthony Johnson.
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The new entrepreneurship program, Founders Inc., will enable CMCSS juniors and seniors to launch a business, create an innovative product, offer a service, or explore social entrepreneurship, all while earning high school credit. It’s based on the INCubatoredu curriculum.
Brumblay told the School Board the Founders Inc. wing at Burt will include a variety of site improvements:
- 5 makerspace classrooms
- 2 collaborative conference rooms
- 2 team prep rooms
- Offices
- Janitorial storage rooms
- IT Data
- An esports room
- Prep kitchen
- A large, multi-purpose product pitch space with a stage
Renovations are scheduled to be completed before the 2026-27 school year begins in August 2026.
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