Building a Great School Together in Hickory Hill

“Founding a school is a huge amount of work, but it’s also a huge opportunity. You will always be the first to shape it,” said Jonas G. Cleaves, addressing an eager group of parents and students gathered on a sunny May afternoon in Memphis.

Amid festive balloons and assorted refreshments, Cleaves led a community discussion about Bluff City High School, a new public charter school and the latest addition to the Green Dot Public Schools Tennessee family. Serving the Hickory Hill neighborhood, Bluff City will open its doors this fall with Cleaves at the helm as principal, and campus construction is well underway. During its first year in operation, Bluff City will serve a ninth grade class of 160 students, adding a new grade each subsequent year.