Future plans for Hillwood High School brought out a big crowd with big opinions to Tuesday’s Metro Nashville Public School Board meeting.

Seventy-five people signed up to address the board, and the public comment period of the meeting lasted about two hours.

The MNPS board is deciding whether to renovate Hillwood High School at its existing location on Davidson Road, or move the school to either the Hope Park Church site or Bellevue Middle School Campus.

Hillwood High School was built beginning in 1953, and some said it is showing signs of age.

Many community advocates from Bellevue filled the meeting in light blue T-shirts that encouraged board members to “Build it in Bellevue.”

“It is needed, and it is needed now,” said DeCosta Hastings, a Metro Council Member who supported the move to Bellevue. “I would love for you to support the move to Bellevue because the community can support it.”

Supporters, including several Metro Council Members, said the move makes sense because the majority of Hillwood students come from Bellevue, and the school would be a welcome addition to a growing community.

“We need to be proactive with this growth and build quality schools that will see families stay in the cluster and stay on the pathway from our successful elementary and middle schools and continue on to high school,” said Mona Binda, a supporter of the move.

However, opponents expressed concerns about the safety of the two Bellevue locations, and whether Metro should be spending millions on the project.

“In my opinion, the Hope Park Church site is dangerous, unsafe and represents an accident waiting to happen,” said Teena Cohen.

“Metro Schools has many capital improvement needs,” said Tom Baker. “To spend the money to move Hillwood 9 miles away is unfair to other districts.”

MNPS board members did not discuss any aspects of the project, and only listened to the feedback from community members.

MNPS will hold two community meetings about the vote on the school. The first will be Jan. 18 at Hope Park Church at 6 p.m. and the second will follow on Jan. 19 at the Cheatham Place Community Room on 9th Ave N.

Board members will make a final decision on the future of the school on Jan. 24.

