FORT CAMPBELL, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Students on Fort Campbell will be walking the halls of a brand-new school this semester as Fort Campbell Middle School concludes construction. Compared to the nearly 60-year-old Mahaffey Middle School, this new school will offer an updated state-of-the-art learning environment.

Michael O’Day, media representative with the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), shared that the decision to construct a new middle school stemmed from the deteriorating condition of Mahaffey. This facility was constructed in 1967 and is described as being in poor condition and not in compliance with multiple safety and energy standards. It was the only middle school on base, with the other Wassom Middle School previously being demolished.

“These issues necessitated a modern replacement to ensure a safe, efficient, and compliant learning environment for military-connected students,” O’Day told Christian County Now. “The new Fort Campbell Middle School is a state-of-the-art, 167,000-square-foot facility designed as a 21st century school under DoDEA standards, emphasizing flexible, high-tech learning environments to adapt to educational needs for the next 50 years.”

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Timeline of construction, what students can expect

According to O’Day, this new school has been eight years in the making, with construction lasting nearly five years. Plans for constructing FCMS began back in 2017, where the initial cost, scope, and justification for the project was first discussed. Floor plans and site plans were selected and developed in July 2018, and construction began Feb. 1, 2021.

The project is managed by DoDEA in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with the footprint of the school located on the old Fort Campbell High School campus which closed in 2018 upon the completion of the new high school by Gate 2. 69,000 square feet of the old FCHS was demolished, with 41,000 square feet remaining for renovation. The new middle school will hold around 700 students in fifth to seventh grade.

The school features neighborhood instructional areas with 35 flexible learning studios and labs for hands-on STEM activities along with special education classrooms. There is also a fully renovated gym, a common area for gatherings, and a dedicated performance arts space. Outdoors there is a new artificial turf soccer field and baseball and softball fields, along with outdoor courts and an amphitheater.

In April 2025, garrison leadership toured the site, with furniture installation and equipment going in soon after. They announced the completion of construction on July 21, with an open house planned for parents before the start of school on Aug. 4. O’Day says everything appears to be on track for students to attend in person at the start of the year, and there are no reported delays.

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