Checking in with Warner Elementary, two years after ‘The Promise’

On Monday, Warner Elementary Arts Magnet School in East Nashville was named a reward school. This makes it one of the top-performing schools in all of Metro Nashville.

While that is plenty to celebrate on its own, consider this: Just two years ago, Warner was a so-called “priority school,” meaning it was among the lowest-performing schools. In that two-year span, enrollment has more than doubled.

Warner was the subject of Season 2 of WPLN’s podcast The Promise, which explores not only the plan to improve the school, but also the stark difference between Warner and another school just about a mile away. While Warner’s student population was majority Black, Lockeland Elementary School was almost entirely white.

Host of The Promise Meribah Knight joins us to talk about this dramatic turnaround. We’re also joined by the school’s principal and parents of both new and longtime students.

Guests:

• Meribah Knight, WPLN senior reporter

• Erin Mock, Warner parent

• Willie Sims, Lockeland parent

• Ricki Gibbs, Warner principal

• Heather Wood, Lockeland and Warner parent