A life in Boulevard

Carol Holmes and her husband have lived in boulevard for 25 years.  They spent most of those years in a unique, large brick house surrounded by tall oak trees which hide the house from the street.

The neighborhood school, less than a half a mile down the street, is where Holmes has worked for 23 years.  And now, even after retirement, she returns to the school to work part-time.

Holmes said Chase Street Elementary has definitely gone through a lot of changes over the past 10 years and until recently the majority of the kids were actually not from the neighborhood.

“Most neighborhood kids went to Barrow Elementary because of school choice,” Holmes said.  “Most parents thought their children were too much of a minority at Chase.”

It was about 15 years ago when Athens switched from a controlled choice school system to a system where parents could choose their child’s school.

At this time Chase was about 50 percent Hispanic, 45 percent black and 5 percent white and had not been renovated since 1987.

“If you were making a choice between schools, then no it wasn’t what you’d choose,” Holmes said. “But I stayed because I liked the kids, I was comfortable and I was right up the street.’

“There were several things–I mean you feel as a teacher you’re doing the right thing to stay with the kids who really need the help.”

The school started to change drastically a couple of years ago. 

“In the last couple of years they renovated the school,” Holmes said.  “A group of kindergarten parents said they were going to make it a neighborhood school again.”

Today about a quarter of first grade and 25 percent of kindergarten students come from the neighborhood and this will continue with each grade over time.

“The kids walk and ride their bikes to school,” Holmes said.  “This just adds to the neighborhood feel.”

Holmes said she and her husband appreciate the large sidewalks and the opportunity to walk downtown if they want.

“I love the front porches, I love the number of people who walk,” Holmes said.  “There are people of all ages, from babies to grandparents.”

Holmes describes her neighborhood as friendly and diverse. 

“We intend to stay for good, forever,” Holmes said.  “The diversity is what I love the most.”