Editorial

Jackson city-school cooperation works well

Anybody familiar with growth in the Jackson School District knows that a high school campus that worked just fine for decades simply won't work well when the enrollment is 1,100 students in grades 10 through 12 and there are many more large classes to come.

The situation has led to parking mayhem, a band room where students teeter on the edge of risers, classrooms where teachers stack plastic crates atop each other almost to the ceiling for storage and one computer lab for 80 teachers.

And while Jackson continues to lead the region in standardized test scores and other key elements of education, eventually the physical conditions will begin to affect education quality.

That's why a partnership between the city and school district could be beneficial for Jackson's children.

Whether or not the city decides to step in and help with a portion of a remodeled high school -- and all indications are that it will -- the school district has recognized the issue. The school board hired an independent consultant to spend more than a year collecting and studying data and meeting with school employees and Jackson residents.

The consultant presented four options to the school board. One was nixed right away due to the cost and a large investment already made in the current location -- the option that suggested building a new $35.3 million high school on another site.

But the other three options are intriguing. All of them are in the $15 million range and call for remodeling at least a couple of buildings, one of them for a school and community recreation center. All the plans also call for a new spectator gym, a music and art addition, a remodeled agribusiness and industrial technology area, a stadium upgrade and parking and traffic pattern improvements.

City leaders have been looking at building a community center for three years. There's also hope for a community library or aquatic center.

Mayor Paul Sander said the funding could come through general revenue or a voter-approved tax increase.

The school district would seek funding through a voter-approved bond issue.

No doubt there will be plenty of community involvement in selecting the right plan. That way, the school and city would be assured of more support if any financial issues went on the ballot.

And Jackson residents have shown they will open their wallets for things that benefit the city's children if the school district can prove there is a pressing need.

The fact that the school district and the city are cooperating as these plans are laid is a good sign that Jackson's future will be improved in an orderly and beneficial way.

Comments