BOARD CONSIDERS GRADUATION DATE, FRESHMAN BASEBALL TEAM

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Education considered issues related to spring activities during a meeting held Tuesday night.

The school board approved a plan to schedule alternate dates for the district's high school graduation this year in case of bad weather. Graduation is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 19 at the Jackson football stadium. In case of bad weather, the ceremony will be postponed to May 20 or, if necessary, May 21.

Board members favored the alternate date plan over two other that would have possibility involved reserving the Show Me Center. Last year, the district received a discounted rate to reserve the facility as an alternate site because graduation would have been held only one day prior to Cape Girardeau Central High School's commencement ceremony.

Jackson's graduation is nearly two weeks earlier than Central's this year, and the district would have had to pay $1,250 whether the center was used or not. Board members said the fee was too expensive for an alternate site, and they were not willing to move commencement to the Show Me Center without public input.

"Our graduation has grown to anywhere from 3,500 to 5,000 people, and with the crowds that we've been having, we really have no options for inclement weather," said Jackson High School principal Rick McClard. "Our gym simply won't hold numbers like that."

In other business, the school board approved the organization of a ninth grade boys baseball team this spring to expand the district's baseball program. The team will play eight or nine games in conjunction with the junior varsity baseball schedule.

The program will require about $4,000 to cover uniform and equipment costs and game-related fees. The district's athletic booster club has pledged $2,000 to the program, and a donation of $1,200 also is anticipated. The district would be responsible for the remaining costs.

Approval for the measure came after the board learned freshman interest in the sport is growing but cannot be accommodated on existing team rosters. Some 49 freshmen have expressed interest in the baseball program this year, but only a limited number of that group would be accepted on the junior varsity team.