BUILDINGS TO EASE JACKSON SCHOOLS GROWTH PROBLEMS

JACKSON -- Jackson residents will continue to see construction projects as school officials contend with record population growth.

Dr. Terry Gibbons, assistant superintendent, said the district has enrolled 4,167 students for the school year, an enrollment record and about 100 more students than last year.

The district will also break its kindergarten enrollment record, set in the 1995-96 school year when 330 students attended kindergarten. The district already has 330 kindergartners enrolled to begin school in two weeks.

"I guess it just reinforces somewhat that the construction and the new space is very much needed at the different buildings because of the increased classroom enrollment," Gibbons said. "We are at maximum class loads in most areas."

The district has four major construction projects under way or scheduled to begin this year.

At North Elementary School 10 classrooms were added, along with additional restrooms. The building was also remodeled to create a library, special services rooms, and a teacher workroom. Classrooms received upgrades that included new heating/air-conditioning units and wire for computer, video and telephone systems.

"A teacher reported to me that she hadn't bonded with her room yet, but she thought the project was very successful and looked really good," said Board of Education president Vicky McDowell during a board meeting Monday night.

Two new buildings scheduled for completion next summer will give teachers at both elementary and secondary levels more breathing room.

Superintendent Dr. Howard Jones said the math and science building under construction is ahead of schedule and could be completed up to three months before its target date of Aug. 1. The building, which will be used by high school students, will add seven science classrooms/labs, one science/math technology lab, seven math classrooms, and several offices and teacher planning areas.

A new elementary school is also being built south of Jackson on Highway 25. After its completion next summer, the district will have 18 new classrooms and more than 58,000 square feet of space in the new South Elementary School.

A series of parking lot construction projects will alleviate congested roads near the high school. This fall, Jones said, the district will develop offstreet parking sites at 506 Colorado St., 411 W. Madison St., and 318 S. Missouri St.

An expansion project at the Board of Education office, 614 E. Adams St., will give administrators and district guests more breathing room. In September, subcontractors and district employees will work to make the building fully handicapped accessible and provide space for district meetings.

"We've got a lot of projects under way right now, but I think all of them are important as we look to our future growth," Jones told board members.