Demolition schedule for Jackson school building unaffected by preservationists' pleas

The demolition schedule of “Old A” is unaffected by Monday night’s Jackson School Board meeting.

Laura Stroder, Jason Sides and other residents spoke to the school board and a standing-room-only crowd of more than 30 people in an effort to slow the planned demolition of the old high school, which was approved by voters as a provision of Proposition J in April.

Stroder spoke of the importance of “Old A” for its historical significance.

Sides spoke about available grant opportunities the district could pursue to offset costs of renovating the building.

One resident spoke of residents’ nostalgia for the building and of the number of people who did not vote for Proposition J.

Schools superintendent John Link said bids are being received for removal of asbestos from Building A, which is a necessary step before demolition or restoration is possible.

Plans for the demolition remain in motion, however, and its razing is slated for mid-July to have classrooms ready for students in August 2018.

Asbestos-removal bids are running in the newspaper now, Link said, and the board granted permission for the committee to approve the lowest and most qualified bid.

Architect Aaron Harte of Incite Design gave an update on the four schools expanding, thanks to funding from Proposition J.

The multi-stage plans have staggered construction, Harte said, to determine better how funds can be allocated.

The district still is waiting to hear whether some grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other sources will be available, and some contingencies are built into the plan to offset that variable.

“The design-development phase is concluding now,” Harte said, meaning the big-picture details have been finalized, and more fine-tuning is underway.

In other business Monday:

• The gifted-program evaluation, at-risk program evaluation and summer-school program were unanimously approved.
• Three foreign-exchange students will be hosted by the district next school year.
• Cheekwood Studios was chosen as next year’s school photographer. Of the four bids received, Cheekwood’s was the most comprehensive and cost-effective, associate superintendent of finance and operations Bleau Deckerd said.

mneiderkorn@semissourian.com

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