JACKSON SCHOOL GROWTH DISCUSSED

JACKSON -- It was fitting for Jackson Chamber of Commerce members to discuss the school district's growth at the middle school. After all, the state-of-the-art building was constructed in 1994 to accommodate Jackson R-2 School District's burgeoning student population.

Trouble is, the new school for sixth- and seventh-grade students doesn't begin to solve all the problems, a message Dr. Howard Jones, superintendent, told business leaders at Monday's chamber meeting.

The district's growth trend took off in 1990, when 3,400 students were enrolled in Jackson schools. This year enrollment is at 4,034, and experts predict the district will have 4,600 students by 2000.

Part of the problem is the district's size -- taking in 550 square miles. By comparison, Rolla's public school district takes in 110 square miles, Jones said. Because of the massive area, chances are that when a parent moves into rural Cape Girardeau County, his child will attend Jackson schools.

Jones helped assemble a 15-member Facilities Review Committee with representatives from every part of the district and from several different professions. He presented some of the findings to the chamber.

A map showing locations of all elementary students indicated the district's growth was east of Interstate 55 and south near Gordonville. Most students in the city of Jackson live on the east side of town, but they are bused to two elementary schools on the west side of town.

Another area to be watched is a mobile home park recently opened near the Fruitland exit off Interstate 55.

"With a trailer park, you can develop a very large population in an area almost overnight," Jones said. "The pad is there, the water and electricity are there; they just have to move in the trailer."

The Facilities Review Committee determined that the district has some immediate needs -- additional elementary, junior high and high school classes and updated science labs at Jackson High School.

There currently are 12 first-grade classrooms in Jackson public schools but 14 kindergarten classrooms. And while 270 students will graduate from Jackson High School this year, 350 will enter as sophomores.

Jones said he wasn't ready to put a price tag on the needed expansion or to discuss the amount of a bond issue, which may be proposed by summer.

He asked chamber members and other Jackson district residents to address concerns and comments on the school improvement issue to his office.