Speaking up for school change

Planning the future of Jackson's schools will headline a public meeting Thursday

By Callie Clark ~ Southeast Missourian

In the oldest portion of the main building at Jackson High School, broken tiles hang from the ceiling, and unsightly water stains and peeling paint cover the walls.

Classrooms in the basement often flood during heavy rains. Teachers and students are crowded elbow-to-elbow in many classrooms.

The aging buildings at the high school campus -- some of which were constructed in the 1920s -- are just one of several issues Jackson parents expressed concern about in a recent survey conducted by school officials.

Many of those concerns, as well as the possibility of expansions and new construction at the high school, will be topics of discussion at a community long-range planning meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday in the cafeteria at Jackson Middle School.

The surveys, which were completed by approximately 300 parents of high school and elementary students, asked parents to identify the district's strengths and weaknesses and prioritize district goals.

Dr. Rita Fisher, assistant superintendent, said the results were not surprising. Crowding in classrooms was the No. 1 weakness chosen by parents, followed by aging facilities and a lack of technology in elementary schools -- problems that district officials already are working to improve.

"I think parents expect to have the opportunity to share their ideas and help to organize and plan," Fisher said. "The surveys gave us some good information. The biggest issues are things the district is already addressing."

Influencing change

Jim Roche, who has children at the middle school and high school in Jackson, said the surveys were a great way for parents to influence changes in the district.

"The district is facing a few problems, but they're not insurmountable," Roche said. "But parent involvement is very important to solving those problems."

Among the district's strengths, parents listed teachers, the working relationship between parents and staff, extracurricular activities, strong curriculum and parental involvement.

"I think it says a lot that we're facing a teacher shortage, and yet parents still said teachers were our biggest strength," Fisher said.

According to the 2002 annual report card, Jackson has a student-to-teacher ratio of 20-to-1, versus the state average of 18-to-1. Several classes in the upper elementary and high school grades have nearly 30 students to one teacher.

The district held a similar meeting two years ago that attracted more than 100 community members, and Anderson said he's hoping for a comparable turnout next week.

Terry Batz of Jackson, who has children in elementary school and middle school, attended the meeting in 2001 and said she hopes to attend the upcoming meeting.

"It's a good way to become involved in education," Batz said. "It brought people together to talk about the district's needs."

Renovation plans

As part of the meeting, school officials will offer a review of tentative plans to renovate and add on to the deteriorating high school. On the recent surveys, parents ranked the need for a new high school as one the district's top three most pressing issues.

In October, Jackson officials met with an independent consultant who presented three plans for improving the high school, including a joint partnership between the city and the school district to build a community center and a combined city, regional and school library.

The current campus has a combined 185,000 square feet spread out over seven buildings, which have been added onto and renovated several times in the past 80 years.

According to superintendent Dr. Ron Anderson, the district plans to open the high school for tours in the near future so that community members can see for themselves what students and teachers deal with on a daily basis.

High school capacity

Over 1,100 students in grades 10 to 12 are enrolled at Jackson High School this year. Anderson said there is no accurate way to judge the capacity of the high school because much of the space is unusable, but he knows they are substantially exceeding the limit.

The oldest structures on the campus -- A and B buildings -- are tainted with a dank, musty odor that school officials attribute to mold and mildew and a lack of ventilation. In the high school library, located in A building, books are routinely thrown away due to moisture damage.

Walking through the narrow high school hallways, principal Rick McClard reels off a nearly endless list of problems the school is experiencing because of outdated facilities.

"The facilities are simply inadequate now," McClard said, pointing to crumbling walls and ceilings and bundled electrical cords running along classroom floors.

"Every time we get a new computer or electrical appliance, we can't just plug it in. Everything has to be rewired," McClard said.

The three building plans the district is considering would all give the school around 250,000 square feet and include a new spectator gymnasium, a 15,000 square foot addition for the music and art programs and upgrades to the football stadium and parking.

A presentation of the high school plans will be given at the community meeting, as well as a review of the district's long-range planning goals.

Anderson said officials will also discuss legislative issues surrounding state funding as well as updates on staffing problems in the school district.

Those attending the meeting will break into sub-groups to discuss specific issues such as student performance, school operation and parent and community involvement.

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128

ASKING QUESTIONS, GETTING ANSWERS

The Jackson School District parent surveys were completed by about 300 parents of elementary and high school students in the Jackson School District.

Top three strengths of Jackson schools

1. Teachers

2. Willingness of staff to work with parents

3. Variety of extracurricular activities

Top three weaknesses of Jackson schools

1. Overcrowding

2. Lack of technology

3. Aging facilities

The three most pressing issues the district must address in the future

1. Overcrowding in classrooms

2. The need for a new high school

3. School security

What would most likely increase student achievement?

1. Lowering the student/teacher ratio

2. Increased parent involvement

What other priorities should be considered on the district's long-range plan?

1. Hiring more teachers and building schools/classrooms for enrollment increases

SOURCE: Jackson School District