Jackson plan addresses growth issues

Jackson's school district is a great source of pride in the county seat.

The town, and surrounding area, has a lot of pride in its schools, teachers and, of course, its students.

Those in the Jackson school district have invested a lot into the schools, and in return, the city and areas around the city have grown rapidly. Jackson is one of the fastest growing communities by population in Southeast Missouri.

Now the school district is asking voters to keep that investment coming.

Voters will be asked in April to approve a $22 million plan that addresses needs on several campuses throughout the district: West Lane, North Elementary, Jackson Middle School and Jackson High School, which will all see major upgrades. Other schools will see upgrades in security.

The growth in student population has created stress in the schools. The plans call for accommodating these trends and planning for future growth. One aim is to lower the student-to-teacher ratios.

Another aim, which seems to be long overdue, is to get freshmen into the high school facilities. Jackson's school district, a large school district, is an odd duck when it comes to hosting only sophomores through seniors on its high school campus. Building limitations have prevented pulling the ninth-graders from the junior high and adding them to the high school.

Perhaps the best part about this plan is that it is a tax extension, meaning the district would make these improvements without its taxpayers reaching deeper into their pockets than they currently are. The school district would maintain a $0.3708 debt-service levy on personal property taxes.

Given the pride that people in the Jackson School District have in their schools, and given that these upgrades will address the influx of extra students coming into the district because of that pride, we presume this building plan will be looked at favorably by voters. The plan seems to reasonably address real growth issues facing the district.