PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE OF JACKSON SCHOOLS

The evidence indicates a lot of people in Jackson aren't completely satisfied with the way their local school district operates.

First, there was the R.O. Hawkins Junior High School bond issue. Although the evidence in favor of it was overwhelming -- classes were meeting in the basement, the hallways were approaching impassable and teachers had to move from room to room pushing their supplies on carts -- it took three votes in one year to pass.

The last one, in November, squeaked by within tenths of a percent of the required 57.14 percent supermajority.

Now there's the school board race. Only one incumbent but five newcomers have filed for the April election. In Cape Girardeau, by comparison, the two incumbents whose terms are expiring filed and only one newcomer.

That probably means Jackson folks are looking for a change. The mostly likely reason in this fiscally conservative region is that they don't believe their money is being handled properly. During the bond issue days, some opponents said they needed better explanations of where the money would go.

School officials are recognizing that the need for informing the community by organizing a 28-member committee of school board members, school staff members and community members to find out what the public believes are the current and future needs of the district. They hope to dispel the notion that the school board runs to the community, without ample planning, for a tax increase every time it needs a new school.

The next public meeting will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 5 at the middle school, and there are two other meetings yet to be scheduled.

The committee also is charged with studying the district's finances, programs and facilities in an effort to plan for future enrollment. And the district hired a consultant for $5,000 to assist in the planning, lead community meetings and help lead staff development meetings. They believe an outside perspective will help, as it often does.

It was wise to form the committee and move ahead with planning, but now the school board must be sure that the voices of all residents are heard during the process. It would be wise to seek out those who opposed the bond issues last year and ask what their visions for Jackson schools are.

One thing is certain: With a district growing at an average rate of 3 percent annually, space issues will continue to arise, and those who flock to put their children in Jackson schools must decide how to pay for their choice.