Jakson BOE proposes consolidating schools

A decision is expected in the coming weeks from the Jackson County Board of Education about an administrative proposal to consolidate some school facilities for next year.

The board saw a proposal Monday night that would close the current South Jackson Elementary School and move it into the Kings Bridge Middle School facility. KBMS sixth and seventh graders would be relocated to East Jackson Middle School while eighth graders from both KBMS and EJMS would be relocated to East Jackson Comprehensive High School. In addition, a new wing would be added onto West Jackson Intermediate School to help relieve overcrowding on the West side of the county.




That plan was proposed following the rejection by school administrators of an earlier idea to create a sixth grade academy at KBMS. That plan would have had sixth graders from West Jackson Middle School attend on a voluntary basis the new academy to relieve overcrowding at WJMS. But there was little interest among parents of WJMS students for the concept, mainly because of the long distance to the Kings Bridge facility.

The BOE is under time constraints to make some decision so that plans can be made for the next school year and is also under financial pressure due to a drop in revenues.

For the full story, see the Feb. 13 edition of The Commerce News.