‘Vision 2020’ questions answered during last open house

JACKSON, Tenn. — In less than 24 hours we will know if “Vision 2020” will become a reality. With alternatives narrowed down, the community came out Wednesday night to get their final questions answered before the big vote.

From the elementary, middle, and high school options it was all laid out in plain view for the community to see.

“We were really concerned Monday because there was no new information or visual information for for the alternatives,” parent Barbara Hathaway said.

For almost a year the Jackson-Madison County School Board has gone through alternative after alternative to build an education system for the future. Now it has been narrowed down to two separate alternative before their final vote.

“The elementary/middle school’s have been looked at as one segment and the high school’s are another,” Eric Bosman with Kimley Horn said. “While they are definitely interrelated the decision points are a little bit different.”

Zoning maps showed which schools will close like Beech Bluff, Malesus, and West Middle School and where those students will go.

“November was the last plans that we had actually seen,” parent Jim Hathaway said. “Now that I’ve seen the newer plans, I feel a lot better about what they’re possibly going to be voting on.”

It was making everything transparent that organizers said makes this difficult and emotional process a little easier to handle.

“Even though the impacts aren’t always what people would like to see, they understand the process that got us here and how it’s going to effect education here in Jackson-Madison county,” Bosman said.

If the plans become a reality or not parents said they are just ready for an answer.

“Honestly, I want it to be over with, I’m tired of the ‘what ifs’ and the plans changing with no information,” Hathaway said. “If they vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’, at least it’s done with.”

Thursday, the Jackson-Madison County School Board will meet at Jackson City Hall for their scheduled December meeting where they are expected vote on “Vision 2020”. It starts at 6 p.m.