JMCSS board meeting discusses future projects

JACKSON, Tenn. — The Jackson-Madison County School Board held a brief meeting for June.

“We’ve had some rain, but I don’t think we’re off schedule, and we’re working towards getting those schools open, hopefully in August of 2021,” said Jackson-Madison County School System Interim Superintendent Ray Washington.

The highly anticipated construction of Jackson Central-Merry and Madison Academic is one of the most discussed topics at the June school board meeting.

“We’ll have a ground breaking ceremony on Friday, June 26 for Madison and JCM,” Washington said.

One board member says she has a lot of questions for those from Healthy Community, the company overseeing the project.

“My constituents ask me questions, and I want to give them the most up-to-date information possible because those two buildings are in my district,” said District 5 board member Shannon Stewart.

Washington says the plan is to have them at the next in-person school board meeting, which should be in July.

Another significant topic was the contract to build a new K8 school, Pope Elementary School.

“We discussed this in our work session, and our last couple of board meetings also,” said board chairman James Johnson.

“The board agreed to the contract and resolution regarding the contractor, construction manager for the K8 Pope School, which had been pending for a couple of months,” Washington said.

He says there’s still work to be done on the school, like getting the funds together.

This month’s school board meeting was short because members discussed a lot in their most recent work session.