JMCSS leaders speak before Jackson Chamber

JACKSON, Tenn. — The Jackson Chamber welcomed leaders from the Jackson-Madison School District.

Superintendent Dr. Marlon King, along with Dr. Vivian Williams, Dr. Ricky Catlett, and Melissa Spurgeon, spoke to the greater Jackson Chamber about all things education.

One of the biggest things discussed was the new opportunities for students, including robotics programs, building cars, tiny homes, and much more.

“These are things where the funds and support are coming from our community, allowing us to do things like this that goes back to the request I made. If we want to continue on this trajectory, we do have to have funds,” King said.

King wants to continue on this trajectory. After the meeting, he talked to WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News about how there were some cuts made during the pandemic.

Now he is making requests for funds to get back to normal.

“The county reduced our maintenance of effort because of our decline in enrollment, but also they cut in other departments too. What I am just hoping is they can restore what was cut back then because we are trending up,” King said.

Meetings regarding budget are still being held with the school system and the county. King talked about what still needed to be done.

“The requests I made, if it’s a request that they can acknowledge or if it something we can negotiate and figure out. Maybe it’s something that can be supported this year and maybe part of the request can be supported next year. I think the negotiation between the county and the school system will be a negotiation where we all come out winning for kids,” King said.

He made it clear that his main focus is to benefit the kids, and that if he “cannot do what’s best for kids, then I cannot do this job.”

They also talked about the project in Malesus and the Pope Project.

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