TOUR LOOKS AT NEW FACILITIES FOR LEARNING

Howard Jones, superintendent of Jackson R-2 schools, speaks to the crowd from the Agri-Gusiness Tours outside the new math and science building at Jackson High School.

Charles Hinkebein of Blomeyer checks out one of the new science labs.

For more than 20 years the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, SEMO Cattleman's Association and SEMO Pork Producers have taken a day to show area residents what businesses, industries and farms in the area are doing to stay competitive.

This year's Agri-Business Tour featured Notre Dame High School's new building, Jackson High School's new Math and Science Building, BBL Buildings and Joanne's Greenhouses.

Darrell Aufdenberg, Jackson Chamber of Commerce vice-president and chairman of the agriculture committee, said the tour is to provide a service for the community.

There were more than 120 people on this year's tour. The tour was split into two groups and in the morning they toured Notre Dame High School and Jackson High School's new Math and Science Building. After lunch in the Jackson City Park, the tour drove to Biehle to tour BBL Buildings and Joanne's Greenhouses.

Bob McGahan, business manager for Notre Dame High School, guided the tour at Notre Dame's new 114,000-square-feet facility on Route K.

The new high school will be open for the fall semester. Notre Dame will begin moving into the facility on July 27.

The new school can accommodate 600 students. The enrollment for this year is at 378 students. McGahan said that the building was built with a 2 to 3 percent yearly increase in enrollment in mind. If the enrollment should exceed 600 students, McGahan said the property can hold additions to the building that will accommodate 1,000 students if needed in the future.

Notre Dame High School has students from as far away as Sikeston and Cairo, Ill., as well as students from Cape Girardeau and Jackson.

"They were very much impressed by the colors, brightness and size of the facility. We got a lot of compliments," McGahan said of the people on the tour.

The next stop was at Jackson High School's new math and science building. And what a difference a building makes.

The tour of the more than 40,000-square-foot facility showed tour goers what Jackson High School science students and teachers had to do before and what they will enjoy now. Seven teachers used to share one and a half labs, with the new building's seven and half labs the teachers and students will no longer have to share the old labs.

New principal Rick McClard and Howard Jones, superintendent of Jackson R-2 Schools, escorted the people through the building. This was the first public showing of the new building.

The new building houses several math classes, seven and a half science labs, one technology center and new offices for the school.

The old high school office will be turned into a counseling and career center.

"We've grown so much that we've had to add a lot of staff," Jones said.

Jones told the crowd that Jackson graduated the second largest class in Southeast Missouri in 1998. Only Poplar Bluff graduated more students, he said.

The building's most distinct feature is a mobile globe that hangs over the front lobby. It has the universal symbol of man and earth. Jones told the crowd that this reminds students how important math and science will be to the fitness of our world.

"This is going to open up a great opportunity for our kids," McClard said.

He added that the enthusiasm of the teachers has been, "like a bunch of kids with a new toy."

The next stop on the tour was at Joanne's Greenhouses in Biehle. Aufdenberg said that people commented on this stop and Notre Dame the most.

"They sell wholesale to area florists," Aufdenberg said. Those on the tour learned how the business began in the basement and grew to what it is today -- a business with four acres under roof and 30-35 employees. Chris Bucheit gave the tour at the greenhouse business.

The last stop on the tour was at BBL Buildings. Here the tour patrons got to see buildings manufactured first hand. The employee owned company sells manufactured buildings from their location in Biehle. Alan Morris gave the tour.