BOARD MEMBERS APPROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOUNDARIES

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Education approved attendance boundaries for the district's seven elementary schools during a meeting Tuesday night at Jackson Middle School.

Assistant Superintendent Fred Jones told board members he has not heard of any "organized protest" against the new boundaries, which were developed to establish attendance at South Elementary School for the 1998-99 school year. He said only a couple parents have contacted him with questions or concerns about the redrawn lines.

"We feel like probably our community is ready for some lines to be drawn," he said. "We don't see changing the boundaries without some significant reason, but we will evaluate them yearly."

Transportation Director Jean Kurre said the redistricting will not require the district to purchase any additional buses. The students are "well-grouped" along the lines, which will make it easy to form bus routes.

"Ride time will be increased somewhat until wee get the kinks worked out," she said. "After that, though, I don't think ride times will be increased very much overall."

The new attendance boundaries where the only action item considered by board members. In an informational report, Superintendent Dr. Howard Jones updated the report on issues identified as priorities by a facilities review committee.

The committee said top priority should be placed on planning for development of an elementary school in the eastern part of the district. Districtwide, average growth is currently about 200 students per year, Jones said, and there are only nine elementary classrooms scheduled to be free from use next year. That means the district probably needs to start planning now, he said.

"There is a real possibility that next year's freshman class could reach 400 students," he said. "With that in mind, we need to have a site identified and planning under way so we can have those in place in case projected growth meets or exceeds our expectations."

Jones said there are a number of houses under development in the eastern portion of the district, where the land is very hilly. The committee was concerned that current and future development, as well as the terrain in that area, are reasons to begin planning for future development, he said.

"To find a site for a house is one thing; to find a site for a 50,000 square-foot facility is another," he said. "The eastern portion of the district is projected to grow rapidly in the next few years. To find a site to put a reasonably-sized elementary school will take considerably study."

Other issues outlined by the committee included scheduling remodeling and possible additions for the junior high and high schools, and again publishing a newsletter to keep district patrons.