What will happen with JPS school buildings set to close? See what district has in store
Abandoned buildings and properties are a persistent issue that faces the City of Jackson, and more could be added to the list with the closures of 20 schools owned by the Jackson Public School District.
In an effort to prevent this from happening, JPS has created a Facilities Repurposing Advisory Committee, responsible for helping the district figure out the best way the schools can be reutilized for future use in the community.
At the JPS Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 19, the school board voted 5-1 to close 11 schools, with two being merged. Other facilities on the list were closed by the district in the past.
The closings are a part of the district's optimization plan, which was first presented to the board by Superintendent Errick Greene in October 2023, though 16 were originally planned.
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The main reasons for the closures or consolidations per the optimization plan are declining enrollment, expensive investments in the school's facilities and issues with staffing teachers.
Here is the full list of facilities JPS are trying to figure out how to repurpose:
Baker Elementary School
Brown Elementary School
Rowan Middle School
Siwell Middle School
Watkins Elementary School
Woodville Heights Elementary School
Dawson Elementary School
Raines Elementary School
Lake Elementary School
Lester Elementary School
Marshall Elementary School
Shirley Elementary School
Smith Elementary School
Sykes Elementary School
Barr Elementary School
Brinkley Middle School
Chastain Middle School
French - REAP
George Elementary School
Wingfield High School
During the school board's first meeting on Feb. 6, Greene reported the committee held its first meeting on Jan. 30. He said a few schools, though he wasn't specific, have already been in discussions for how to be repurposed. One is in partnership with the city's Department of Planning and Development to be used for housing purposes. Three others have been proposed to be demolished to create green space.
Other outcomes of the meeting, included a request for proposals "to formally invite potential purchasers or lessees or developers to express their interest in one or another of our facilities." The RFP has no closing date, Greene said, so the district can continue gathering interest from entities.
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"We fairly regularly hear from various members of the public around some interest or with questions about one facility or another, so this would be a formal way for people to engage with us and share their thoughts about how they might utilize (the facilities) and for us to consider," Greene said.
Secondly, the committee discussed the need for more marketing of the facilities, so people know they are available.
"That's a charge that came out of the meeting. To rethink our use of the web-page with that information, kind of connected also to the RFP issuance and even thinking about broader about broader engagement with the community," Greene said.
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Lastly, the committee agreed to establish a standing monthly meeting to continue discussions.
"We would continue to develop some common understanding around various opportunities, looking at models in other states and other districts for how they repurpose schools. Some of the financial opportunities and funding opportunities for some of these potential projects and also obviously to consider any proposals that we get prior to that meeting," Greene said.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: JPS school closings: What will happen to buildings after they close
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