A ceremonial groundbreaking is planned this week for the new high school in Jackson County.
It will take place Thursday at 4:00 at Georgia Highway 332 and Skelton Road.
"We hope our students and their families, business and industry leaders, and other stakeholders will join us for this celebration," says Jackson County Schools Supt. April Howard. "It marks the beginning of a new school hub for our community as we work to address the rapid growth on the west side."
Crews began clearing the site earlier this month, and school officials say they expect the facility to be ready to open in time for the 2020-21 school year. The school site includes about 140 acres and was purchased by the school board in 2013.
Plans call for the building to accommodate ninth- through 12th-graders zoned from the current Jackson County Comprehensive High School on Winder Highway in Jefferson, and for moving eighth-graders zoned for West Jackson Middle School to the facility, as well.
"We officially made eighth grade part of the student body in the East Jackson community last year after a trial-run that helped us refine that model over several years," said Todd Nickelsen, assistant superintendent for teaching and learning. "It has worked well, providing greater opportunities for personalizing students' pathways and offering greater access to the core courses and electives that meet their needs."
The new building will provide more than 70 "instructional units," including multi-purpose and science labs; art, chorus, band, drama, general and special needs classrooms; a two-story media center; a competition gym, and an open stadium-style instructional space, according to Ted Gilbert, assistant superintendent for operations.
The approximately 260,000-sq-ft building will feature an auditorium; a full fine arts wing; two two-story classroom wings; a kitchen and cafeteria; office space; and a multipurpose athletics facility with two courts for basketball, cheerleading, volleyball, wrestling, and other activities.
Exterior facilities will include a competition stadium field, practice field, tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, concessions, and restrooms. The site also has a band practice field.
The overall site plan can also accommodate a middle school and an elementary school.
School officials plan to use the existing Jackson County Comprehensive High School site for use as the Empower College & Career Center. The school system earned a $3 million grant from the Technical College System of Georgia in December for that effort.
A partnership between the Jackson County School System, Commerce City Schools and Foothills Charter High School, EC3 will engage students in real-world learning experiences, provide a variety of high-tech and academic opportunities, offer dual enrollment with the University of North Georgia and Lanier Technical College, and provide personalized pathways to higher education and career opportunities.
"The Empower program will be available to all our students and is one of the highest priorities identified by our community stakeholders," Howard said.
JacksonSchoolsGa.org.
