LACIE SILVA
Editor
An update on the progress of the new Jasper Middle School (JMS) building during a walk-through on March 9, was shown to Marion County Commissioners and the Board of Education.
The school spans 98,000 square feet in total, with separate wings for grades five/six and seven/eight to minimize interaction between the different grade levels. Each wing is equipped with science labs, including an incubator in each, and an art room with a kiln.
The Comprehensive Development Classroom is fully equipped with special lighting for special needs students, and it features an outside entrance for easier bus loading. Additionally, the nurses’ station includes a window accessible from the hallway for handling non-emergency situations like band-aid requests and temperature checks, thus reducing congestion in the main office. The nurses’ station is also furnished with its own restroom and beds.
The band room is situated inside the building adjacent to the auditorium, and the gymnasium will have bleachers on both sides, a feature not present in the current JMS facility. The installation of gym flooring is expected to be completed in the upcoming weeks. Plans are underway for an open house for the public in July, pending confirmation, as well as a separate event for students and families only. According to Mr. Gilliam, who is heading the construction efforts, they are still on track for completion in August.
The Marion Tribune – March 14, 2024
