Jackson High Holds Community Meeting to Discuss Renovation Project and Delays

A community meeting will be held at Maynard Jackson High School on April 18th to address the renovation project and a new finish date.

In a letter to students, parents and employees, Maynard Jackson High officials said the school will no longer be moving into its renovated facility in the fall of 2013.

In the letter, Principal Stephanie Johnson explained because the delay is "due to modifications of the renovation plan, the opening date of our new building has been postponed. Instead of returning to our school in the Fall of 2013, we will return in January of 2014."

It was only one month ago when East Atlanta Patch walked the Jackson High construction site with the foreman and a Board of Education Representative and at that time it was still believed to be opening in Fall 2013.

Principal Stephanie Johnson says that the postponement of the opening of the new campus is driven by several factors. She wrote:

Chief among them is a change in educational programming that resulted in changes to the construction activities. The expansion of the fine arts program created an inclusion of an orchestra space, which required the music space to be redesigned. Consequently, the practice gymnasium had to be relocated to accommodate the adjustment, and the existing main gymnasium was expanded to include the main and practice gymnasiums. 

There were also a number of issues discovered during the demolition process that require additional construction. We were hopeful that the design changes would not preclude the opening date as planned, but with the extensions and structural enhancements, additional time was needed to complete the renovation.

The community meeting was scheduled to be able to give out more information and so that anyone can ask questions of the team members overseeing the project.  The meeting is scheduled for April 18, 2013, at 6 p.m. at Maynard Jackson High School, 1550 Hosea L Williams Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30317

SEE ALSO

• First Look: Jackson High School Near the End of $45 Million Renovation
• Did You Know Jackson High School has a Flourishing Ballet Program?
• New Principal Takes Over Jackson High School