Homecoming Week was a storybook from start to finish. Students from K2 through twelfth grade celebrated with dress days, pep rallies, and class competitions. The week ended with a 34-0 Raider win and the community celebrating Homecoming Queen Liza Benner and her court.
Homecoming festivities are Friday, October 9. JA will present its court at the pep rally that morning and again Friday evening during the formal halftime presentation, where JA will honor members of the court and crown the Homecoming queen. The game with Magnolia Heights begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Brickyard. Join your friends and fellow alumni at JA’s Homecoming!
Jackson Academy’s Alpha and Omega program held its first meeting of the 2026–2027 school year, and true to tradition, it started with socks. Kindergartners received their own pair of fun and colorful socks before making their way to the amphitheatre, where they searched the crowd of seniors until they found the one wearing the exact same pair. That matching moment marks the beginning of a friendship that will carry both students through the rest of the school year, built on the simple but meaningful idea that the oldest and youngest Raiders belong together.
Jackson Academy senior Sarah Yung has been named a Commended Student in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the recognition this month.
Jackson Academy English teacher Sara Bannerman had her scholarship on one of Mississippi’s most celebrated authors published this year in a national academic journal.
Upper School Teacher Roxie Hood attended the Mississippi Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual conference last week in Starkville. This year’s theme was “Rolling the Dice on Deep Mathematical Thinking,” and over 300 educators gathered to talk about exploring new strategies, taking calculated risks in their pedagogy, and deepening the mathematical journey for every student in Mississippi. Sessions ranged from individual lesson content to best pedagogical practices, from owning the AI moment to how to effectively use groups to maximize learning.
Jackson Academy’s Swim Team is made up of students from first through twelfth grade. Students in the elementary division, which covers first through sixth grade, kicked off their season Sept. 1 with a dual meet against St. Augustine and Parklane. JA swimmers turned in several Top 5 finishes. The team returns to competition tomorrow afternoon at The Jackson Yacht Club.
This summer, Education Matters Tutoring (EMT) continued its work providing academic resources to underserved youth across Mississippi. The student-led nonprofit partnered with 12 local restaurants and JA benefactors to raise funds for Talk From the Start and provide books for youth across the state.
Jackson Academy’s Biomedical Sciences program gives students a two-year, collegiate-level look at the medical field before they ever set foot on a college campus. The curriculum is expansive, covering anatomy and physiology, organic chemistry, genetics, microbiology, healthcare careers, and healthcare ethics, while also bringing the profession to life through guest speakers and spring shadowing opportunities students choose themselves. As much as it is about building knowledge, it is about helping students discover whether medicine and science is the path they want to pursue. That kind of clarity heading into college is invaluable, and JA is committed to giving every student the tools and experiences they need to walk confidently into whatever comes next.
Jackson Academy students in tenth through twelfth grade attended the Jackson Area Independent Schools College Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 25, at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum on Lakeland Drive.