Jackson Academy Breaks Ground on Middle School Expansion
December 13, 2022 /
Middle School/All News
Members of the Jackson Academy Board of Trustees, administrators, and capital campaign chairs were on campus today for the official groundbreaking of the new Middle School expansion. Second grader Ford Clark, (center) and his class joined the dignitaries for the groundbreaking photo. Ford was serving as honorary Head of School for the Day with JA’s Head of School Palmer Kennedy.
This morning Jackson Academy trustees, faculty, staff, and students gathered for a celebration. The groundbreaking for expanding the Middle School is part of JA’s multi-phase facilities master plan that launched in August 2022 with infrastructure improvements. The infrastructure phase, which included reworking on-campus parking and all underground utilities, was completed in November. The next phase, which includes adding six new classrooms for Middle School grades, will begin immediately.
Fourth through twelfth grades gathered with Jackson Academy trustees, administrators, and faculty to celebrate the Middle School expansion groundbreaking Tuesday morning. (Drone photo by JA student Samuel Long)
Preschool through first-grade students were the first to visit the site for the groundbreaking of Jackson Academy’s Middle School expansion this morning, all decked out in hard hats and safety vests.
Jackson Academy is proud to be the only independent school and just the third school in Mississippi to offer the AP Capstone program, a distinguished two-year sequence that transforms how students think, research, and communicate. This rare opportunity positions JA students among a select group with access to college-level academic training unavailable at most schools in the state.
The Jackson Academy football team received special recognition at the Mississippi State Capitol during a Senate Floor Presentation. Senator Lydia Chassaniol, grandmother of wide receiver Vaiden Taylor, presented the Raiders with a resolution commemorating their 2025 MAIS 4A-DI state championship victory, honoring the team's accomplishment in front of the Mississippi Senate.
Jackson Academy has been named to the College Board's Advanced Placement® School Honor Roll for the 2024-25 school year based on its success in preparing students for college. The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results and broadening student participation. Through AP coursework, students increase college readiness, earn college credit or advanced placement, and gain experience with college-level curriculum. Schools earn this distinction annually based on their performance during the previous academic year.