Jackson Prep Lower School... An Update

If you have driven down Lakeland Drive, you have likely seen the building that will house our Jackson Prep Lower School! Each day progress is made, and we are right on track to begin moving into the building on June 1, 2023. Our youngest Prep Patriots from PreK-3 to grade 4 will be ready to start the school year in August 2023. The application process for the Lower School has begun, and we are thrilled with the number of applicants we have thus far. We hosted three in-home gatherings around the area to help families learn more about the Lower School and have some additional informational events on the calendar. We also hosted a Prep Playdate at the LeFleur’s Bluff playground for Prep alumni and friends of Prep. We are excited about getting the word out about the Lower School to these young families!

by Amanda Slack Head of Lower School

The Lower School will be a 26,000 square foot, multi-level building that will house bright, colorful classrooms and common areas to promote collaboration and discovery. Spaces are being created for a STEAM lab, an art studio, a multi-purpose room for gatherings such as weekly chapel, and areas for outdoor learning experiences. The building will incorporate design elements that reflect the Jackson Prep Middle and Upper Schools while being developmentally appropriate for young learners. The Preschool at Jackson Prep will be exploratory, play-based, and designed with the best practices of early childhood education in mind. Preschoolers will be provided opportunities to discover the world around them while realizing their roles in the greater community. The Preschool will be a half-day program, and an all-day option will be offered as well. During the Preschool morning, children will participate in large and small group activities that foster creativity and promote socialemotional learning while providing a springboard for academic success.

Students in grades 1-4 will benefit from having received the solid Prep Preschool foundation and will be engaged in multi-sensory learning that develops the whole child. Not only will the core curriculum be solid, but learning will also be enhanced by a focus on STEAM education that promotes engineering, robotics, and design; foreign language; fine arts that includes dramatic arts; and an emphasis on service learning. Children will be nurtured and guided towards becoming problem-solvers, active learners, and compassionate members of the global community.

Jackson Prep is actively engaged in the school-wide expansion of its academic support programs. As a part of this focus, the Lower School will have a dyslexia program designed and run by dyslexia specialists. The director of this program is in place and is beginning to develop a comprehensive program to meet the needs of all students.

We are thrilled about the expansion of the Jackson Prep family! If you or someone you know would like to be added to the Lower School interest list, please contact Amanda Slack, Head of the Lower School, at aslack@jacksonprep.net or 601-939-8611 x259. Applications for the Lower School can be found at jacksonprep.net.