Jackson High School CTE Building Nearing Bid Process

Designs presented to the Jackson County School Board Thursday night for a new CTE building at Jackson County High School.

Maintenance Lead Josh Morgan said the cosmetology lab and HVAC shop have been approved by teachers and are likely represented in the design exactly as they will be constructed. He said the building trades shop could be tweaked before the project is bid out. Director of Schools Jason Hardy said the board will spend the coming weeks ironing out final details.

“This will give us the opportunity to have more programs on our campus where our kids can hopefully not have to travel to do it,” Hardy said. “They can do it there. And we hope that we have an adult program one of these days where kids can, when they get out of school, have an opportunity to stay home and get those skills that will provide them with a job someday.”

Hardy said the cosmetology lab is a more complicated facility than he ever imagined. He said the lab will not only be a learning space, but also a functioning business. Hardy said the school currently busses students to TCAT Livingston, but this building will give kids a resource close to home.

“We’re wanting to put kids out there that are job-ready,” Hardy said. “Right now in Jackson County, we’re not in the best situation. We’re lucky that we partner with TCAT.”

Board Chair Mark Brown said the bathrooms on the original design only included one stall apiece. He said that would not be adequate for a facility with some 60 kids inside at once, so the board pushed for at least three stalls in either restroom. The new design includes more restroom utilities, a break room, a lobby, and four classrooms in addition to the four larger lab spaces.

“It’s moving toward high school campuses having, and then Livingston TCAT kind of sponsoring, the local satellite,” Hardy said. “That’s what it kind of looks like it’s going toward in the future and if that’s the case, we’ll be more than prepared.”

Hardy said he expects to have the bid process open by May.