JACKSON, MI – When Jackson Public Schools reopens a building that has not housed elementary students for nearly three decades, it could have a whole new name.

Lincoln Elementary School is in the process of carrying out a $ 9 million renovation that will bring 350 students back to the building by fall 2021. In addition to giving the building a fresh start, Jackson Public Schools is also considering giving it a new name. , and the public can help with suggestions.

Community members, board members, staff, students and families have until December 31 to submit ideas for school names to the Jackson School Board. through this Google form.

The school board will ultimately decide whether it will rename the building, said JPS assistant superintendent of communications and community relations Kriss Giannetti. If so, it will be guided by suggestions provided by community members.

“What they’ve opened up to is an opportunity to see if there is an appropriate choice that they can all agree on,” said Giannetti. “We wanted to make this a fair and equal process that the district was not part of, but the school board – as members of the community – was. “

Those who offer suggestions should keep in mind that the commemoration of a building is reserved for those who have made a significant contribution to the improvement of education in general, of the district in particular, or to the well-being of the district. , community, state or nation, said Giannetti.

Any JPS employee who is honored must have died or no longer be employed by the district before the board is selected for commemoration.

Lincoln Elementary School, built in 1953 and named after former US President Abraham Lincoln, has been vacant for about eight years since the Community Action Agency moved Head Start operations from Lincoln to various buildings in the district. , said Giannetti. It has not been used as a primary school building since 1992.

A bond of $ 86.7 million adopted by voters in 2018 helped reopen the vacant school building. The renovations include dismantling and rebuilding about 70% of its footprint, which had deteriorated and fell outside of code, Giannetti said. The rest of the building is being renovated.

Lincoln is one of many buildings in the district undergoing renovation or redevelopment through bond financing, including Jackson High School and Dibble, Bennett and Hunt elementary schools. Cascades Elementary School was demolished and is in the process of being completely rebuilt.

When JPS began planning the bond vote, the idea of ​​reopening Lincoln was seen as a way to bring students from the south of the city back to the neighborhood. This, together with the closure of the McCulloch Academy in 2017, paved the way for renovations to begin once the bond was issued.

“The rationale was that there were a large number of JPS students currently attending Lake Vandercook in this area because there was no school near them,” said Giannetti. “We really thought opening Lincoln would give us a better footprint on this side of town. “

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