The Northside Sun from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 2

ADTF QUUJJO jge2A THE NORTHSIDE SUN, JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI Thursday, April 1,1 999 Madison schools face another school year in portable classes Busincss Notes 601-366-5239 CttSffl BOOKS Copcland, Cook, Taylor and Bush, Attorneys at Law, recently moved to the Highland Colony Parkway in Ridgeland. The three-story office building, located at 200 Concourse on 1062 Highland colony Parkway, was constructed by Parkway I loldings, LLC. Used, Rare Out Of Print Books 926 North Street 352-7281 ri: fi frtTr Ten new classrooms and a band hall have helped overcrowding at Madison Central High School JENNY BOURN Sun Staff Writer WITH ANOTHER SCHOOL "year winding down and no decision reached yet on the contested Madison County school bond issue, school officials arc concerned that overcrowding will become even mote critical next year. Although immediate problems being taking care of at Madison Central High School with the building of a new band hall and 10 additional classrooms, many south "Madison County students will continue to be taught in portable build- According to the district's Public Relations Director Ellen Aregood, the district waits for U.S. District Court Judge Tom S.

Lee to decide on a motion filed by the school district to modify its desegregation order. The decision is scheduled to be made May 17, a year after a $55 million bond issue was passed by county voters. The controversy surrounding the bond issue has been ongoing. School officials suffered a major blow in November when the U. S.

Department of Justice told the U.S. District Court that the district failed to comply ith the 1969 desegrega-; tion order. Before the bond issue can proceed, the district must get the go ahead from the U.S. District Court in Jackson. The district's plan has the effect of locking in racial disparities well into the future and docs not serious-: ly consider alternative school tions which would increase deseg-" regation, the justice department said.

The government recently ended the last phase of depositions and i will resume again right after Easter, Aregood said. Although officials knew there would be no new buildings ready before the school year of 2001, Aregood believes the district can still meet construction deadlines originall outlined if the order is set-: tied soon. have security concerns because the students are removed from the main building. "The actual portable classrooms are nice classrooms and learning takes place in those just like anywhere else, but it is not as convenient mainly because of weather and security concerns," Aregood said. "It is easier to administer the whole school if it is all under one roof." Currently approximately 88 classes are housed in the 44 trailers districtwide.

OFFICIALS PROJECT A 10 percent increase in students in South Madison schools for the next year. Schools in the northern part of the county and Flora are basically not growing and they usually either stay the same or lose students, Aregood said. As of the last count ending in February, Ridgeland Elementary has 640 students; Madison Station Elementary, 932; Rosa Scott Middle School, Madison Avenue Elementary, Madison Central, OldeTowne Elementary, 575; and Olde Towne Middle School, 570 students. MADISON AVENUE Elementary School is one of the south Madison County schools which will continue to suffer as half of their student population finishes out the school year in trailers. "At the end of year, we will reevaluate enrollment like we do every year and then we will purchase or shift portable classrooms as needed," Aregood said.

"This 10 classroom addition at the high school should free up some portable classrooms that could be moved to some other areas like Madison Avenue whigh will have to have at least four additional classrooms which is two portable buildings." Weather and security concern school officials about students being in portable classrooms. "Anytime the weather is bad, especially during tornado season, you have to bring all of those children in to the main building. "This is basically a day lost to learning from shifting the students around," Aregood said. Even though communications with the portable classrooms are connected to the main building through intercoms, officials still I i 1 mammogram an Important part ef your preventive health can. But sitim0 ift a waiting artajor a routine test ht irwg and uttpkmavL At The Women Center, whtn you call to mah an appomtmmt jor 4 mammogram, Ws no witintf hx Your time is rcwuf for you alone, and we'll take yent what you arrive purheaify care professionals are specially trained breast cm And because out mammogram imi fa a mm, relaxed, completely prmtestHmymUbemoreattast.

eighbors withdraw objections to rezoning Old Canton Rd. land Fst Baot board and proceed on to the city council." SITE PLAN REVIEW is part of the process, according to Hosemann. A site plan review must be conducted to get a building permit. Hosemann also said he expected residential development of the land to begin within the year. WOMEN'S SERVICES I Why wait? Call rezone the property, according to Bill Hardin with the city zoning office.

Rezoning would take effect 30 days from the vote. In that time, publication of a notice to rezone must occur. Specifically requested in the petition for rezoning is a change in portions of the property from the current R-la (residential) zoning classification to a C-2 (commercial) zoning. Included in the development plans are a four story office building and upscale residential lots. The area has not seen a zoning change since 1974, according to developer Andrew Mattiace.

Delbert Hoscmann, attorney for Mattiace, said that "We have completed meetings with individuals and neighborhood associations and apparently have resolved all concerns by all parties. We intend to proceed with the site plan review By WHIT WAIDE Sun Staff Writer AN APPEAL FILED with the city protesting rezoning of the Wettach property along Old Canton Road near Highland Village was withdrawn last week. The appeal was filed by Paul Snow, attorney for the Highland Park Homeowners Association. Snow said a majority vote of the homeowners not to proceed with the appeal caused the withdrawal. "We needed time to perfect our appeal, or we would lose our right to do so forever," said Snow.

"It was a matter of procedure." Snow said he did not plan on filing any other appeals in the future. The case will now go to the city council for a vote on April 7, at 9 a.m. If the council accepts the recommendation of the city zoning board, they would pass an ordinance to Trust Is A Gift Grown Out Of rity And Perseverance Integ Good Earth Realty, Inc. llilik I. Our people make the difference, 601-853-GOOD (4663) or 601-925-GOOD (4663) wtw.goodearthrealty.com Rosemary Small OwnerBroker iJ Mi Eajter Sunday BuitIT K1 Betsy Folmar Carlene Noone Sales Associate 853-1663 Smoked Turkey Baked Jiam Virginia yatt Sales Associate 929-3265 B.

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