CMSD announces plans to ‘repurpose’ Franklin, Fairview schools
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Some historic changes are coming to some historic schools in the Columbus Municipal School District.
Part of the district’s new strategic plan calls for the repurposing of Franklin Academy and Fairview Elementary.
Superintendent Dr. Stanley Ellis couldn’t offer specifics on what that repurposing would look like, but it will mean that the two campuses will no longer be functioning as schools.
Franklin Academy is the oldest public school in Mississippi, and the current building is CMSD’s oldest, dating back to the 1930’s.
As part of the strategic plan, the elementary grades will be consolidated into three schools, Joe Cook, Sale, and Stokes-Beard.
Ellis said he does not foresee a staff reduction in the teaching ranks.
One historic campus that will be seeing new life is Hunt School. Rebuilding of the segregation era high school which has also been an elementary and junior high is almost complete.
“Sixth Grade will be housed at Hunt. In addition to the sixth grade, we’re going to be working with The W to ensure that we have some other types of programs that are going to allow their teacher education program to provide some real-life simulations for those individuals who are in the teacher education program, in addition, we’re looking at having the parent center there and partnering with EMCC, possibly have some of those types of programs that they have offered in our city,” said Ellis.
Ellis anticipates construction at Hunt to be complete by January.
