Madison Academic High School Principal Chad Guthrie expects a call from Jackson-Madison County Schools whenever there is a snow day. This could be about flooding in the school, or water leaks in the classrooms due to the melted snow and/or ice.
Guthrie stated that Madison students and staff were able to walk in the Madison building on the University of Memphis–Lambuth campus on Monday Jan. 10. They didn’t have to worry about heat not working or water leaks, noting the comments made by staff.
The new school provides a better learning and working environment for students and staff. It makes Madison Mustangs proud to be Madison Mustangs.
Guthrie loves the novelty, but his favorite aspect of the school is the fact that each teacher has their lab equipped for either biology or chemical classes. The old Madison only had one lab for the four biology teachers and one lab for chemistry teachers. This meant that they had to adjust their classes to accommodate lab availability.
Guthrie stated that students who plan to spend a lot time in biology or chemical labs in college will need to be able use properly equipped labs. Madison prepares students for higher education.
Madison has always been a strong college prep school. However, Madison’s inclusion on the University of Memphis campus expands those possibilities for Madison as a dual enrollment highschool.
Madison’s average class size is now accommodated in the school’s 58,800-square foot space. The old building could not hold more than 16 students.
Guthrie said that the children love the new building.
Senior Millie Treadway is a huge fan of the spaciousness and openness of the new Madison, especially the large windows that let in natural sunlight.
It creates a learning environment that is conducive to learning, she stated.
Treadway stated that this makes it easier for students to get excited about learning, especially when you consider all the experiences we have had over the last four years. I believe that this new building will motivate students and encourage them to work hard to earn their place at Madison.
Treadway and her classmates were affected by a pandemic in the spring semester of Treadway’s sophomore year. They have endured the difficulties of virtual learning, staff and student isolations, struggles with their mental health, and many other challenges while trying to meet Madison students’ expectations.
She said that even in our old building, we didn’t realize how the right environment could affect our mindset. I am hopeful that everyone will have a better attitude about learning. I also hope that the new building will inspire a lot more school pride.
Many of us are proud to be Madisonians, and I believe the new building will help encourage that. It has already. We were all proud to be Madison Students.
Treadway describes the new Madison as a bright light shining through the darkness of the pandemic.
Guthrie is grateful for the public-private partnership which made it possible.
Continue reading:It is still building Madison Academic, despite the end of the partnership that renovated JCM.
Treadway will not have the opportunity to spend more than one semester at Madison, but she hopes that everyone can be thankful for the in-person learning that Madison offers.
It is difficult to say goodbye to something you have loved, where you’ve had many experiences, and where you’ve grown up. Although it’s hard to say goodbye to something you love, we are all eager to experience this new experience and to be in the new building for one more semester of learning before graduating.
Lasherica Thornton, education reporter for The Jackson Sun, is Lasherica Thornton. Reach her at 731-343-9133or by email at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @LashericaT