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The Jessamine County Board of Education heard plans for a new middle school and recommendations for changes to its attendance policy on Monday during a work session.

New middle school

Tate Hill Jacobs Architects presented its building plan for the new Jessamine County middle school. Construction was supposed to start in August but will begin in May. Mostly, the presentation showed a visual representation of the 300-page construction plans.

The building includes two separate wings; one for eighth grade and one for sixth and seventh grade. There are also plans for several outdoor classrooms and indoor shared learning spaces for each wing.

The school’s lobby and cafeteria were noted as spacious, with high ceilings. The architect said these areas are multi-purpose, meaning sports teams can use them for practice after school.

The construction plans also include a football field and a track. There is no soccer field, but goal spikes will be added to the football field. There was also no softball or baseball fields, so the board asked the architects to add those to the plan to see what it would look like to add them.

The board voted to accept the new school’s construction plan as-is before it makes a bid to hire a construction company, but this plan can still change. It will hear a presentation from Tate Hill Jacobs Architects with the addition of the softball and baseball fields to the construction plan in a future work session.

Attendance policy practice changes

Superintendent Matt Moore presented recommendations to update the district’s attendance policy.

The board first discussed differences in parenting style. For example, some guardians will keep their children home for a day before they take them to the doctor. On the other hand, some guardians will go immediately. This policy aims to consider the nuances in parenting style and improve communication between schools and families.

The school may approve one or two days of absence before the doctor’s visit when the doctor indicates those days should be approved.

If the doctor recommends, the school will approve additional days after the doctor’s visit.

The guardian should then notify the school if they cannot get a doctor’s appointment for a day or two.

The board approved these recommendations during the meeting.

Its next meeting will occur on Monday, January 23, at 6:30 p.m. at 871 Wilmore Road.