Lance Pogue to Jackson Academy

[Bucky Dog]

As the Defensive Coordinator! Ok then. I guess I get it with these guys putting in their 25 plus years in state education and walking away with their pension and heading to the private school sector and loving a little better with less stress. Maybe C34 could use a good D.C.,but he would have to take a pay cut now.

By the way, JA is building a staff of former public school head coaches led by Weems from Meridian. I wonder how much these guys will get out of coaching in private school after leading some of the top 6A programs in our state.

[shoeless joe]

That's basically paying for their insurance and adding some to their retirement without having to be involved in the classroom or really any other part of the school. This is absolutely nothing new and has been going on for years. Retire from public and then just coach at private.

[Jack Lambert]

JA and Prep coaches do pretty well in pay. I don't blame them. Double dip!

[SaintDawg]

JA and Prep coaches do pretty well in pay. I don't blame them. Double dip! They do now. I'm a JA alumnus and I remember back in the late 80s and early 90s that wasn't the case. They didn't just coach but were teaching classes too.

[Thick]

I'm curious to see what happens to JA in the next 3-5 years. They are restructuring or have restructured their approach to attracting families to JA. I know that several JA families have pulled their kids, and others are considering it as well.

[yoyo]

So what are they doing differently to attract families that would alienate folks?
It does appear that they have developed a 'scholarship program.'

[sandwolf]

I'm curious to see what happens to JA in the next 3-5 years. They are restructuring or have restructured their approach to attracting families to JA. I know that several JA families have pulled their kids, and others are considering it as well.Can you elaborate on this?

I had a great experience at JA (graduated in '03) and I'd love to at least look into sending my kids there, but tuition is so high now that it's not even a consideration (and my wife and I make good money). And that is just looking at the tuition today ($14,700 for HS) which has doubled since I graduated -- if it doubled again by the time my 2 year old and soon to be infant reached HS, I would be looking at almost $60k/year in tuition which is nowhere close to realistic. When I was there, families that made a good living could make some sacrifices and afford to go there, but now it looks like they have reached a price point to where you either have to come from money or truly make big time money for it to be an option.

So, I would be interested to know if it's the tuition that is hurting them or if you are referring to something else.

[Jack Lambert]

They do now. I'm a JA alumnus and I remember back in the late 80s and early 90s that wasn't the case. They didn't just coach but were teaching classes too.

I suspect you will see a lot of public school coaches retire and move into private schools. There are only a few in the state that pays the money these guys are getting but still get retirement and coach. Probably make more money no matter where they go if they combine both.

[Thick]

Well, if JA continues to give as much tuition assistance ($1.2m) either in '16 or '17 then the patrons that pay full tuition will see increases eventually. I have a family member that's a pharmacist, and she said that some single parent pharmacy techs had been accepted into JA. No way that happens on a tech's salary. They can't afford a half year's tuition at JA. Couple of fraternity brothers of mine that are JA alums sent their oldest to JA, but are sending their youngest to Prep and MRA. Always a tuition increase, and then they $50-100 dollar you to death on different things. The latter happens at all schools though.

[Thick]

Let me add that JA is kind of forced to make some changes due to the demographics of Jackson. Let's face it, lot of people have moved to the suburbs. That trend's not going to change.

[SaintDawg]

When I was there, families that made a good living could make some sacrifices and afford to go there, but now it looks like they have reached a price point to where you either have to come from money or truly make big time money for it to be an option.

So, I would be interested to know if it's the tuition that is hurting them or if you are referring to something else.

Same here. I came from middle class. Dad was a telephone man and mom was a gas co. secretary. Graduated '93. I don't recall what tuition was from '87 to '93 when I was there, but for the time I'm sure it wasn't cheap.

[Lance Harbor]

Yet migration back into cities is happening in a large scale across the country. To bad Mississippi is gonna Mississippi.

[MafiaDawg]

They just hired a new headmaster. I've heard Pat Taylor was part of the problem. He just retired this year.

I'm not saying this is always the case, but tuition assistance kids cause class disruptions in a disproportionate numbers. It's just a fact of the matter and It's been happening. Will be interesting to see how the new guy handles this. The campus is still second to none and the faculty is very strong. They needed some fresh leadership and got it. That's the first step.

[Percho]

I heard LP was set to go to Olive Branch but they did not hire him.

[Brahmabull]

Nobody is migrating back into the Bold New City of Jackson as long as the crime/Catch and Release problem is not being appropriately addressed.

[BigEasyDawg]

There is a trend with Younger families moving back into Jackson, whether it be NE Jxn or Fondren. This is definitely trending up. But the private schools and especially JA are trying to be more "diverse" which comes with its own problems.

[MafiaDawg]

Most of the private schools in New Orleans are diverse and some are great. But it takes a while to get it right.

[BigEasyDawg]

Most of the private schools in New Orleans are diverse and some are great. But it takes a while to get it right.

Totally agree. It depends greatly on leadership. To be diverse, it takes tons of leadership, patience, and wisdom. Schools like Curtis are more diverse than some public schools.

[Martianlander]

Taxes in Jackson city limits are high also.

[Jack Lambert]

Yet migration back into cities is happening in a large scale across the country. To bad Mississippi is gonna Mississippi.

Pick and ride any street in jackson and you will see why.

[Bucky Dog]

Yeah I've heard they are going "all in" on athletics and giving schollies to get the less wealthy there and the wealthy others are paying the higher tuition and then seeing their kid not get to play ahead of the scholarship players.

[MafiaDawg]

I'm not sure if that's true or not but I know MRA has done this for decades. Has anyone seen the MRA basketball team the last couple years?

[shoeless joe]

Yet migration back into cities is happening in a large scale across the country. To bad Mississippi is gonna Mississippi.

Do you live within the city limits of Jackson?

[Bothrops]

Let me add that JA is kind of forced to make some changes due to the demographics of Jackson. Let's face it, lot of people have moved to the suburbs. That trend's not going to change.

This. Back in the day, a lot of their traditional students lived in the surrounding neighborhoods. Those neighborhoods have changed over the years, and their enrollment is bound to have suffered. Now they must change.

[msujan]

That's basically paying for their insurance and adding some to their retirement without having to be involved in the classroom or really any other part of the school. This is absolutely nothing new and has been going on for years. Retire from public and then just coach at private.

Nothing new is right,and it's not limited to K-12. Profs retire at universities and then cross state lines to take jobs at schools outside PERS. pay-and-a-half at a professor rank is niiiiicccccee!

[Leroy Jenkins]

Same here. I came from middle class. Dad was a telephone man and mom was a gas co. secretary. Graduated '93. I don't recall what tuition was from '87 to '93 when I was there, but for the time I'm sure it wasn't cheap.

Annual Tuition
K3 (3 day) $ 5,160
K3, PK, K (half day) $ 6,420
PK, K (full day) $ 9,420
Grades 1-4 $10,440
Grades 5-8 $11,820
Grades 9-12 $13,380

Average Financial aid Grant $4,000

Obviously there are other costs of attendance outside of tuition.