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Jackson Public Schools reviews community partnerships and program agreements for 2025–26
Summary
The board reviewed memoranda of understanding and renewal agreements that would extend or renew nutrition, after‑school, summer arts and leadership-development partnerships for the 2025–26 school year.
Jackson Public School District trustees reviewed a set of community partnership agreements and program renewals the administration recommended for the 2025–26 school year.
Mississippi Food Network backpack and pantry programs
The district presented a memorandum of understanding with the Mississippi Food Network to continue weekend backpack meal kits and a monthly school pantry program for students identified as needing nutritional support. Administration said a definitive list of participating school sites depends on sponsorship levels and grant funding; based on current sponsorships the district expects approximately seven sites initially and would add more as sponsors are secured.
Boys & Girls Club of Central Mississippi
The administration recommended approval of an agreement with the Boys & Girls Club of Central Mississippi to provide after-school and summer enrichment programming — literacy, mentoring, arts, homework help and social-emotional supports — for scholars in the Jackson metro area. The board discussion included a question about aligning outcome data across after‑school providers; staff said they are open to conversations with peer organizations and noted a Kellogg Foundation effort to develop a shared data framework among local providers.
Jackson State University music camp
Office of Advanced Academics presented a grant-funded five-day music residency for rising third- through fifth-graders to be run by the Jackson State University Music Department. The residency will use an arts-integrated approach (music, movement, drama and speech) with two licensed music educators and a minimum cohort size of 50 scholars; the program is grant-funded and scheduled as a summer opportunity.
University of Mississippi Principal Corps and Belhaven University agreements
The board reviewed a memorandum supporting full-time participation for two district educators (named in the presentation as Karen Mento and Andrew Garner) in the University of Mississippi Principal Corps program from 07/01/2025 through 06/30/2026 and authorizing one-year sabbaticals to meet administrative internship requirements under Mississippi’s School Administrative Sabbatical Program. Administrators described the Principal Corps as a leadership-development pathway to produce school leaders for the district.
Separately, the district sought renewal of a field-experience and student-teaching agreement with Belhaven University covering placements through spring 2028; administrators said no Belhaven student teachers are currently placed but the renewal preserves capacity for future cohorts.
Provenance: topicintro excerpt: "We're here tonight, in regards to our agreement with the Mississippi Food Network." (transcript block beginning at 3446.115). topicfinish excerpt: "We do not currently have any student teachers from Veil Haven and in the district, but we did support a cohort of 6 students that did complete field observations..." (transcript block around 3972.3–4013.365).
