Specializing in secondary education since 1970, Jackson Preparatory
School (Prep) has produced 517 National Merit semifinalists, including
10 from the class of 2010. Statewide, Prep is one of four schools selected for a cum laude chapter, the high school equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa.
Students consistently win regional and national awards in language,
literature, art, mathematics, science, music, and drama. In athletics,
Prep teams remain among the leaders of the conference in overall
championships.
Jackson Preparatory School is an independent, co-educational,
college preparatory day school enrolling 792 students in grades
six through twelve. The school is located on a 74 acre campus
east of Jackson and is the largest independent secondary school
in the state of Mississippi. The student body is diverse, representing
various racial, ethnic, economic, and religious groups.
FACULTY
The Prep faculty/staff is comprised of 90 dedicated and experienced
professionals, including 49 with post-graduate
degrees. Seven faculty members hold doctoral degrees. The average class
size is 17 students.
SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS
In recent years, Prep students have earned many scholarships and
awards including the Presidential Scholars Award, Principal’s
Leadership Scholarship, Robert Byrd Scholarship, Intel Talent
Search Scholarship, National Merit Corporation Scholarship, Coca-Cola
Scholarship, and numerous academic and leadership awards from
individual colleges and universities. The Class of 2010 accepted $2.8 million in merit-based scholarsihps and offered scholarships totaling $7.7 million. Prep teams routinely win quiz bowl matches, math
and science tournaments, literary contests, mock trial competitions,
debate tournaments, and many other academic competitions.
STUDENT LIFE
Prep students have many opportunities to develop physically, socially,
and emotionally through participation in a variety of co-curricular
and extra-curricular activities. The student government association,
debate team, student publications, service clubs, academic honorary
societies, band, choir, spirit teams, visual arts
classes and exhibits, drama and musical theater productions, and
special interest clubs are representative examples of the co-curricular activities available to students.
Prep enjoys statewide and regional recognition for its competitive
athletic programs. Varsity teams compete in Class AAA of the Mississippi
Association of Independent Schools. Prep also competes against schools
from outside this association and from other states and regions.
Prep teams have won championships in football, basketball, baseball,
track, crosscountry, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, and
golf. Since 1970, over 170 Prep graduates have participated in
collegiate athletics.
FACILITIES
Jackson Prep's campus is home to an impressive complex
of flexible educational facilities. The Junior High and Senior
High buildings each include academic classrooms, science labs,
and computer centers with Internet-connected workstations. A world
languages lab is located in the Senior High building. The new Guyton
Science Center houses six state of the art science classrooms
with laboratories and the Lyceum, a two hundred seat lecture/meeting
facility. Division administrators and counselors are located in
both buildings.
The creative heart of the campus is the McRae Fine Arts and Media
Center, which houses three art studios, a ceramics studio, band
hall, choir room, and art gallery. The McRae Center is also home
to the Jesse Howell Library, administrative and development offices,
and the office of admission. The second floor houses two sixth
grade classrooms and the business and technology offices.
The Fortenberry Auditorium and Gymnasium, along with the J.O.
Manning Patriot Center, provide athletic venues, a performing
arts complex, dressing rooms, weight rooms, coaches’ offices,
and laundry facilities. Prep's outdoor athletic complex includes
lighted baseball, softball and soccer fields, a football stadium
with a 400-meter track, eight wheelchair-accessible
tennis courts, a crosscountry course, and practice fields.
Th multi-functional Dining Commons and outdoor
plaza, Patriot Avenue features an amphitheater designed
to focus on student activity and entertainment, creating a welcoming
atmosphere for student fellowship.