Official new names and mascot announced for Jackson, NJ schools

The Jackson School District in Jackson Township, New Jersey will look very different when students and teachers return in September.

As a result of a sharp decrease in state aid and dwindling enrollment, the district has been investigating dramatic budget cuts and cost savings for over a year.

The Sylvia Rosenauer School closed permanently after the 2023-24 school year, in an attempt to fill an $18 million budget deficit. The property was sold earlier this year for $13 million.

In addition to realigning which grade levels will attend which school, the most significant upcoming change will be merging two high schools into one. Jackson Memorial High School first opened as "Jackson High School" in 1963. Jackson Liberty High School passed a narrow referendum vote in 2002, and began servicing the east side of town in 2006.

Transitioning to a single high school will apparently allow the district to maintain special programs, ensure equity of such opportunities for all students, and to prepare for future enrollment decreases anticipated over the coming decade.

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New School Alignment

The five current elementary schools will now house Kindergarten through 4th grade.

5th and 6th graders across the entire 100 square mile community will move into what district administration have declared an "upper elementary school". It will be at the former Carl Goetz Middle School, and will be called Jackson Township 5-6 School.

As announced in February, the Christa McAuliffe Middle School will close after the 2024-25 school year, to be sold or rented to generate extra revenue.

The complex currently known as Jackson Memorial High School will become Jackson Township Middle School, housing the entire town's 7th and 8th grade population. In addition, a wing of the school has been transformed into a Preschool Annex.

The town's single combined high school will be established at the current Jackson Liberty High School on North Hope Chapel Road. Approximately 2,300 9th through 12th grade students will attend Jackson Township High School next year.

Let's Go ___!

At the May Board of Education meeting, district officials announced the mascot of the new Jackson Township High School will be the Jaguar, maintaining the history and legacy of the older Jackson Memorial High School.

The official school colors will be red, black, and gray/silver, taking elements from both JMHS and JLHS.

Exact designs of the new mascot, logo, athletic uniforms, etc. have not been determined yet.

Celebrations to honor the merging of the high schools are already underway, including a joint induction ceremony for the National Honor Society earlier this month and an upcoming Jackson Memorial High School concert to commemorate 60 years of music making.

Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist for Townsquare Media New Jersey. Check out Dan's weather blog or follow him on Facebook for your latest weather forecast updates.