JPS School Board Approves Consolidating Two Middle Schools for the Rest of the School Year

September 7, 2023 

On September 5, 2023, the JPS Board of Trustees approved a recommendation to temporarily consolidate Whitten Middle School with Peeples Middle School, starting on Monday, September 18th and continuing through the 2023-2024 school year. This decision is based on the following three factors: 

1. Equitable Staffing: There is a need to redistribute staff in a more equitable manner. This is due to a loss of teachers at Peeples Middle School, as a result of the testing irregularities investigation to ensure equitable staffing at both schools.
2. Facility Challenges: Another factor contributing to the consolidation is ongoing construction, restroom renovations, and HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) challenges at Whitten Middle School. These facility issues make it difficult for scholars to have a conducive learning environment, necessitating the move to a more suitable location. 
3. Building Space Efficiency: There is more efficient available building space at Peeples Middle School, which has a capacity of 650 scholars.  With a total combined enrollment of 543 students for both schools, consolidating them at Peeples Middle School will make better use of available facilities. 

JPS is hosting a meeting with the respective school staff members today. A meeting with families of scholars attending Whitten and Peeples middle schools is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on September 11, 2023, at Peeples, located at 2940 Belvedere Drive.