Jackson Academy hires sitting D1 defensive coordinator

[615dawg]

to be head coach. David Duggan was making $165k as defensive coordinator at Kent State. He resigned to take the job at Jackson Academy.

Is JA paying that kind of money for a football coach? Are the MAIS schools going insane?

 

[ZombieKissinger]

May also be that he doesn’t like the traveling/recruiting, but not sure how much they’re paying him

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Going?

EDIT:

Wait? The Clarion-Ledger mentions he was JA’s DC in ‘22?

 

[615dawg]

Going?

I am serious. Something is up.

Jackson Prep is borderline struggling financially - thats why they went all in with a K-5 school when it was never in their master plan. JA's student pipeline is drying up. MRA is trying to become IMG and Hartfield is doing everything legal and illegal under the sun to be a sports destination.

 

[8dog]

to be head coach. David Duggan was making $165k as defensive coordinator at Kent State. He resigned to take the job at Jackson Academy.

Is JA paying that kind of money for a football coach? Are the MAIS schools going insane?

He was their DC two years ago. I think he has a child in the area. And Prep is just fine. They went in on a lower school bc their feeder school is in a terrible location with a bleak future. So in that regard it was a financial move.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

Hartfield is doing everything legal and illegal under the sun to be a sports destination.

it's all to bring glory to the Lord.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

it's all to bring glory to the Lord.

 

[Podgy]

it's all to bring glory to the Lord.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

@Podgy and me with back-to-back MAIS / Righteous Gemstones YouTube posts

 

[SteelCurtain74]

Prep is fine financially. As 8dog said, they added the lower school to compete with the other schools in 6A. Their initial plan was to merge (probably not the best word to use) with FPDS but FPDS, specifically the church said no. MRA, Hartfield and JA already had K3 - 5th grade. Prep was the odd man out in that regard. That problem has now been solved. JA added a K2 program this year and Prep, I've been told, will be adding a K2 program next year. As I've told people at both schools, you should just add a birthing suite and call it a day.

And don't go besmirching the honorable reputation of Hartfield. Don't you know they are undeniably different except all of the times when they are not which is pretty much all day every day.

 

[Podgy]

@Podgy and me with back-to-back MAIS / Righteous Gemstones YouTube posts

Anything with Walton Goggins in it is worth watching.

 

[SouthMsDawg02]

He was their DC two years ago. I think he has a child in the area. And Prep is just fine. They went in on a lower school bc their feeder school is in a terrible location with a bleak future. So in that regard it was a financial move.

Just curious but when did schools that have K-5th/6th start being called lower schools instead of elementary schools???

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

Anything with Walton Goggins in it is worth watching.

He's great in Vice Principles.

 

[17itdawg]

Anything with Walton Goggins in it is worth watching.

 

[militarydog]

He was their DC two years ago. I think he has a child in the area. And Prep is just fine. They went in on a lower school bc their feeder school is in a terrible location with a bleak future. So in that regard it was a financial move.

My understanding from friends in the MAIS is that things are going to change fairly drastically in the next few years. First, there isn’t as large a population base of students overall as in previous generations. That is hurting everyone.

Jackson Prep overall is fine financially. However their biggest issue now is their feeder schools. The head of First Pres Day School is more aligned with MRA. He was previously employed there and his kids attend or attended MRA. Christ Covenant is adding a grade each year and will soon be PreK-12. That hurts as Prep normally counted on a group of those students coming to Prep in ninth grade. Prep tried to combine with FPDS and JA (by bringing in their lower school) but it didn’t work out. They were basically forced to open the lower grades. Academically they are extremely strong.

JA is losing their base as so many potential students are leaving Jackson and less likely to drive in from Madison and Rankin counties. They still have a very engaged alumni that supports the school and wants to see it remain viable. However it is going to be very difficult. Their academic reputation is still good.

MRA is less like an IMG Academy than in the past. They have a great base of potential students and decent number of former Prep and JA alumni living in Madison have children that have now graduated from MRA. They are still not strong academically. They are also hurt by Madison Central having such good academics and being landlocked.

Hartfield has gone more all in on athletics. They have a strong base of potential students in Rankin County and Pinelake Church. Unfortunately their academics are not strong at all.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

JA is losing their base as so many potential students are leaving Jackson and less likely to drive in from Madison and Rankin counties. They still have a very engaged alumni that supports the school and wants to see it remain viable. However it is going to be very difficult. Their academic reputation is still good.

No doubt JA is in a tight spot. 20 years from now, what will they look like?

 

[Son_of_34]

My understanding from friends in the MAIS is that things are going to change fairly drastically in the next few years. First, there isn’t as large a population base of students overall as in previous generations. That is hurting everyone.

Jackson Prep overall is fine financially. However their biggest issue now is their feeder schools. The head of First Pres Day School is more aligned with MRA. He was previously employed there and his kids attend or attended MRA. Christ Covenant is adding a grade each year and will soon be PreK-12. That hurts as Prep normally counted on a group of those students coming to Prep in ninth grade. Prep tried to combine with FPDS and JA (by bringing in their lower school) but it didn’t work out. They were basically forced to open the lower grades. Academically they are extremely strong.

JA is losing their base as so many potential students are leaving Jackson and less likely to drive in from Madison and Rankin counties. They still have a very engaged alumni that supports the school and wants to see it remain viable. However it is going to be very difficult. Their academic reputation is still good.

MRA is less like an IMG Academy than in the past. They have a great base of potential students and decent number of former Prep and JA alumni living in Madison have children that have now graduated from MRA. They are still not strong academically. They are also hurt by Madison Central having such good academics and being landlocked.

Hartfield has gone more all in on athletics. They have a strong base of potential students in Rankin County and Pinelake Church. Unfortunately their academics are not strong at all.

Hmm this is why there was a big push for those school waivers...to save yall segregated asses from folding with tax payer dollars...it all makes sense now

 

[615dawg]

If you look a 990s.

Prep had $13.5 MM in revenue last year and $13 MM in expenses, $8.6 MM in debt
JA had $26.7 MM in revenue against $19.8 MM in expenses, but has $17.4 MM in debt
Hartfield had $12.2 MM in revenue and $10.8 MM in expenses, and $14.1 MM in debt
MRA had $21.2 MM in revenue and $16.3 MM in expenses, with $9.3 MM in debt

And how their former peer has fallen

Hillcrest had $2.1 MM in revenue and $2.1 MM in expenses with $3.4 MM in debt


JA's problem is where are their future students going to come from. They seem to be healthy financially for the moment. Prep has the lowest cash flow of the group but they have the lowest debt as well.

 

[HulksStache]

Boy… you can tell who on here went to Prep.

 

[Boom Boom]

Are those Prep numbers due to startup costs of the lower school?

If you look a 990s.

Prep had $13.5 MM in revenue last year and $13 MM in expenses, $8.6 MM in debt
JA had $26.7 MM in revenue against $19.8 MM in expenses, but has $17.4 MM in debt
Hartfield had $12.2 MM in revenue and $10.8 MM in expenses, and $14.1 MM in debt
MRA had $21.2 MM in revenue and $16.3 MM in expenses, with $9.3 MM in debt

And how their former peer has fallen

Hillcrest had $2.1 MM in revenue and $2.1 MM in expenses with $3.4 MM in debt


JA's problem is where are their future students going to come from. They seem to be healthy financially for the moment. Prep has the lowest cash flow of the group but they have the lowest debt as well.

 

[8dog]

If you look a 990s.

Prep had $13.5 MM in revenue last year and $13 MM in expenses, $8.6 MM in debt
JA had $26.7 MM in revenue against $19.8 MM in expenses, but has $17.4 MM in debt
Hartfield had $12.2 MM in revenue and $10.8 MM in expenses, and $14.1 MM in debt
MRA had $21.2 MM in revenue and $16.3 MM in expenses, with $9.3 MM in debt

And how their former peer has fallen

Hillcrest had $2.1 MM in revenue and $2.1 MM in expenses with $3.4 MM in debt


JA's problem is where are their future students going to come from. They seem to be healthy financially for the moment. Prep has the lowest cash flow of the group but they have the lowest debt as well.

PF 990s are fun but they aren’t cash flow statements. Plus total revenue isn’t a good number bc it will capture a capital campaign like JAs big number or some of Preps bigger numbers. Most of the schools are sitting on piles of investments.

 

[johnson86-1]

Hmm this is why there was a big push for those school waivers...to save yall segregated asses from folding with tax payer dollars...it all makes sense now

I assume "waivers" equals "vouchers" in the sentence above?

 

[johnson86-1]

JA's problem is where are their future students going to come from.

Yup. I've known several people to move from that area out of a concern of where crime is going. Outside of people living in that area and some diehard alumni, who is choosing JA? Who is wanting to drive past Prep to go further into Jackson to take their kid to school, and out of those willing to do that, how many are choosing JA over St. Andrews? If they're coming from the Madison side, they have to pass MRA and depending on where they live, possibly pass up going to MC or Germantown (and again, even if those schools aren't good enough for some reason, why choose JA over Saint Andrews?).

 

[Lucifer Morningstar]

Hmm this is why there was a big push for those school waivers...to save yall segregated asses from folding with tax payer dollars...it all makes sense now

 

[Bulldog45]

Just think, they could’ve probably hired Arnett and Judge as co-head coaches cheaper.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Yup. I've known several people to move from that area out of a concern of where crime is going. Outside of people living in that area and some diehard alumni, who is choosing JA? Who is wanting to drive past Prep to go further into Jackson to take their kid to school, and out of those willing to do that, how many are choosing JA over St. Andrews? If they're coming from the Madison side, they have to pass MRA and depending on where they live, possibly pass up going to MC or Germantown (and again, even if those schools aren't good enough for some reason, why choose JA over Saint Andrews?).

Cue 615 musing on the viability of JA moving its physical plant (much like Hartfield has done multiple times ever since it was OG Brandon Academy).

Oh what the heck… Since he’s mused on it before in the past with Canton, @615dawg – JA becomes Gluckstadt Academy: Good or Bad Move?

 

[Podgy]

Another Walton Goggins gem. Baby Billy is a Toilet Baby Daddy. I wonder if his son is gonna grow up and have a similar set of choppers.

 

[CoastTrash]

if none existed, we might be better off?

 

[615dawg]

Cue 615 musing on the viability of JA moving its physical plant (much like Hartfield has done multiple times ever since it was OG Brandon Academy).

Oh what the heck… Since he’s mused on it before in the past with Canton, @615dawg – JA becomes Gluckstadt Academy: Good or Bad Move?

I have long said that if an existing private school opened a plant on the West side of 55 in Gluckstadt, that they would print money. Not sure JA is a candidate, but obviously would be successful.

I don't think Canton Academy is interested. Christ Covenant discussed it but decided to stay in their K-8 location. MRA might be the one to expand over there eventually.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Hillcrest had $2.1 MM in revenue and $2.1 MM in expenses with $3.4 MM in debt

JA's problem is where are their future students going to come from. They seem to be healthy financially for the moment. Prep has the lowest cash flow of the group but they have the lowest debt as well.

There is a big difference in those two - location. JA is at least near some money neighborhoods and close to all the important shlt in Jackson. Hillcrest is way out there in a sprawl area that still, to this day, experienced the fastest downturn I've ever seen.

I have to think, HAVE to....that investors will eventually start putting money into downtown/Fondren/Belhaven and surrounding areas, and JA may be the benefactor. But it is a little farther north than all the cool stuff, so there's that, who knows. Maybe Prep is the actual true benefactor, I mean when you look at location and ease of access. And at some point, I also have to think the reservoir real estate will eventually be valuable again. It's stunning the bones that the Jackson area has will seemingly no willpower to take advantage and promote them.

So after typing this, personally, I've kinda changed my mind - I don't think Prep is going anywhere, unless Jackson completely folds, and it won't. JA seems to be in more danger. But Hillcrest ain't NEVER coming back, hahaha.

Yup. I've known several people to move from that area out of a concern of where crime is going. Outside of people living in that area and some diehard alumni, who is choosing JA? Who is wanting to drive past Prep to go further into Jackson to take their kid to school, and out of those willing to do that, how many are choosing JA over St. Andrews? If they're coming from the Madison side, they have to pass MRA and depending on where they live, possibly pass up going to MC or Germantown (and again, even if those schools aren't good enough for some reason, why choose JA over Saint Andrews?).

These are good points. And now that I think about it, NEJ saw a stunning downtown as well, as least the north side.

Cliff's notes: I can't see Jackson sucking forever, so one of Prep and JA will likely survive, and probably Prep. Maybe they'll work out a merger.

 

[johnson86-1]

These are good points. And now that I think about it, NEJ saw a stunning downtown as well, as least the north side.

Yea, I think people really think Jackson has always been a ********, but northeast Jackson used to be like the nice areas in most cities. Didn't really matter what the crime statistics were because basically none of it occurred there. Fondren and Belhaven were more like gentrifying areas in better cities and had to deal with mostly petty crime and the very occasional violence, but north east jackson, particularly the nicer parts of it, was in its own bubble. I don't know if anywhere can really claim to be a bubble anymore.

Cliff's notes: I can't see Jackson sucking forever, so one of Prep and JA will likely survive, and probably Prep. Maybe they'll work out a merger.

Well, I do think Jackson can suck if not forever, for any relevant timeline, but Prep is still fine for a long time. The school age population isn't dropping that drastically in the metro area and while there is more competition with more private schools opening up and Hartsfield growing, their risk is that they stagnate and shrink some, not that they become a pitiful version of their former self. JA I do think is at risk because they are dependent on the neighborhood around them staying decent.

 

[615dawg]

Jackson is going to make a comeback at some point. The 2025 mayoral election and the Great City campaign has me optimistic that there will be a change of leadership next year.

Hillcrest went down quick, and they would pull from Clinton that now has two private schools of their own. I don't see JA or Prep having that kind of downfall, though. The Big Four (Prep, MRA, JA and Hartfield) are going to need to get in a room and discuss the viability of staying in the MAIS at some point.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Yea, I think people really think Jackson has always been a ********, but northeast Jackson used to be like the nice areas in most cities. Didn't really matter what the crime statistics were because basically none of it occurred there. Fondren and Belhaven were more like gentrifying areas in better cities and had to deal with mostly petty crime and the very occasional violence, but north east jackson, particularly the nicer parts of it, was in its own bubble. I don't know if anywhere can really claim to be a bubble anymore.

I wonder if they ever thought about incorporating, like Mountain Brook did, basically to preserve itself. That would never fly today. I mean you're talking a city formed by segregation, then incorporated to keep it that way. Of course, they probably couldn't, because that area was always Jackson, whereas Mountain Brook was not Birmingham.

There are efforts continually to try and get Mountain Brook to share public services with Birmingham, or outright annexation, under the guise of muh consolidation to 'save money'. Won't ever happen, because those MB folks are more than happy to pay for their own stuff. And the Birmingham folks just want better things (like schools) financed by MB resources. I mean NEJ is a perfect example of what would happen if they did that. The nice parts show significant degradation, and the increased value in the rest of the city is so small or spread out that it's not noticeable.

I guess you could say that Ridgeland and Flowood tried to do that sort of thing, but the money enclave always stayed in Eastover, so neither of those towns were ever able to put a gate around themselves. And I say the money stayed there, I guess they did until here recently, when even the hardcores are starting to head to Madison/Gluckstadt. Once you think Jackson has dug so far that it's hit bedrock and it has to start rising, they break out the jackhammer.

 

[travis.sixpack]

Do any of the academies have a home school program? Down here (Mandeville/Covington, La), a few years back one of the small Christian academies started a home school program that allows homeschoolers to go classes 2-3 times a week and participate in all the sporting/spirit organizations. All the homeschool mamas, who are basically burnt out from years and years of having their kids at home 24/7 send their kids there now and a good number have switched to full-time. Enrollment has exploded and they can barely house the influx of new students.

Out of the entire church friend group, we're the only ones who send our kids to the devils workshop (public school).

 

[patdog]

Jackson is going to make a comeback at some point. The 2025 mayoral election and the Great City campaign has me optimistic that there will be a change of leadership next year.

Unfortunately, I think any optimism is delusional. Even if there is a change in leadership, it'll just be more of the same.

 

[onewoof]

Madison Central out here without any debt winning championships. Not to mention Greenville and Natchez Catholic schools

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

The 2025 mayoral election and the Great City campaign has me optimistic that there will be a change of leadership next year.

Stop taking what Clay Edwards and Kim Wade say seriously, the current mayor will win again in another landslide.

Belhaven ad Fondren will continue on their current path (modest improvement) and Eastover and surrounding neighborhoods will remain strong, but that's it. The rest of Jxn will continue to nose dive (if that's even possible).

DT is shell of what it was in the mid 90s and it's not coming back, too many professional firms have moved to Highland Colony, Madison and Flowood, the medical community has transitioning to that too. Baptist and St D will remain, but doctor's offices and specialty clinics will continue to leave for the burbs.

Jxn's best hope is to create and entrainment distinct downtown, but I don't believe current city leadership wants dollars from the burbs. The proposed casino would have been yuge, hopefully that gets done.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

Out of the entire church friend group, we're the only ones who send our kids to the devils workshop (public school).

My kids are older and did the pub, but if i were starting over I'd look at private schools.

 

[SteelCurtain74]

Do any of the academies have a home school program? Down here (Mandeville/Covington, La), a few years back one of the small Christian academies started a home school program that allows homeschoolers to go classes 2-3 times a week and participate in all the sporting/spirit organizations. All the homeschool mamas, who are basically burnt out from years and years of having their kids at home 24/7 send their kids there now and a good number have switched to full-time. Enrollment has exploded and they can barely house the influx of new students.

Out of the entire church friend group, we're the only ones who send our kids to the devils workshop (public school).

There is a private school in Ridgeland which is a hybrid private school and home school. It's called St. Augustine. They do have sports like soccer, track, archery, tennis and I believe basketball. No football or baseball teams. I believe they go to school 3 days a week and are home schooled the other two days. I'm not aware of any of the other schools doing what you're talking about.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Stop taking what Clay Edwards and Kim Wade say seriously, the current mayor will win again in another landslide.

Belhaven ad Fondren will continue on their current path (modest improvement) and Eastover and surrounding neighborhoods will remain strong, but that's it. The rest of Jxn will continue to nose dive (if that's even possible).

DT is shell of what it was in the mid 90s and it's not coming back, too many profession firms have moved to Highland Colony, Madison and Flowood, the medical community has transitioning to that too. Baptist and St D will remain, but doctor's offices and specialty clinics will continue to leave for the burbs.

Jxn's best hope is to create and entrainment distinct downtown, but I don't believe current city leadership wants dollars from the burbs. The proposed casino would have been yuge, hopefully that gets down.

Not that I like what you wrote but I agree a lot with what you’ve said.