How to Go
What:
Madison Elementary School dedication and ribbon cutting
When: 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7
Where: 5795 West Alexandria Road, Madison Twp.
MADISON TWP. — As part of Madison Elementary School’s building dedication, Assistant Principal Jason Jackson will jump out of an airplane and onto the football field.
“It doesn’t bother me,” Jackson said. “I volunteered myself.”
Jackson’s skydiving with Middletown’s Team Fastrax is expected to be a highlight of Thursday’s official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new school, which opened in late August.
Jackson said his military background made the decision a little easier to digest. After the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, the 1998 Madison grad joined the U.S. Army National Guard. He served from 2001-07 and spent 14 months in Iraq. While in the service, he repelled “about a dozen times.”
“They say after seven stories it all feels the same,” he said with a laugh, adding that he believes his students will get a kick out of the bravery aspect of the jump.
Jackson plans to land with an American flag, which will be raised by Cub Scout Troop 28.
Team Fastrax is not charging the district for its services.
State Rep. Tim Derikson, R-Hanover Twp., who represents the 53rd House district, will also attend the event. As will state Sen. Gary Cates, R-West Chester Twp., who represents Ohio’s fourth senate district that includes all of Butler County.
Additionally, former Madison superintendent Darrell Root is expected to speak.
Other highlights include performances by the Madison marching band and show choir.
“We scheduled this during homecoming week so we knew people would have a lot of school spirit,” said AJ Huff, district public relations coordinator. “We hope if people haven’t come out to tour the new building they’ll do so Thursday.”
Huff said the district waited a couple months before the official grand opening to ensure the bugs were worked out.
“We wanted give the students and staff a little time to get acclimated to the building and put student artwork on the walls,” she said. “We did the same thing with the grand opening of our high school in 2002.”
The district also will be dedicating the new Ruth E. Slade Media Center inside the elementary school. Slade, who taught from 1935-72, will be present for the event.
The new school is the result of a 1999 bond issue and was finished in mid-July. The 102,000-square-foot school houses kindergarten through six grades in more than 40 classrooms.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2871 or asedlak@coxohio.com.
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