Lakeland Middle Preparatory School (LMPS) will be dedicated and the ribbon cut to officially open the new 112,000 square foot facility at 4:30 p.m. July 30.
The history-making event will begin with a brief dedication ceremony, followed by an open house format for guests to view the new school, according to Dr. Ted Horrell, superintendent for the Lakeland School System (LSS). Dr. Horrell and Matt Adler, principal of LMPS, will host the public and elected and appointed officials at the event.
The school is at 5020 Lions Crest Drive which can be accessed by taking Canada Road just north of the intersection of Canada Road and U. S. Highway 70 and then turning right on the newly constructed Campus Drive.
The new middle school will welcome more than 600 fifth through eighth grade students during the 2017-18 school year which begins in August, according to Dr. Horrell.
LMPS joins Lakeland Elementary as the second school in the LSS and will allow the system to grow from a K-5 system with approximately 940 students to a K-8 system with approximately 1,500 students in its first year, said Dr. Horrell.
The site is part of a 94-acre piece of land that will eventually hold the middle school, a future high school and a full collection of athletic facilities. There is no timetable for the completion of the high school or athletic facilities.
Current and former members of the Lakeland Board of Commissioners and the Lakeland School Board plan to attend along with elected and appointed representatives from throughout Shelby County.
The property was purchased for $1 million from the Jones-Gilliland Group, LLC.
The six municipal districts in Shelby County opened for the 2014-15 school year as separate districts after Memphis City Schools surrendered its charter and Memphis schools became part of the Shelby County School System.
Through school year 2016-17, Lakeland middle students attended Arlington Middle Schools. Those in grades 9-12 will continue to attend Arlington High School through an inter-local agreement with Arlington Community Schools.
See press release from LSS.
in grades 9-12 will continue to attend Arlington High School through an inter-local agreement with Arlington Community Schools.
