Former and future students will be seated at desks a few miles away at the Bella Vista Elementary campus, but Lincoln-Jackson Arts Academy will not be vacant when the next school year begins, school administrators said. Plans to transform the arts academy into a hub for programs aimed at increasing parent involvement were announced by Clovis Schools Administrator David Briseno during a Tuesday night school board meeting. “I can’t think of a more appropriate place to launch this innovative program,” Briseno said. “Lincoln-Jackson Arts Academy has been a place, historically, where innovative programs have been launched. We hope to continue that tradition,” he said, referring to a time when the school served black students who were segregated from other schools, as well as the present mission of the school. Lincoln-Jackson is home to a magnet school with an arts-infused curriculum. The school was established about five years ago when it was on the verge of being seized by the state because of consistently low student performance. Since its curriculum was modified, it has blossomed. To reach more students with the acclaimed arts-infused curriculum and minimize costs, school board members voted last fall to merge Lincoln-Jackson Arts Academy with Bella Vista Elementary. The groundwork for the merger is being laid, and should be complete prior to the start of the next school year. Administrators hope the Lincoln-Jackson Parent Academy will be open for business by then, as well. With no objections from school board members, Clovis Schools Superintendent Rhonda Seidenwurm said her staff will proceed with plans to implement parent-involvement programs such as the Family Leadership Institute, the Parents as Teachers program and the 21st Century Community program. Administrators of those programs will be stationed inside the building, Briseno said. “This is every bit of what I envisioned at the beginning (of the merger plan),” said school board member Terry Martin, who said he was pleased with the administration plan to utilize the building. “It is a step forward in the community for education,” he said. Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Martin stepped down from his role as school board president in a routine, annual reorganization of school board members. He served as president for about a year. “This board owes (Martin) a great deal of gratitude,” said board member Max Best. “He’s been a real servant to the community.” Former vice president of the school board Mark Lansford will fill his shoes as board president, structuring board meetings. Former secretary Best moved up to fill the vice president’s seat, and member Lola Bryant was chosen as the board secretary. All new school board positions were voted upon unanimously.