MEMPHIS, Tenn. — With shovels in hand on Thursday morning, students and staff celebrated the groundbreaking of the future Memphis Merit Academy charter school located in Parkway Village.
The location of the school building used to be a former Kroger on American Way.
It will replace the current school nearby that opened in 2019.
Right now "MMA" offers kindergarten through fourth grade. Leaders of the institution plan to add a fifth grade when the new school building is scheduled to open in the 2024-2025 school year.
Founder and head of the school Lakenna Booker said that Memphis Merit Academy was one of the first charter schools in the 38118 zip code.
"Memphis Merit Academy represents opportunity no matter their socioeconomic background to have access to a high quality educational option," Booker said.
The Memphis Merit Academy head of school hopes to eventually expand the facility to educate grades k through eighth.