View source for Banks Middle School

{{Infobox former school
|name           =Banks Middle School
|image          =[[File:1960s Banks HS aerial.jpg|275px]]
|years=1980s–2007
|grades         =6-8
|enrollment     =447
|enroll-year    =2006
|colors         =Columbia blue and scarlet
|mascot         =Jets
|address        =720 [[86th Street South]]
|city = Birmingham
|map      = ({{Locate_address_inline | address = 720+86th+St+S | zoom=17 | type=h }})
|district = [[Birmingham City Schools]]
}}

'''L. Frazier Banks Middle School''' is a former middle school in the [[Birmingham City Schools]] system. It was established by changing the former [[Banks High School]] into a middle school in the 1980s, under the direction of Superintendent [[Cleveland Hammonds]]. Students from Banks went on to [[Woodlawn High School]] after the 8th grade. 

In December 2000 arson caused extensive damage to the auditorium, destroying approximately $30,000 worth of band instruments which, because of ever-tightening public school budgets, have been only partially replaced. In February 2006, the South East Lake Neighborhood Association voted to appropriate $5,000 of their neighborhood funds to go toward new band instruments.

[[File:Banks.jpg|right|thumb|275px|View of the auditorium in 2017. Photo by Austin H. Stone.]]

In October 2006 the Facilities and Technology Committee of the Birmingham Board of Education heard a recommendation from new superintendent of schools [[Stan Mims]] to close Banks and transfer its students to the new [[Ossie Ware Mitchell Middle School]] which was built as an elementary school that would have replaced [[Robinson Elementary School]]. Students from Banks relocated to their new campus in [[South East Lake]] in January [[2007]].

After the school's closure, the state agreed to turn over the landmark jet to the [[Southern Museum of Flight]], where it was restored to its military colors for display.

Banks' campus was among 14 properties put on the market in early [[2008]]. In February [[2009]] Mayor [[Larry Langford]] proposed developing a pre-kindergarten program in the school in partnership with the [[Jefferson County Committee For Economic Opportunity]].

In [[2008]] columnist [[John Archibald]] reported that student records were left in the school building after it closed and that after she was made aware, interim superintendent [[Barbara Allen]] made arrangements to remove them to a secure storage facility. In [[2013]] real estate agent and [[Birmingham City Council]] candidate [[Richard Rutledge]] announced that the records remained unsecured. Shortly afterwards school system employees removed them from the vacated building.

==References==
* Jordan, Phillip. (March 23, 2006) "Hitting the right note: Can neighborhood associations help fill the funding gap for city schools?" ''Birmingham Weekly''.
* Ingram, Ron (September 20, 2006) "Ex-Jets recall success." {{BN}}
* Hickerson, Patrick (October 3, 2006) "Banks Middle closing pondered." {{BN}}
* Archibald, John (October 5, 2006) "Sad, unsafe school once was mighty." {{BN}}
* Hickerson, Patrick (January 5, 2007) "Students, staff value Banks' replacement." {{BN}}
* Archibald, John (May 31, 2007) "Banks jet to be mighty once more."  {{BN}}
* Archibald, John (June 29, 2008) "Oh no! It's all on my permanent record." {{BN}}
* McGinnis, Cory (June 21, 2013) "Unsecured documents found at Banks Middle School." ABC3340.com

[[Category:1980s establishments]]
[[Category:2007 disestablishments]]
[[Category:Former middle schools]]
[[Category:Former Birmingham schools]]
[[Category:8th Avenue South]]
[[Category:86th Street South]]
[[Category:Vacant buildings]]