All education leads to employment, according to a handout for the Vicksburg Warren School District outlining its current learning initiatives.

The handout, given to those in attendance at the Vicksburg Kiwanis Club Tuesday, outlines different ways the school district aims to transform its schools and keep them relevant; topics the district’s communications director and media specialist Christi Kilroy addressed at the meeting.

“I was drawn to the opportunity to work at the (district) when there are so many good things, exciting things, transformative things going on,” Kilroy said.

She outlined a few of VWSD’s new undertakings for the recently begun school year: an increase to nine Leader in Me schools with the addition of Warrenton Elementary, South Park Elementary, Sherman Avenue Elementary and Academy of Innovation; a new high school; and the addition of 10th grade academies.

“As a community and as a school district, we are certainly, certainly looking to become a Leader in Me district,” she said, noting two of the district’s schools are considered Lighthouse Schools for “completely integrating the seven habits (based off of the book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”) and Leader in Me into the culture of your school.”

The city’s newest high school, River City Early College High School, is something Kilroy said will take time for the community to adjust to after having two high schools for so long.

“Those students have the opportunity while they’re in school to not only get their high school degree in four years but an associate’s degree. They might also get career/technical training depending on their personal passions and goals. It’s tailored for them,” she explained, noting that all students have the opportunity to earn a two-year associate’s degree while dually enrolled at Hinds Community College though they are not guaranteed one if enrolled in the college.

Kilroy said unlike the Academy of Innovation, where students are technically still enrolled at Warren Central or Vicksburg High schools, the Early College is a completely separate high school, where students are also separate from Hinds Community College students.

As of now, they do not have sports teams or extracurriculars because there are only 60 students, she said, though the number of students is expected to increase by 60 as each new class is created over the next four years.

Those freshmen students were selected through an application process based on perceived potential and/or academic performance, she said.

“They have to want to work hard to take those additional classes,” she said. “I expect it will be very competitive.”

In addition to the new high school, the school district is implementing academies, which Kilroy called “mini majors,” for all 10th grade students.

The academies allow students to choose a particular academic area that is incorporated throughout their studies. These academies include ACME, which includes architecture, construction, mechatronics and engineering; CAP, which includes communications, arts and business; and HHS, which includes health and human services. They can change their academy selection between years, she said.

“These kids are getting some information through one of these pathways so they can start exploring what their career likes and dislikes may be from a lot earlier age,” she said. “We’re doing these programs to build relevancy across the board for our students. The more they can get an understanding of why they’re studying something, the more invested they will be and the more likely they will be to stick with us and graduate.”

Those in attendance raised questions about the districts’ latest Department of Education scores and what was being done to increase the marketability of the district to those looking to settle in Vicksburg.

“We are certainly doing everything we can. That’s not to make excuses; we know we have to make improvements,” she said. “Things like River City Early College and the academies build relevancy for these students so that the retention rate goes up. We would certainly like our schools to be an attractor rather than a detractor.”