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Each school performed its own dance routine to “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” at the Vicksburg Warren School District annual Convocation on Thursday. (Ben Martin | The Vicksburg Post)

Drumlines and squads of cheerleaders greeted attendees of the Vicksburg Warren School District annual Convocation on Thursday. (Ben Martin | The Vicksburg Post)

Several energetic musical performances took place at the Vicksburg Warren School District annual Convocation on Thursday. (Ben Martin | The Vicksburg Post)

Students, teachers and staff kicked off the new school year at the Vicksburg Warren School District annual Convocation on Thursday at the Vicksburg Convention Center. (Ben Martin | The Vicksburg Post)

Dr. Terence James (right), Vicksburg Warren School District’s Career and Technical Administrator, hands Superintendent Dr. Toriano Holloway (left) a rock during the “Big Rock” ceremony at the district’s annual Convocation on Thursday. (Ben Martin | The Vicksburg Post)

Superintendent Dr. Toriano Holloway gave words of encouragement to students, teachers and staff at the Vicksburg Warren School District annual Convocation on Thursday. (Ben Martin | The Vicksburg Post)

Vicksburg Warren School District Board of Trustees President Kimble Slaton, shown here at a previous speaking engagement, resigned from the board this week. (Ben Martin | The Vicksburg Post)

Deputy Superintendent Dr. Cedric Magee speaks at the Vicksburg Warren School District annual Convocation on Thursday at the Vicksburg Convention Center. (Ben Martin | The Vicksburg Post)

The Vicksburg Warren School District held its annual Teacher Convocation and Celebration on Thursday at the Vicksburg Convention Center to kick off the 2023-2024 school year.

The event was a vibrant display of enthusiasm for education. Students, teachers and staff performed song and dance routines for an audience in the hundreds. Attendees were greeted with a drumline battery beating out cadences, and several dozen cheerleaders lined the entry hallway to cheer on event-goers.

Festivities began with roll call. Students, teachers and staff from each school sat in groups. Each school stood and cheered as loud as they could when introduced by one of its respective students.

Kimble Slaton, the president of the district’s board of trustees, said a few words on the recent hiring of Dr. Toriano Holloway, the new superintendent.

“I’m very proud of our new choice of superintendent. We feel that his energy will light fires that could possibly have dwindled out over the last few years,” Slaton said.

The Big Rocks ceremony also took place.

A representative from each school came on stage to give Holloway a rock representing mission-critical objectives for the year. One rock, for instance, represented “equipping leaders for tomorrow,” and another represented “increasing average ACT scores.”

Holloway also took the opportunity to address attendees of the event.

“Together with you, we will make the Vicksburg Warren School District the best school district in the state of Mississippi,” Holloway said. “This year, the Vicksburg Warren School District will strive to make your work environment a place where you feel wanted, a place of belonging to a community, a place you feel appreciated, a place to feel carefree and safe, a place of kindness, warmth and love, a place that feeds the soul, a place to invests in you physically and emotionally, a place where you can grow.”

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