Big changes announced for VWSD, Hinds vo-tech students

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — Vicksburg Warren School District in partnership with Hinds Community College held a press conference Monday, Feb. 9, announcing major changes to the Vicksburg Secondary Center.

The new plan beginning in the fall of 2026 will allow 12th grade seniors in VWSD who want to pursue careers in technical programs to attend Hinds enrolled as full-time students. This is the first partnership of its kind in the State of Mississippi.

Hinds Community College President Dr. Stephen Vacik and VWSD Superintendent Dr. Toriano “Tori” Holloway signed the new Memo of Understanding at the Loviza Building on the Vicksburg campus of Hinds with a large crowd of supporters in attendance.

According to a release from Hinds, the program called the Pathways to Advancement Through Hinds, or P.A.T.H., initiative will provide cohorts of 12^th graders with intentional advising, consistent academic support and strong district-college collaboration to ensure students remain on track toward postsecondary credentials. This realignment positions the Vicksburg Secondary Center as a focused, purpose-driven pipeline that advances students into the workforce. 

Essentially this will allow students to graduate with a high school diploma at the same time they earn a career certificate from Hinds. The students will then only need to take one more semester from Hinds to earn their technical degree. If they choose, they may attend an additional semester to earn an applied science degree.

The goal of the restructuring is to reduce the amount of time before students can enter the workforce.

Hinds Dean of CTE and P.A.T.H. Jason Webb explained the need for the new program.

“The need for skilled trained professionals is increasing in the State of Mississippi. The projected growth of pertained skill trained areas range from about 140 to 400 per year over the next 10 years. Trades such as HVAC technicians, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, welders, mega-tronic technicians, and machinists are amongst the most needed. In order to play our part and serve our community and ensure that Mississippi has the workforce that she needs, Vicksburg-Warren School District and Hinds Community College have a plan.”

At the Vicksburg campus, Hinds currently offers construction and manufacturing career and technical education programs in precision manufacturing and machining, welding, electrical, and electromechanical on the post secondary side. Under the new P.A.T.H. program the college is expanding to include carpentry, HVAC, mechatronics and plumbing technology.

Dr. Holiday explained this was not an end to the current vocational-technical school in place at VWSD.

“It’s not an end. It’s a strengthening of the program. It will be, in our minds, a more meaningful path to employment,” said Dr. Holloway. “A kid will be able to leave school and get a job in a high growing, high demand, high paying job. That’s what we want at the end of the day.”

The official release from the district is found below:

The Vicksburg Warren School District announces the development of the P.A.T.H. initiative, Pathways to Advancement Through Hinds, a strategic realignment of the Vicksburg Secondary Center designed to expand college access, academic rigor, and workforce readiness for high school students.

Under the P.A.T.H. model, the Vicksburg Secondary Center will transition into a dedicated dual enrollment pathway serving eligible 12th-grade students. Students will remain enrolled in high school while completing college-level coursework aligned with defined academic and career pathways. The program emphasizes structured cohorts, intentional advising, consistent academic support, and strong collaboration between the district and Hinds Community College.

Beginning Fall 2026, a select group of 12th-grade students will participate in postsecondary-level Career and Technical Education programs at Hinds Community College’s Vicksburg Campus. Each program will initially enroll a minimum of five and a maximum of ten students per academic year, with the potential for growth based on program capacity and mutual agreement.

Participating students will earn postsecondary credit applicable toward an Applied Science degree or career certificate in the following areas: Welding Technology, Construction Carpentry, Precision Machining Technology, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology, Automotive Technology, Plumbing Technology, Electrical Technology, and Mechatronics Technology.

Students will attend classes either half day or full day, depending on the program, and will be integrated with college students. Curriculum will align directly with Hinds Community College’s

certificate and degree programs, and college credit will be awarded upon successful completion of coursework.

In addition to postsecondary opportunities, the district will continue to offer revised secondary-only coursework, including Work-Based Learning, with a focus on industry exposure, employability skills, and real-world application. These courses will not offer dual credit.

Secondary and dual credit programs for 11th and 12th-grade students will remain available in Health Science, Early Childhood Education, Simulation and Animation Design, and Energy Technology, allowing students to earn up to four courses over two academic years and accumulate college credit where applicable.

As part of the realignment, several programs will transition from secondary instruction to postsecondary-only instruction due to space considerations, duplication, and workforce alignment priorities. These include Welding, Carpentry, Precision Machining, Automotive, Law and Public Safety, Advanced Manufacturing, Culinary Arts, and Business Technology. Culinary Arts and Business Technology programs will transition to the Vicksburg Warren School District, while select program slots will close with the Mississippi Department of Education.

The district will also introduce additional opportunities, including Work-Based Learning courses beginning Fall 2026, a CTE Smart Start dual credit course beginning Spring 2027, and online dual credit courses in Information Systems Technology starting Fall 2026.

Eligibility for P.A.T.H. participation includes academic, attendance, behavior, and program commitment requirements. Students must complete an application process that includes eligibility review, interviews with Hinds Community College faculty and staff, notification of acceptance, and mandatory orientation for students and parents.

The Vicksburg Warren School District remains committed to providing students with pathways that support postsecondary success, workforce readiness, and meaningful career opportunities through strategic partnerships and intentional program design.

For additional information, families are encouraged to contact their school counselor or the Vicksburg Warren School District.