Education

We in Jones County believe that a good life, a thriving economy and community ideals cannot come about without the means and desire for education. It’s not just about preparing people for future employment – it’s also about instilling the values of good citizens and neighbors, the values that have made our region strong and confident.

We also believe that learning begins at birth – and continues all through life. We’ve worked hard to achieve excellence in educating our children. Our institutions of higher learning have a proven record of success preparing young men and women for the careers of their choice. And, we are proud of the many opportunities available for those retired from their careers but not from their own intellectual curiosity.

Here, then, is a glimpse of our greatest asset – those institutions and educators who are making a valuable difference in Jones County.

Public Schools

Jones County has a strong foundation of K-12 schools. With two public systems and a number of private institutions, the children of Jones County make their trek to adulthood in an environment dedicated to excellence.

Jones County School District
JCSD “is a community partnership that empowers and inspires students to reach their maximum potential and become productive citizens by providing challenging educational experiences through effective teaching strategies in environments conducive to learning.”

The district operates eleven schools – eight elementary and four high schools – with a total enrollment of over 8,000 students and ninety percent of the schools at a Level 4 or 5 State Achievement Level.

JCSD elementary and middle schools offer a variety of academic, character and remedial programs, such as Accelerated/Star Math, Character First and My Reading Coach. In addition to solid academic instruction, the four high schools offer several athletic and extracurricular programs – all major sports and a variety of performing and visual arts groups.

Laurel School District
This city district operates three elementary, one magnet elementary, one middle school and one high school with a total enrollment that surpasses 3,000.

In addition to a full array of academic, sports and extracurricular programs, Laurel schools are making inroads with fully-networked interactive online technology. Students have access to various academic resources like Magnolia, a statewide consortium that provides online library databases, and teachers can manage classroom and grading paperwork through a networked server.

Private Schools

Jones County has three private institutions for elementary and secondary education open to students throughout the county:

Laurel Christian School
 provides a classical education from a Christian worldview for students in kindergarten through high school. Laurel Christian is sponsored jointly by Audubon Drive Bible Church and Westminster Presbyterian Church, and is a member of the Association of Classical and Christian Schools.

St. John’s Day School
 was established in 1950 under the auspices of St. John’s Episcopal Church. St. John’s now instructs approximately 200 students from kindergarten through the sixth grade with an emphasis on comprehensive academics in a Christian and family setting. 

Higher Education

Residents of Jones County have access to a number of institutions of higher learning within the region. We are in easy commuting distance to a junior college, two private colleges and one state university.

Jones County Junior College
 JCJC is the state’s largest single-campus two-year college. Fully committed to the junior college philosophy, JCJC offers not only academic instruction toward pursuit of higher degrees, but several career and technical certification programs, including those necessary in the technology and allied health fields. In recent years, JCJC has increased its offerings and sponsorship of advanced technology, the new South point Advanced Technology Center at the Howard Technology Park the latest in a series of advancements toward this industry. JCJC emphasizes the full educational experience for students with a variety of sports, the performing and visual arts and student life organizations.

Southeastern Baptist College
SBC was established in 1948 to provide an excellent two-year curriculum in a Christian setting. The college strives to maintain a Christian atmosphere both in and out of the classroom and more personal attention for individual students as they prepare for continued studies in the college and university setting. SBC is also highly involved in community outreach programs.

The University of Southern Mississippi
Southern Miss is one of the largest public universities in the State of Mississippi. The main campus located in Hattiesburg – less than thirty miles from Laurel along Interstate 59 – this fully-accredited four-year school offers several bachelors, masters and doctoral degree programs. In recent years, Southern Miss has developed advanced research and study programs in polymer science, and is a driving force in progressing advanced technology in our area.

William Carey University
Also located in Hattiesburg, William Carey University is a private four-year institution operated by the Mississippi Baptist Association. William Carey offers several bachelors and masters degree programs, including a bachelor degree in nursing. William Carey also excels in athletics with competitive baseball and basketball programs.