K-12 Schools in Jones County

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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 (accelerated academics) 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:

Immaculate Conception School

is a Roman Catholic parochial school that serves over a hundred students from kindergarten through the sixth grade. Immaculate Conception is a member of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and has an excellent student to teacher ratio.

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.