Hazlehurst School DistrictThe Hazlehurst School District is composed of three schools: an elementary, middle, and high school. The elementary and middle school are located on the same campus at 435 Monticello. The high school is located at 101 S. Haley near the Hazlehurst School District Administrative Offices. Total enrollment for the district is around 1700 students.
The school district is known for its outstanding band and exceptional football team, but over the next few years it will be showcased as the only district in the state of Mississippi that is a Whole School District. On October 10, 2006, the Hazlehurst School Board voted that all three schools would incorporate the Mississippi Arts Commission’s Whole School Initiative Program (WSI) into its curriculum. This means that the arts will be infused into every class—into every discipline. WSI began in 1991 and in 2006 there are about 25 schools in the program with these being ranked as 4th and 5th level schools by the Mississippi Department of Education. The innovative program is itself ranked in the top ten of its kind in the United States. In keeping with the WSI philosophy that using the arts to motivate students doesn’t stop when the student leaves school, the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation is sponsoring an after school youth program known as Heritage House. This program provides youth with opportunities to learn about their heritage, art, and music. Academic tutoring is also available and the Nestle Corporation provides a “Reading is Fundamental” chapter in the house. |