Civil Municipal - Feb 2024

comprises two year-long courses,AP Seminar and AP Research, leading to an AP Capstone Diploma upon successful completion. The district is also committed to providing a range of work-based learning opportunities, as O’Neill expands, “We have a very strong dual enrollment program with the local colleges, as well as an early middle college program, which is a five-year program where kids can do exactly what everybody else is doing in school, but they’re also going to college. When they’re done, they can receive an associate’s degree.” VCS’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program provides diverse opportunities, allowing students to attend off-site courses or choose from offerings within the school. He admits, “Because we are so strong in advanced placement, most of our kids do that track. But we do have a lot of kids that expose themselves to the dual enrollment piece, while they’re doing AP, just so they’re college ready.” Gail VanDaff, the Director of Curriculum Instruction community.” CURRICULUM AND OPPORTUNITIES For students of VCS, the path to college and career readiness begins early. “When students enter middle school, they start to find their strengths,” acknowledges O’Neill. “We don’t track the kids, but it’s a college-bound path. We also have a CTE path for career and technical education.And we also have a very, very robust fine arts program through high school.We want our middle school kids ready so that they want to push themselves.” At the high school level, Vicksburg Community Schools maintains a strong Advanced Placement (AP) Program with 18 courses, consistently earning recognition on the College Board AP School Honor Roll. Jessica Wheeler-Ponton, Communications Director, conveys,“We are known for those AP classes and the arts, in the entire county and beyond.” VCS’s AP Capstone program is unique in the West Michigan Region and helps to further set the district apart. Developed by the College Board, the program 213 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 02 VICKSBURG COMMUNI TY SCHOOLS