About Kirksey

Overview

Henry J. Kirksey Middle School is one of seven middle schools in the Jackson Public School District. It serves students in grades 6 - 8.

History

Kirksey Middle School opened its doors September 10, 2010 under the leadership of Dr. Edward Buck. Kirksey Middle School is named after the late Senator Henry J. Kirksey.

Henry J. Kirksey was an outspoken Civil Rights activist and one of the first two African American men elected to the Mississippi Senate after the Reconstruction era in Mississippi’s history. The election of more than 600 African Americans to public office in the state can be credited in part to Senator Kirksey’s service as a plaintiff, expert witness, and community organizer. He was the primary plaintiff to bring Mississippi in compliance with the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Lawsuits that he filed also led to the City of Jackson changing its form of government and the adoption of single-member legislative districts in Mississippi. In his latter years, he continued his advocacy for Civil Rights and was an adjunct professor at Tougaloo College, where he lived on campus. He died at the age of 90. He and his wife, Audrie Mann Kirksey, were the parents of three children – Henry, Jr., Karin, and Kevin. He was a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Jackson, MS.

Kirksey is 84,000 square feet with 20 classrooms, an art room, a choral room, and a band room. It includes a gymnatorium, cafeteria, a speech/hearing room, health room, and library/media center. The new building also includes boys' and girls' athletic facilities.   

Vision Statement

“Our vision is to provide the foundations for all students to transition to high school with success on grade level academically as well as the knowledge to
make responsible decisions.”

Mission Statement

Kirksey Middle School will prepare students for success by ensuring they are Ready, Responsible, and Respectful.

Educators at Kirksey Middle School will:

• Provide a climate that is safe, orderly, and clean.
• Employ the best instructional strategies for teaching and learning.
• Provide multicultural activities that produce a better understanding of many cultures and their relationship to our students’ lives.
• Provide hands-on activities, field trips, experiments, and creative community projects.
• Use computer technology to enhance learning opportunities in all disciplines.
• Provide positive incentives for improved grades, exemplary behavior, and good attendance.
• Provide healthy intramural programs that foster participation for all students and opportunities for social interaction and teamwork.
• Provide opportunities for parental involvement and ownership through shared decision-making.

General Information

School Colors: Blue, Silver, and Orange

School Mascot: Colt

School Motto: Cultivating Outstanding Learners Towards Success