For Carl Hearn, Monday’s Vicksburg Warren School District community forum was more than a chance to voice his opinion. It was a fact-finding mission to decide whether to remain in the district.

About two dozen parents, guardians and relatives of students attended the meeting at Sherman Avenue Elementary hoping to hear about Common Core Standards, a possible consolidation of Vicksburg and Warren Central high schools and the future of the nearly 9,000-student district.

Hearn said his family has considered moving to Clinton, pointing to that school district’s A rating for High Achievement.

“For a town, that directly affects the tax-base,” said Hearn, an employee of Batesville Casket. “Vicksburg has the potential to bring people back or, in this case, retain people. I wanted to check out the future core curriculum and I want to hear about consolidation.”

Hearn’s only child, Adison, is a sixth-grader at Redwood Elementary School.

“It’s fact-finding for me right now,” Hearn said of consolidating the schools. “To be honest, I want to find out if it’s going to be a plus or minus for the high schools. I’m not opposed at all if it helps us to get to a better quality of education.”

The first community forum hosted by the Vicksburg Warren School District was Thursday night at Dana Road Elementary School. The cafeteria, where the meeting was held, was packed with about 200 people.

That wasn’t the case Monday night. About 40 people attended.

Those attending heard about the district’s current ratings, test scores, goals and results of the forums hosted last year.

Parents and guardians were asked to answer four questions, ranging from technology skills to a possible consolidation of the district’s secondary schools.

Consolidation presented one of the touchiest subjects up for discussion. Last week, Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Swinford said the district was ready to broach the subject with the community after seeing the topic drawing interest on several Facebook pages.

District officials have said regardless of whether the schools are consolidated, aging facilities present a problem for the district.

Built in 1965, Warren Central houses about 1,150 students. Vicksburg High School, formerly H.V. Cooper, was built in 1958 and has about 1,100 students.

Swinford said the forums present a good opportunity for her to hear from the community on all four issues.

“We were very pleased,” Swinford said. “I think we got a lot of feedback in all areas. That’s what we were looking for.”

Following Monday’s meeting, Swinford said the staff will compile the questionnaires and comments in hopes of making one cohesive list of goals based on the feedback.

“After the second forum, we’re going to meet and decide if we have to do some follow-up forums,” Swinford said. “It’s not as easy to just say, ‘Oh yeah, we’re done.’ We want to make sure we have enough input and feel that we can move forward with the information.”

Tina Rowland’s twins, Emma and Evan, are fourth-graders at Sherman. Rowland said she simply wants an idea of where the district stands and where it is headed.

“I’m just interested in education, period,” Rowland said. “I’d rather have hands-on, face-to-face work with the district than read something online. It just makes it easier.”

As for consolidation, Rowland’s preference is clear.

“I think we should do whatever’s best for the students,” Rowland said. “I think there’s been too much rivalry in the past, but you have to do what’s best from an education standpoint.”

Lorann Archer, whose granddaughter Jannah is a kindergartner at Sherman, said she, too, attended for general information.

“I want to understand what the superintendent’s goals and objectives are and how she plans to accomplish those,” she said.

Archer also said she is interested in the state’s role in VWSD, especially relating to the future curriculum.

“I want to hear what’s coming from the state and what’s locally driven,” Archer said. “I have a lot of concerns, like what the state is mandating and how do we incorporate those mandates so our kids have a fair opportunity.”

Archer said she did not grow up in Vicksburg, so she would need to hear more about the benefits and shortcomings of consolidation.

“Whatever is done needs to be the best decision educationally,” Archer said. “Regardless, each school should be structured to provide equal opportunity. We owe that to the children.”

Swinford and other school officials have said consolidation will not be discussed officially until more gauging of the community has been completed.

Further forums have been discussed, but not scheduled.