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School leaders tap Jones to assist superintendent
By Derek Hodges
Steve Jones, who has been serving as director of school improvement for Jackson County Public Schools, has been promoted to assistant superintendent.
School board members voted Monday (Sept. 19) to give Jones the title.
The assistant’s position has remained empty since Sue Nations became superintendent in November 2003. At the time officials said the decision to not hire a new assistant was a cost-cutting move as part of a restructuring. Recently school leaders began a move to place an assistant principal at each school, so hiring an assistant superintendent was only a natural move, Nations said.
Jones will work with and directly under Nations. While he has not yet received any new responsibilities, he does expect to take on new tasks, including directing the schools’ secondary curriculum.
Nations said the move would “make official what (Jones) is already being called on to do.”
In addition, having an assistant will provide for someone to handle administrative tasks if the superintendent is out of the office, Nations said.
Jones received a degree in education with a focus on K-12 special education from Western Carolina University. He has also completed at WCU work for a master’s degree in school administration with a focus on curriculum.
His career with Jackson County Schools is a sort of rags-to-riches story. He began as a bus driver in the spring of 1977, took subsequent jobs as a teacher’s assistant, teacher, school-level administrator and, ultimately, at the Central Office.
The move signals no intention by Board of Education members to take duties away from Nations, nor an impending departure by the head school official, Jones said.
“I hope she’s not thinking of leaving anytime soon,” Jones said. “She’s really great to work with. We’ll make a great team.”
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