Jones County Schools

Jones County Public Schools applied for an EOC Network Affinity Group Support Award with the goals of attracting, retaining and promoting diverse educators in the county and creating a community between EOCs that boosts morale, increases cultural awareness and promotes an inclusive work environment.

Barbara Lee, director of Career and Technical Education and a member of the EOC Network Steering Committee, formed a Jones County EOC Committee to develop and implement an action plan for the new initiative.

During the spring of 2023, the team formed a Future EOC group and held a series of events for high school students interested in a teaching career. Participating students attended the Coloring the Landscape Summit held at UNCW’s Watson College of Education in March 2023 and a Career Day to network with representatives from teacher educator programs at HBCUs and other colleges/universities. At other events, Dr. Norma Sermon-Boyd, retired superintendent of Jones County Schools and Dr. Jose Garcia, director of STEM Education and K-12 Curriculum for Greene County Schools joined the group to share their stories with students.

“We are working hard to promote awareness of the possibilities for future educators of color,” Lee said. “To hear Dr. Norma Sermon-Boyd, a former African American superintendent, speak about her educational journey was powerful for students. And, inviting Dr. Garcia as a speaker helped us to engage the Latino community.”

Twenty-three students participated in the inaugural JCS Future EOC group in the spring of 2023. In the fall of 2024, the Jones EOC Committee expanded their efforts with EOC Recruitment Days at local elementary and middle schools. In November the group held a fundraiser to aid students in the cost of a two-day overnight field trip to various colleges and universities. Funds raised will also assist with the establishment of an EOC Leadership Scholarship to assist students of color as they attend college to become teachers and return back to teach in Jones County Public Schools. This spring, the first JCPS EOC Scholarship was awarded to A’nyia Barfield.

A social media marketing plan is also underway to raise awareness and expand involvement from parents and the community.

“There is a continuous need for Jones County Public Schools to recruit educators of color,” Lee said. “We are excited about the positive response we’ve received from students, parents and the community and look forward to building on our early success in the future.”

In addition to Lee, members of the Jones County EOC Committee are Suddona Murrell and Nadine Gordon, both CTE teachers at Jones Senior High School; Denise Taylor, Dean of Students at Jones Senior High School; and Hazel Dozier, former JCPS History teacher.

For more information on the Educators of Color Network, please visit the EOC Network website.