Diana+Jones

Education & Professional Experience

I began my teaching career with a cohort of bright eyed 2nd graders in the city limits of Statesville, North Carolina. Northview Elementary was a K-2 school with a significant free and reduced lunch population. The population was diverse and the parents of this charming school district were fabulous! I insisted on a relationship with my students’ parents/foster parents and guardians, often making home visits. A mutual respect was established and many volunteers became skillfully trained tutors.

After school I was a tutor for the S.O.S. program at East Middle School in Statesville. This program focused on the whole child and often my responsibilities ranged from character education sessions/activities to remedial instruction in literacy.

During my first year as a 2nd grade teacher, I established strong professional relationships with my peers and curriculum administrators. I was encouraged to teach a variety of grade levels and seek various leadership roles in preparation for future opportunities.

The next year I taught 4th grade at Ebenezer Elementary, the 3-6 sister school. I remained at that grade while I expanded my leadership knowledge and understanding of cognitive development, relevance of appropriate material and rigor of content. Many leadership opportunities were provided such as grade level team leader, school improvement team chair and Prime Time instructor/substitute director after school.

One of the most fulfilling opportunities was the Principal Cadet program. During this internship, the principal of Ebenezer Elementary, provided various administrative opportunities such as teacher evaluations/feedback, discipline of students, conduct faulty meetings and participate in district leadership conversations.

My classroom was selected as a “model classroom” for the Inquiry Based Science Initiative, a partnership between Iredell Statesville schools and Duke University. Many phenomenal experiences came from this opportunity. I had the opportunity to study at The Exploratorium: The Museum of Science, Art and Human Perception in San Francisco, California. My knowledge of “best practice” was successfully challenged as my science cohort and I engaged in conversations with Carolina Biological and other science experts, led county collegian Inquiry Based staff development and judged the High School regional & state science fair.

I earned my master’s degree in school leadership and administration from Gardner Webb University. My first assistant principal position was working for West Yadkin and Yadkinville Elementary, the largest PK-8 schools in Yadkin County. That was followed by several years as Yadkinville Elementary assistant principal, the magnetic school for the hearing impaired. Small districts, such as Yadkin, present many opportunities to lead initiatives and staff development training. I have been influential at the school and district level in disaggregation of qualitative/quantitative data, cultivating/collaborating Hispanic PTA, training teacher mentors and reading committee partnership with Application State University.

I became principal of Courtney Elementary School in April 2009. During the school years of 2009-2010, 2010-2011, several initiative and action research projects were implemented, resulting in the school being named a School of Distinction and receiving the district nomination for the Lighthouse Award. I also had the honor of being nominated Principal of the Year by my colleagues.