JACKSON HIRES SCHOOL LEADER

JACKSON -- Dr. Howard Jones, superintendent of schools in Stillwater, Okla., will become Jackson's new school superintendent on July 1, the school board announced Wednesday.

Jones, a Nevada, Mo., native, replaces Wayne Maupin, who plans to retire in June after working 26 years in the Jackson school system.

Jones, 51, received his doctorate in education from the University of Missouri-Columbia. His first job was superintendent in Sedalia School District. Later, he took a position with the Missouri School Boards Association.

After deciding he wanted to work more directly with students, he accepted the job in Stillwater in 1993.

"I really wanted to come back to Missouri and get back to a more familiar setting," Jones said. "The school district out here has been excellent. We have the highest academic achievement scores and the lowest dropout rate in the state, but I have 50 years of relationships in Missouri."

The Jackson board will pay him $73,000 a year, a pay cut for Jones. But that wasn't an issue for the superintendent, who said he has made three career changes in his life that meant accepting less pay.

Jones said he looks forward to the challenge presented at Jackson, considering the district's rapid growth, lack of space and high pupil-to-teacher ration. However, his forte is long-range planning.

"I have faith in the people of Jackson," he said. "Once they are aware of the needs, I'm sure they will be supportive of the solutions."

Jones and his wife, Dona, have two grown children and a 15-year-old son, who is a sophomore at Stillwater High School.

Dr. T. Wayne Lewis, president of the Jackson Board of Education, said board members all agreed Jones was the person for the job.

Twenty-nine applicants for the superintendent's position were reduced to six finalists. A decision was reached Sunday after Lewis and fellow board member Marvin Adams returned from Stillwater, where they observed Jones at work.

"I thought the Stillwater School Board president was going to cry when he talked about Dr. Jones leaving," Lewis said. "A lot of teachers seemed very concerned about his leaving."

He added that Jones' communications skills and technological education helped win him the job.

Jones plans to visit Jackson Feb. 3 to meet some of the district patrons. He will return during a March spring break to work with Maupin and learn more about the job.