Jan Jones started kindergarten at a DISD school — Truett Elementary. And in 1973, she graduated from another — Bryan Adams High School, where she met her now husband Mike, a 1971 B.A. graduate. Their three daughters attended DISD schools, and there may be no bigger champion of the district than Jan Jones.
The 32-year DISD veteran retired at the end of the school year. She most recently was principal of Highland Meadows Elementary, where students, teachers and parents loved her.
“She’s the best principal I’ve ever worked for, and I’ve worked in six districts,” says Jean Morrison, who came out of retirement to work for Jones at Highland Meadows.
Jones would visit each classroom every morning, with a smile on her face, to say “hello” and give a positive message like “I hope you learn a lot today,” Morrison says.
As a principal, she was approachable and attentive to everyone. But Jones says her leadership went beyond greetings and positive messages.
On occasions when educators weren’t doing their jobs well, and they didn’t respond to coaching and mentoring, Jones was not afraid to advise them to move on to something else. Teaching is hard, and it’s not for everyone. When one teacher lacks passion, it’s a failure for the whole school, Jones says.
“In DISD, I have been a student, a parent, a teacher and an administrator,” she says. “And throughout my career, I’ve tried to look at every situation from all of those perspectives before making a decision.”
Jones was reluctant to retire, and she did it because she wanted to spend more time with her family. But the former Bryan Adams cheerleader is still rooting for public schools.
“I cannot say enough about the students, parents and teachers of the Dallas Independent School District,” she says. “Our schools really depend on parent involvement, and I’ve been very blessed to work with some of the best.”
Two of Jan and Mike Jones’s daughters are DISD teachers as well. Shanna Jones is the adademic coordinator at Spence Junior High School, and Molly Mandell teaches pre-K and talented-and-gifted at Zaragoza Elementary School. A third daughter, Katelin Jones, is a hair stylist at Salons in the Park.
