Fairfield Names Jones New Superintendent of Schools

FAIRFIELD, CT — Dr. Toni Jones was appointed the new superintendent of Fairfield Public Schools by the Board of Education at Tuesday night’s meeting.

Jones, currently the superintendent in the Falls Church City school district in Virginia, will begin serving in her new role in Fairfield on Dec. 5. She will replace interim Superintendent Steven Tracy, who has been in the role since Aug. 1 when Dr. David Title retired to take a full-time position with Sacred Heart University.

Jones has broad educational experience, including five years as Superintendent in the Falls Church City (Va.) school district. Jones was born and raised in Oklahoma, and is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno, where she received a B.S. with a dual major of Special Education and Elementary Education, according to a press release. She also has a Masters in Reading from Charles Sturt University (New South Wales) and a Doctorate in Leadership from Oral Roberts University.

The school board selected Jones after an extensive national search, which was conducted by executive search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA).

HYA began the process in March 2016, by holding numerous focus groups with a wide range of stakeholders including FPS administrators, staff, union leaders, students, community leaders, elected officials, parents, and Fairfield residents, in order to identify the desired leadership qualities for the next superintendent.

“HYA conducted a professional and thorough search which resulted in a competitive field of candidates,” Board of Education Chairman Philip Dwyer said in a statement. “Dr. Jones has a variety strengths, qualities and experiences that the Board feels will help the district move forward.

“The FPS has benefited from strong, high quality superintendents in the past, and I believe Dr. Jones continues that tradition.”

Read more from the press release below:

Jones began her career in education in the Reno, Nevada public school system in 1989. She moved overseas to Australia in 1991 and taught there for five years, before returning to her home state of Oklahoma, where she worked as a teacher in the Moore public school system before moving to the Deer Creek public school system – first as an elementary school principal, next as a middle school principal, then as Director of Secondary Education and technology, and finally as Chief Academic Officer – a job she held for two years before she was hired as Superintendent of Falls Church City schools in 2011.

“It is an honor to be appointed Superintendent of Schools in such a wonderful community,” Jones said. “I look forward to building on the good work of those caring and committed educators, board members, and community members who have come before me, and to serving the students and staff of the Fairfield Public Schools.”

According to HYA, 27 candidates from 12 states applied for the position and six were brought forth to the BOE for its consideration. The BOE interviewed all six candidates and invited four back for a second interview before coming to its final decision.

Under Dr. Jones’ leadership in Falls Church, her district and schools have been recognized with the following honors:

One of two districts recognized by the state of Virginia with a 2016 Virginia Index of Performance award for advanced learning and achievement

One of the top three districts in VA in the state standardized SOL test scores

George Mason High School received a national ranking of 160 from US News & World Report’s annual High School report, as well as a ranking of #123 nationwide for STEM programs, and also a ranking of #4 in the state

Jones and her family plan to reside in Fairfield.

Image via Shutterstock