Dr. Mark Jones started his first year of being superintendent for Pittsylvania County in December of this past year after the retirement of James McDaniel. The School Board voted Dr. Jones in unanimously for a 3 ½ year contract from December 1, 2015 through June 30, 2019. He was selected among 25 applicants from across the country.

Dr. Jones’s previous roles in Pittsylvania County included math teacher, coach, principal, director of secondary education, and assistant superintendent for instruction. Dr. Jones previously worked for 7 years alongside Mr. McDaniel as director and assistant superintendent before moving to King William County. There he served as a superintendent for 8 years before returning to Pittsylvania County.

He acknowledges the big shoes Mr. McDaniel left to fill.

“He is a great role model. You can only hope to halfway fill his shoes.”

Jones started his career after graduating from Bassett High School in 1980 and majoring in math and business at Averett University. He completed his Doctorate at the University of Virginia.

In high school, Jones was involved in track, football, baseball, basketball and band. He encourages students to do the most they can while in high school and work as hard as they can.

“Do as much as you can because high school goes faster than you think and you can’t get these years back. It’s not about making straight A’s. It’s that you put in the effort and have a good attitude. You face obstacles every day. Everyone is going to have setbacks. Knowing how to rebound is the key,” he said.

Jones is very dedicated to giving students the education they need, and it is evident by the effort he puts into his work.

Each day, he handles a multitude of tasks all with Pittsylvania County’s students in mind. On days when there is inclement weather, Jones travels through the county starting at 3:45 AM until 5:30 AM, making sure the roads are safe for buses to travel.

The policies that matter most to students such as dress code, cell phone usage, and the size of classes are also of concern to Dr. Jones.

“The key to dress code is to look presentable. In everything that you do you are making an impression, and you always want to make a good impression,” said Jones.

Jones believes that Pittsylvania County’s cell phone policy is working. Cell phones can be distractions that direct the focus of students away from learning.

“[Phones] can cause a lot of issues during the school day. Many students would be responsible enough to have phones during the day, but this creates difficulties for others. We want to make the school environment conducive to learning for all students,” said Jones.

In regards to what some would consider overcrowding at Tunstall, he responded, “We follow the state guidelines about how many students can be in a classroom and how many students one teacher can teach. If we were to look at rezoning, we would conduct a thorough study to determine what is best for the school division and the communities we serve.”

His strategy for the future of Pittsylvania County Schools is to continue the great work that has already been started.

“The plan is to continue improving on the good learning experiences available by providing 21^st Century learning opportunities for students. We want to provide students with the skills they will need to be successful and productive citizens. We are preparing students to be life-long learners so that during their lifetimes they can compete for jobs that may not exist today. I would like for each of you to be able to say when you are adults that Pittsylvania County Schools provided an education that helped you to be successful.”

Jones also is making an effort to be active in the community by attending sporting events, concerts, and anything else that gets him involved with the 20 different schools. His favorite part about being a superintendent is “the good students. Pittsylvania County has great students.”

Jones is following in his father’s footsteps by being a superintendent. His father was a superintendent in Henry County. Since he grew up around this job, Jones knew the demands and work required for leading a school system from an early age.

Dr. Jones and his wife, Sherrie, are parents of two boys. Their sons both attended Brosville Middle School, where Jones used to be a principal. Jason graduated from Tunstall and is now a tax and corporate attorney in Miami, Florida. Daniel attended Tunstall High School, completed his senior year in King William County Schools and following college, is now back in Pittsylvania County Schools teaching at Brosville Elementary School.

Besides spending time with his wife and children, Jones also enjoys running and lifting weights.

Jones wants to continue to make Pittsylvania County Schools “A Great Place to Learn and Work.” No matter what decisions or actions he will take as superintendent, overall he wants students to remember “that Pittsylvania County Schools provided an education that helped them to be successful adults.”