News

Jones honored for school health clinic support

Henderson County schools superintendent David Jones

By Bill Moss, Published: December 11, 2012

Henderson County schools Superintendent David L. Jones has been named the 2012 School Superintendent of the Year by the North Carolina School Community Health Alliance.

He accepted the award on Dec. 4 at the Annual Conference of the School Community Alliance in Raleigh. The local organization responsible for school-based health centers in Henderson County, Blue Ridge Community Health Services, nominated Jones and for his extraordinary support of the four school-based health centers in his school district: Apple Valley Middle, Bruce Drysdale Elementary, Hillandale Elementary and North Henderson High. The award noted his concern not only for the education curriculum but for the well-being of the whole student.
Jones believes that school-based health centers keep kids healthy, in the classroom, and more successful learners, the school system said in a news release. He demonstrates that by stressing the importance of health and the school health centers to parents, visitors to the school, staff, and school board. He is an advocate for school health centers, not just internally in his home district, but across the community.
Jones has spent his entire career working in the Henderson County Public Schools. He began as a teacher and coach in 1978 and as served as an assistant principal, principal, Senior Director and Associate Superintendent before being named Superintendent in 2010. He was the recipient of the 2007 North Carolina High School Athletic Association Merit Award and was the 1994 Wachovia Principal of the Year for Henderson County.

In 1991 he received the North Carolina Education Certificate of Appreciation from Governor James G. Martin. As coach, his 1983-84 boys basketball team won the state championship and he was selected as the Western North Carolina Coach of the Year.