After Alabama’s state superintendent of education nominated John S. Jones Elementary for a big honor, Principal Tanya Clark said she had to keep quiet about it — while she gathered information for the school’s application.
“We had to be very secretive. I’d just say, ‘It’s for a national honor,’” Clark with a laugh, recalling how she collected information about school programs to spotlight and prepared to submit the school’s scores on state assessments.
But the Etowah County school system now can shout about it: John S. Jones was named a U.S. Department of Education 2020 National Blue Ribbon School in the performance category Exemplary High Performing Schools.
Five Alabama schools were named Blue Ribbon Schools; nationally, 357 were honored.
It’s the second time John S. Jones Elementary has received the distinction. It was named a Blue Ribbon School during the 2001-2002…
