1 HR203
2 213146-1
3 By Representatives Moore (P) and Stadthagen
4 RFD:
5 First Read: 15-APR-21
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1 213146-1:n:04/13/2021:BH/bh LSA2021-1138
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8 HONORING DR. DANNA BENEFIELD JONES AS A BLUE RIBBON
9 SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE SUPERINTENDENT.
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11 WHEREAS, with great pride and special pleasure, we
12 highly honor Dr. Danna "Dee Dee" Benefield Jones as a Blue
13 Ribbon Schools of Excellence Superintendent; and
14 WHEREAS, Dr. Jones is only the second in the nation
15 to be recognized with this prestigious award and distinction
16 and is the first Superintendent to be recognized where all
17 schools in the district are Blue Ribbon Schools; the schools
18 were evaluated in nine categories indicative of being
19 high-performing schools, including curriculum, student focus,
20 school culture, active teaching, community relationships, and
21 technology; the Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Program then
22 conducted school visits, classroom observations, and
23 stakeholder focus groups; every school in the Hartselle City
24 School System has now been recognized as a Blue Ribbon School
25 of Excellence; furthermore, the Hartselle City School System
26 is one of the top 10 high-performing school districts in
27 Alabama under Dr. Jones's leadership; and
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1 WHEREAS, Dr. Jones is from Fort Payne, Alabama, and
2 has been in education for over 30 years; she is Hartselle's
3 first female Superintendant of Education and came to Hartselle
4 as the Director of Teaching and Learning for Hartselle City
5 Schools; in addition, she teaches at The University of Alabama
6 at Birmingham as an Adjunct Professor; she holds a Bachelor of
7 Science Degree from Jacksonville State University and both a
8 Master of Arts Degree in Elementary and Early Childhood
9 Education and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from The
10 University of Alabama at Birmingham; and
11 WHEREAS, as Hartselle's Superintendant, Dr. Jones
12 has advanced educational opportunities for Hartselle students
13 by listening when people from outside education had ideas, so
14 she then launched one of the most successful Civil Air Patrol
15 programs in the State of Alabama; being on the cutting edge by
16 connecting with area businesses and workforce development,
17 which led to multiple career and technical opportunities being
18 created, such as Tiger Launch; and leading the way for all
19 students in area districts, including Hartselle, Morgan
20 County, and Decatur City, by fighting for what is best for
21 students; and
22 WHEREAS, some of Dr. Jones's other achievements
23 include serving as a Professional
24 Development/Curriculum/Career Tech Supervisor in the Decatur
25 City School System from 2012 to 2015; being the Career and
26 Technical Education Workforce Development 21st Century Grant
27 Recipient; speaking at the School Superintendent Association
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1 Fall Conference in Florence, Alabama, in 2013 and 2016;
2 speaking at the Association for Supervision and Curriculum
3 Development Educational Leadership Conference in Chicago,
4 Illinois, in 2006; receiving the Alabama Music Educators
5 Association Outstanding Administrator Award in 2021; being
6 appointed by Governor Kay Ivey to the North Alabama Works
7 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Board on June 30,
8 2020; and receiving the John J. Sparkman Citizenship Award
9 from the Hartselle Chamber of Commerce in June 2020; and
10 WHEREAS, Dr. Jones is very active in her church,
11 Westmeade Baptist Church, where she has been a member and a
12 keyboardist since 1990; her other community involvements
13 include, but are not limited to, being a member of the
14 Hartselle Rotary Club, Hartselle Kiwanis, Delta Kappa Gamma,
15 and School Superintendents of Alabama; and
16 WHEREAS, she enjoys cooking, playing the piano,
17 watching The University of Alabama Football, and spending time
18 with her family; she and her husband of 31 years, Joey Jones,
19 have two daughters, Emsley and Caroline; and
20 WHEREAS, as an ambitious woman who is passionate
21 about serving and guiding others, Dr. Jones is an inspiration,
22 a leader, and a friend to many; now therefore,
23 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF
24 THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, That Dr. Danna "Dee Dee" Benefield
25 Jones is highly honored as a Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence
26 Superintendent, and we hereby dedicate this resolution to her
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1 with heartiest gratitude and admiration, along with sincere
2 best wishes for continued success in all future endeavors.
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