MACON, Ga. — It was a big night for 2019 National Superintendent of the Year Curtis Jones. "There's an outpouring of love and support, and that's what I feel tonight," he said.
The nation's 2019 Superintendent of the Year Curtis Jones was overcome with emotion as the community came together to celebrate him. "I think about all this recognition. What it tells me is that we value public education and that we're in this together, and we're going to continue to improve."
The Bibb County School District and The Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce hosted the evening festivities. Everyone from school leaders down to elementary school students came out to show their support.
Blake Sullivan, the co-chair of the Business Education Partnership, sat behind Jones during the presentations. "There are about 50,000 school districts in the US, and tonight, we are so excited that the National Superintendent of the Year comes from Macon-Bibb," he said.
He gave a speech about Jones tremendous effort in making people believe in the Bibb County School system. "He's leveraged that trust so that other people will be able to walk alongside him to help our public schools attain what they're doing today," Sullivan said.
Board President Lester Miller also gave a speech, announcing their offer to extend Jones's contract as Superintendent to July 2022. "I don't want to get you scared, but Dr. Jones ain't going nowhere," Miller said.
Another highlight of the night was the $175,000 endowed scholarship presented by the Peyton Anderson Foundation and the Community Foundation of Central Georgia that will go towards the Curtis Jones Leadership Award.
As the night came to a close, Chief of Staff Keith Simmons wanted to say a few words to the superintendent of the year. "I salute you as a leader, I salute you as a boss, but more importantly I salute you as a person who recognizes the value in people as a whole," Simmons said.
"This is a crowning achievement for me and I'm very happy. I will retire from here," Jones said.
Jones was surprised with a video message from Former President Jimmy Carter and the Atlanta Falcons CEO Rich McKay, congratulating him on the national title.
April 2019 marks Jones's 4-year anniversary with the Bibb County School District.