Dalton BOE approves Phil Jones as new principal of Dalton Middle

Published 10:46 pm Monday, February 8, 2016

In a unanimous vote Monday night, members of the Dalton Board of Education approved Park Creek School Principal Phil Jones as principal of Dalton Middle School for the 2016-17 school year.

Jones will replace Brian Suits, who has been principal of Dalton Middle School for the past 16 years and was named Georgia Middle School Principal of the Year in 2015. He is retiring in June.

Superintendent Jim Hawkins recommended Jones to the board.

Rick Fromm, chairman of the board, congratulated Jones on the appointment.

“We know this is an exciting time of transition and you’re up to the task of all of that,” he said.

Fromm thanked Jones for his “willingness to serve” in multiple ways throughout the school district.

Jones has 16 years experience in Dalton Public Schools. He was principal at Blue Ridge School and the International Academy at Blue Ridge before becoming principal of Park Creek in 2009.

Jones said he’s excited about the opportunity at Dalton Middle.

“I know that Dalton Middle School has done a lot of great work with their students and families under Brian Suits’ leadership and I look forward to continuing that,” he said.

He said he’s ready for the challenge of going from an elementary school to the second largest school in the district.

“Working in education is a challenge, it’s something new every day, and it certainly is a team approach,” he said. “I know there will be many challenges and opportunities at Dalton Middle and I look forward to them.”

Jones said what he’s looking forward to the most is working with an experienced team.  

“My goal over the next three or four months is to learn every single thing that I can about Dalton Middle School so that I am better prepared to meet those challenges,” he said.

Jones said he will do some “role assignments” at the elementary school to allow time to work through the transition to Dalton Middle. “I’ll be working close with Mr. Suits, but I will remain principal of Park Creek until I transition in June,” he said.

Jones has a doctorate in educational administration and a master’s in secondary education from the University of Alabama. He served as principal at Mazapán School in Honduras for three years, according to a press release from the school system, and is bilingual, also knowing the Spanish language.

Hawkins said in the press release that he has the “utmost confidence that Phil will continue the ‘doing big well’ legacy that Dalton Middle possesses as established by Principal Brian Suits. I believe the parents and students will appreciate his strong focus on relationships, character and academic excellence. His commitment to the Dalton community will continue through his principalship at the middle school.”

No new principal was named for Park Creek during Monday night’s meeting.

In other action:

• Board members voted to make changes to tuition beginning with the next school year. Second child multiple discounts have been dropped, non-employee in-state tuition is increasing from $1,250 to $1,350 and in-state tuition is decreasing from $650 to $550.

• The calendar for the 2016-17 school year will include 180 student days and 190 staff days. The first day of school is set for Aug. 8 and the last day is May 25. Also next school year, instead of a full week for Thanksgiving break students will only get Wednesday through Friday.