Lincoln Board Hires New Principal

LINCOLN — The Lincoln School Board on Monday approved the hiring of a new principal for the high school, Courtney Jones.

Jones, 39, recently moved to Lincoln with her husband and three children. Shewas assistant principal at Mayflower Middle School for one year before accepting the Lincoln position.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone and building relationships,” Jones said after the 3-0 vote by board members.

When Mary Ann Spears became superintendent July 1, the job became open for the principal position.

“We’re excited about our hire,” Spears said. “Courtney comes highly recommended and will do good things for our students and school.”

Jones has spent 13-and-ahalf years in education. She taught math and science in grades 7-12 before working as assistant principal. She also taught at the Jackson County School District in northeast Arkansas.

Jones grew up and graduated high school at Newport. She received a bachelor degree in botany at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, a master’s degree in integrated math and science and specialist degree in education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

The board also approved Jana Claybrook as high school master teacher, Billy Mere as band director and several more teachers.

Board members Connie Meyer and Kendra Moore were absent.