Hope Jones, who currently serves as assistant head of lower school at Viewpoint School in Calabasas, Calif., will be Darlington School’s next director of ELA-8, effective July 1, 2014, announced Headmaster Tom Whitworth today.
“Hope has a tremendous amount of professional and life experience from great schools around the country, and I am so excited for her to bring her expertise to Darlington,” Whitworth said. “Curriculum is one of her greatest strengths, and there is no doubt in my mind that she will help us raise the bar even higher in terms of the program and the experience we are able to offer to our ELA-8 families. It’s also exciting that, like our incoming Head of School Brent Bell, her children will be part of our school community. It will be great to have Hope and her family engaged in the Darlington Community on many levels.”
Jones was selected from among three external finalists who interviewed with the ELA-8 Director Search Committee and various other constituent groups during their recent on-site visits to Darlington. She replaces Dr. James Hutchins, who is
leaving at the end of the school year to become president/headmaster of The Donaho School in Anniston, Ala.
“Hope has a wealth of experience in independent school education as a teacher, curriculum coordinator and administrator, but – most importantly – she has a heart for ELA-8 students,” said science teacher Randy Smith, chairman of the Search Committee. “Her enthusiasm is contagious and inspiring. She is an excellent communicator, a strong team builder, and a highly motivated, goal-oriented leader with southern roots. Hope has spearheaded technology and global education initiatives at her present school, and we feel confident that she will lead Darlington’s ELA-8 program toward a thriving future!”
Incoming Head of School Brent Bell played a critical role in the hiring of this position, and had the opportunity to interview each of the ELA-8 director finalists on campus.
“First, I want to thank Randy Smith and the Search Committee for the gracious way they included me throughout the search process. It was a testament to their commitment to do what is best for Darlington,” said Bell, who will replace Whitworth upon his retirement in July. “During our meeting, I knew that Hope was the right choice for Darlington when she told a story about getting down on the floor with the youngest students in her school. This clear demonstration of love for children will make her an integral part of the Darlington family.”
Jones has served as assistant head of lower school at Viewpoint School since 2009. She is also primary and lower school curriculum coordinator, co-chair of the Technology in Curriculum Task Force, and communication liaison for K-5 school publications. She oversees curriculum mapping, professional development, testing and special events, and works closely with admissions, summer academic programs and communications. She has also helped implement innovative initiatives like the Global Studies program and a MakerSpace for grades K-5.
Jones holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and English from the University of Alabama – Huntsville as well as an M.A. in Middle Level Curriculum and Instruction from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. She has 15 years of teaching experience at schools in Alabama, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and California, and is affiliated with the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Educational Records Bureau, the National Association of Independent Schools, the California Association of Independent Schools and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
“An engaged, thriving academic community, Darlington stands at the forefront of independent education,” Jones said. “Students brim with enthusiasm and passion for their purple and white. Teachers possess vocation: writing blogs, capturing teachable moments, educating with heart. Parents stand as genuine partners. Administrators look to forge and found new paths for the good of the school. When writing about the founding of Rome, the poet Virgil suggests that courage and diligence push paths to the stars. Much the same could be said about Darlington School. Traditions and current wisdoms poise Darlington for its next great chapter. I am thrilled to be a part of this journey.”
Whitworth added that he would like to thank Smith and the members of the ELA-8 Director Search Committee – Tommy Atha, Alice Clements, Julie Fine, Laura Hicks, Kevin Ivester (’87), Beth Pollard, David Powell and Melja Watkins – for their work.
“I am so proud of the way Randy and his team handled this important process,” Whitworth said. “After looking at a large number of qualified candidates from around the country, they brought three terrific finalists to campus for our consideration. The committee crafted an extensive interview process that included the solicitation of feedback from students, parents, faculty, staff and administrators. Their attention to inclusivity should be commended and ultimately led them to – what I believe to be – the best possible decision for our ELA-8 program and for Darlington School as a whole.”
Jones and her husband, Charles, have two children, Hannah, 14, and Charlie, 10.
