Middlesboro Independent Superintendent Bill Jones began his tenure in July 2025. Photo provided by Bill Jones
Middlesboro Independent Superintendent Bill Jones has the district concentrating more on the fundamentals of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
“Our focus is going to be back to basics and (to) make sure that we get our math and reading and essential skills out there, and at the same time, provide students opportunities to work through the STEM and use the technology that’s available,” Jones said.
No stranger to taking the lead, Jones has more than 50 years of combined military and educational leadership experience. He served with distinction in the United States Army from 1973 to 1993, ultimately attaining the rank of first sergeant.
He then served more than three decades in public education. At Middlesboro Independent, he spent four years as district athletic director and played a major part in starting the U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) at Middlesboro High School. He oversaw extracurricular programming, technology operations and budget management.
Jones was also head coach for track and field and cross country, and led the boys’ basketball program as head coach for five years.
“My military experience … it’s really helped me as far as being able to do the leadership jobs in education,” Jones said. “In the military, you take care of your soldiers and your families and accomplish the mission, and of course, in education, you do the same thing.”
Prior to becoming superintendent in July 2025, Jones was principal of Middlesboro Middle School for 11 years, where he took part in integrating more STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) into the school’s curriculum. He also graduated from Middlesboro High School in 1973 after attending schools at every level in the district.
“I just love Middlesboro; I love the people in Middlesboro,” Jones said. “I love being able to use some of the things that I’ve learned over the years to help students become successful and also to help young teachers get off to a good start in the classroom. And I just want the student product to make them successful in life. We concentrate a lot on life skills and we’re in the middle of a new STEM initiative.”
He holds a superintendent certification from the University of the Cumberlands, a Rank I in principalship and administrative leadership from Union College, and a master’s degree in organizational management from Tusculum College.
Jones said the district plans to be one of the few nationally certified STEM school districts in the state by the end of this school year. The district’s elementary and middle school received the National Certificate for STEM Excellence campus certification from the National Institute for STEM Education. This year, the high school will go through the same certification, making the whole district STEM-certified.
“We’re going towards STEM because we think it gives opens pathways for kids to do more things to experiment and learn from their mistakes,” he said. “If they make a mistake, they can redo the experiment.”
The district received a grant through Verizon Innovative Learning, an initiative that provides free technology, internet access and professional development to schools and students.
The district was able to give Chromebooks to students and start a STEM lab, which is opening this school year.
“Seeing kids reach their potential or work toward reaching their potential, I think that’s good because people say you can be anything you want to be, but you got to work for it,” Jones said. “I think seeing the kids work and establish their own goals and meet those goals and reevaluate, I think that’s good.”
Jones said in his first year as superintendent, he has enjoyed seeing students grow and try new things.
“Seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces was amazing,” he said. “Everybody that graduated this past year, I had at the middle school when I was principal at the middle school, and it was just great to see those young students progress from middle school through high school and then graduating.”
Jones has remained engaged in the Middlesboro community, having been a past president of the Middlesboro Lions Club and a former member of the Middlesboro Chamber of Commerce. He looks forward to continuing to serve the community.
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