Joey Jones, principal at Robert Frost Middle School in Montgomery County, Maryland, is one of three finalists for the 2020 National Principal of the Year award.

A principal at a Rockville, Maryland, middle school is one of three finalists for the 2020 National Principal of the Year award.

Joey Jones, principal at Robert Frost Middle School, told Bethesda Magazine that his first nomination to such an award is thanks to the students and staff that “make outstanding contributions to the community every day.”

In a school survey, more than 90% of students said they felt safe and that their teachers had high expectations for them; 93% of staff said they would recommend the middle school as a good place to work.

“Every day, I try to positively impact the life of a child. That’s my daily goal,” Jones told Bethesda Magazine. “I really enjoy coming to work and trying to make a difference in the life of a student or a staff member, and that’s been the core of my time here.”

Jones started his career at Montgomery County Public Schools in 1992 as a substitute teacher and has since worked at Sligo Middle School, Thomas Edison High School of Technology and Rockville High School.

Over the past 17 years, Jones has trained 14 award-winning educational leaders who have become associate superintendents, principals or assistant principals, according to a news release from the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

“MCPS is extremely proud of Dr. Jones. His ability to engage and inspire students and educators is why he is so deserving of this recognition,” school system spokesman Derek Turner said in a statement.

NASSP said the three finalists provide “high quality learning opportunities for students … and [demonstrate] exemplary contributions to the profession.”

The other two finalists are from Massachusetts and Georgia.They are Linda McIntyre of Jeremiah E. Burke High School in Dorchester, Massachusetts and Kerensa Wing of Collins Hill High Schools in Suwanee, Georgia.

The 2020 National Principal of the Year will be announced in October during National Principals Month.