The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Donna Boone as Chief Academic Officer. Dr. Boone will begin the position in mid-March.
Dr. Boone has been superintendent of the Forrest County Agricultural School District (FCAHS) for the past six years and previously served as superintendent of the Quitman School District. She has had experiences in K-16 education in Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana. Her 30-plus years in education have included serving as a teacher assistant, teacher, lead teacher, assistant principal, principal, director at the MDE, educational consultant, adjunct professor, assistant superintendent, and superintendent.
Dr. Boone is a graduate of North Forrest High School in Hattiesburg and earned her B.S. at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. She earned a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Mississippi College and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Along with her experience as a school, district, and state administrator, Dr. Boone has served on numerous state and regional committees. She has served on MDE committees and taskforces for the Achievement School District, Teacher Leadership, and Educator Effectiveness. She currently serves on the State Superintendent’s Superintendent Advisory Council, on the FCAHS Foundation Board, and as Vice President of Southern Regional Educational Service Agency. She has served on the board of East Mississippi Center for Educational Development and the Gulf Coast Education Initiative Consortium. She also served as facilitator for the Pine Belt Superintendent group for four years.
Dr. Boone has presented at numerous local, state, and regional conferences. She has served as a facilitator for the Principals’ Academy in Mississippi, on the Millsaps Principals Institute Board, and as a presenter and facilitator for the Millsaps Principals Institute.
Dr. Boone has experience working with both high-performing schools and turning around low-performing schools. She has been recognized as Teacher of the Year, Administrator of the Year, Distinguished Service Award for District Office, and Educational Celebrity for Georgia’s Leadership Institute for School Improvement. She was selected for Mississippi’s Superintendent Academy Cohort 3 as well as the Mississippi School Board Association Prospective Leadership Academy. While in Georgia, she served on Georgia’s Standards and Grading Committee and was one of 25 in the state to be selected for the Georgia School Superintendent Association Professional Development Program.
Dr. Boone is married to Coach Joel Boone, and they have two children and two grandchildren.