D'Yonne Jones

Miss D'Yonne Stella Marie Jones, an Intensive English I and African American Studies teacher at Lafayette Parish School System is in her 10th year of experience as an educator. 

Upon graduating from Teurlings Catholic High in 2007, she attended Louisiana State University A & M in Baton Rouge from 2007 - 2012. After obtaining multiple Bachelor's degrees from LSU, D'Yonne began her career as a Lafayette Parish School System substitute teacher and was hired as a full-time paraeducator at S. J. Montgomery from October 2013 until May 2016. She served as an Executive Board Member of the Lafayette Parish Association of Educators (LPAE) during that time.

 During the 2016 - 2017 SY, she began her classroom instructional practices for the Iberia Parish School Board as a Grade 4 Math Teacher at Johnston-Hopkins Elementary. She completed her student teaching experience to obtain a Mild/Moderate Special Education teacher certification. After matriculating with a Master of Education in "Special Education: Cross-Categorical and Teaching" from Grand Canyon University, she transitioned to middle school as a Science teacher for Apex Collegiate Charter Academy, scoring Proficient Level in Mathematics for the 2017 - 2018 VAM cycle. 

In the fall of 2018, D'Yonne Stella Marie Jones was recruited by the East Baton Rouge School System as a fully certified Resource/Inclusion SpEd/ESS teacher at Broadmoor Senior High. From Fall 2019 to Spring 2022, she obtained certification and practiced as a Secondary (Grades 7-12) English of Exceptional Students, specifically targeting the non-proficient population. 

During her tenure as an Intensive Secondary English teacher and Curriculum Specialist, she practiced and began implementing rigorous and vigorous, engaging lessons that aligned with the LEAP 2025/EOCT assessment framework for English I, a Value Added-Model (VAM) course, cross-walked ACT standards to Louisiana Student Standards by modeling the NIET/TAP best practices model to further facilitate highest levels of student achievement [2019 SPS 43.3F to 2022 SPS 53.3D per reported from testing cycle] by specifically targeting all students, regardless of background and previous indicators, growth to Mastery: from non-Proficient (25% or less progress index) to Proficiency+: Basic (or higher: Mastery, Advanced) by 15% or more, which directly affects school progress scores, known as SPS, from the classroom to the schoolwide and across the district-wide.

In the Spring of 2022, she moved back to the Acadiana area and was hired by Lafayette School System System as a long-term substitute at Carencro High School. She then was offered and accepted a position as the Intensive English I Transitional Ninth Grade & African American studies teacher. She also became the sponsor of the CRO S.Q.U.A.D. Step Team.

For the 2022 - 2023 SY, her students' overall English I Progress Index grew from 0 to 37.1% by incorporating best instructional practices. (DeptWide: +12.7; District Wide: +2.5 DPS). In the Spring 2023 LEAP2025 testing cycle, Carencro High School grew 3.2 index points from [82.0 B to 85.2 B], earning state-level recognitions from the Louisiana Department of Education 2023 Top Gains Honoree and 2023 Opportunity Honoree. By targeting #growthtomastery, @datadrivendyonne earned a VAM Score of 4: Highly Effective by growing over 90% of her 22/23 Intensive English I students towards Mastery.

In the summer of 2023, D'Yonne was selected to present for the A+PEL Regional State Conference "From Driving to Diving: How to Use Data to Your Advantage," the LETA Technology Conference as a Certified Quizizz Educator, and the LPSS District-Wide Conferences for ELA 6-12 & Social Studies African American Studies (AAS).  She works alongside fellow African American Studies (AAS) teachers, LPSS Social Studies district leaders, and the authors of BH365 to develop the AAS curriculum in alignment with Collegeboard's African American Studies for LPSS Academics. In Miss Jones's AAS class, students explore history with curiosity through various channels, including a student-led podcast, Philosophy Wit Da 4, produced and written by students. The students also created a comprehensive timeline, Journey Through Black Freedom, narrating the intricate threads of African-American history. She also serves on the Lafayette Parish School System ELA 6-12 committee representing Carencro High School: Intensive English I in support of all students needing exceptional services in growth to Mastery. 

In the Fall of 2023, she was awarded a Keys to Literacy Boon Scholarship and a 2024 Teacher Scholarship focused on Accelerating Foundational Skills for Older Readers using the Collaborative Classroom program SIPPS (Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words).

In the Spring of 2024, she was selected to present at the 2024 Louisiana ACT Summit, "Harmonizing Learning Objectives: Integrating ACT Standards with CCSS," and the Teach Out Loud Annual Conference.

D'Yonne S. M. Jones has received multiple recognitions for teaching in excellence, including East Baton Rouge Parish School System Recognition for Outstanding Service: 2018 - 2022. She was voted Carencro High School 2023 Teacher of the Year by her fellow teacher peers. D'Yonne is also a 2023 LPSS High School Teacher of the Year Semifinalist. On March 1, 2024, she was recognized as one of 16 finalists for the 2024 United Way of Acadiana/Love Our Schools Teacher Awards in the High School category. She is state-certified as a Level 3 and NIET/TAP Mentor Teacher Evaluator.

D'Yonne Stella Marie Jones is passionate about empowering all students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in English, history, and life, whether civilian, career-oriented, or college-bound.