Patchogue-Medford schools chief Donna Jones to retire a year early

Patchogue-Medford Superintendent Donna Jones has announced her retirement, effective June 30. Credit: Danielle Silverman
The superintendent of one of Long Island’s largest school districts said she will retire in June, urging educators to continue their work for all students amid "very challenging times."
Patchogue-Medford schools Superintendent Donna Jones, 61, noted societal discord in her parting message Monday night at a board meeting, shortly after members accepted her resignation, effective June 30.
"We are living through very challenging times that have seemed too often as though society at large has lost its moral compass, along with the civility, respect and care for humanity," she read at the meeting from a prepared statement.
Jones ended her remarks by asking educators in the district to continue their commitment to caring for students and believing that "all students have the right to learn regardless of race, socio-economic status or developmental disabilities."
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- Patchogue-Medford schools Superintendent Donna Jones has announced her retirement, effective June 30.
- Jones, 61, announced her decision at a Monday school board meeting, where she urged educators to continue their work for all students amid "very challenging times."
- The superintendent's announcement came after an online backlash targeting her letter over immigration enforcement on school grounds.
When she finished, board members and those in attendance gave her a standing ovation.
Jones’ announcement came after an online backlash targeting her letter over immigration enforcement on school grounds. She was among Long Island school officials who issued responses to a directive from the Trump administration reversing guidance that had restricted agencies like the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection from carrying out enforcements in "sensitive" places like schools.
In her Jan. 23 letter, Jones said the district "does not authorize law enforcement agencies to access school grounds for the purpose of detaining, arresting, or questioning unless such access is related to an alleged crime occurring on school grounds, or pursuant to a warrant, or a court order."
Jones and school staff faced what board members called "hateful, ignorant comments" after the letter was shared on social media. The school board voted in late January to deactivate the district’s X account.
"Lies and disinformation concerning the district’s intentions to break the law cannot be permitted to continue unchallenged," board members said in a statement earlier this month.
In a separate statement, the board said Jones' letter was "grossly mischaracterized" by many on social media "in a shameful effort to malign her."
"The Board of Education rejects these disturbing and inappropriate comments," the statement read in part.
Board members said the district is committed to providing educational opportunities to "all students, regardless of their immigration status."
Jones said she had been in talks with the board about retiring for several years and her decision was not related to recent social media posts.
"I have faced negative comments in the past, many far worse than what appeared several weeks ago," she wrote in an emailed statement. "I learned a long time ago not to let these misinformed, misguided, and many times vile and vicious comments rattle me or in any way interfere with my dedication and commitment to my Patchogue-Medford students, families and community."
Ron Edelson, a spokesman for the district, said the timing of her announcement was coincidental and made now to leave time to find an interim superintendent to ensure a smooth transition.
Jones is retiring a year before her contract ends and it remained unclear Tuesday whether she had a separation agreement with the district.
Patchogue-Medford is the Island’s 10th largest district out of 124, serving more than 7,600 students in 2023-24. Half its student body were Hispanic while a third were white.
When Jones was appointed superintendent in 2020, eight of the district’s 11 schools were designated as "Schools in Need of Improvement," she said in statements. One school remains on the improvement list and Jones said in the emailed statement that she feels "confident that school will come off the list in the very near future."
In a letter posted Tuesday on the district website, Jones said she’s proud of the measures the district has taken to "provide an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students," including adopting restorative practices, an alternative approach to discipline students. She cited the approval of a $85 million bond proposal last May for a new artificial turf field and the installation of air conditioning in all classrooms, auditoriums and gyms as projects that will benefit generations of students to come.
"With all these accomplishments, it just felt right that this would be the time for me to step down, pass the mantle to new District leadership, explore new opportunities, and spend more time with my family and friends," she wrote in her emailed statement to Newsday.
Jones has worked in education for 31 years, half in Patchogue-Medford. She joined the district in 2010 and worked as an assistant superintendent and deputy superintendent before becoming the schools chief. Her gross pay in 2023-24 was $317,094.