Special to the Monitor
After more than two decades of nurturing curiosity, building confidence, and championing student success, Keystone Heights Elementary School is bidding a fond farewell to a treasured educator. Selina Jones, a dedicated teacher who has guided students across grade levels for 21 years, is officially retiring.
Though her teaching career began later in life, Jones’ journey into education was anything but accidental. She originally earned her degree as a paralegal and spent a few years in the legal field.
“I worked as a paralegal for about three years,” she recalled.
But everything changed when she became a stay-at-home mom after the birth of her children.
“After having my first child, I stayed home, and then I had my second child and stayed home. And then we moved here, and I started volunteering in the classroom,” she said.
What began as a way to be involved in her children’s education quickly grew into something more.
“I got hired as an aide, and then I took the test and got hired to teach,” Jones explained. “It was really just falling in love with the whole environment.”
Taught first, fourth, and fifth grades
From that moment on, the classroom became her home away from home. Over the years, Jones has taught fourth, first, and fifth grades, shaping young minds in English Language Arts, social science, and writing. Her classroom has always been a space of warmth, safety, and inspiration.
She credits her passion for creating a safe and encouraging learning space as the core of her teaching style.
“I like to create that safe environment of no fear of failure for students,” she said. “Watching kids go ‘oh!’ when something would click for them. It’s the best sound a teacher can hear.”
Jones brought her love of mystery thrillers—sparked by a childhood fondness for Nancy Drew—into the classroom, igniting a passion for reading in many of her students. Her hobbies even became part of her lessons. With a green thumb and a nurturing spirit, she filled her classroom with plants that the children helped care for, teaching them responsibility and giving them a daily connection to nature.
Her approach to education was as much about connection as it was about content.
“They’re so surprised that you buy groceries from the grocery store, or ‘oh my gosh, Mrs. Jones, you’re buying gas?’” she laughed. “Because they only know you inside the classroom.”
That sense of wonder, of seeing teachers as whole people, became part of the magic in her teaching.
As she prepares to close this chapter, Jones says what she’ll miss most is the joy of seeing her students succeed—those lightbulb moments and little victories that define a school year. She’ll also deeply miss her fellow teachers.
“I’ll miss my colleagues, definitely,” she said with a smile. “And all those sweet people in the front office!”
Road trips and library days
Jones lives in Melrose with her husband, and retirement means more time to enjoy life beyond the school bell. First on the list? A long-awaited road trip to Maine.
“It’s something we’ve wanted to do for a while,” she said. And while the destinations are exciting, the newfound freedom of an open schedule truly excites her.
She’s also looking forward to spontaneous weekday visits to Tallahassee, where she can spend time with her daughter and granddaughter. And for a lifelong book lover, the dream of a library day is right around the corner.
“I’m excited to go to the library in the middle of the day, check out 15 books, and read them all,” she said.
Advice for others
Even as she steps away from the classroom, Jones remains a passionate advocate for education. Her advice to new teachers? “Take advantage of professional development classes and become a lifelong learner.”
And to those nearing retirement? Her encouragement is simple but profound: “Keep doing what you’re doing.”
