While the last three years have certainly prepared Michelle Jones for part of her new job, they also have her ready to enjoy another part of it.

Board of education members Monday approved Jones as the new principal at Kingfisher Upper Elementary.

The unanimous vote was part of the August regular meeting and one of several moves to finalize Kingfisher’s staff as the beginning of the new school year is just over a week away.

Jones succeeds Erin Michael, who resigned earlier this summer as her family is moving to Texas. Michael had held the position since the second semester of the 2022-23 school year.

Jones comes to Kingfisher after being the organizational development coordinator for Canadian Valley Technology Center last year.

The two years before that, she was the director of curriculum and instruction at Piedmont Public Schools.

Those two district-level administrative positions allowed her little interaction with students for three years.

“I have missed that aspect,” Jones told the Times & Free Press. “I think that’s why people get into education, is to work with kids.

“So that was kind of my drawing point to get back into it as a building principal.”

Jones was an assistant principal at Piedmont High School in 2020-21. For six years before that, she was the principal at either Del Crest or Monroney Middle School in the Mid-Del school system.

Jones taught middle school English and also coached for 11 years in the Edmond Public Schools system beginning in 2003.

She graduated from Guthrie High School in 1997 and was a classmate there of new KHS head football coach Reagan Roof.

At Kingfisher, on top of her principal duties, Jones will be the curriculum and professional development coordinator.

Jones oversaw the professional development for three CVTC campuses and more than 300 employees last year. Before that, she handled the curriculum for Piedmont High School.

“Those administrative positions have helped me to be able to take on these positions here,” Jones said.

Superintendent David Glover recommended Jones to the Kingfisher board.

He said it didn’t take him long at all to realize he had an exceptional candidate sitting across from him.

“She was our second interview and before she left the administration building, we knew she was who we wanted to hire,” Glover said. “She will be a great addition to our Yellowjacket team. She brings a lot of administrative experience with her which is another plus.”

As she prepares for students and teachers to enter KUE, Jones has been hard at work.

“I’m starting my fifth week and have been here everyday,” she said. “There’s a lot of work that needed to be done.”

Jones said she’ll certainly put her touch on KUE, but doesn’t want to move too fast.

“You want to make some changes that fit your style of things,” she said. “But I want to see how it works without making too many changes right now.

“But we’ll certainly make sure we’re ready to go by the time the students come back.”