Press Release

A JMCSS communication for families & community stakeholders

JMCSS Earns Seven National Communications Awards from NSPRA

District honored for excellence in storytelling, digital media, and public engagement

Monday, June 2, 2025

JACKSON, TN — The Jackson-Madison County School System (JMCSS) has received national recognition for excellence in school communications, earning seven awards from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). The district's commitment to transparent, creative, and strategic outreach was honored through one Golden Achievement Award and six Publication and Digital Media Awards.

JMCSS was awarded NSPRA’s prestigious Golden Achievement Award for its “Leap Up for Literacy” campaign, a dynamic initiative designed to engage families and foster a culture of reading across the district. This award honors exemplary work that meets the highest standards in school communication and engagement strategies. Click here to learn how communications and stakeholder engagement supported the Leap Up for Literacy initiative.

Click here to view Leap Up for Literacy Background/Purpose

In the competitive Publications and Digital Media Awards program, JMCSS earned six honors across a range of categories:

Award of Excellence – News Release:
Making History: Three JMCSS Teams Advance to State Tournament
Award of Merit – Annual Report:
ABC Annual Report
Award of Merit – Podcast:
50th Episode – For the District Podcast
Award of Merit – Video Series (In-House):
Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3
Supplemental Entry Materials
Award of Merit – Video Series (In-House):
Superintendent of the Year Profile
Honorable Mention – Video (In-House):
JMCSS 2023–2024 Year in Review

Photo Above: The March press release spotlighting three JMCSS teams advancing to the state tournament earned the district a National School Public Relations Association Publication and Digital Media Award.

Superintendent Dr. Marlon King praised the communications team for their forward-thinking and consistent efforts.

“This recognition affirms the professional excellence and creative energy our communications team brings to their work every day. Sharing our story—and the stories of our students, schools, and staff—is essential to building trust and growing confidence in public education,” said Dr. King.

“We congratulate the team and celebrate this national recognition.”

Photo Below: The 50th Episode of the JMCSS podcast For the District provided stakeholders with a up close and personal look at Superintendent Dr. Marlon King. The conversation included details of Dr. King's unique experiences in college to his first classroom job and his rise to superintendent in multiple West Tennessee districts.

Greg Hammond, Chief of Public Information for JMCSS, emphasized the collaborative spirit behind the award-winning work.

“Our approach is simple— engage, inform, and inspire. These awards reflect the value of consistent storytelling, strategic engagement, and the hard work of our entire district,” Hammond said. “We are honored to be recognized among the best in school communications across the country.”

To learn more about the NSPRA awards and view the winning entries, visit https://www.nspra.org/News

Photo Above: The district's school spotlight series earned high marks in the NSPRA National School Communication Awards contest. A number of video features are produced annually by the district's Communications team to spotlight the remarkable work teachers, students, and schools complete every day in the Jackson-Madison County School System.

Click here to view the JMCSS School Spotlight Series

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JMCSS - TV on YouTube

JMCSS Jobs: Lincoln Elementary

New teachers at our hard-to-staff schools are eligible to receive a $10,000 signing bonus spread over three years. (i.e., $3,333.00 per year). This is in addition to retention and longevity bonuses offered to employees. Visit https://www.jmcss.org/join-our-team for more details.

Let's Talk! We want to hear from you.

There is nothing more important to our district than the health, safety, and well-being of our entire school community. Every voice matters, and we want to make it easy for you to communicate with your child's schools.

We’re introducing Let’s Talk, an online customer service solution that provides a convenient way for you to ask questions, request information, or share concerns.

Let’s Talk is available 24/7 from your phone, computer, or tablet, and includes staff-facing technologies that ensure you receive a timely, accurate response — every time. You can expect a response from us within two business days.