Someone stood in the doorway of Principal Phyllis Jones' office, visibly shaken, after classes ended.

Jones, who was busy updating her school's Web site, spotted the individual and said in an upbeat tone, "It looks like somebody needs a hug."

"I feel like crying," the person responded.

Without a moment's hesitation, Jones scurried from her computer and wrapped the person in a warm embrace. It seemed like she knew exactly what the problem was and offered comforting words of advice.

"This is what you need to do," Jones said. She picked up a little doll from her desk and threw it to the floor.

The doll, called a Silly Slammer, squealed out loud, "You go, girl!"

In this situation, Jones wasn't encouraging one of her 225 students at Rigdon Road Elementary School. She was encouraging one of her young teachers.

Jones said that hugging is a way for two people to draw on each other's strength.

"I'm going to be there to support my teachers 100 percent," Jones said. "When they hurt, I hurt. I don't do this every day by myself. They deserve much more praise and recognition than I do."

Jones' commitment to her staff is just one reason she was honored this summer as a 2003 "Unsung Hero" by the Congressional Black Caucus Spouses. The award was given to 15 champions of education from across the country. Vivian Bishop, wife of Georgia congressman Sanford Bishop, selected a committee of Columbus educators who nominated Jones for her leadership at Rigdon Road, one of three year-round schools in Muscogee County.

"I believe she was chosen because of her dedication, her closeness with students and her hands-on technique," Bishop said.

"She exhibits a true commitment to learning," said John Phillips, Muscogee County School District superintendent. "She has genuine interest, support and a love of children." Phillips sees Rigdon Road as warm and inviting, with the students' work on display, and is not surprised by the school's enhanced performance.

"As her friend, I know that Rigdon Road is her second home," said Karon Greyer, director of Elementary Education. "With the limited budget, she works very hard to give the teachers what they need to keep the test scores high."

Last year, the Georgia Department of Education reported that 88 percent of Rigdon Road's students met the state standards for English language arts performance and 80 percent met the state standards for mathematics. The systemwide scores are 65 percent and 55 percent, respectively.

Rigdon Road is part of the Title 1 federal grant program that assists at-risk children. The nearly 50-year-old red brick, green-roofed building has just one hallway and two bathrooms for grades pre-K through five. The staff frequently jokes they can give a visitor a tour of the building in five minutes. Because of the limited amount of space, there are four portable classrooms on school grounds that hold two third-grade classes, a fourth-grade and a fifth-grade class.

Then there's the little white house, the original home of John and Mary Rigdon, the school's founders. Now the historic building is used as a multipurpose facility for speech and music classes as well as the after-school program.

"We've learned that it does not take all the fancy buildings to educate children," Jones said. "We'd love to have a new building, but that's not what we're about. We're about educating our children. We take our children on a lot of field trips because a lot of them don't get any other experiences."

At the end of the last nine-week term, Jones took the entire school to the movies. They walked to the Columbus Square theater in the rain.

"We got soaking wet, but do you think we cared? We had a good time."

The neighborhood school has no students bused in from outside areas. The student body is 100 percent African-American; 97 percent come from low-income families.

"We expect a lot from these children," Jones said. "We accept no excuses. We have some of the best-qualified and capable teachers. Our test scores are good. We're No. 2 in Muscogee County and number 19 in the state."

Rigdon Road raised its Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests by 10 percentage points.

Jones, 49, has worked at Rigdon Road for 13 years. Six years ago, it became the county's first year-round school. She attributes the rise in test scores to the year-round curriculum. There is a two-week fall intercession period for remediation and enrichment for children who need it. The school reopened July 7 after a short summer break. She is convinced that this style of education is a good deal for parents.

"The children are not on the streets," Jones said. "It's just enough time for them not to get bored. The children are out of the house for six and a half hours, and we give them two meals. By now, the vacation money has run out and all the family reunions are over."

Rigdon Road holds the philosophy that parent participation in their children's education makes a difference. Two clubs that have started under Jones are the FBI (Fathers Being Involved) and the GBI (Grandparents Being Involved), which bring family members into the school building to help with such activities as hearing and vision screenings and book distribution in their "Reading is Fundamental" program. Jones was given the Channel 3 Class Act Award for being the first school to start parent report card pickup. And she referred to her "Bear Books" as one of the best investments she has made at Rigdon Road. "Bear Books" are colorful homework planners that require a parent's signature each day.

Kenneth Hugle, a member of the school's FBI, has known Jones for five years.

"She leads by example," Hugle said. "She and her staff work as a team. They work for and with each other for the benefit of the kids. The environment is conducive to learning -- when you walk in, you feel it."

"For a small school, Rigdon Road has a very strong PTA," Greyer said. "She is very enthusiastic about what she does."

"Once you establish trust, the parents look to you for guidance and leadership," Jones said. "I have an open-door policy -- anybody is welcome. If a parent takes the time to come, I have to take the time to talk with them."

Students freely visit her office, and very rarely do the children come in contact with Jones' "board of education," a wooden paddle, or her "strapping sensation," a belt. She says corporal punishment is an absolute last resort.

"I don't send children home or suspend them," Jones said. "There's no learning there -- the learning is here. I teach the children that when they do something wrong, own up to it. I tell them, 'I still love you, but I don't like the behavior you displayed today.' "

Though Jones has been involved with school administration for close to 18 years, teaching was her first love.

"Being an administrator has been an eye-opening experience," Jones said. "But teaching is my passion. I've never had a desire to do anything else. Anything I love, I give 150 percent. I don't mind coming to work. I don't miss days. I make it a point to be here for the students and teachers."

Jones said her school's motto is to be on task, on time and on a mission. She awards her students who go five weeks without being late with a s'mores party in the cafeteria. They are recognized on the "Tardiless Tots" bulletin board in the school's lobby.

"Our mission is to be a school of excellence," Jones said. "That's what I try to do before I go home."

Jones finished college in three years, graduating at 19 from Huntington College in Montgomery, Ala. She received her master's degree in elementary education and administration from Troy State. She has worked as an English language teacher for international wives at Fort Benning, and has taught for more than 13 years as a classroom teacher. Before coming to Rigdon Road, she was assistant principal at Double Churches. She and her husband, James, have been married for 28 years. They have a 26-year-old son, David. Jones said she plans on retiring in the next three or four years, but will remain involved in the educational sphere. She sees herself becoming a motivational speaker and as an author.