Jeannie Cole

Jeannie served as President of Arkansas PTA from 2001 to 2003. She served as First Vice President from 1998 to 2001. She enjoyed working with a wide variety of units as Arkansas PTA's Northwest Region Field Service Representative from 1996-1998. She has formed many new units, serviced existing units, and conducted leadership training for PTA officers and committee chairmen. As a member of the Arkansas PTA Board of Managers since 1996, Jeannie has served on numerous committees and has conducted membership, council, Reflections, and programs workshops. In 1995-96 she was District 6 Director. Jeannie has been a PTA member since 1985, with her first year of membership being a part of the European Congress of PTAs in Naples, Italy. In 1991-92 she was president of Euper Lane Elementary School in Fort Smith and was president of Fort Smith Council of PTAs from 1994 to 1996. She especially enjoyed being the 1997 State Convention Chairman for Arkansas PTA during National PTA's centennial celebration. Jeannie again served as chairman for the State PTA Convention in 2000. Shirley Igo, National PTA President, gave Jeannie the "President's Distinguished Service Award" on 12 April 2003.

A native of Newport, Arkansas, Jeannie graduated cum laude from Harding University in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education (K-12).

Jeannie and her husband Michael, who is a family physician with Sparks Medical Foundation, have two children.

Angelique (Mrs. Greg Moses) graduated in 1997 from Southside High School, where she was very active in choir and drama. She was an honors scholar at Harding University, where she majored in Christian Education. Greg and Angelique spent the summer of 1999 studying in Florence, Italy. Greg completed medical school at the University of Texas Southwest Medical School in Dallas in 2006. Angelique has various administrative roles at Preston Road Church of Christ in Dallas. She completed a Master's Degree in Children's Ministry in 2007. Corbin Moses, our first grandchild, was born to Greg and Angelique on 9 November 2004. Rhiannon Moses was born on 21 November 2007.


Steven, a 2000 graduate of Southside High School, won "Best of Fair" for his computer software project at the District Science Fair in Spring 2000. He sang baritone in the high school choir and Johnny Reb Singers. He made All-State Choir in 1998 and 2000. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering from Harding University in 2004. He married Miss Louise Coffman in Fort Smith on 31 May 2003. The mayor proclaimed that date "Steven Cole and Louise Coffman Day" in Fort Smith. Steven is currently studying for a math degree at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where Louise is working on her Ph.D. They sang in the inaugural concert of the University of Arkansas Master Chorale on 21 April 2005.

Jeannie's civic activities include serving on CoMend and the Mayor's Task Force for Youth Violence. In 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006 she was elected to Position 7 on the Fort Smith School Board, representing Zone III, which includes nine precincts on the east side of the city. She served as secretary on the school board during the 1998-99 and 2000-01 school years. She served as President of the school board for the 2003-04 and 2008-09 school years. In December 2008 Jeannie was given the highest individual recognition, "The Pinnacle Award," by the Arkansas School Boards Association "for devotion to school board service, for attaining at least 200 hours of continuing education, and for providing superior leadership."

Fort Smith Public Schools

 On 21 December 1998 Jeannie was given the "Spirit of the Frontier" award by the mayor of Fort Smith for her volunteer work for improvement of the home, family, and public education in the community. The highest honor the city can bestow on its citizens, the Spirit of the Frontier Award is given to outstanding individuals in Fort Smith who make a positive difference for good on the life of the community. Recipients are examples of the Frontier Spirit which has helped to make Fort Smith, Arkansas, one of the outstanding cities in the United States of America. The Spirit of the Frontier winners have helped blaze new trails, ford new heights, and made a positive difference in helping make "Life Worth Living in Fort Smith, Arkansas."
Fort Smith's Mayor Ray Baker proclamed Friday, 11 April 2003, as "Jeannie Cole Day" in Fort Smith.

In 1997-98 Jeannie served as a peer learning coach for Arkansas Leadership Academy in Ms. Hodnett's kindergarten class.

 On 1 October 1999 the Arkansas Times named Jeannie an "Arkansas Public School Hero" for her work with the Fort Smith School Board and Arkansas PTA. Her photo appeared on the cover of that issue. In recognition of this award, Mayor Ray Baker proclaimed Monday, November 22, 1999, as "Jeannie Cole Day" in Fort Smith.

 The Western Arkansas chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, the professional fraternity in education, presented their Distinguished Service Award to Jeannie on 8 April 2002.

 At the conclusion of Jeannie's term as Arkansas PTA President, a letter from Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee in April 2003 extended his congratulations and commendation to her "on behalf of all Arkansans." Also in April 2003, Jeannie was presented a certificate from the Arkansas House of Representatives, signed by the Speaker of the House, the Parliamentarian, and our four local representatives, that reads as a resolution. The final paragraph states, "Whereas, the House of Representatives of the Eighty-fourth General Assembly of the state of Arkansas takes great pride in recognizing Mrs. Jeannie Cole for her dedication to the children of Arkansas and for her service to her community and state."

In 2003 Jeannie was serving at the state level in Arkansas on the Department of Education Citizens Review Committee for Benchmark Testing; Arkansas Leadership Academy Advisory Committee; Center for Effective Parenting Special Advisory Committee; Arkansas Healthy Schools; Child Health Advisory Committee; and Great Expectations / A+ Schools Assessment Advisory Committee. She has conducted numerous "Building Successful Partnerships" workshops for National PTA.

 On 14 April 2005 Jeannie was among the first five people inducted into the Honor Roll of the Fort Smith Public Schools Foundation for outstanding individual contributions to the Fort Smith Public Schools. "What an energetic, enthusiastic, and dedicated leader! She has approached her many positions in the 'volunteer' educational heirarchy with unsurpassed determination and conviction. ... We are very lucky to have someone of her stature representing our children and their issues."

Jeannie completed Leadership Fort Smith training with the Class of 2005.

On 15 July 2005 she received the Distinguished Leadership Award from the Individual Leadership Development Institute of Arkansas Leadership Academy.

When not engaged in improving public education, Jeannie is usually busy at the West-Ark Church of Christ where she co-teaches a ladies' Bible class. She directed Vacation Bible School for 7 years (1989-1995), and helps her husband coordinate a large medical mission team to Guyana, South America, each year since 1991. She is very talented in music and has sung soprano with the Fort Smith Chorale. She was director of One-A-Chord, a ladies' gospel singing group from 1987 to 1992.

Family Contract for a Safe and Better Community

       National PTA Home Page

       Arkansas PTA Home Page

 Check out Jeannie's Ladies' Bible Class lectures

 Read Jeannie's Letters to the Editor

 Visit Jeannie's Genealogy Web Page

 Surf to www.theColeFamily.com

This page was last updated on 6 December 2008.
Online since 3 November 1996.