2011-2012 JPS Parent of the Year Tonja Murphy was named the Parent of the Year for Congressional District 3 by the Mississippi Department of Education. Murphy will be recognized by the state Board of Education during its July 20, 2012, Board meeting to begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Mississippi Department of Education's headquarters in the old Central High School building located on the corner of Lamar and Griffith streets in downtown Jackson.
Murphy is the mother of an adult daughter, Alexandria Lee, and two sons who attend Rowan Middle School – Gregory and Jordan Murphy. She was described as a "community mom" because of her inspiration and influence at Rowan and in the neighborhood around the school. A community organizer, she is the co-founder of programs and organizations for parents and children. Murphy is a 2006 graduate of Parents for Public Schools' Parent Leadership Institute.