Jacks Valley Elementary presents rising attendance, EPIC framework and new programs

Jacks Valley Elementary School staff and students made a public presentation to the Douglas County School District Board of Trustees, describing gains in attendance, engagement programs and instructional strategies the school is using to boost academic proficiency.

Principal Pam Gilmartin and Vice Principal Veronica Griffith outlined the schoolmission and statistics: the school has about 364 students; 58% identified as white and 33% as Hispanic; the school reported 63 students living in poverty, 85 students receiving special education services and 39 English learners. Gilmartin and Griffith said the school decreased chronically absent students from about 21.8% (2021-22) to 12.6% in the most recent year.

Vice Principal Veronica Griffith told trustees Jacks Valley increased attendance through consistent incentives and family outreach. "We put a lot of attendance incentives in place," Griffith said, and staff track class-level attendance daily to promote strong routines.

Griffith and Principal Gilmartin also reviewed academic measures: the school reported 41% proficiency in English language arts and 32.8% in math on the most recent state indicators, down from previous years, and set a goal of increasing proficiency by 10% through targeted interventions.

The presentation highlighted the school's EPIC instructional framework (emphasizing personalized learning and deeper learning), a growing set of after-school…