I hope you all had an enjoyable holiday and a happy New Year. I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the PTO for supporting our annual Jacobs Express Day held just before break, and especially to PTO President Kim Panetta, along with current Jacobs paraprofessionals Jill Jollin and Deb Irby, for their tireless efforts in planning and making the day special for students in grades PreK through 7. This was no easy feat, and the joy it brought to students was evident throughout the day.
As we move into 2026, our goal of continual improvement and making incremental gains as a school remains at the forefront of our mission. Over the past four years, our school’s accountability rating among elementary and middle schools across the state has steadily risen from 34 to 69, placing us in the top third statewide. At the same time, we have seen a significant decline in chronic absenteeism, dropping from 32 percent to just 5 percent. This connection between improved attendance and increased academic achievement is impossible to ignore. This year, in partnership with all of you, we hope to continue this positive downward trend, as attendance plays a critical role in student growth and development.
The state defines a student as chronically absent if they miss 10 percent of the school year, or 18 days, whether excused or unexcused. As Monday marked our 80th day of school, any student with 8 or more absences is on pace to miss 10 percent of the year. On Friday, I will be sending letters to any family whose child is currently on pace to be identified as chronically absent. This letter is not meant to intimidate, but rather to inform. Over the years, we have learned that many families are simply unaware of how many days their child has missed school. There is no need to respond to the letter unless you believe there is an error, in which case we would be happy to review and resolve it. We will repeat this process again on the 120th day of school. We truly value our partnership with families and appreciate your continued support in ensuring students are present, engaged, and set up for success each day.
That being said, we also know a lot of illness is going around right now—if your child is sick, please keep them home so they can rest and recover, and so we can help prevent the spread to others. Children should be fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication (e.g., acetaminophen, ibuprofen) for 24 hours before returning to school. Children who are sent home from school with a fever or vomiting should stay out of school for 24 hours.
Lastly, a reminder to our JES families that this Friday is our annual Spirit Day and assembly. Don’t forget to wear your blue and gold.
-Mr. Shaw
