Jasper Middle launches attendance competition, feedback loops and student media to boost engagement

Principal Miranda Combs told the board Jasper Middle is pairing instructional interventions with activities designed to make school more appealing to students. She described a weekly homeroom attendance competition (with staff vs. student matchups in an occasional 'wild card' week), clubs, a STEM day and a student‑produced monthly video segment called the "Dragon Race" to highlight school life.

Combs linked the extracurricular engagement to instructional practice, saying feedback loops (short instruction, small-group discussion, application and teacher debrief) force every student to practice and talk about learning. Board members praised the approach and asked brief clarifying questions; no additional budget requests were made during the presentation.