Maury Principal to Retire at End of School Year

Lucretia Jackson will retire from Matthew Maury Elementary School after 13 years at the helm. The end of the school year marks the end of a long and successful career with ACPS for Jackson, an educator for 44 years, 37 of which were with ACPS.

Jackson worked her way up at ACPS, becoming principal of Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy in 1996, where she is credited with creating a dynamic new environment that soon attracted students from the entire city. Amidst tensions and challenges related busing and redistricting, she and her staff turned the school around. Under her leadership, the school became fully accredited and made adequate yearly progress (AYP).

Her success at Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy led to her appointment in 2004 as principal of Matthew Maury Elementary School, which also faced many challenges, including not being accredited.

At the time, Maury had been given a rating of “accredited with warning” in mathematics, language arts, science and social studies. After two years under her leadership, Standards of Learning (SOL) scores went from the lowest in the city to among the highest. Today the school is fully accredited and a model for under-performing schools across the country. Test scores continue to rise.

Jackson credits the school’s success to teachers, parents, students, administration and the community who works with the school and supports the school and its mission.

Ms. Jackson has been a dedicated educator with ACPS for 37 years and has had a significant impact on our schools. We are grateful for her many years of service and wish her a joyful retirement,” said ACPS Superintendent Alvin L. Crawley.

Articles about her work have been written in The Washington Post newspaper, the American School Board Journal and Northern Virginia magazine. Jackson is also the recipient of numerous awards for her work, including The Washington Post Outstanding Teacher Award, The Washington Post Principal of Excellence Award and the Alexandria Commission for Women’s Salute to Women Award.

A group of ACPS parents has established a Lucretia Jackson Scholarship to celebrate her commitment to her students and her retirement this spring.  All contributions are 100% tax-deductible and will go directly toward a scholarship awarded to a TC Williams’ graduating seniors, many of whom were once Ms. Jackson’s ‘babies’. In honor of her many years of service to the ACPS community, all the lives of students and families she has truly touched, the guidance she has offered and the countless hugs she has given, please consider donating to the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria in Ms. Lucretia Jackson’s name.

Jackson will be recognized at the School Board meeting on June 8.

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