Jennifer E. Gomez, Ed.S.

Orchards Elementary School
Lewiston Independent School District No. 1
Lewiston, Idaho
jgomez@lewistonschools.net

Jennifer E. Gomez, Ed.S., has served Orchards Elementary School for the past nine years, following 20 years as a classroom teacher and reading specialist. Under her leadership, the school has become the first in Idaho to achieve Model PLC School status, a testament to Gomez’s commitment to building a culture of continuous improvement rooted in data-driven collaboration. In revamping the school’s approach to RTI, Gomez has made it a priority to build teacher confidence at the individual and team level by identifying the core skills and competencies that should serve as markers of proficiency and building a coherent developmental framework for schoolwide application. As a result, Orchards is maximizing the impact of targeted and timely interventions, better using formative assessments, and enhancing continuity in skill development across grade levels, yielding a 20-percent improvement in student performance in reading, math, and writing. Gomez has also been instrumental in strengthening the early foundations of educational success at Orchards. She led the development of a transitional pre-Kindergarten program to facilitate early interventions for students not yet ready for kindergarten, allowing students to develop critical social, emotional, and academic skills at their own pace with robust adult and peer support. Gomez holds an Ed.S. degree in Educational Leadership as well as M.Ed. and B.S.Ed. degrees from the University of Idaho.