Buffalos in the blood

The Jones family on vacation in Cabo, Mexico July 2025, from left to right: Avery, Amaya, Valerie, Braxton, Ciara, Greg, (front) Harper.

Valerie and Greg Jones and their five kids have been part of the Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) community for almost a quarter of a century. Their oldest, Avery, started kindergarten at BRE in 2002. Harper, the youngest, will graduate from fifth grade this month, ending the Jones tenure after 24 years.

Both Greg and Valerie are Colorado natives, and the family has lived in The Village at Castle Pines since 2002. The couple met at CU Boulder, coincidentally, also home of the Buffalos. Greg played football at CU and then in the NFL. When his professional football career was winding down and tired of the moves around the country, the Jones family settled here.

Despite all of the years at BRE, the Jones kids, Avery (29), Ciara (25), Braxton (21), Amaya (15) and Harper (11), only had one repeat teacher. Avery and Braxton had Jen Murdock-Jacoway for first grade in 2003 and 2010, respectively. Jen became principal in 2019, so the younger kids benefited from her leadership.

Over the years, BRE’s focus and goals have stayed the same, along with the feel and culture of the school. The Jones family appreciates the consistency, but especially the people at BRE, from classroom and special teachers to the staff.

“Honestly, the care and compassion that BRE continues to provide is top notch,” said Valerie. Watching all of the grade-wide performances over the years was a highlight for Greg and Valerie. Other special memories include carnivals, field days and parties.

Today, the oldest three are finished with college and the younger two are moving their way through the rest of the secondary grades.

Avery majored in dance at CSU and is in Fort Collins working on a stenography certification. Ciara is working at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, where she graduated with a degree in nursing in 2023. Braxton graduated pre-med from CU Boulder this month, with plans to become an anesthesiologist. Amaya is a freshman at Rock Canyon High School, learning to drive and excels at nail art. Harper loves playing basketball and flag football.

Valerie is back in school herself pursuing a dyslexia therapy certification. She works at Away in Words in Castle Rock, a dyslexia-specific learning center. Greg is a mortgage broker.

Outside of school and work, the Jones family loves to gather, preferably somewhere tropical.

“We are so grateful that we were able to have all of our kids go through BRE; it’s such a great school,” said Greg.

BRE principal Jen Murdock-Jacoway and Avery Jones hug at Amaya’s third grade show in January 2020. Murdock-Jacoway was Avery’s first grade teacher in 2003.