JA in the News

Principal cutting ribbon with community behind

District Partners with Community to Keep Rural School Open

November 14, 2024 - Nine miles west of Highway 93 in Golden, nestled in the piney hills off a winding road, students and staff gather on a nearly 11-acre campus with captivating views. According to local history, the first schoolhouse in Coal Creek Canyon existed along this area of Twin Spruce Road in 1890. Over 130 years later, residents of the community faced a significant threat: the potential closure of its local K-8 school. Less than a year later after the local school district partnered with the community, Jefferson Academy Coal Creek Canyon (JACCC) and the families it serves are both excited and hopeful.

READ MORE on the Colorado League of Charter Schools website

Gianna with soccer ball

Girls soccer: JA’s Gagliano nabs Daily Camera player of the year

July 3, 2024 - Year in and year out, it seems Jefferson Academy girls soccer always has one or two prolific scorers that can carry it deep into the playoffs. This season, that mantle passed onto senior Gianna Gagliano, whose 36 goals and 10 assists helped propel the Jaguars to their third consecutive appearance in the Class 3A state championship, where they fell 3-1 to Colorado Academy.

READ MORE on the Jeffco Transcript website

📸 BoCoPreps.com

graduation caps

Graduating Jeffco: 5 Major achievements earned by Jefferson County Schools graduating senior class

June 3, 2024 - Around 5,200 students graduated from Jefferson County schools this year. Here are some statistics the Jeffco Schools administration culled from the school principals around Jefferson County. Jefferson Academy seniors earned $5.6 million dollars [in scholarship funds]. 11 Jeffco graduating students have earned National Merit Scholar distinctions (with 5 from Jefferson Academy). 

READ MORE on the Jeffco Transcript website

Coal Creek Canyon K8 building

Jefferson Academy will open in Coal Creek after parents raised nearly half a million dollars

March 12, 2024 - Parents in a far corner of Jefferson County celebrated Tuesday night after helping to raise nearly half a million dollars to secure the opening of a charter school in their community.

READ MORE on the Chalkbeat Colorado website

📸 Coal Creek Canyon K-8

Coal Creek Canyon K8 building

Jefferson County parents working to raise $550,000 to save Coal Creek Canyon K-8 school

March 3, 2024 - Parents at Coal Creek Canyon's K-8 school are working to raise over $550,000 to save their school. The Jefferson County School Board voted last fall to close the school due to declining enrollment numbers. The original plan was for the charter school Jefferson Academy to take Coal Creek's place, but that plan is also in doubt.

READ MORE on the Denver7 website

📸 Coal Creek Canyon K-8

Coal Creek Canyon K8 building

School campus is closing in Jefferson County, Colorado, and will become a charter school

January 11, 2024 - A K-8 school in rural Jefferson County, Colorado, that will close later this year will be replaced on the campus with a charter school. The charter school will be named Jefferson Academy Coal Creek Canyon. It will be designed as significantly smaller than the charter network's existing schools.

READ MORE on the American School & University website

📸 Google

Kate with soccer ball

Jefferson Academy’s Kate Runyon wins Gatorade Colorado Girls Soccer Player of the Year

July 13, 2023 - As she’s getting settled at the University of Tennessee, Kate Runyon takes time to reflect on her time at Jefferson Academy and the accolades she earned both with her team and individually during her decorated high school career. 

READ MORE on the Colorado Community Media website

📸 Boulder Daily Camera

Kelly-Cannon picture

Jefferson Academy’s Kelly-Cannon nabs Daily Camera track athlete of the year

June 16, 2023 - When Chrisly Kelly-Cannon stepped onto the Jeffco Stadium track for the Class 3A 100-meter dash at last month’s state track and field championships, his mother Jacqueline Kelly couldn’t contain her emotions.

READ MORE on the BoCoPreps website

📸 BoCoPreps.com

girls soccer team with champion banner

3A girls soccer: Jefferson Academy breaks through to win first state championship since 2018

May 23, 2023 - On Tuesday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, for the acme of the 2023 spring season, the top-seeded Jaguars completed the full circle comeback with a 3-0 victory over No. 3 Manitou Springs in the Class 3A state championship contest. 

READ MORE on the CHSAA website

📸 Boulder Daily Camera

Tim Matlick

House passes bill aiming to address teacher shortage

February 10, 2023 - Executive Director, Tim Matlick, was interviewed and featured on Fox 31 News regarding the teacher shortages after COVID-19. Drones captured beautiful shots of the JA Secondary campus.

READ MORE on the Fox31 News website📸 JAjags.com

picture of families on beach

JA Families Form Special Bond

April 14, 2022 - JA Families are featured online and in the Colorado League of Charter Schools’ MOVE Newsletter, highlighting their love for adventure and shared charter school experience.

READ MORE on the CLCS website
📸 Kim Daly

JA track logo

Track & Field Places 3rd at Hawk Invite

April 9, 2022 - JA Secondary Track & Field shows up in a big way at the Hawk Invite and the team’s efforts are highlighted as they ‘chase 3A dominance’.

READ MORE on Colorado Hometown Weekly
📸 JA Track & Field

Jennifer Kupcho at LGPA tour

JA Alum Wins Big on LPGA Tour

April 2, 2022 - JA Alumni Jennifer Kupcho won her first LPGA Championship with a career-best performance at the Chevron Championship on April 2nd, 2022 at Mission Hills Country Club.

READ MORE on 9News Denver
📸 LPGA

teachers receiving awards

JA Secondary Principal wins 'Leader of the Year'

March 2, 2022 - Heather Grantham, principal of JA Secondary School, was inducted into the Colorado League of Charter Schools’ Hall of Fame as the 2022 Leader of the Year at their annual conference.

READ MORE
📸 CLCS

students volunteering

Student Gives Back to Marshall Fire Victims

February 17, 2022 - JA student Sofia Hiller recently got a surprise from Arvada Jefferson Kiwanis Club to continue her work at A Precious Child, helping victims of the Marshall Fire.

READ MORE on Facebook

boys basketball team 2002

Historic 2002 State Championship Win

February 12, 2022 - Members of the 2002 Boys Basketball State 2A Championship Team were honored at midcourt and were featured online, in print and on CBS4 News.

BOCO Preps article
CO League of Charter Schools
Broomfield Leader Online
📸 Jefferson Academy Archive

Tiffany Bruce

Olympic Inspiration In Westminster

January 28, 2022 - As world-class athletes prepared to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics, one of JA’s own - Tiffany Bunce - was interviewed by 9News Denver about her sport of figure skating.

WATCH THE VIDEO

student holding essay

JA Senior's Essay raises awareness on mental health

October 29, 2021 - An English assignment for JA Senior Maya Magallanes gets attention as she shines a light on teenage mental health in this Broomfield Enterprise article.

READ MORE
📸 Broomfield Enterprise

soccer players celebrating

Boys Soccer: JA blitzes stargate school to remain perfect

September 15, 2021 - JA High School Boys Soccer Team hosted Stargate and their spectacular win is featured by BOCO Preps.

READ MORE

📸 Timothy Hurst

Ken Kain

JA teacher earns opportunity to run in NYC marathon

September 1, 2021 - JA Secondary teacher Ken Kain and his passion for running are featured in this Colorado Hometown Weekly article.

READ MORE

📸 Cliff Grassmick

students holding state champion banners

JA Secondary honors state champions

August 2021 - As students at JA Secondary wrapped up their first half day at school this year, they honored 4 state champions from track and field and golf.

READ MORE

Summit South logo

Summit South expands to Conifer

August 2021 - The Summit Academy South expands to offer a homeschool enrichment program in Conifer, beginning in fall 2021.

READ MORE

Mrs Ryberg & husband

Ryberg named Educator of the Year

March 2021 - Ms. Ryberg, who teaches kindergarten at JA Elementary, was awarded the 2021 Charter School Educator of the Year by Colorado League of Charter Schools (CLCS).

READ MORE

Becky Welch

Teacher wins national grant

February 2021 - Ms. Welch, a 6th grade teacher at JA Elementary, was awarded the Noosa Yoghurt ‘Full-On’ Grant for $2,000.

Media Contact Information

Tiffany Blakley, Community Engagement Specialist
tblakley@jajags.com